Monday, July 18, 2011
Gene-O-Rama 2012 Cancelled
They also say that "Ottawa Branch will also be hosting the 2012 Region VIII Genealogy Day. It’s on a smaller scale with three lectures, the Regional Annual General Meeting and a small Marketplace on a Saturday in March or April 2012. We’ll start planning it later this year and details will be available on the website."
The Conference 2012 site is at http://www.ogs.on.ca/seminar/conference2012.php
Sunday, July 17, 2011
"Janet the Researcher" Blog
Go to her blog at http://researchergal.blogspot.com/
Janet is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Ontario Chapter, Markham Berczy Settlers Association, Grey County Historical Society, the Ontario Genealogical Society and the National Genealogical Society.
She is a busy lady!
Among other topics of interest, she writes about the Billy Bishop Home and Museum, several blogs on Bruce County, the Johnston Family, and the Marham Berszy Settlers Association.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Tech Forum Launched
"The newly formed Technical Support and Innovations Committee has launched a new forum on the OGS website. The Tech Forum is available to all OGS members and will provide a place to go to for Technical Advice and Support.
Whether you want to know more about a computer program you are using or what kind of equipment you should purchase for your branch this is the place to ask your questions. The answers will be provided by other members who have some experience or knowledge in the area you are looking for more information on.
It is hoped that this forum can also serve as a venue for members to suggest new ideas involving technology and how it can benefit the genealogical community.
To access the forum sign in to the Members Only section of the OGS website. The link to the Technical Support Message Board will appear in the green menu on the left hand side".
Steve Fulton
Technical Support and Innovations Committee
His email is tsic@ogs.on.ca
The website of the Ontario Genealogical Society is http://www.ogs.on.ca/
The Swedish American Genealogist
The "Swedish American Genealogist is a quarterly journal devoted to Swedish American biography, genealogy, and personal history. The journal was founded in 1981 by Nils William Olsson and is currently edited by Elisabeth Thorsell. This online collection is free to the public and contains issues published as recently as 2007. Newer issues and paper subscriptions are available from the Swenson Center".
There are many articles in the journal by Canadian and American genealogists covering the close relationship between the US and Canada as far as Swedish setters are concerned.
They ask you to note that "the digital version of the journal does not include Peter Stebbins Craig's copyrighted articles on New Sweden".
You are to contact the Swenson Center at sag@augustana.edu for information on how to access these articles.
It is online at http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm4/index_aug_sag.php?CISOROOT=/aug_sag
Anglo-Celtic Roots Summer 2011
The Summer 2011 edition of Anglo-Celtic Roots has just been issued, and it contains the 2010 Reports which were given at the AGM in June meeting as well as papers written by various members.
For instance, An Introduction to Researching Your Roots in Northern Ireland by William Roulston talks about such records as Census Records, Church Records, Irish Family History Foundation, and gives a very good examples of Administrative Divisions – Barony, County, Parish, Poor Law Union, Province, and Township.
The second article is He Wore His Buttons Well by Barbara Tose in which she relates the true story of the SS Antinoe, a freighter which was carrying wheat from New York to Ireland when she ran into a storm in the Atlantic off of the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The story in interesting because her great-uncle Harry Tose was the captain of the ship.
The last paper in this issue is Harry Gray's Pub by Brenda Turner in which she talks about finding out the story behind a pub that her uncle Harry used to own in London during the Second World War. She describes the help she got from the Guildhall, and the experiences her uncle witnessed during the war.
One item I found interesting to read was Stars of the 2011 BIFHSGO Conference by John D. Reid in which he talks about some of the people who will be presenting at the Conference this fall in Stars of the 2011 BIFGSGO Conference. People like Audrey Collins, Sherry Irvine, Helen Osborn, Linda Reid, and Gary Schroder have their bios in this issue of the journal.
You may contact BIFHSGO by going to http://www.bifhsgo.ca/
Thursday, July 14, 2011
August 1st - Colonel By Day
There will be heritage lace making and rug braiding demonstrations, musketry demonstrations, blacksmithing, tabletop exhibits from local heritage groups and museums, a Celtic Cross Commemoration Ceremony, costumed characters, and the Colonel By Day Bistro.
A number of genealogical groups will be there including the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogy Society, so be sure to drop by and say "Hello". Admission to the museum is free.
For more information on the museum go to http://www.bytownmuseum.com/en/main.html. For more information about the Rideau Canal http://www.rideaucanalfestival.ca/site_bytown.html
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
A New Website for The OGS British Home Children
As the website says "From 1869 to 1939 various workhouses, sheltering homes, orphanages and child care organizations in Great Britain immigrated over 100,000 orphaned, abandoned, pauper children ages 1 to 18 to Canada. Known as the British Home Children (BHC), life for these children coming alone to Canada to work as domestics and farm labourers forging ahead in a new land was not always easy."
They have a Resources Link, and are going to have a "Members Only" page in the future.
The cost to join the SIG is $5.00. If you are already an OGS member just mail in your $5.00 cheque to the OGS provincial office indicating that it is for 2011 membership in the BHC SIG. You may also call the office or email Marsha, our Membership Co-ordinator at membership@ogs.on.ca to add this branch.
The email address for the British Home Children is BHC@ogs.on.ca.
BCGS Walter Drayton Library Open House
The library will be open from 2-4 pm, and everyone is welcome. Door prizes will be given including a 3 one year membership to GenealogyBank courtesy of www.GenealogyBank.com.
One thing to note is that the BCGS is giving out their first-ever book awards on Sunday, and they tell me a couple of the authors will be there.
The winner this year is Bruce McIntyre for his three-volume series, Lives Lived West of the Divide: A Biographical Dictionary of Fur Traders Working West of the Rockies, 1793-1858.
The library is located at Unit 211, 12837-76th Avenue, Surrey.
If you want more information, their website is www.bcgs.ca. The email is bcgs@bcgs.ca
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Day Pass Offered at Saskatchwan Genealogical Society
The Burial Index, the Obituaries Index, and the Cummins Rural Directory Index are now offered.
Go to their website at http://www.saskgenealogy.com/ or contact sgslibrary@sasktel.net
Genealogy Week 2011
Part of the Genealogy Week Reception Sunday evening was that we passed out cards which said "This year's GenealogyWeek participants are researching the following people and places in various venues in Ottawa-Gatineau. If you have any tidbits of information to pass along, please do so. You may have a common ancestor!"
Janis Carter is looking for Archibald Trew (Ireland) Hope Twp; Thomas Carter (England) Pickering Twp; Samuel Bryson (Ireland) Clarke Twp; Charles Hood (England) Pickering Twp; Thomas Tweedie (Scotland) Pickering Twp
Nancy Cunningham is looking for William Cunningham (Ireland) Whitechurch Twp, County of York; William Fahey (Ireland) Chatham, New Brunswick; David Wilson (England) Toronto; Thomas Metcalf (England) Toronto
Kellie Love is looking for Bertrim/Bertam, William (Ireland) Lanark Twp; Cox, Thomas (Ireland) Quebec; Sharpley, David (Ireland) Quebec; Lyons, Lawrence (New York) Prince Edward County; Smith, Hamilton (USA) Erin Twp.
Ted McChesney is looking for Louis Labelle (French) Massey (ON) and Allumette & Montreal; Thomas Mousseau (France) Massey (ON) and Montreal; , (France) Allumette; Samuel McChesnay (Scotland) ???; Richard Pettifer (England) ???; Calumet Island.
If you have any of the ancestors that are being researched, please send your information to me at genealogycanada@aol.com, and I will forward your information to the people concerned.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Open House at the City of Ottawa Archives
"The City of Ottawa’s Central Archives invite you to its open house on Saturday, July 9 from noon to 4 p.m. at 100 Tallwood Drive, corner of Woodroffe Avenue.
Hands on family activities include genealogy workshops, clay tablet creation, building tours and magical fun. The public is also invited to view a new sculpture titled Archive in the exterior garden and meet artist Don Maynard during the open house. Mr. Maynard will be available from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the lobby to discuss his work.
The Archives’ premiere exhibit, entitled, “An Archives Odyssey: making a home for the history of our communities,” will be open for viewing. The exhibit provides “a history of the City of Ottawa Archives from its humble beginnings to this beautiful state of the art facility.”
The new Central Archives has a vault that provides sufficient space for 10 years of growth, and enough space on-site to build a second vault to provide for 25 years of growth, an environmentally controlled on-site exhibit to showcase the City’s treasures, and a 200-square foot triage room to temporarily house collections that could potentially harm existing holdings.
The new building also has classroom and workshop space for school and public programming, on-site space for the Archives’ community partners, as well as a gift shop to promote public awareness of the importance of archives and generate revenue.
Background:
With its first settlement dating back to the 1790s, Ottawa is one of the oldest cities in Canada. Its archival collection is one of the most valuable holdings of information that document the development and evolution of municipal government in this area. As mandated by the provincial government, the City of Ottawa must collect and preserve its municipal records in a secure manner for public access, as well as future generations.
The collection contains photographs, microfilm, film, magnetic tapes, video and audiotapes, computer records, drawings, as well as some artefacts. Researchers, historians and the general public rely on the City’s archives as a resource for civic records, genealogy, construction history and photographs".
For more information, please visit http://www.ottawa.ca/archives
Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe Conference
"From Whence We Came" is the theme of this year's conference, and there will be lectures given by Kathleen Kufeldt "Conducting Family Interviews and Documenting the Results", Bill Remus will give a lecture on "The German Migration to Volhynia", and Jim Blanchard will give a talk on "The Winnipeg German Community before the Great War"
The website of the society is http://www.sggee.org/. The email is convention@sggee.org
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Relatively Speaking
In fact, the Index and Summary have been been put online since 2008.
Relatively Speaking is published four times a year, and you can get the full publication if you are a member of the Alberta Genealogical Society.
The email of the newsletter is rseditor8@abgensoc.ca.
The website of the Alberta Genealogical Society is http://abgensoc.ca/
Toronto Trust Cemeteries Update
Index and images to the records of several Toronto cemeteries (York General Burying Ground (also called Potter’s Field), 1826-1855; Necropolis Cemetery, 1850-1912 (the index will continue to 1935); Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 1876-1933; Prospect Cemetery, 1890-1935) have nearly doubled from 7,234 to 14,864.
They say that "Currently this collection is 22% complete and includes records from Necropolis Cemetery. Additional records will be added as they are completed. This is a cooperative project with the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society."
You can contact them at fsi@torontofamilyhistory.org if you would like to volunteer to assist in this ongoing effort. Or you can go to https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1627831 and search the records.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Manitoba Genealogical Society Conference
"It's All Relative" will be held Friday Sept. 30 and Saturday Oct. 1, 2011 at the Silver Heights United Church, 199 Garrioch Ave. in St. James in Winnipeg. You can register now at the early bird fee of $100.00 if you do so before August 31st.
On Friday evening, there will be a lecture given by Jim Blanchard "The Role of the Family", and Dave Obee will be giving a talk “The Search for Frank Liddell: A Case Study” to close out the evening.
There will be a full day of lectures on Saturday, as well as a Marketplace.
To register, please go to http://www.mbgenealogy.com/
Community Heritage and Family History Blog
While you are there you can also go to Calgary Public Library’s Community Heritage and Family History Digital Library.
At their site, they have the Alison Jackson Photography Collection, Postcards from the Past, and the Judith Umbach Photography Collection.
You can go to http://blog.calgarypubliclibrary.com/blogs/local_history_and_genealogy/archive/2011/07/05/the-story-of-the-big-ditch.aspx
Guysborough Historical Society
The Research Center houses many genealogical items such as births, deaths, marriages, baptisms from Boylston, Canso, Guysborough, Manchester, Melford, New Harbour and Whitehead. There is a large selection of books and reference materials such as census records (1817, 1838, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901), and books such as A.C. Jost’s Guysborough Sketches and Essays, John Grant’s Historic Guysborough, and Christopher Cook’s Along the Streets of Guysborough.
The Guysborough Historical Society also offers genealogical research services for a fee of $10.00 plus copying charges ($.25 per page), and they also offer free self-directed research for members.
The renovations to the basement at the Old Court House Museum and development of the interpretive panels were made possible with funding from the Municipality of the District of Guysborough, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and the Nova Scotia Office of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism.
Visit their website at http://www.guysboroughcountyheritage.ca/
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network
I just used the search feature, and found a family in Montreal that my father knew in the late 1940s.
The new website features the vast repositories of the Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee National Archives (CJC) and the Jewish Public Library Archives (JPL).
There is more than 2,000 digitized photographs and documents, as well as more than 50,000 genealogical records,and 5,000 associated images. There are also sound recordings and moving images.
The site says that the "Genealogical resources include online posting of family history resources such as Jewish Immigrant Aid Services client name lists from 1922-1952, individual farm settler reports from Western Canada and Quebec (1906-1951), translated Yiddish obituaries from the Keneder Adler (1908-1931), and Hebrew Sick Benefit Association of Montreal's membership book listings (1897-1905)".
There is also information about Jewish servicemen casualties in the Canadian armed forces during World Wars I and II.
The project was funded by the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation (SSBFF).
VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY YOUTH PROGRAM
http://www.victoriags.org/
"In December 2010 the Victoria Genealogical Society endorsed the development of a genealogical / family history program for school aged children. Two primary goals for the Youth Program have been accepted as recommended by the project’s Design Committee.
They are:
To introduce young people to the world of genealogy and family history research in a fun and engaging way;
and,
To introduce young people to the tools and techniques they can use to initiate their own research.
To meet these goals the Design Committee developed a series of recommendations which were adopted by the Victoria Genealogical Society Executive Committee. Key amongst these recommendations was “that the programs developed be age appropriate and welcoming to all family types and origins in the world - allowing young people to explore their family in any form they'd like”.
One program which is slated for this summer is Detective Adventure which starts on July 13th. It is a hands-on genealogy program for kids in grades 4 and 5. Summer registration now open. Call 250-360-2808. You can also download the 2011 poster (PDF format) by clicking on the detective image on the website.
Limited space so register early to avoid disappointment:
Detective Adventure 1: July 13, 20, 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Detective Adventure 2: August 3, 10, 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Resource Centre of the Victoria Genealogical Society
947 Alston Street, Victoria
Fee: $ 35, detective tools included
To Register: Email vgsprojectdirector@gmail.com
Monday, July 4, 2011
Red River Colony
The database can be found at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/immigrants-canada/index-e.html
If you want to read more about the Red River Colony, there are some websites you can go to -
The Red River Colony: Lord Selkirk has a Plan
http://www.canadiana.ca/hbc/stories/colony1_e.html
The MÉTIS & THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT
http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_metis/fp_metis_redriver.html
Red River Colony
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/scotsandcanada/redrivercolony/index.asp
Friday, July 1, 2011
QFHS Conference 2011
It is just a two hour drive down to Montreal from Ottawa. We took Route 148 on the Quebec side down to Grenville, and then we joined Hwy 50 to Lachute, and then on to Hwy 15 right down into Montreal, where we spent an hour navigating downtown Montreal traffic and then finding the building, and once we had found the building – then we had to find a parking spot. We finally did find underground parking (there isn't as much as you would think there would be), and then we tried to get out of the building.
As some of you know, I am in a wheelchair, and after 'wheeling” me around for what seemed like hours (there were only steps UP to Sherbrooke Street), we stopped into the shops in the complex, and found the helpful manager of the local print shop, who promptly led us through the maze of shops and hallways back to the parking area, and with a sigh of resignation, my husband pushed me up the steep ramp to the street.
So with that, we were ready, and we finally made our destination.
The first place we went to was the Marketplace.
After bumping into Gary Schroder (the QFHS President), we headed over to the Ontario Genealogical Society's table, which was manned by the recently-retired Executive Director, Fraser Dunford. He reported very good sales, and he said the crowds were steady throughout the day.
Fraser Dunford, of the OGS, talks with a potential book buyer.
Next, we went to the Moorshead Magazines http://www.moorshead.com table to see Rick Cree and his wife, Jennifer, and we had a really nice talk, as we hit them right as the people went on to hear another lecture. Ed Zapletal — usually the other half of this dynamic duo, alongside Rick — didn't come down to Montreal, as he was home in Toronto, helping his mother celebrate a very special birthday.
We then joined the crowd for lunch. It was a buffet over at l’Hotel Le Cantlie across the street, and was it ever good!
We sat with a couple of people from Ottawa who were there also, including Evelyn Burke and her friend — and after eating our tasty chicken sandwiches, lovely cream of broccoli soup, delicious brownies, and a nice cup of coffee or two — we went back to the conference, and ran into Glenn Wright signing copies of his latest book, Canadians at War 1914-1919: A Research Guide to World War One Service Records, which I reviewed in the OGS' journal, Families, (November 2010 edition), and on this blog at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2010/12/to-continue-overview-that-i-started.html.
Glenn Wright signs a copy of his newest book, Canadians at War 1914-1919: A Research Guide to World War One Service Records, for this lucky lady.
We also dropped in to see saw Louise St. Denis of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies http://www.genealogicalstudies.com, and her husband, Michael, at their display. They reported very good sales, and the people were interested in the Social Media course she was giving away for free, and she seemed pleased with the conference. I also took the opportunity to buy the book recommended for this course, which is Social Networking for Genealogists, by Drew Smith.
We stopped to chat with Derek Hopkins of the QFHS, and then went to see his and Bob Dunn's lecture on cemeteries. It was one of the better lectures I have attended at a conference.
Derek Hopkins (left) and Bob Dunn present a lecture on Quebec Cemeteries at QFHS Conference 2011
As participants filled up the classroom, a PowerPoint presentation of Quebec Protestant Cemeteries in the Eastern Townships was shown, accompanied by soothing music– a very relaxing few minutes before the lecture began.
Both Derek and Bob made the point that they have only started to put in the transcriptions of the cemeteries into the “Members Only” section of the QFHS website http://www.qfhs.ca, and it has proven very popular with the membership.
While there, we saw more Ottawa people, including John D. Reid, of Anglo-Celtic Connections blog fame http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com, Malcolm Moody and his lovely wife of Archive CD Books http://www.archivecdbooks.ca, (where we heard more parking horror stories), Lesley Anderson from Ancestry.ca, and we said “Hi!” to people from Quinte Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, and to people we knew from Montreal.
Since we had already had planned to go back to Ottawa for Sunday, we sadly left the conference and headed back to Ottawa.
After missing our turnoff, and getting lost near Concordia University in Montreal's west end, we stopped for directions at a local pizzeria, and got some great pizza at the same time. Then we got back on Hwy 15 to head out of the city, stopped at Blainville for supper, crossed over to Hawkesbury on the Ontario side, and came up on Hwy 417, where we stopped on the side of the road to take pictures of one of the best sunsets we had seen in many a moon, and then we were safely home around ten or so.
Sunset near Casselman, Ontario. It was even more beautiful live.
Happy 144th Canada Day!
Canadian Heritage, a department of the Canadian federal government, is celebrating Canada Day!
Visit http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1292265752243/1292265752246
If you would like to read about the evolution of Canada Day, go to http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/jfa-ha/canada-eng.cfm
And as the site notes -
"Don't miss the Canada Day Noon Show, live on July 1, 2011, at noon. Check out the preparations with the Hill Cam!"
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Museum Newsletter
This month, some of the topics covered are the Halifax Explosion, which occurred on December 6, 1917- in an article called “Fire and Water”.
The article says that there was “A fireball 1.6 km high. A tsunami and a blazing inferno. Sixteen hundred buildings destroyed and twelve thousand damaged. Shattered windows in a village situated a full 100 km from the explosion. Thousands of dead and wounded. Images of Japan or Indonesia come to mind...and yet, this drama unfolded right here at home. Revisit the tale of an unprecedented catastrophe and recall the courage of those who braved impossible odds to save the lives of others.”
One of the other articles called “Digging up the Past” goes back 11, 000 years in Southern Ontario to the Early Paleo-Indian period. The article says that "A few hundred people are scattered across Ontario in small communities of nomadic hunters. The glaciers around them have begun to melt, revealing numerous pockets of land and creating enormous lakes - including the vast Champlain Sea to the east".
If you want to receive the newsletter, go to http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/general-pages/newsletter/newsletter and fill out the contact page.
The two museums are absolutely fabulous! You can get a real sense of the country as you go through the two museums, and they are close enough that you can walk between the two. One suggestion: Take the walkway in back of the Civilization Museum over to the Canadian Museum of War. Across the Ottawa River you will pass by the Parliament Buildings, and you will see the Supreme Court Building, and the Library and Archives Canada. There are plenty of plaques along the way which will explain everything, and the flower gardens are absolutely wonderful.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Ancestry.ca is FREE for Royal Visit
To explore the free records and to sign up for a free 14 day trial, please visit www.ancestry.ca/UK.
The Armenian Boys' Farm Home, Georgetown, Ontario
"The arrival of Armenian child refugees at Cedarvale Farm in Georgetown helped to lay the groundwork for this country's international humanitarian efforts throughout the 20th century," said Dr. Thomas H.B. Symons, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust. "We are proud to honour this significant event in our history with this provincial plaque."
In part the plaque reads as follows:
THE ARMENIAN BOYS' FARM HOME, GEORGETOWN
On July 1, 1923, a group of 50 Armenian boys arrived at this farm site from an orphanage in Corfu, Greece. The 'Georgetown Boys,' as they came to be known, arrived in Canada between 1923 and 1927 - 109 boys in all. The orphans were survivors of the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923). Their plight touched the hearts of thousands of Canadians, who raised significant funds and lobbied the Canadian government to bring them here. Under the care and supervision of the Armenian Canadian Relief Fund's Farm and Home Committee, the children lived at Cedarvale Farm located on this property and were taught English and farming skills. By 1928, the orphans were placed with farm families in Southwestern Ontario. As adults, most of the Armenians became Canadian citizens and chose to remain in this country. By providing assistance to non-British Commonwealth refugees, the Armenian Boys' Farm Home was the first humanitarian effort of its kind in Canada.
The unveiling ceremony took place at the Armenian Youth Centre - Hamazkayin Theatre in Toronto. The plaque will be permanently installed at Cedarvale Park in Georgetown, the site of the Armenian Boys' Farm Home.
"Canada's humanitarian efforts in aiding the 109 orphaned Armenian children who survived the Armenian Genocide of 1915 must be remembered and commended," said Armenian Community Centre President Vatche Kelebozian. "This provincial plaque will immortalize the memory of the Georgetown Boys and act as a permanent reminder of Canada's proud humanitarian tradition and its unyielding commitment in aiding Armenians."
A book has been written on the Georgetown Boys by Jack Apramian, and is featured in a 1976 article in “The Georgetown Independent" on http://www.creditvalleyartisans.ca/history.html
Miramichi Irish Festival
The Miramichi Branch of New Brunswick Genealogical Society will be there, as well the as Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
In the information package on the website, they say they will be “Focusing on Northumberland County, we will use the Census for the years 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901; there will be transcriptions of every cemetery in No. Co. (over 130), thousands of obituaries (16,000), vital stats from local newspapers, some church records, complete family histories and much, much more. We also have several of our publications available for sale. Be sure to visit us at while attending the festival”.
According to the Festival information, The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick will have a “special digital film archive will be launched as part of the Provincial Archives exhibit. The North West Digital Film Archive created by Derry City Council’s Heritage & Museum Service, the Donegal Regional Cultural Center, Donegal County Museum & Archives and the Nerve Center will be available”.
They will also have a collection of almost 100 hours of searchable material including the census records, land grants information, historical photos and other research documents.
Some of the other events that will take place will be the The Red Hair Contest and Running of the Green Race
For more information, please visit their website at http://www.canadasirishfest.com/index.html
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Acadian Museum Recovers
They were dark days for Warren, and the people who work at the Museum. But through hard work, and support from the Acadian descendants in Louisiana, and Acadian people who live in Canada, the Museum has come back to be better than it was before.
If you go to www.acadianmuseum.com you will see three rooms dedicated to history and genealogy (the Erath Room, the Acadian Room, and the Prairie Bayou Cajun Room), The Photo Gallery, and a list of family names held at the museum.
Another way you can keep track of the museum is by subscribing (free) to his newsletter called La Parole which is sent out on a regular basis. There is lots to read, and keep up on in the newsletter.
His email is info@acadianmuseum.com
Monday, June 27, 2011
Upper Canada Village is 50 Years Old
Opened in 1961, it consists of building rescued from the flooded land when the St. Lawrence Seaway was built in the late 1950s. It has seen over 12-million visitors since it opened.
The village contains a sawmill, gristmill, cheese factory, farm and agricultural shops, furnished homes, churches, a general store, tavern and other historic buildings depicting a typical 19th century village along the water.
I visited the Village a number of years ago, and found it to be so interesting. I especially remember seeing the woollen mill, the cheesemaking building, and the church. I can say from a personal point of view, if you wish to see what Ontario was like in the 19th Century, and the kind of life your ancestors lived, a trip to Upper Canada Village should be the one place to visit this summer.
The former visitor center (Crysler Hall) was opened Saturday as the new exhibit area, and a new visitor centre is being built, and expects to be open in July.
The website is http://www.uppercanadavillage.com.
Newfoundland and Labrador Discovery Day
It is a commemoration of the discovery of the province in 1497 by John Cabot. Since 1997, it has also been known as Cabot 500 Day.
Cabot left Europe on May 20, 1497 with one ship, the Matthew. He landed on the American east coast on June 24, 1497. We do not know exactly where he landed (could have been Cape Breton, or Maine), but he went ashore, and took possession of the land. He left on or about July 20.
On his return to England, he was given a patent for a new voyage to North America the next year, and he left in 1498, this time with five ships. But he was never heard from again, and except for one of the ships, (which landed in an Irish port), the exploration was lost.
The Matthew legacy site today is tourist attraction in Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador. A replica was built in Bristol, UK, in 1996, and it made the journey to Bonavista in 1997.
The official website of Bonvista is http://www.bonavista.net/ourhistory.php, and the website which some of the history of John Cabot is written is http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/cabot.html
Friday, June 24, 2011
Ontario First Parliament Buildings and War of 1812 Centre
"This commemorative centre will provide a unique opportunity for citizens and visitors to learn about and mark significant events from our collective past - a fitting and timely initiative as we prepare for next year's celebration of both the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, events that will highlight and reinforce the Crown's important role in our parliamentary democracy," said the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
The commemorative centre will open in February 2012 at 265 Front Street East in Toronto, on a property acquired by the province and transferred to the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2005. It and three adjoining properties comprise the site of Ontario's first purpose-built parliament buildings. Opened in 1797, the buildings were burned by invading American forces during the War of 1812. They were later rebuilt, but were destroyed by fire again in 1824.
"This new commemorative centre will not only shed light on the history of this site, it will also put that history in a provincial and national context," said the Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of Research and Innovation and MPP Toronto Centre.
"Next year's bicentennial is an ideal time to draw attention to the importance of Ontario's first parliament buildings, which were destroyed in battle during the War of 1812," said Dr. Symons. "We are delighted that the new commemorative centre will showcase this history, exploring the evolution of our democracy and the significance of the war, both of which have played major roles in shaping the province and the country we know today."
"Many citizens of Old Town Toronto and local organizations have been eager to see this site commemorated and interpreted, particularly as the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 approaches," said Rollo Myers, who has been actively involved for many years with the protection of the site of Ontario's first parliament buildings. "I'm delighted that the Trust's centre will celebrate the bicentennial and showcase the critical early years of Upper Canada, as many of Ontario's most important institutions - social, political and religious - trace their beginnings to this site."
LAC Marks the Opening of the New Nitrate Film Preservation Centre
In a press release it said that “A portion of Library and Archives Canada's film and photographic negative collection is nitrate-based, a medium that can catch fire under certain conditions. This collection captures some of Canada's most significant moments up until the 1950s when the medium became obsolete. The material was in danger because it was housed in facilities that did not provide the stable, cold and dry environment essential for preservation. Until recently, the collections were stored in an outdated facility, originally built in 1947 on the former Rockcliffe Air Base in Ottawa.
The Nitrate Film Preservation Centre is an eco-designed building with various sustainable features that include a "green" roof, well- insulated walls to reduce energy consumption, high-efficiency mechanical systems to reclaim energy, and technology to reduce water use.
The nitrate-based collection consists of 5,575 reels of film, dating from as early as 1912, and close to 600,000 photographic negatives. Among the materials preserved at the new facility is one of Canada's first feature films, Back to God's Country, along with works produced by the National Film Board and photographic negatives from the collections of Yousuf Karsh”.
New images on Flickr: Nitrate Film Preservation Centre
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157627022868964/
Thursday, June 23, 2011
BIFHSGO Conference 2011 Update
This year from Sept. 16 to the 18th will see the 17th Annual Conference at the Library and Archives Canada on Wellington Street in Ottawa, and it will have as it's theme "England & Wales: London & the Home Countries".
On Friday, there will be the pre-conference Seminar which will feature "I can't find them anywhere!: Effective searching, sharing, and collaborating with Ancestry" with Leslie Anderson; "Storing and Preserving Family Archives and Artifacts: Arresting the deterioration of your family treasure" by Kyla Ubbink; and "Introduction to English and Welsh Family History Research: Using civil registration, census, parish register and probate records" by Linda Reid.
There are eight lectures to choose from on Saturday and Sunday, and they range from "Tracing Your English Ancestors in The National Archives", "The Fleet Registers: Clandestine Marriages in London 1667-1754", "The London Gazette: Not Just the Brave and the Bankrupt", and "Resting Peacefully in Essex - Where I Became a Better Genealogist".
Why don't you come, and join us for a really good weekend? You can find out information about your ancestor, and at $70.00 for the full conference (member's rate), or for $50.00 a day (member's rate), or at $20.00 for a single session, how could you go wrong? And don't forget, there is also a Marketplace on all three days.
This year they have a blog http://bifhsgo.ca/blog/in which they keep you up-to-date on the latest speakers, where to stay in Ottawa while at the conference, and the Marketplace is reporting a 15% jump in registration!
You can register before Aug 12th by going to the BIFHSGO website at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Scottish Nick Names in Canada
As Chris points out on the blog, there are very few “Scottish” Nick Names in the list, but it is worth reading to see if your ancestor is included in the list.
Some samples of Nick Names are -
Donald MacDonald = Big Donald The Blacksmith
Sandy MacDonald = Sandy Schoolmaster
John McPhee = Old Man of Cold
John MacDonald = Johnny Alex the Cook
Alex McDonald = Alex the Grocer
The website which has the list is http://www.bytown.net/scottishnicknamesinglengarry.htm
Many thanks to Dianne for sending a notice of the list to Chris, and my thanks to Chris for putting it on his blog this afternoon.
Ottawa Genealogical Society Blog
Published since June 10th, I learned about it last evening while attending the AGM of Ottawa Genealogy Society at Library and Archives Canada.
I went to their site this morning, and found out that Mike More (the former chair of the Ottawa Genealogy Society, and the Region VIII Director), Edward Kipp (the editor of the Ottawa Genealogist, the Branch’s newsletter), Jim Stanzell (the Publications Officer), and Tom White (the Program Officer) all contribute to the blog on a regular basis.
For instant, while talking to Jim last night, I learned that he is putting on information on the War of 1812. Right now, he has the first of many postings on War of 1812, and this one will interest those who have ancestors in the 100th Regiment of Foot who settled in the Goulbourn Township, Carleton County near Ottawa.
I wish everybody concerned success in this blog. It is always good to see new genealogy blogs come on the scene with important information.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
2011 Emancipation Day Bus Tour – “The Freedom Trial Celebration”
Date: Saturday, July 23rd
Departure Location: Yorkdale Mall by the Cineplex Entrance
Departure Time: 8:00AM
Return Time: 9:00PM
Cost: $ 65.00- Members, $75.00- Non-Members ($40 Deposit required upon reservation)
RSVP by June 22nd, 2011 to 416)-867-9420 or E-mail: admin@blackhistorysociety.ca
Sites to be visited include
St. Catharines Museum at the Welland Canals Centre
The St. Catharines Museum's award-winning exhibit, Follow the North Star, explores the black experience along the Underground Railroad and recounts the rich legacy of Niagara's African Canadians.
Anthony Burns Gravesite
The provincial historic plaque at this site honours the memory of Reverend Anthony Burns, the last person tried under the Fugitive Slave Act in Massachusetts. A verdict, which returned him to slavery, incited street riots. Boston abolitionists bought his freedom and educated him before he settled in St. Catharines and successfully ministered at Zion Baptist Church.
St. Catharines British Methodist Episcopal Church (Salem Chapel)
Its proximity to the border, access to rail lines, and employment opportunities, established St. Catharines as a large refugee centre. In 1855 their first small log church was replaced with this larger, more finished building. Its open hall plan includes a three-sided balcony, providing seating capacity for the large number of people who regularly attended, often including the famous Harriet Tubman and the newly arrived refugees whom she had led to freedom.
R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church
Constructed in 1836, this building was originally in the area of present-day Niagara Falls, then known as Fallsview. The church was designated a national historic site in 2001. The Chapel continues to be the spiritual and cultural center of the black community. It was named in honour of native-born, world-renowned musician and composer of sacred music, Robert Nathaniel Dett, who, from 1898 to 1903, was the church organist".
The Black History Society
10 Adelaide Street East Suite 402
Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3
Telephone: (416) 867-9420 Fax: (416) 867-8691
Website: www.blackhistorysociety