Day 2 will find me in the Plenary Session at 8:00 in the morning. Will I be awake enough to see what's going on? That is the question!
I know that it will be at this session that the dreaded "rate increase" — as John Reid at his Anglo-Celtic Connections blog <http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2009/05/are-genealogical-society-fees-too-high.html> has been writing about — will be brought up.
The proposed increase for yearly membership will be $15.00 (making it $60.00 per year), and I wondered what the reaction will be because I don't know - I suspect that people already have made up their minds. We shall see. You will be the first to know - I will be Twittering from the conference!
After that session is over, I will be going to hear a panel discussion on "From the Printed Page to the Digital Age: The Professionals", which will be moderated by Sharon Murphy. Panelists include Susanna de Groot and Tammy Priolo — both graduates from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies; Brian Gilchrist, the Archivist at the Region of Peel Archives; Janice Nickerson, who has her M.A. in History and a website at <www.uppercanadagenealogy.com>; and author and lecturer, Ruth Burkholder.
The rest of the day I will be in the Marketplace talking to people and seeing what is new this year. Then, I will be at the banquet to hear Charlotte Gray talk about Alexander Graham Bell and his love of genealogy.
Sounds like a full day to me!
A daily blog about Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
OGS Conference '09
As many of you know, I will be Twittering and blogging from this year's conference! The first time an OGS conference has been covered in this manner!
The conference will be held from May 29th to June 1st in Oakville (part of Toronto), with well over 700 attendees.
Friday morning — after we register — I will be off to the marketplace while other people will be going on a tour of the NEW Ontario Archives.
In the afternoon, I will be covering the Irish Palatines, where Hank Jones will speak (he has written much about the Palatines), and after that, I will attend the graduation ceremony of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, which is, by the way, celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The opening ceremonies will be held in the evening, and well-known genealogist Kory L. Meyerink will give the J. Richard Houston Memorial Lecture, with a reception to follow.
So watch for my Twitters and keep an eye for the blogs - I'll see you at the conference!
The conference will be held from May 29th to June 1st in Oakville (part of Toronto), with well over 700 attendees.
Friday morning — after we register — I will be off to the marketplace while other people will be going on a tour of the NEW Ontario Archives.
In the afternoon, I will be covering the Irish Palatines, where Hank Jones will speak (he has written much about the Palatines), and after that, I will attend the graduation ceremony of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, which is, by the way, celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The opening ceremonies will be held in the evening, and well-known genealogist Kory L. Meyerink will give the J. Richard Houston Memorial Lecture, with a reception to follow.
So watch for my Twitters and keep an eye for the blogs - I'll see you at the conference!
Friday, May 22, 2009
OGS "NewsLeaf" is here
The pre-Conference NewsLeaf is here!
This is a long issue (30+ pages) as it contains a report from each of the branches, plus a report from each of the regional directors, plus financial statements, plus a report on all the things that went on at last year's Conference, plus, plus, plus. Phew!
To say the least, I am usually spent by the time it is done and I take a couple of days off to recover, but this year, I was totally booked in writing magazine articles - so no time off for me!
They are good publications (if I must say so myself) - Families and NewsLeaf. This November, I will have been the editor for three years - it seems like I just put out my second edition, but in truth, it will be my 10th one!
And if you are coming to Conference 2009, be sure to drop by our table. Yes, we will have a table this year. It will be alongside the OGS table, but we will be clearly marked as "OGS Publications".
Grace Jewell, the OGS Webmaster, and John Becker, the editor of Families, will be there on Saturday. And I (Elizabeth Lapointe), the editor of NewsLeaf and e-NewsLeaf, will be there on Sunday.
If you haven't signed up to receive e-Newsleaf, be sure to do that - it is included in your yearly membership dues. There will be a sheet that you can put your email address on it if you haven't already subscribed at the "Members Only" section of the OGS website <www.ogs.on.ca>.
So far, only about 80% of members have sent in their addresses, and we would like to see everybody join up, as there are links for access to the great databases that the OGS has already published, and for the new ones that will be coming soon. So sign up - you'll be glad you did!
This year, I will be representing the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors in my capacity as the International Director, and it's a great organization. I will have a handout available for all, detailing the ISFHWE group, and its benefits. The website address is <http://isfhwe.org>.
So come on over and say "Hello!" to myself, John, and Grace. We would be pleased to see you.
If you would like to send in an article or a family history to be published, be sure to come and see us.
This is a long issue (30+ pages) as it contains a report from each of the branches, plus a report from each of the regional directors, plus financial statements, plus a report on all the things that went on at last year's Conference, plus, plus, plus. Phew!
To say the least, I am usually spent by the time it is done and I take a couple of days off to recover, but this year, I was totally booked in writing magazine articles - so no time off for me!
They are good publications (if I must say so myself) - Families and NewsLeaf. This November, I will have been the editor for three years - it seems like I just put out my second edition, but in truth, it will be my 10th one!
And if you are coming to Conference 2009, be sure to drop by our table. Yes, we will have a table this year. It will be alongside the OGS table, but we will be clearly marked as "OGS Publications".
Grace Jewell, the OGS Webmaster, and John Becker, the editor of Families, will be there on Saturday. And I (Elizabeth Lapointe), the editor of NewsLeaf and e-NewsLeaf, will be there on Sunday.
If you haven't signed up to receive e-Newsleaf, be sure to do that - it is included in your yearly membership dues. There will be a sheet that you can put your email address on it if you haven't already subscribed at the "Members Only" section of the OGS website <www.ogs.on.ca>.
So far, only about 80% of members have sent in their addresses, and we would like to see everybody join up, as there are links for access to the great databases that the OGS has already published, and for the new ones that will be coming soon. So sign up - you'll be glad you did!
This year, I will be representing the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors in my capacity as the International Director, and it's a great organization. I will have a handout available for all, detailing the ISFHWE group, and its benefits. The website address is <http://isfhwe.org>.
So come on over and say "Hello!" to myself, John, and Grace. We would be pleased to see you.
If you would like to send in an article or a family history to be published, be sure to come and see us.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
LAC Appoints New Librarian/Archivist
The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has appointed the new Chief Librarian and Archivist. It is Dr. Daniel J. Caron, who transferes to the job from being the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister. He has been with the LAC since its inception a number of years ago.
His appointment was effective April 27, 2009.
Meanwhile, I see where the former Librarian/Archivist, Ian E. Wilson, has taken an appointment with the University of Waterloo at their new research facility in Stratford, Ontario.
He will be a strategic advisor to the new University of Waterloo Startford Institute of Arts and Culture. It will build the next generation in technology to digitize media products and services.
Both Dr. Caron and Ian are to be congratulated on their new positions.
His appointment was effective April 27, 2009.
Meanwhile, I see where the former Librarian/Archivist, Ian E. Wilson, has taken an appointment with the University of Waterloo at their new research facility in Stratford, Ontario.
He will be a strategic advisor to the new University of Waterloo Startford Institute of Arts and Culture. It will build the next generation in technology to digitize media products and services.
Both Dr. Caron and Ian are to be congratulated on their new positions.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
AGM and Genealogy Fair in Brockville
Brockville, Ontario — on the shore of the lovely St. Lawrence River — was the city where the AGM of Region VIII of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) and Genealogy Fair was held Saturday, 25 April at St. Lawrence College. It was hosted by the Leeds and Grenville Branch of the OGS <www.leedsandgrenvillegenealogy.com>.
The first presentation was by Kees Van Den Heuval and he gave a talk on the options available to genealogists for digitizing and restoring photographs entitled, "A Primer on Digitizing and Restoring Photographs for Genealogists".
He went into quite a bit of detail on how to restore photographs, which was of interest to us, for I have a number of photos that have to be restored. My husband and I were madly taking notes, and afterwards, members asked quite a few questions as everybody seemed quite interested in how to restore old photos.
Patti Mordasewicz, Chair of the Leeds and Grenville Branch of the OGS, thanks Kees Van Den Heuval for his presentation at the Genealogy Fair.
After lunch, we listened to Jessica Squires from the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) give a talk on the "Indian Affairs" RG 10 Records held at the LAC, called "Aboriginal and Natural Resources Division on Aboriginal Research". The website for these records is located at <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-905.003-e.html>.
She said that among other things, they have treaty paylists, band membership paylists, and enfranchisement lists at the LAC. They also have military records, census records, vital records, and social records.
She also gave a short history of the department and the reclassification of regional offices within the department, and steps to use to overcome this challenge.
She suggested that we all consult the book by Bill Russell entitled, "Records of The Federal Department Of Indian Affairs At The National Archives Of Canada".
Patti Mordasewicz, Chair of the Leeds and Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, thanks Jessica Squires after her talk to the people at the Brockville Genealogy Fair.
The third and final presentation was by Professor Tim Abel, who presented a very lively talk on a special archeology dig he did a couple of years ago for a large Realtor who wanted to build on the outskirts of Watertown, Jefferson County, New York — right across the river from Brockville.
The city requested that a survey be done on the land first and it was known that a farm land had been there before, but very little evidence had been found about what had happened to it.
Tim was hired to go start an archaeology dig there, and found the house had caught on fire in the late 1800s and burnt down!
He was unable to find the descendants of the Earl family but he was able to take over 6,000 objects from the area. They have been classified and put in a museum in the area.
The Realtor built its store on the property - but in front of the store there is a spot where the farm house once stood. It is undeveloped, with uncut grass growing there in the summertime.
Patti Mordasewicz, Chair of the Leeds and Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, says her "thank you's" to Tim Abel for his interesting talk at the Brockville Genealogy Fair.
We had an enjoyable trip to Brockville and found St. Lawrence College quite easily and went in to register. There were a dozen or so vendors and groups represented in the marketplace, and they seemed to be doing a brisk business.
We had a wonderful lunch of hot soup and sandwiches served in the cafeteria. And at a table just as you entered the marketplace, there were homemade squares of every description, and coffee and tea that you could have at anytime.
It was a most wonderful day, and we had a nice trip back to town in about an hour and a half. That night, we had a most terrific storm with wind and thunder that caused trees to fall and much damage to roofs on houses and barns, in Ottawa and surrounding area. It was later classified as a tornado.
The first presentation was by Kees Van Den Heuval and he gave a talk on the options available to genealogists for digitizing and restoring photographs entitled, "A Primer on Digitizing and Restoring Photographs for Genealogists".
He went into quite a bit of detail on how to restore photographs, which was of interest to us, for I have a number of photos that have to be restored. My husband and I were madly taking notes, and afterwards, members asked quite a few questions as everybody seemed quite interested in how to restore old photos.
Patti Mordasewicz, Chair of the Leeds and Grenville Branch of the OGS, thanks Kees Van Den Heuval for his presentation at the Genealogy Fair.Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
After lunch, we listened to Jessica Squires from the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) give a talk on the "Indian Affairs" RG 10 Records held at the LAC, called "Aboriginal and Natural Resources Division on Aboriginal Research". The website for these records is located at <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-905.003-e.html>.
She said that among other things, they have treaty paylists, band membership paylists, and enfranchisement lists at the LAC. They also have military records, census records, vital records, and social records.
She also gave a short history of the department and the reclassification of regional offices within the department, and steps to use to overcome this challenge.
She suggested that we all consult the book by Bill Russell entitled, "Records of The Federal Department Of Indian Affairs At The National Archives Of Canada".
Patti Mordasewicz, Chair of the Leeds and Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, thanks Jessica Squires after her talk to the people at the Brockville Genealogy Fair.Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
The third and final presentation was by Professor Tim Abel, who presented a very lively talk on a special archeology dig he did a couple of years ago for a large Realtor who wanted to build on the outskirts of Watertown, Jefferson County, New York — right across the river from Brockville.
The city requested that a survey be done on the land first and it was known that a farm land had been there before, but very little evidence had been found about what had happened to it.
Tim was hired to go start an archaeology dig there, and found the house had caught on fire in the late 1800s and burnt down!
He was unable to find the descendants of the Earl family but he was able to take over 6,000 objects from the area. They have been classified and put in a museum in the area.
The Realtor built its store on the property - but in front of the store there is a spot where the farm house once stood. It is undeveloped, with uncut grass growing there in the summertime.
Patti Mordasewicz, Chair of the Leeds and Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, says her "thank you's" to Tim Abel for his interesting talk at the Brockville Genealogy Fair.Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
We had an enjoyable trip to Brockville and found St. Lawrence College quite easily and went in to register. There were a dozen or so vendors and groups represented in the marketplace, and they seemed to be doing a brisk business.
We had a wonderful lunch of hot soup and sandwiches served in the cafeteria. And at a table just as you entered the marketplace, there were homemade squares of every description, and coffee and tea that you could have at anytime.
It was a most wonderful day, and we had a nice trip back to town in about an hour and a half. That night, we had a most terrific storm with wind and thunder that caused trees to fall and much damage to roofs on houses and barns, in Ottawa and surrounding area. It was later classified as a tornado.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Anglo-Celtic Roots Arrives!
The spring edition of Anglo-Celtic Roots arrived the other day, and I can see by the advertisement put in the latest issue that plans for the fall conference are well underway.
This year's conference is to be held from Sept 18th to the 20th and will feature a Scottish focus this year. Duncan Macniven, Registrar General for Scotland, will speak on two topics - "Scotland's Demographic History since Victorian Times" and "How to Find Your Own Scottish Ancestors".
Colleen Fitzpatrick from California is the author of Forensic Genealogy. I heard her speak at last year's OGS Conference in London, and she is fantastic.
There will be many other speakers, as well. And on Friday, there will be a special intermediate course given in genealogy, a tour of the Library and Archives of Canada, and a Family Tree Maker workshop.
This will be their 15th Annual Fall Conference, and according to President Mary Ann Sharpe, many are taking advantage of the "on-line" membership and conference registration available at the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa website <www.bifhsgo.ca> - almost 40 percent!
Meanwhile, there are five articles in this issue of Anglo-Celtic Roots and they are -
"The Luck of the Scots" - an article by Carol Annett in which she writes about her husband's grandfather, John Alexander (Jack) MacKinnon, and the finding of his gravemarker besides the ruins of St. Raphael's Church.
"Doors Open and There is My Great-great-grandfather", by Irene Kellow Ip, tells the story of how she discovered the baptismal and marriage record of Patrick Mackin by telling a fellow researcher about him at an "Doors Open" event in Ottawa.
"Simplified Publishing of Military Research" by Norma O'Toole is an article about Norman Johnson of the 405 Pathfinder Squadron of Vancouver and how Norma discovered his war service.
"Don't Believe All You Read" by John Sayers is about an article read by John in the 1922 issue of the Montreal Gazette in which four children were drowned near Grosse Île.
"Secret Secretaries" by Ilana Reimer is an article about Dorothy May Helm about her grandmother who worked as a Secret Secretary for William Stephenson (the man who ran the Second World War Office, called the British Security Coordination, or BSC).
This year's conference is to be held from Sept 18th to the 20th and will feature a Scottish focus this year. Duncan Macniven, Registrar General for Scotland, will speak on two topics - "Scotland's Demographic History since Victorian Times" and "How to Find Your Own Scottish Ancestors".
Colleen Fitzpatrick from California is the author of Forensic Genealogy. I heard her speak at last year's OGS Conference in London, and she is fantastic.
There will be many other speakers, as well. And on Friday, there will be a special intermediate course given in genealogy, a tour of the Library and Archives of Canada, and a Family Tree Maker workshop.
This will be their 15th Annual Fall Conference, and according to President Mary Ann Sharpe, many are taking advantage of the "on-line" membership and conference registration available at the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa website <www.bifhsgo.ca> - almost 40 percent!
Meanwhile, there are five articles in this issue of Anglo-Celtic Roots and they are -
"The Luck of the Scots" - an article by Carol Annett in which she writes about her husband's grandfather, John Alexander (Jack) MacKinnon, and the finding of his gravemarker besides the ruins of St. Raphael's Church.
"Doors Open and There is My Great-great-grandfather", by Irene Kellow Ip, tells the story of how she discovered the baptismal and marriage record of Patrick Mackin by telling a fellow researcher about him at an "Doors Open" event in Ottawa.
"Simplified Publishing of Military Research" by Norma O'Toole is an article about Norman Johnson of the 405 Pathfinder Squadron of Vancouver and how Norma discovered his war service.
"Don't Believe All You Read" by John Sayers is about an article read by John in the 1922 issue of the Montreal Gazette in which four children were drowned near Grosse Île.
"Secret Secretaries" by Ilana Reimer is an article about Dorothy May Helm about her grandmother who worked as a Secret Secretary for William Stephenson (the man who ran the Second World War Office, called the British Security Coordination, or BSC).
Sunday, May 17, 2009
IOOF Database
The Ontario Genealogical Society <www.ogs.on.ca> has recently put the Independent Order of Oddfellow (IOOF) index online. Nearly thirteen years ago, the application papers were donated to the OGS. It represents nearly 60,000 Canadian men who obtained life insurance from this plan.
This is the third database that the Ontario Genealogical Society has made available to their "Members only" site, the two other being the Strays Database and the Church Histories of the London Roman Catholic Diocese.
Each application is four pages long and includes such genealogical information as the name of a beneficiary and the person's relationship to the applicant, the age and health of siblings and parents (although their names are rarely mentioned), and other letters and notes attached to the applicants.
The database contains the applicant's name, date of birth, and location when the application was made, and the application date and number.
I checked the database for a couple of surnames and found that you can write to the OGS if you want any of the files on the database (the 100 year rule applies for health reasons, so only papers piror to 1909 can be released) for $10.80, which includes tax. The money will go to the preservation of the project.
You can write to them at 40 Orchard View Blvd, Suite 102, Toronto, ON M4R 1B9, or send them an email at <research@ogs.on.ca>.
This is the third database that the Ontario Genealogical Society has made available to their "Members only" site, the two other being the Strays Database and the Church Histories of the London Roman Catholic Diocese.
Each application is four pages long and includes such genealogical information as the name of a beneficiary and the person's relationship to the applicant, the age and health of siblings and parents (although their names are rarely mentioned), and other letters and notes attached to the applicants.
The database contains the applicant's name, date of birth, and location when the application was made, and the application date and number.
I checked the database for a couple of surnames and found that you can write to the OGS if you want any of the files on the database (the 100 year rule applies for health reasons, so only papers piror to 1909 can be released) for $10.80, which includes tax. The money will go to the preservation of the project.
You can write to them at 40 Orchard View Blvd, Suite 102, Toronto, ON M4R 1B9, or send them an email at <research@ogs.on.ca>.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Saturday was a Treat!
We were in for a treat last Saturday when we attended the annual FHC Genealogy Fair at their location on Prince of Wales Drive near Dow's Lake and the Experimental Farm. The website for the Family History Center in Ottawa is <www.OttawaStakefhc.on.ca>.
The treat turned out to be a dual presentation by Ottawa genealogists Glenn Wright (BIFHSGO member) and Lesley Anderson (with Ancestry.ca) on the Canadian Census.
They made the comment that they didn't think it had been done before - and I honestly don't think it has. They have taken a rather dull subject and have turned it into something fun and interesting - and if they present it again (which I hope they will), you should not miss it.
As Glenn and Leslie pointed out, census have been taken in Canada since 1666! They went through the history of the census as it was in Canada, paying special attention to the censuses since 1871 - the first national census in Canada.
The 1871 Canadian Census is still complete at the Library and Archives Canada (it wasn't discarded after it was microfilmed), and it has many different schedules of interest (e.g. the agricultural and industrial census is attached).
They stopped and looked at the 1906 and 1916 censuses of Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) and noticed how complete they are - they are on Ancestry.ca.
In the 1916 census, it has who was away on the First World War overseas, and people were asked the country of their birth to make sure the government was keeping track of immigration.
The 1911 Canadian Census was the last one made public before the next census of 1921 (which is due to be made public in 2013 - 92 years after it was taken) is also on Ancestry.ca. It is the year when people were asked what year they came to Canada - again, to keep track of immigration.
Leslie said that all Canadian census will be on the Internet at Ancestry.ca next month - the 10th of June.
I spent my break times answering questions on the Loyalists who came to Canada because I am descendent for them on both sides of the family, and also answered questions about the Ontario Genealogical Society because I am their newsletter editor.
Therefore, I didn't have time to go to the "cultural room" to see who was there at the table, although my husband went there, and said that BIFHSGO and the City of Ottawa Archives were there, to name a few.
It was time very well-spent, and Shirley Ann Pyefinch and her group are to be congratulated for putting together another successful fair, and for making us feel at home.
They should go "on the road" with their presentation, which they gave Saturday at the FHC Genealogy Fair in Ottawa.
Credit: Mario Lapointe, CD
The treat turned out to be a dual presentation by Ottawa genealogists Glenn Wright (BIFHSGO member) and Lesley Anderson (with Ancestry.ca) on the Canadian Census.
They made the comment that they didn't think it had been done before - and I honestly don't think it has. They have taken a rather dull subject and have turned it into something fun and interesting - and if they present it again (which I hope they will), you should not miss it.
As Glenn and Leslie pointed out, census have been taken in Canada since 1666! They went through the history of the census as it was in Canada, paying special attention to the censuses since 1871 - the first national census in Canada.
The 1871 Canadian Census is still complete at the Library and Archives Canada (it wasn't discarded after it was microfilmed), and it has many different schedules of interest (e.g. the agricultural and industrial census is attached).
They stopped and looked at the 1906 and 1916 censuses of Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) and noticed how complete they are - they are on Ancestry.ca.
In the 1916 census, it has who was away on the First World War overseas, and people were asked the country of their birth to make sure the government was keeping track of immigration.
The 1911 Canadian Census was the last one made public before the next census of 1921 (which is due to be made public in 2013 - 92 years after it was taken) is also on Ancestry.ca. It is the year when people were asked what year they came to Canada - again, to keep track of immigration.
Leslie said that all Canadian census will be on the Internet at Ancestry.ca next month - the 10th of June.
I spent my break times answering questions on the Loyalists who came to Canada because I am descendent for them on both sides of the family, and also answered questions about the Ontario Genealogical Society because I am their newsletter editor.
Therefore, I didn't have time to go to the "cultural room" to see who was there at the table, although my husband went there, and said that BIFHSGO and the City of Ottawa Archives were there, to name a few.
It was time very well-spent, and Shirley Ann Pyefinch and her group are to be congratulated for putting together another successful fair, and for making us feel at home.
They should go "on the road" with their presentation, which they gave Saturday at the FHC Genealogy Fair in Ottawa.Credit: Mario Lapointe, CD
Friday, April 24, 2009
Going to Brockville Tomorrow
Tomorrow, I am going down to Brockville, a city about an hour and a half away from here (Ottawa) to attend the Region VIII AGM and Genealogy Fair being hosted by Leeds and Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.
The day-long meeting starts at 9:00 a.m., so we shall leave around 6:00 a.m., stop and have coffee, pick up another person and then travel along Highways 416 & 401 until we come to St. Lawrence College, where the genealogical day will be held.
There will be three speakers (Kees Van Den Heuval, Jessica Squires, and Dr. Timothy Abel) plus about 16 groups in the marketplace. I will attend the lectures and take pictures for the blog (I will tell you how it went next week) and for the OGS NewsLeaf and E-NewsLeaf.
It is suppose to be an early spring day, and the temperatures are supposed to go as high as 27 degrees Celsius, with afternoon thunderstorms thrown in for good measure - so it should be an interesting day!
The day-long meeting starts at 9:00 a.m., so we shall leave around 6:00 a.m., stop and have coffee, pick up another person and then travel along Highways 416 & 401 until we come to St. Lawrence College, where the genealogical day will be held.
There will be three speakers (Kees Van Den Heuval, Jessica Squires, and Dr. Timothy Abel) plus about 16 groups in the marketplace. I will attend the lectures and take pictures for the blog (I will tell you how it went next week) and for the OGS NewsLeaf and E-NewsLeaf.
It is suppose to be an early spring day, and the temperatures are supposed to go as high as 27 degrees Celsius, with afternoon thunderstorms thrown in for good measure - so it should be an interesting day!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Genealogical Week in Review
I have been absent from the blog for a while because I have been busy writing articles, but here is a summary of some of the things which has happened this past week -
Ian S. Wilson Announces Retirement - Ian S. Wilson, the Chief Archivist and Librarian of the Library and Archives of Canada, is retiring April 24th.
This came somewhat as a surprise to genealogists, but he has been at the Library and Archives Canada since 1999 when he joined as National Archivist, and then became the Chief Librarian and Archivist in 2004 when the two institutions were united.
He says in his letter advising of his retirement that he will continue his work as President of the International Council of Archives.
The government will make an announcement shortly regarding his successor.
Ontario Genealogy Society's Call for Papers Conference 2010 - The Toronto Branch of the OGS will be hosting Conference 2010 and has called for papers for May 1st.
But recently, they have amended their "Call for Papers" in that the workshops they plan to hold for Italian and Dutch lecture streams will have until June 1, 2010 to submit their proposal for papers.
This extension is to allow for more complete outreach to these communities.
The deadline remains unchanged (1 May 2009) for submission of all other topics.
To read more details on Conference 2010, you should go to http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference2010.
Discount on British Columbia Membership - The Ontario Genealogy Society (OGS) has entered an arrangement with the British Columbia Genealogical Society (BCGS) in which you can belong to both societies with a $5.00 discount on your membership for both.
Remember, a couple of months ago a similar discount was announced with the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society's membership, and that seems to be going along quite nicely.
If you are a members of both societies or wish to be a member of both, you should phone 416.489.1734 or email <membership@ogs.on.ca>. BCGS members should phone 604.502.9119 or email <membership@bcgs.ca>.
Ian S. Wilson Announces Retirement - Ian S. Wilson, the Chief Archivist and Librarian of the Library and Archives of Canada, is retiring April 24th.
This came somewhat as a surprise to genealogists, but he has been at the Library and Archives Canada since 1999 when he joined as National Archivist, and then became the Chief Librarian and Archivist in 2004 when the two institutions were united.
He says in his letter advising of his retirement that he will continue his work as President of the International Council of Archives.
The government will make an announcement shortly regarding his successor.
Ontario Genealogy Society's Call for Papers Conference 2010 - The Toronto Branch of the OGS will be hosting Conference 2010 and has called for papers for May 1st.
But recently, they have amended their "Call for Papers" in that the workshops they plan to hold for Italian and Dutch lecture streams will have until June 1, 2010 to submit their proposal for papers.
This extension is to allow for more complete outreach to these communities.
The deadline remains unchanged (1 May 2009) for submission of all other topics.
To read more details on Conference 2010, you should go to http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference2010.
Discount on British Columbia Membership - The Ontario Genealogy Society (OGS) has entered an arrangement with the British Columbia Genealogical Society (BCGS) in which you can belong to both societies with a $5.00 discount on your membership for both.
Remember, a couple of months ago a similar discount was announced with the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society's membership, and that seems to be going along quite nicely.
If you are a members of both societies or wish to be a member of both, you should phone 416.489.1734 or email <membership@ogs.on.ca>. BCGS members should phone 604.502.9119 or email <membership@bcgs.ca>.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The British Columbia Genealogist Arrives
The March 2009 issue of The British Columbia Genealogist arrived safely on my doorstep the other day.
As usual, Diane Rogers (the editor), has done a fantastic job in putting the stories together plus all the news about the BC genealogical community.
It was interesting to read the essay that won the Most Improved Contest entitled, “Nock, Nock, and Nock Again” by Brenda Smith, as well as the two follow-up essays - “David James Gill Became A Home Child in Canada in 1871” by Judy Hassall, and “The Stanborough Family” by Brenda Perfitt Jensen.
There are three cementeries covered in this issue: the Veterans Cemetery, Esquimalt; the Rock Creek Cementery at Rock Creek; and Robinson Memorial Park Cementery in Coquitlam. The pictures of the cementeries are quite nice.
This issue also contains the 2009 Price List for their publications, as well as the schedule of things going on in the chapter.
As usual, Diane Rogers (the editor), has done a fantastic job in putting the stories together plus all the news about the BC genealogical community.
It was interesting to read the essay that won the Most Improved Contest entitled, “Nock, Nock, and Nock Again” by Brenda Smith, as well as the two follow-up essays - “David James Gill Became A Home Child in Canada in 1871” by Judy Hassall, and “The Stanborough Family” by Brenda Perfitt Jensen.
There are three cementeries covered in this issue: the Veterans Cemetery, Esquimalt; the Rock Creek Cementery at Rock Creek; and Robinson Memorial Park Cementery in Coquitlam. The pictures of the cementeries are quite nice.
This issue also contains the 2009 Price List for their publications, as well as the schedule of things going on in the chapter.
Friday, April 17, 2009
A New Format!
Just like Families, the journal of the Ontario Genealogical Society, did last fall, the Spring issue of the Nova Scotia Genealogist has gone to the larger 8½” ×11” size with this issue <www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/GANS>.
As usual, there is something for everyone in the issue. I found the article on the diary of Murdoch Campbell Smith of Port Williams, Kings County by Carolyn McGrath insightful because he went to Horton Academy—eventually becoming Acadia University—which I attended in the late 1960s.
Secondly, he went to Oakland, California. I had relatives that went there around the same time, so I have a definite interest in that area.
I will be getting in contact with Carolyn to see if he wrote anything on my relatives since she said he wrote about his visits to other Nova Scotian families in the area.
Other articles included one on British Home Children; Pierre Cyr and His Family of Acadia; and one which explains the PERSI Index in the Allan County Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
They also mention the new “Members-Only” area of the GANS website, news items in the Bulletin Board; and their publications and reference books for sale at a very reasonable price.
I was pleased to see another genealogical journal go to the larger format - for me, it makes for easier reading and storage. I await the electronic version, which they may switch to in the future.
For the month of April, I plan to attend two genealogical meetings. The first one is the Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Genealogical Society’s <www.ogsottawa.on.ca> meeting on April 21st, with guest speaker, Diane Burnett, the librarian of the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group <www.uovgg.ca>.
The second one will be the day-long conference and Region VIII AGM for the Leeds Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society in Brockville - about an hour and a half south of Ottawa. It will be held on Saturday, April 25th <www.leedsandgrenvillegenealogy.com/events.html>.
I will have information on both of these meetings as we get closer to the date.
As usual, there is something for everyone in the issue. I found the article on the diary of Murdoch Campbell Smith of Port Williams, Kings County by Carolyn McGrath insightful because he went to Horton Academy—eventually becoming Acadia University—which I attended in the late 1960s.
Secondly, he went to Oakland, California. I had relatives that went there around the same time, so I have a definite interest in that area.
I will be getting in contact with Carolyn to see if he wrote anything on my relatives since she said he wrote about his visits to other Nova Scotian families in the area.
Other articles included one on British Home Children; Pierre Cyr and His Family of Acadia; and one which explains the PERSI Index in the Allan County Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
They also mention the new “Members-Only” area of the GANS website, news items in the Bulletin Board; and their publications and reference books for sale at a very reasonable price.
I was pleased to see another genealogical journal go to the larger format - for me, it makes for easier reading and storage. I await the electronic version, which they may switch to in the future.
For the month of April, I plan to attend two genealogical meetings. The first one is the Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Genealogical Society’s <www.ogsottawa.on.ca> meeting on April 21st, with guest speaker, Diane Burnett, the librarian of the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group <www.uovgg.ca>.
The second one will be the day-long conference and Region VIII AGM for the Leeds Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society in Brockville - about an hour and a half south of Ottawa. It will be held on Saturday, April 25th <www.leedsandgrenvillegenealogy.com/events.html>.
I will have information on both of these meetings as we get closer to the date.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Gene-O-Rama 2009 - Wanderings
From the first break in the morning until early afternoon, I wandered around the Marketplace, and at some point, had lunch. This year, they had 30 vendors crammed into the rather small Ben Franklin Place Atrium to display their wares. I went around and visited nearly all of them in the short time I had.
====================
Here are Sue (l) and Heather (the break and lunchtime ladies) as they prepare to set up the breaks and lunch-time food at the tables.
Since the OGS shared the space with people coming to the City Library, Heather and Sue had to make sure that only people with OGS Conference nametags could partake of the goodies.
They both did a great job and ought to be commended for the smiling faces that greeted us every time we went to the tables.
====================
I stopped in at the Computer Room and they had a number of computers, and all were busy when I was there. People were looking for ancestors online at Ancestry.com or at Find My Past, for example. Don Ross, who was handling the people there, said that the place was busy all day and that there was a good stream of people coming and going.
Don Ross, assisting those in the Computer Room.
====================
I stopped and talked to Ana Ghia-Pereira (l) and Shirley Ann Pyefinch and at the FHL table. They are going to have a "Discovering Our Ancestors" Family History Fair on Saturday, May 2nd from 1:30 to 4:30. For more information, please visit their website at www.ottawastakefhc.on.ca
====================
And I also took a minute to visit the Moorshead Magazines table, where I said "Hi" to Ed Zapletal.
He is their new owner and editor since Halvor Moorshead retired last year. I saw where he had the latest "Google you Family Tree" book by Daniel Lynch for sale. They have the exclusive rights to sell the book in Canada, and Ed said that Daniel might come to Oakville for the OGS Conference held at the end of May. For more on this book, visit www.internet-genealogy.com.
====================
I talked to Derek Hopkins and crew at the Quebec Family History Society table and asked how the planning for the International Conference 2010, called "Roots Heritage", is coming along, and they said "just great". They are looking forward to having everybody come down next year to Montreal when the conference will be held in June.
Please note that all the lectures will be in English. For details, visit the Society at www.qfhs.ca.
====================
The Kingston Branch of the OGS www.kingston.ogs.on.ca was there, and they said that they are busy putting their cemeteries online. The Carleton Branch of the United Empire Loyalists www.carletonuel.ca was also there, and they had a great many books on Loyalists ancestors. This summer, the Loyalists conference will be held in Adolphustown, near Trenton, Ontario.
====================
And you just have to see the water flowers that were in bloom in the Atrium. I don't know what kind of flowers they are - but aren't they pretty?
Next year, the conference will be held March 26th and 27th at the Library and Archives Canada. For more on the conference, visit www.ogsottawa.ogs.on.ca.
====================
Here are Sue (l) and Heather (the break and lunchtime ladies) as they prepare to set up the breaks and lunch-time food at the tables.Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
Since the OGS shared the space with people coming to the City Library, Heather and Sue had to make sure that only people with OGS Conference nametags could partake of the goodies.
They both did a great job and ought to be commended for the smiling faces that greeted us every time we went to the tables.
====================
I stopped in at the Computer Room and they had a number of computers, and all were busy when I was there. People were looking for ancestors online at Ancestry.com or at Find My Past, for example. Don Ross, who was handling the people there, said that the place was busy all day and that there was a good stream of people coming and going.
Don Ross, assisting those in the Computer Room.Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
====================
I stopped and talked to Ana Ghia-Pereira (l) and Shirley Ann Pyefinch and at the FHL table. They are going to have a "Discovering Our Ancestors" Family History Fair on Saturday, May 2nd from 1:30 to 4:30. For more information, please visit their website at www.ottawastakefhc.on.ca Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
====================
And I also took a minute to visit the Moorshead Magazines table, where I said "Hi" to Ed Zapletal.
He is their new owner and editor since Halvor Moorshead retired last year. I saw where he had the latest "Google you Family Tree" book by Daniel Lynch for sale. They have the exclusive rights to sell the book in Canada, and Ed said that Daniel might come to Oakville for the OGS Conference held at the end of May. For more on this book, visit www.internet-genealogy.com.
====================
I talked to Derek Hopkins and crew at the Quebec Family History Society table and asked how the planning for the International Conference 2010, called "Roots Heritage", is coming along, and they said "just great". They are looking forward to having everybody come down next year to Montreal when the conference will be held in June.
Please note that all the lectures will be in English. For details, visit the Society at www.qfhs.ca.
====================
The Kingston Branch of the OGS www.kingston.ogs.on.ca was there, and they said that they are busy putting their cemeteries online. The Carleton Branch of the United Empire Loyalists www.carletonuel.ca was also there, and they had a great many books on Loyalists ancestors. This summer, the Loyalists conference will be held in Adolphustown, near Trenton, Ontario.
====================
And you just have to see the water flowers that were in bloom in the Atrium. I don't know what kind of flowers they are - but aren't they pretty?Credit - J.M. Lapointe, CD
====================Next year, the conference will be held March 26th and 27th at the Library and Archives Canada. For more on the conference, visit www.ogsottawa.ogs.on.ca.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Gene-O-Rama 2009 - Saturday
Saturday was going to be a fun day because I was going to hear the lectures about the "Canadian Genealogy Centre" by Sara Chatfield, "Getting the Most from City Directories ..." by Mel Wolfgang, and Terry Findley's talk on "Cold Case: Hot Tips" plus go around to various vendors and talk to them to see how business was in the Marketplace. And if I had time, I wanted to go to the computer room to see how things were going there.
The first lecture I went to was one given by the LAC's Sara Chatfield on "The Canadian Genealogy Centre in 2009".
Sara Chatfield of Library and Archives Canada
First, the room was too small, with all the people that were there. Exta chairs were needed to take care of those that came to this very popular session, and for those that popped in after it began. Luckily for those left standing, OGS volunteer Heather Oakley—ever cheerful—came through with a bunch of chairs, and they were very much appreciated!
So we settled down to hear her talk on the Centre and what was new for 2009.
Sara said that since the large databases have already been put online, they are busy now putting on the smaller ones, and filling in the gaps in the databases already online.
When asked about newspapers, she said there weren't any plans to put them on right away, which left a few of us with a somewhat unsatisfied feeling.
She also said that "tagging" was becoming more important (adding your own comments to photos and videos on YouTube.com and MySpace.com, for example) on the new Web 2.0.
There were lots of questions, especially about how to get in touch with the LAC through email. People also seemed to be a bit confused as to the available hours, and how to use the website correctly.
I then took a break (I will write about whom I visited tomorrow) until just before one o'clock, and then I went to hear Mel Wolfgang talk about "Getting the Most from City Directories ...", in which he traced the development of the directory throughout the ages.
In Canada, you can go to the Canadian Directories, 1790-1987: a Bibliography and Place-name Index. Ottawa: National Library of Canada, 1989 (3 vols) and it will give you the complete listing of directories in Canada.
Directories are very useful in the "in-between" census years, for it can tell you where they were living, what they were doing, etc.
Mel said to take the time to discover the various sections of the directories because you can learn about local government, churches, and fraternal groups. He says that you can learn much by "digging deep down" in directories.
At the end of the day, it was time to hear Terry Findley talk about "Cold Case: Hot Tips" where he discussed several instances in his own family history where he thought he had a "cold case", but through the use of "hot tips", was able to solve the mystery.
Some of the points he made were -
• Review your notes - you may have copied down the wrong placename
• Think the process - the process of seaching for someone
• Believe that the information is there - you just have to look for it
• Be aware of oral family history - often times itis folklore
• Always be aware of unsourced family histories - where did they get those dates from
• Always check the back of pictures - is there anything written on the back of it
The first lecture I went to was one given by the LAC's Sara Chatfield on "The Canadian Genealogy Centre in 2009".
Sara Chatfield of Library and Archives Canada Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
First, the room was too small, with all the people that were there. Exta chairs were needed to take care of those that came to this very popular session, and for those that popped in after it began. Luckily for those left standing, OGS volunteer Heather Oakley—ever cheerful—came through with a bunch of chairs, and they were very much appreciated!
So we settled down to hear her talk on the Centre and what was new for 2009.
Sara said that since the large databases have already been put online, they are busy now putting on the smaller ones, and filling in the gaps in the databases already online.
When asked about newspapers, she said there weren't any plans to put them on right away, which left a few of us with a somewhat unsatisfied feeling.
She also said that "tagging" was becoming more important (adding your own comments to photos and videos on YouTube.com and MySpace.com, for example) on the new Web 2.0.
There were lots of questions, especially about how to get in touch with the LAC through email. People also seemed to be a bit confused as to the available hours, and how to use the website correctly.
I then took a break (I will write about whom I visited tomorrow) until just before one o'clock, and then I went to hear Mel Wolfgang talk about "Getting the Most from City Directories ...", in which he traced the development of the directory throughout the ages.
Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
In Canada, you can go to the Canadian Directories, 1790-1987: a Bibliography and Place-name Index. Ottawa: National Library of Canada, 1989 (3 vols) and it will give you the complete listing of directories in Canada.
Directories are very useful in the "in-between" census years, for it can tell you where they were living, what they were doing, etc.
Mel said to take the time to discover the various sections of the directories because you can learn about local government, churches, and fraternal groups. He says that you can learn much by "digging deep down" in directories.
At the end of the day, it was time to hear Terry Findley talk about "Cold Case: Hot Tips" where he discussed several instances in his own family history where he thought he had a "cold case", but through the use of "hot tips", was able to solve the mystery.
Some of the points he made were -
• Review your notes - you may have copied down the wrong placename
• Think the process - the process of seaching for someone
• Believe that the information is there - you just have to look for it
• Be aware of oral family history - often times itis folklore
• Always be aware of unsourced family histories - where did they get those dates from
• Always check the back of pictures - is there anything written on the back of it
Monday, March 30, 2009
Gene-O-Rama 2009 - Friday Night
I said on my Twitter posting that I was to going to the Ottawa Genealogical Society's Gene-O-Rama, and I did - to both Friday evening's Pat Horan Memorial Lecture, and to Saturday's lectures.
The speaker Friday evening was Dr. Bruce Curtis, a professor of Sociology at Ottawa's Carleton University. His topic was entitled, "Locating, Identifying, Knowing: Census Making in Canada in 1871".
Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
This was an interesting and thought-provoking talk, as it showed the thought processes behind the 1871 Census. It was called "the census with the pastoral vision" because the political people wanted to show (even if it was slightly untrue) how pastoral Canada was at that time.
And, of course, we know it was the beginning of a population shift, as millions of Canadians went south looking for work in the factories of the Northeastern States and to the Northwestern States for jobs in the lumber industry. Canada was becoming more industrialized as time went on - so the country was anything but pastoral.
He told about how the 1861 Canadian Census was such a boondoggle (it was taken in the winter, sometimes the enumerator wasn't educated, the enumerator sheets weren't protected against the weather, etc.) that the government of the day vowed that the 1871 Census was not going to be the same.
Instead, enumerators were given smaller, folded sheets to record their information, they were trained to take the answers, and it was the first time a population map was drawn up of the country.
It was also the first time also that both migration and religion were recorded. No one was allowed to put down "Canada" as their answer to the question, "Where are you from?" - you had to put down the country where you or your people were originally from so that the governent knew where their people were from.
You can access the 1871 Canada Census through inter-library loan of microfilm from the LAC, or browse the Ontario Province of the 1871 Census on the Internet through the LAC (head of household only) at <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/1871-ontario/index-html>, or search the whole census through Ancestry.ca.
After the lecture, we went out of the auditorium and had juice/coffee and cookies. We had our sights firmly set on Saturday and the delights it would bring. I already see where John Reid has posted a picture of me on his Anglo-Celtic Connections blog. (Yes, John, you caught me totally unprepared for that one ... touche!)
The speaker Friday evening was Dr. Bruce Curtis, a professor of Sociology at Ottawa's Carleton University. His topic was entitled, "Locating, Identifying, Knowing: Census Making in Canada in 1871".
Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CDThis was an interesting and thought-provoking talk, as it showed the thought processes behind the 1871 Census. It was called "the census with the pastoral vision" because the political people wanted to show (even if it was slightly untrue) how pastoral Canada was at that time.
And, of course, we know it was the beginning of a population shift, as millions of Canadians went south looking for work in the factories of the Northeastern States and to the Northwestern States for jobs in the lumber industry. Canada was becoming more industrialized as time went on - so the country was anything but pastoral.
He told about how the 1861 Canadian Census was such a boondoggle (it was taken in the winter, sometimes the enumerator wasn't educated, the enumerator sheets weren't protected against the weather, etc.) that the government of the day vowed that the 1871 Census was not going to be the same.
Instead, enumerators were given smaller, folded sheets to record their information, they were trained to take the answers, and it was the first time a population map was drawn up of the country.
It was also the first time also that both migration and religion were recorded. No one was allowed to put down "Canada" as their answer to the question, "Where are you from?" - you had to put down the country where you or your people were originally from so that the governent knew where their people were from.
You can access the 1871 Canada Census through inter-library loan of microfilm from the LAC, or browse the Ontario Province of the 1871 Census on the Internet through the LAC (head of household only) at <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/1871-ontario/index-html>, or search the whole census through Ancestry.ca.
After the lecture, we went out of the auditorium and had juice/coffee and cookies. We had our sights firmly set on Saturday and the delights it would bring. I already see where John Reid has posted a picture of me on his Anglo-Celtic Connections blog. (Yes, John, you caught me totally unprepared for that one ... touche!)
Friday, March 27, 2009
Beginners Genealogy Course - Local Resources
Terry Findley—the last lecturer in the highly-successful Beginner's Course in Ottawa on March 21st—gave his lecture on "Local Resources".
As I listened to his lecture, I wondered how many of the sixty or so people who were there had actually done any research on their family histories.
Roughly three-quarters of the attendees were what we would call "first timers". That is, they hadn't done any research at all, so, naturally, they were very interested to hear about the facilities that Terry was about to mention.
The first place he spoke about was the Canadian Genealogy Centre (CGC) - www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.
He called it the "jewel of family history in Ottawa", and went on to explain that the Canadian Genealogy Centre has databases (for example - census, Canadian Passenger Lists, First World War papers), books, and now even a presence on YouTube.com and Flickr.com.
The CGC is located within the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) at 395 Wellington Street. A research pass is required for access to the rooms which hold the records.
He talked about the Mormon's Family History Library on Prince of Wales Drive, and its many holdings.
It is a welcoming place, where you might run into fellow researchers who might be related. It happens a lot at the FHL!
While you are there, feel free to order microfilm—for a nominal fee—from their main library in Salt Lake City. The knowledgeable volunteers will be glad to assist you.
The Ottawa Court House—located at the corner of Laurier and Elgin Streets, right next to Ottawa City Hall—was a surprise to many because they didn't know that it is where you find land records and might even discover some wills there, also.
The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa is located next to Christ Church Cathedral on Bronson Avenue, in the northwest part of the city.
It has such records as the BMDs of Ottawa. Its website is www.ottawa.anglican.ca/Archives.html.
One thing Terry said—which was a surprise to him when he was doing his research—was that it also contained BMDs of other religions, so if you can't find them in anywhere else in Ottawa, you should go there because they may have it.
The Ottawa Public Library www.biblioottawalibrary.ca has the Ottawa Room, where you will find newspaper indexes for such local newspapers as the Ottawa Citizen and Ottawa Journal.
He said that it will be closed for the next month while they renovate it (they are making it bigger), but it has a wealth of materials there. It's a good place to check for finding more on the social history of the city.
And, lastly, he talked about the city archives, located in the old city hall on Sussex Drive www.ottawa.ca/residents/heritage/archives/index_en.html.
It houses the libraries of the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS), the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO), as well as the C. Robert Craig Memorial Library (a specialized railway library).
The archives is moving to a new building in the spring of 2011 near Algonquin College in the city's west end.
He gave us each a great piece of advice when going to these places to do research.
First, contact the facility to check where it facility is located (in case it moved, as noted above), what the facility has for holdings, its available parking, their hours of operation, if there are any researcher restrictions, if they have copy services, and so on.
By being prepared in advance, it will make your visit much more pleasant.
Don't forget to ask lots of questions to the staff and volunteers who man these facilities - you just may be delightfully surprised by the answers you receive! Terry punctuated this fact (the whole lecture, actually) with many well-told (and well-received) anecdotes.
Terry Findley is a lecturer and former BIFHSGO Director of Conferences and Programs. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
As I listened to his lecture, I wondered how many of the sixty or so people who were there had actually done any research on their family histories.
Roughly three-quarters of the attendees were what we would call "first timers". That is, they hadn't done any research at all, so, naturally, they were very interested to hear about the facilities that Terry was about to mention.
The first place he spoke about was the Canadian Genealogy Centre (CGC) - www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.
He called it the "jewel of family history in Ottawa", and went on to explain that the Canadian Genealogy Centre has databases (for example - census, Canadian Passenger Lists, First World War papers), books, and now even a presence on YouTube.com and Flickr.com.
The CGC is located within the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) at 395 Wellington Street. A research pass is required for access to the rooms which hold the records.
He talked about the Mormon's Family History Library on Prince of Wales Drive, and its many holdings.
It is a welcoming place, where you might run into fellow researchers who might be related. It happens a lot at the FHL!
While you are there, feel free to order microfilm—for a nominal fee—from their main library in Salt Lake City. The knowledgeable volunteers will be glad to assist you.
The Ottawa Court House—located at the corner of Laurier and Elgin Streets, right next to Ottawa City Hall—was a surprise to many because they didn't know that it is where you find land records and might even discover some wills there, also.
The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa is located next to Christ Church Cathedral on Bronson Avenue, in the northwest part of the city.
It has such records as the BMDs of Ottawa. Its website is www.ottawa.anglican.ca/Archives.html.
One thing Terry said—which was a surprise to him when he was doing his research—was that it also contained BMDs of other religions, so if you can't find them in anywhere else in Ottawa, you should go there because they may have it.
The Ottawa Public Library www.biblioottawalibrary.ca has the Ottawa Room, where you will find newspaper indexes for such local newspapers as the Ottawa Citizen and Ottawa Journal.
He said that it will be closed for the next month while they renovate it (they are making it bigger), but it has a wealth of materials there. It's a good place to check for finding more on the social history of the city.
And, lastly, he talked about the city archives, located in the old city hall on Sussex Drive www.ottawa.ca/residents/heritage/archives/index_en.html.
It houses the libraries of the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS), the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO), as well as the C. Robert Craig Memorial Library (a specialized railway library).
The archives is moving to a new building in the spring of 2011 near Algonquin College in the city's west end.
He gave us each a great piece of advice when going to these places to do research.
First, contact the facility to check where it facility is located (in case it moved, as noted above), what the facility has for holdings, its available parking, their hours of operation, if there are any researcher restrictions, if they have copy services, and so on.
By being prepared in advance, it will make your visit much more pleasant.
Don't forget to ask lots of questions to the staff and volunteers who man these facilities - you just may be delightfully surprised by the answers you receive! Terry punctuated this fact (the whole lecture, actually) with many well-told (and well-received) anecdotes.
Terry Findley is a lecturer and former BIFHSGO Director of Conferences and Programs. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Beginners Genealogy Course - Civil Registration
I have heard Alison Hare quite often in the past, so when I saw that she was going to be one of the presenters at the recent Beginners Course in Genealogy held in Ottawa, I was delighted!
She is very good, and her lectures are always interesting. I learn quite a bit from her, as she always has little nuggets of information in her talks - but you have to listen for them.
Her lecture this time was on Civil Registration - the government's way of making sure that every individual in Canada is registered when either a birth, marriage, or death takes place.
According to Alison, these BMDs (birth, marriage, and death records) are the "main building blocks of family history".
In Canada, civil registration is a provincial responsibility. Six out of ten provinces now have them online (the provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia) but she says you can't do a really good job online unless you go to the Family History Library (FHL) in your local area and look through their books for church registrations, too. The dates vary, as well, when it was required for registration.
How reliable are the BMDs? How must trust can we place in the records?
Alison says that depends on who was registering the event, and when the event was registered.
The event—say, a birth announcement—that was registered by the father a few days after the event occurred would be more likely to hold the correct day that the child was born - than one registered a few months or years after the child was born.
And a close family member would be more likely to remember the true date of the event rather than a member of the clergy or a local doctor.
So take these things into consideration when reading a birth, marriage, or death certificate.
Also, Alison says to remember that these records are not complete, and if you cannot find someone, then maybe their first or last names are misspelled, the records themselves may be incomplete, or perhaps indexes to the records may be incomplete, especially the online ones.
She says to extend the time frame in which you look for a registration - the people may have moved or neglected to register the event.
Alison is a Certified Genealogist. Her profile is on the Association of Professional Genealogists website at www.apgen.org/directory/search_detail.htm?mbr_id=607. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
Tomorrow, I will cover the presentation about Local Resources with Terry Findley.
She is very good, and her lectures are always interesting. I learn quite a bit from her, as she always has little nuggets of information in her talks - but you have to listen for them.
Her lecture this time was on Civil Registration - the government's way of making sure that every individual in Canada is registered when either a birth, marriage, or death takes place.
According to Alison, these BMDs (birth, marriage, and death records) are the "main building blocks of family history".
In Canada, civil registration is a provincial responsibility. Six out of ten provinces now have them online (the provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia) but she says you can't do a really good job online unless you go to the Family History Library (FHL) in your local area and look through their books for church registrations, too. The dates vary, as well, when it was required for registration.
How reliable are the BMDs? How must trust can we place in the records?
Alison says that depends on who was registering the event, and when the event was registered.
The event—say, a birth announcement—that was registered by the father a few days after the event occurred would be more likely to hold the correct day that the child was born - than one registered a few months or years after the child was born.
And a close family member would be more likely to remember the true date of the event rather than a member of the clergy or a local doctor.
So take these things into consideration when reading a birth, marriage, or death certificate.
Also, Alison says to remember that these records are not complete, and if you cannot find someone, then maybe their first or last names are misspelled, the records themselves may be incomplete, or perhaps indexes to the records may be incomplete, especially the online ones.
She says to extend the time frame in which you look for a registration - the people may have moved or neglected to register the event.
Alison is a Certified Genealogist. Her profile is on the Association of Professional Genealogists website at www.apgen.org/directory/search_detail.htm?mbr_id=607. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
Tomorrow, I will cover the presentation about Local Resources with Terry Findley.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Beginners Genealogy Course - Census
The second lecture given at the Beginners Course in Genealogy at the LAC last Saturday was "A History of the Census", an overview of Canadian, British, and American census records given by BIFHSGO member — and recently-retired Library and Archives Canada military expert — Glenn Wright.
He describes looking at census as "a giant first step" in figuring out the relationship between people and places. After BMDs (birth, marriage, and death records), it is the most important piece of evidence that you can look at in starting your family history.
He encourages genealogists to "linger over a census page" for awhile to discover different things about one's ancestors.
Take a look at their neighbours: you can discover who they were, what kind of socio-economic strata they lived in, for example. You can also see their name, and see if they spelled their surname different than yours. Was their religion different than yours is today?
Censuses are not a perfect record, he cautions, but they are a snapshot given of a country on a specific day in history.
Canada is the only country which collects religion information, and in the 1916 Prairie Census, the person was counted as being home even though he was overseas at the time. This is noted in the record by an "O", meaning overseas, or if he was home in Canada, was noted with the letter "C" by his name.
Glenn gave out a page of good census websites. In Canada, the site is the Canadian Genealogy Centre <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca>, Ancestry Canada <www.ancestry.ca>, Automated Genealogy <www.automatedgenealogy.com>, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints <www.familysearch.org>, the All Census Records website <www.allcensusrecords.com>, and numerous provincial websites.
It has been quite a year for Glenn. Besides giving courses and talks on genealogy, he has also provided help to the Ancestors in the Attic Canadian TV program. He is one of the "behind the scenes" guys on the show. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
Tomorrow, I will cover the presentation about Civil Registration with Alison Hare.
He describes looking at census as "a giant first step" in figuring out the relationship between people and places. After BMDs (birth, marriage, and death records), it is the most important piece of evidence that you can look at in starting your family history.
He encourages genealogists to "linger over a census page" for awhile to discover different things about one's ancestors.
Take a look at their neighbours: you can discover who they were, what kind of socio-economic strata they lived in, for example. You can also see their name, and see if they spelled their surname different than yours. Was their religion different than yours is today?
Censuses are not a perfect record, he cautions, but they are a snapshot given of a country on a specific day in history.
Canada is the only country which collects religion information, and in the 1916 Prairie Census, the person was counted as being home even though he was overseas at the time. This is noted in the record by an "O", meaning overseas, or if he was home in Canada, was noted with the letter "C" by his name.
Glenn gave out a page of good census websites. In Canada, the site is the Canadian Genealogy Centre <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca>, Ancestry Canada <www.ancestry.ca>, Automated Genealogy <www.automatedgenealogy.com>, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints <www.familysearch.org>, the All Census Records website <www.allcensusrecords.com>, and numerous provincial websites.
It has been quite a year for Glenn. Besides giving courses and talks on genealogy, he has also provided help to the Ancestors in the Attic Canadian TV program. He is one of the "behind the scenes" guys on the show. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CDTomorrow, I will cover the presentation about Civil Registration with Alison Hare.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Beginners Genealogy Course Held in Ottawa
This past weekend, on a sunny and crisp Saturday morning, we went to the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa to see and hear the "Beginners Course in Genealogy". The next three blogs will focus on the presenters and their topics they gave because it is important (among other reasons) that people know that genealogy is thriving in the Ottawa area!
The four presenters were: John Reid, "Seven Golden Rules"; Glenn Wright, "Census"; Alison Hare, "Civil Registration"; and Terry Findley on "Local Resources".
Today, I will start with John Reid.
It was the second course we had attended (the first, being last fall), and there was an overwhelming crowd, as you can see in the pictures.
Photos 1 & 2 - We were told beforehand that they were sold out, and they were! People crowded into the large room, eager to hear the presenters give their talks during the "Beginners Course in Genealogy". Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
The first presenter was John D. Reid, author, lecturer, and member of the Ontario Genealogy Society (OGS, Ottawa Branch) and the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO). He went over the first steps one should take when embarking on family research, according to Family Tree (UK) Magazine, and they are to -
1. Work Backwards - Start with a person of interest - be it your father or grandfather, for instance.
2. Be Organized and Honest - Record everything you find out about the line you are working on. What results will you accept with your findings?
3. Interview Your Relatives - Interview the elderly first since they may not be with us much longer, and they usually have lots of stories to tell!
4. Set Your Sights - Pick which line — for example, your paternal line — that you are going to follow. When you are finished that line, pick another one.
5. Understand Surnames - Do a bit of history on the surname. What does it mean? Where does it come from? Also, why did the family move from one area to another, or from one country to another. What were the push/pull factors of migration?
6. Societies and Education - Try to join a society in the region of origin of your family, and, of course, take courses (like the one being offered here). Learn from the people who went before you, and you will be in good company.
7. Use Technology - There are software programs specially manufactured to fit your genealogy, so use them. Technology also includes the Internet, online databases, and DNA testing.
Photo 3 - John D. Reid, former president of BIFHSGO and the man behind Ottawa's popular and informative Anglo-Celtic Connections blog. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
The organizers promise that there will be an intermediate course in the fall as part of the BIFHSGO Conference, held Sept 18th to the 20th, and it will cover such topics as "Tips & Tricks with Ancestry.ca", "More to Newspapers Than Obituaries", and "Now That I Have Done My Research, How Should I Write it Up?".
Tomorrow, I will cover the presentation about the Canadian Census with Glenn Wright.
A write-up of Saturday's course will also appear in the April edition of the OGS e-NewsLeaf. which will be issued around the middle of next month.
The four presenters were: John Reid, "Seven Golden Rules"; Glenn Wright, "Census"; Alison Hare, "Civil Registration"; and Terry Findley on "Local Resources".
Today, I will start with John Reid.
It was the second course we had attended (the first, being last fall), and there was an overwhelming crowd, as you can see in the pictures.
Photos 1 & 2 - We were told beforehand that they were sold out, and they were! People crowded into the large room, eager to hear the presenters give their talks during the "Beginners Course in Genealogy". Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
The first presenter was John D. Reid, author, lecturer, and member of the Ontario Genealogy Society (OGS, Ottawa Branch) and the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO). He went over the first steps one should take when embarking on family research, according to Family Tree (UK) Magazine, and they are to -
1. Work Backwards - Start with a person of interest - be it your father or grandfather, for instance.
2. Be Organized and Honest - Record everything you find out about the line you are working on. What results will you accept with your findings?
3. Interview Your Relatives - Interview the elderly first since they may not be with us much longer, and they usually have lots of stories to tell!
4. Set Your Sights - Pick which line — for example, your paternal line — that you are going to follow. When you are finished that line, pick another one.
5. Understand Surnames - Do a bit of history on the surname. What does it mean? Where does it come from? Also, why did the family move from one area to another, or from one country to another. What were the push/pull factors of migration?
6. Societies and Education - Try to join a society in the region of origin of your family, and, of course, take courses (like the one being offered here). Learn from the people who went before you, and you will be in good company.
7. Use Technology - There are software programs specially manufactured to fit your genealogy, so use them. Technology also includes the Internet, online databases, and DNA testing.
Photo 3 - John D. Reid, former president of BIFHSGO and the man behind Ottawa's popular and informative Anglo-Celtic Connections blog. Credit: J.M. Lapointe, CD
The organizers promise that there will be an intermediate course in the fall as part of the BIFHSGO Conference, held Sept 18th to the 20th, and it will cover such topics as "Tips & Tricks with Ancestry.ca", "More to Newspapers Than Obituaries", and "Now That I Have Done My Research, How Should I Write it Up?".
Tomorrow, I will cover the presentation about the Canadian Census with Glenn Wright.
A write-up of Saturday's course will also appear in the April edition of the OGS e-NewsLeaf. which will be issued around the middle of next month.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Genealogy Fair
Leeds & Grenville Branch of the Ontario Genealogy Society (OGS) will be holding their AGM and Genealogy Fair on April 25th at St. Lawrence College in Brockville.
It will be an all-day affair from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. They will have three speakers -
- Kees Van den Heuval will talk about digitizing and storing photographs;
- Jessica Squires will speak about the "Indian Affairs" records at the Library and Archives Library; and
- Timothy J. Abel will talk Research in New York State and the movement across the St. Lawrence.
The cost is $20.00 per person (lunch included) and will be held at the St. Lawrence College, 2288 Parkedale Avenue in Brockville.
I will be going to cover it for the OGS newsletter, NewsLeaf.
It will be an all-day affair from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. They will have three speakers -
- Kees Van den Heuval will talk about digitizing and storing photographs;
- Jessica Squires will speak about the "Indian Affairs" records at the Library and Archives Library; and
- Timothy J. Abel will talk Research in New York State and the movement across the St. Lawrence.
The cost is $20.00 per person (lunch included) and will be held at the St. Lawrence College, 2288 Parkedale Avenue in Brockville.
I will be going to cover it for the OGS newsletter, NewsLeaf.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Petition to Protect Ontario's Inactive Cemeteries
This past Saturday, I — along with others at the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) — signed a petition to support the passing of "An Act to Protect Ontario's Inactive Cemeteries, 2009".
That is Bill 149, and it was introduced by Mr. Jim Brownell, MPP for Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry.
Bob Crawford, the past-president of the Ontario Genealogical Society, is quite heavily involved with the cause, and if you want some background information on the plight of cemeteries in Ontario, you can read some of his comments in the May 2008 NewsLeaf (Vol 38 No 2) in an article entitled. "A Thank-You, a Plea, and a Goodbye ...".
To get a copy of the petition, visit the Bill 149 Petition at the OGS website. Get people to sign it and then forward it to the OGS Provincial Office, #102-40 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto, ON M4R 1B9.
This must be done before the summer recess so that the bill does not die. It is now going to the committee and then it will, hopefully, come back for the Third Reading, and then will be passed before the legislature is adjourned.
That is Bill 149, and it was introduced by Mr. Jim Brownell, MPP for Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry.
Bob Crawford, the past-president of the Ontario Genealogical Society, is quite heavily involved with the cause, and if you want some background information on the plight of cemeteries in Ontario, you can read some of his comments in the May 2008 NewsLeaf (Vol 38 No 2) in an article entitled. "A Thank-You, a Plea, and a Goodbye ...".
To get a copy of the petition, visit the Bill 149 Petition at the OGS website. Get people to sign it and then forward it to the OGS Provincial Office, #102-40 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto, ON M4R 1B9.
This must be done before the summer recess so that the bill does not die. It is now going to the committee and then it will, hopefully, come back for the Third Reading, and then will be passed before the legislature is adjourned.
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