New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 10

Here are some of the websites and blogs that I have come across the week ending November 6, 2011 -

The War Graves Photographic Project http://twgpp.org Started in England, it now covers Canadian graves, with over 30 volunteers taking photos of cemeteries under the guidance of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Canadian Veterans Affairs. You can research by surname and first name, and they have a photo gallery onsite, and News & Information. If you have a question about a Canadian grave, please email Vernon Mastman at vernon@twgpp.org.

The War of 1812 Website  www.warof1812.ca A well-rounded site that was started to commemorate the War of 1812 by listing the latest articles on the War of 1812, book reviews, videos, prints, maps, uniforms, and games.

The Birthplace of John McCrae and a National Historic Site http://guelpharts.ca/mccraehouse/index.php Read about the site and the events that are being held at the John McCrae House, the author of In Flanders Fields.

CFS Alert http://jproc.ca/rrp/alert.html Canadian Forces Station Alert in Nunavut is the most-northerly, permanently-inhabited settlement in the world of the Canadian military! The site gives a history of the place and the personnel, explanations of some of the equipment used, and contains some really good photographs of the station.

The Canadian International Military Tattoo New! www.canadianmilitarytattoo.ca The tattoo will take place in Hamilton to mark the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812, as well as the 150th Anniversary of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.

Canadian Forces casualties in Afghanistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Forces_casualties_in_Afghanistan A breakdown of the Canadian casualties in Afghanistan is given as well as a history of where these casualties occurred, and continue to occur.

Avroland www.avroland.ca Dedicated to the people and projects of AVRO Canada and Orenda Engines Limited. The Toronto Aerospace Museum has completed their full-size replica Arrow, which is onsite, as well as the people who helped design and build the Avro Arrow.

Canadian Heroes (Military Heroes) www.canada-heros.com/military.html A blog which answers the question of "Who is a Hero?" Read about the Canadian heroes of yesterday and today. It also has Ginny McIlmoyle singing the song, "The Highway of Heroes", the stretch of Hwy 401 that goes from CFB Trenton to Toronto.  The song was written to honour the people who came back to Canada after they were killed in Afghanistan.

The Heroes Remember www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/hrp This website contains video interviews of Canadian Veterans of the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, the Chinese-Canadian veterans, along with some very interesting anecdotes on their experiences.

Remembrance Day in Canada: Remembering Canadians Who Fought and Died in War http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/canadawar/a/remembranceday.htm  Lots of interesting links on this site, especially on the First World War.

Tomorrow's Post: Discover the Collection: Military and Peacekeeping

Royal Canadian Navy Ledger Sheets Database (1910-1941)

Canadian Corvettes, on antisubmarine duty while escorting a WW II convoy. National Archives of Canada / PA-115350

Library and Archives Canada has just announced the launch of a new online database, "Royal Canadian Navy Ledger Sheets (1910-1941)".

The LAC says that "Through this online database, researchers can access more than 16,700 references to individuals who served in the Royal Canadian Navy and the Naval Reserve between 1910 and 1918. It also includes some records for those who enlisted between 1919 and 1941".

The database is available at the following address:
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/navyledgersheet/index-e.html

For more information, please contact webservices@bac-lac.gc.ca.

I had one uncle in the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, and his name was John (Johnnie) Turner Barclay (b. 1916 – d. 1975) from Jordan Falls, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia. He was my father's brother, and his home base was CFB Halifax.

He often talked about the stormy weather that they had as they crossed the Northern Atlantic to fight off of the coast of England in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was in the engine room, and he said that there were cramped conditions in which they lived and worked during those long days at sea.

The navy lost 24 ships and 1,797 sailors in the war.

Admiralty House Museum, Halifax, NS http://psphalifax.ca/marcommuseum/convoys.html I have been at the museum in Halifax, and it is a beautiful place. The website says, "The museum has a library of over 50,000 volumes, archives, and a permanent collection displaying historical artifacts including model ships, weapons, photos, medals and much more".

Tomorrow's Post: New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs, Week 10

Canada's Veterans' Week

Canadian Veterans' Week will remember those Canadians who are, and have been, members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Veterans Affairs Canada, www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/veterans-week, is asking us to "Make remembrance more than something you feel. Make it something you do".

This Veterans’ Week, take the remembrance challenge - "There are many ways to show that you remember and honour our Veterans". For instance -

• Pin a poppy above your heart.

• Attend the local Remembrance Day ceremony.

• Talk to a friend or relative who has just returned home from Afghanistan or who served in other areas of conflict.

• Listen to Veterans talk about their experiences.

• Create a mashup and share it on the Veterans Affairs Canada YouTube Channel.

• Visit the Veterans Affairs Canada Facebook fan page, write on our wall, and share how you remember.

• Follow Veterans Affairs Canada on Twitter and tweet about how you remember.
• 
  
• Change your Facebook profile picture to a poppy.
• 
  
• Blog, tweet or update your Facebook status about the importance of remembrance.

You can share your experiences with people who have put their experiences online in a video at the Remembrance Feed at www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/feature/remember/social?startRow=61 

You can share the experiences of the students at Westgrove School from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to the experience of Jason Peters from College of New Caledonia, Prince George, B.C., to the experience of Cindi Hachey from Maugerville, New Brunswick.

Visit the Events page at www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/veterans-week/events for more information on  the events nearest you.

As the website says, "Together, it is our duty to pass on the legacy and keep the memories of our Canadian Veterans alive."

Tomorrow's Post: Royal Canadian Navy Ledger Sheets (1910-1941)

Blogger Showcases Canada’s Veterans' Week (November 5-11)

(Ottawa, Canada - November 3, 2011) In accepting the remembrance challenge of this year’s Veterans’ Week, “Make remembrance more than something you feel. Make it something you do”, Canadian blogger, Elizabeth Lapointe, will have a whole week of Canadian military-related posts on her blog, www.GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com.

Lapointe says, “Coming from a military family, and married into one, Veterans’ Week means something special to me. It is in this spirit that I will post on related Canadian military websites and blogs, culminating with a special Remembrance Day post on November 11th.”

Some examples of the posts planned during Veterans’ Week include a post on Veterans’ Week itself, listing the different events planned across Canada; a post covering the Wreath Laying Ceremony at the National Military Cemetery at Ottawa’s Beechwood Cemetery in December; and on November 11th (Remembrance Day), there will be a post on The Portraits of Honour National Tour, which has been going across Canada since May, and which will stop in Ottawa on November 11th and 12th.

Also included will be a special “Canadian Military” websites and blogs list that will be posted on Monday, November 7th as a special edition of the “New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs” series, which is published every Monday.

“I have gone through the military websites and blogs, and have picked the ones which have special meaning and remembrance for this week. Join me as I take the journey to the best websites and blogs honouring Veterans’ Week - November 5th to the 11th," says Lapointe.

About GenealogyCanada

The blog, www.GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com, has been covering Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history since the first of over 500 posts was published in January, 2008.

At the www.GenealogyCanada.com website, there are over 30 monthly newsletters covering news on Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history, including the famous “Website of the Month”.

Tomorrow's Post: What is Canadian Veterans' Week?

Save Library and Archives Canada!

Over the past years, we have gradually seen the decline of service at the Library and Archives Canada.

Now it has come to light that the government is thinking of closing some parts of the LAC that the public now uses, and turn the space into office space for government employees.

This also involves what has been considered as "public space" on the main floor, including the auditorium, and meeting rooms. The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) meets for their monthly meetings, and conference; the Ottawa Genealogical Society (OGS) use to hold (until very recently) their monthly meetings and conferences there, and various SIGs also hold their meetings every month.

Now, a new group The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) has a website called "Save the Library and Archives Canada" at http://www.savelibraryarchives.ca/default.aspx.

They held a press conference yesterday where they laid out their concerns about the LAC, and they have set up a web page where you can read the open letter they wrote to the Daniel Caron, Librarian and Archivist of Canada. You can also leave your email address in order to be brought up-to-date with the latest news from CAUT.

John D. Reid on his blog Anglo-Celtic Connections http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/ has been keeping us informed about the LAC. Read about what he has to say today about the LAC, and the government proposed cutbacks.

Talk to be given on Home Children

A press release has just been received from Touchstones Nelson -

"Are you a descendant of a British child immigrant? Is there a “home child” in your family background? How would you know? Join historian and author Art Joyce Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at Touchstones Nelson, Shawn Lamb Archives, 502 Vernon St., Nelson, BC for his presentation "Laying the Children’s Ghosts to Rest: Honouring Canada’s Child Immigrants".

These girls from the Barnardo's homes in England were among the 100,000 British poor children who were emigrated to Canada between 1869-1939. The families of the children often had no choice in their emigration and they were forced to work on farms or as household servants until legal age for little or no money. This group is arriving at St. John, New Brunswick in the 1920s. Photo courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.

Between 1869 and 1939, 100,000 children were emigrated from Britain to Canada as a means of providing indentured labourers for newly developing farms or – in the case of girls – domestic servants for households. Tens of thousands more children were sent to Australia and New Zealand. Siblings were often separated and in most cases never saw one another or their parents again.

Joyce discovered that he was the grandson of just such a “home child” five years ago while doing genealogical research into his Joyce ancestors. Since then he has expanded his interest to include research on the history of Canada’s child immigrants, and in particular, the impact of this on families in the Columbia Basin.

He plans to compile a book based on both his family’s experience and the experiences of other Basin families who have “home children” in their background.

Joyce is the author of two books of West Kootenay history, "A Perfect Childhood and Hanging Fire & Heavy Horses", on the heritage homes and public transit of the historic city of Nelson, BC. A passage from A Perfect Childhood is quoted in the Knowledge Network’s BC Moments series and he was a popular heritage columnist for the Nelson Daily News from 1996-2000. For the past seven years he has worked as reporter and arts and culture editor for the Valley Voice newspaper in the Slocan Valley. Joyce is also the author of two recent books of poetry".

The website is at http://www.nelsonmuseum.ca/news/programming.php

A special "Canadian Military" websites and blogs will be listed here on Monday November 7th!

Toronto Branch of OGS Branch Meetings

Gwyneth Pearce of the Toronto Branch sent these meetings/workshops to me yesterday -

DATE: 28 November 2011 (7:30 pm)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: "Great Moments in Genealogy"
NAME OF SPEAKER: Various
BRIEF INFO: In a series of short presentations, several Toronto Branch members will share with us “great moments” in their genealogical research. $5 charge for non-members of OGS.

DATE: 30 January 2012 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “Origins of Funeral Customs”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Susan Smart
BRIEF INFO: This talk will describe the origins of some of the funeral customs found in 19th-century Ontario and explain how they evolved through the century. Wakes, hearses, flowers and food, clothing, coffins and tombstones will all be discussed. Additional short presentation by Stephen Low: “A Little Latin for Genealogists”. $5 charge for non-members of OGS.

DATE: 27 February 2012 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “One Note”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Jim Onyschuk
BRIEF INFO: This presentation will demonstrate the use of Microsoft OneNote, a computer program for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration. Additional short presentation by Greg Marlatt: “The Flight of William Lyon Mackenzie”. $5 charge for non-members of OGS.

Branch workshops/other events:

DATE: 5 November 2011
WORKSHOP: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Auditorium, North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE: "English Family History Workshop"
NAMES OF SPEAKERS: John D. Reid, Lesley Anderson, Paul Jones, Jane E. MacNamara, Linda Reid
BRIEF INFO: A one-day workshop with a roster of knowledgeable and enthusiastic speakers devoted to discovering English ancestors. Early registration deadline is 14 October 2011 – special rates apply for members of OGS.

DATE: 31 March 2012
WORKSHOP: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Auditorium, North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE: “Finding Your Great War Ancestors”
NAMES OF SPEAKERS: TBA
BRIEF INFO: A one-day workshop for family historians seeking to find out more about their Great War ancestors. Program and registration details to come.

For more information, please contact publicity@torontofamilyhistory.org, or go to their website at http://www.torontofamilyhistory.org

A special "Canadian Military" websites and blogs will be listed here on Monday November 7th!

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 9

Here are some of the websites, and blogs that I have come across the week ending October 31,2011

The Recents www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~abwcobit/index.htm?cj=1&sid=rootsweb-redirect-us&o_xid=0002921548&o_lid=0002921548 An index of Alberta obituaries, and other articles from Alberta and BC newspapers.

Canada Obituary Collection www.ancestry.com/search/obit/?ca&dbid=8961 This database is on Ancestry.com and it's a compilation of obituaries published in Canadian newspapers, collected from various online sources.

Obituaries 101 www.big101.com/canadian_obituaries_news_canada_death_notices.htm The daily obituaries in Canadian newspapers across the country

Obituaries: CANADA-OBITS Mailing List http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Obituaries/CANADA-OBITS.html A mailing list for individuals and volunteers to submit or request obituary information for Canada.

Where every little obit helps (formerly known as Jan's Research & Obituary Collection) www.ontarioobits.com The website is able to help genealogists gain access to obituaries, to connect researchers with others, and to help those without access to microfilms.

Thunder Bay District 20th Century Obituary Indexing Project- AKA The Directory of the Dearly Departed http://my.tbaytel.net/pafwinfo/obituaries.htm This volunteer project began in April 2007. The objective is to index the death notices, obituaries and estate notices (notice to creditors) from the Fort William, Port Arthur and Thunder Bay newspapers for the time period 1900 - 1999.

Free Obituaries On-Line www3.sympatico.ca/bkinnon/obit_links.htm All the links below lead to obituaries, death or funeral notices,

GenealogyBuff: Canadian Obituaries Forum www.genealogybuff.com/canada-bbs Obituaries from each of the provinces

Canadian Health Obituaries Index File http://osler.library.mcgill.ca/cfstand This database lists obituaries or death notices of Canadian medical personal that appeared in various medical journals listed below between 1844 and 2000.

Online Death Indexes & Records for Canada: A Genealogy Records Guide www.deathindexes.com/canada.html An index and records in all of the provinces in Canada.

A special "Canadian Military" websites and blogs will be listed here on Monday, November 7th!

NIGS Announces New Offering

Here is a press release received from NIGS on Friday -

"As a valued National Institute for Genealogical Studies Student or Subscriber, we wanted to make you aware of an offering we've arranged for you. We recently partnered with WorldVitalRecords.com, a fast growing genealogy sites with over 4 billion searchable names. Look through some commonly found databases such as birth, marriage, death and census records, but also browse through military records, Filby's passenger and immigration lists, German and Russian immigration records, a school yearbook collection, maps, a digitized book collection, a newspaper archive collection, and so much more! This great family history resource is available to you at a terrific membership deal.

WorldVitalRecords' 1-year membership is regularly $149. But for our Students and Subscribers, they are cutting $79.05 off that price, and adding in two free months if you purchase before November 13th, 2011!

That's right... 1 year of unlimited access to WorldVitalRecords + two FREE months for just $69.95.

To take advantage of this very special and limited time offer, visit:
http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/gsspecialoct

This limited time offer will expire on November 13th, and is offered exclusively to you as a National Institute for Genealogical Studies' Student or Subscriber (we've been told that you can also share it with others if you wish). Don't miss your chance to get this low price and FREE extra months on this wonderful resource.

Louise St Denis
The National Institute for Genealogical Studies
http://www.GenealogicalStudies.com

P.S. Did you know WorldVitalRecords.com has hundreds of databases that are not available anywhere else? Plus, they are adding more than 80 million new names each month. Sign up at http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/gsspecialoct for your affordable membership today!"

A special "Canadian Obituaries" updated websites and blogs will be listed here on Monday October 31st!

Victoria's Chinatown

Victoria's Chinatown, the first of the Chinatowns in Canada, received the first of its kind – its story has been told in a pamphlet that people can take with them as they walk down the streets of Chinatown.

David Chuenyan Lai, professor emeritus of geography at the University of Victoria and honorary citizen of Victoria first thought of the project. The project consists of a folded poster entitled "A Brief Chronology of Chinese Canadian History", and it covers the years from 1788 to 2010.

Lai is busy producing inserts of the other seven Canadian Chinatowns in Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Montreal.

Read the rest of the story at
http://www.timescolonist.com/travel/pamphlet+details+Chinatown+history+provides+walking+tour/5619264/story.html

A special "Canadian Obituaries" updated websites and blogs will be listed here on Monday October 31st!

Three Big Events Tomorrow

Saturday October the 29th is an eventful day in Ontario genealogy!

There will be three workshop held that day, and they are -

Region IV Annual Meeting with special speaker J. Brian Gilchrist; Niagara Branch OGS - St. Catharines.

http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/09/niagara-peninsula-branch-fall-event.html

http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/10/niagara-peninsula-branch-of-ogs.html

De-Mystifying Lineage Societies Workshop, Ottawa Branch OGS and Sir Guy Carleton Branch UELAC - Ottawa

http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/09/de-mystifying-lineage-societies.html

Kitchener Public Library 1st Annual Genealogy Fair - Kitchener

http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/10/1st-annual-genealogy-fair.html

A special "Canadian Obituaries" updated websites and blogs will be listed here on Monday October 31st!

Archives Lanark

On Saturday November 5th, 2011, the Archives will be open at 10:30 am for researching prior to the meeting at 1:30 pm. The meeting will be held at The Archives, Drummond Centre, Lanark, Ontario.

The topic will be “Moments of remembrance - A tribute to soldiers, past and present, serving in the Armed Forces”.

The release says that “The Guest Speaker, Dr. Helen Douglas will share her father’s stories through film honouring those who fought for Canada and our future. We will pause in a silent moment of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. In support of our troops on their tour of duty-Wear Red!”

The website is Lanark County Genealogical Society at http://globalgenealogy.com/LCGS/index.htm

ANCESTRY.CA UNEARTHS CANADIANS’ WORST FEARS

Find out what we fear the most -

Toronto, ON (October 25, 2011) As we prepare for the spookiest evening of the year, Ancestry.ca, Canada’s leading family history website[i], has unearthed the truth about what Canadians fear the most.

Survey Results

In a national survey, Ancestry.ca asked Canadians to reveal their deepest fears. While Halloween is a celebration of our childhood fear of ghosts and goblins, survey results found that the fears of adults are a lot more real. In fact, across the country people declared that they are more afraid of the Conservative party than they are of ghosts. Here are what makes Canadians shake in their boots:
Terrorists – Not your typical Halloween costume, terrorists are listed as the number one thing that Canadians are most afraid of.

Snakes – Surprisingly, snakes are a close runner up to our number one fear; we just can’t seem to get over these slithering creatures. 

Heights – Although Canada is home to the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere, not to mention a range of sky-scraping mountains, Canadians are terrified of heights.

Public Speaking – Just the thought of standing in front of their peers to say a speech makes Canadians fearful.

Spiders – Arachnophobia ranks up there with these creepy crawlies making our hair stand on end.

Nationally, the results are startlingly different as Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec cite terrorists as their top fear. Ontario and British Columbia tied terrorists and snakes for their number one. Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, on the other hand, find the thought of heights absolutely horrifying. And when it comes to Saskatchewan, mice and rats are people’s biggest fears. 

Additionally, out of all the provinces Quebec is more likely to fear ghosts and aliens than other provinces. Ontario is quite afraid of sharks… not exactly a native threat to the populace. Newfoundland dreads the dentist and the Conservatives. British Columbia and Manitoba detest the Liberals, and Alberta is more terrified of clowns than anyone else.

Celebrate Halloween by going to http://www.ancestry.ca to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

Mission Genealogy Club

Mission Genealogy Club, British Columbia presents "Over and Under the Radar" with well-known Mission citizen Neville Cox, speaking about his experiences during WWII as a radar technician in the Royal Canadian Navy.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27 at the Mission Library, 33247 Second Ave.

Everyone welcome.

If you want to find out about the Mission Genealogy Club, go to http://missiongen.8m.com/index.html.

They have a history of the club, what is included in their holdings (including family histories), and their library.

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 8

Here are some of the websites, and blogs that I have come across the week ending October 23, 2011

Les pionniers de Trois-Rivières 1634-1665 (The Pioneers of Three Rivers 1634-1665) http://freesurnamesearch.com/search/canada/divers/pionniersdetrois-rivieres.html Although this is in French only, it does contain an alphabetical listing of pioneers of Three Rivers, from Séverin AMEAU to Claude VOLANT de ST-CLAUDE.

Wendy's Genealogy: Lapensée, Leroux, Cote http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wentil/index.html Three of her grandparents have French-Canadian lineage, and she traces their genealogy to the present day.

Bill's Genealogy Blog http://billbuchanan.blogspot.com and the website http://billbuchanan.byethost17.com. Bill Buchanan lives in Onoway, Alberta, and he is researching mostly Canadians of British origin, and has over 21,000 people in his database.

People on the Move: Do You Know This Girl? http://redstarline.be/eCache/MHE/30/08/175.html There is a campaign at the Red Star Line Museum in England where you are asked if you know this girl, who emigrated to New Brunswick in 1905.

Call Me-shell http://callmeshell.blogspot.com Includes French Canadian surnames such as ROBILLARD, BOUDREAU, THERRIEN, and many more.

CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt' http://canadagenealogy.blogspot.com  The blog has been up since 2005, and M. Diane Rogers continues to have many interesting posts, including her latest on Medical Family History and Genealogy.

Dawn-Ann's Explorations: Finding my Identity Through my Family's History http://www.dawnann.com/blog Read about Dawn-Ann's recent trip to Dawson City, and her Kirkpatrick family.

The Canada Directory http://www.canadiangenealogy.net/canada_directory.htm The Names of the Professional and Business Men of Every Description, in the Cities, Towns, and Principal Villages Of Canada.

Immigrants to Canada http://jubilation.uwaterloo.ca/~marj/genealogy/reports/report1887scan.html Extracts From the Immigration Report of 1887 Pertaining to Settlement in the West. These are extractions from the report of the Scandinavian Settlers.

The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes http://www.marmuseum.ca The Marine Museum was founded in 1975, and it contains the museum of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship, The Alexander Henry.

Quilt Genealogy

In the Winnipeg Free Press yesterday, there was a story about the Buhler Gallery off of the main lobby/food court of St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg.

They have a new showing of a quilt display called Quilts: Past and Present.

The quilts are on loan from the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library, and one of the exhibitors is Heather Lair, an acclaimed fabric artist from Gimli, Manitoba.

Lair says that "She has a piece of advice if you've got an heirloom quilt: Interview old-timers in your family who can recall details about its making, and keep the 'quilt genealogy'".

To read the story, go to http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/arts/quilts-evoke-warmth-comfort-and-a-sense-of-community-132370098.html
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Be sure to read tomorrow's blog New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 9

Children's Aid Society (CAS) Home Opened in 1920

Patricia Winans writes a weekly column for the Moncton Times-Transcript.

This week she writes about the CAS home that opened in 1920, and "The Children's Aid Home continued to be used as a shelter until it was closed in December 1964. It was later used as office space, a social club and a nightclub until it burned in 1990 and was demolished."

Read the complete column at http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/lifetimes/article/1449455

She can be reached at aglimpseofthepast@rogers.com.

Niagara Peninsula Branch of the OGS

I just received this notice from Steve Fulton from the Niagara Peninsula Branch of the OGS. It shows another way to reach long distant members, or people who cannot attend.

"The Niagara Peninsula Branch of the OGS would like to announce that the guest speaker will now be streamed onto the Internet for those from a distance or who are unable to make it to the meeting location.

The Regional 4 Meeting will not be streamed but the Guest Speaker will be during the talk times.  Please see the flyer on our website for start times and all times are in EST.  There will be no recording of the guest speaker for future playback.

The cost to join us will be $15; the fastest way to pay is visiting the Niagara Peninsula Branch Website at www.ogs.on.ca/niagara clicking on the Region 4 Meeting Box on the front page.  It will allow you to register and then pay with PayPal.

Please note: If you plan to join us via the internet, please make all payments on or before Oct 27/11 so we have enough time to get instructions and login information to you.

Any questions please email the Branch directly – niagara@ogs.on.ca"

Thanks you.

Steve Fulton
Chair, Niagara Peninsula Branch

Barns Appreciation Project

The Rideau Township Historical Society, located just south of Ottawa, has announced that they are still collecting information and photos of barns in the former township of Rideau before they all disappear.

They say, "The Barns Appreciation Project began in 2006. It represents an attempt to gather a photographic record with supporting documentation of the barns in the former Rideau Township before they all disappear.

Between 12 and 15 volunteers have been working of the project. We now have 1000 pictures from over 300 sites. The next phase to get interior photographs and supporting is just getting underway".

So if you are aware of any barns that have yet been photographed, contact the president, Bill Tupper, at gwtupper@magma.ca, or go to the website at http://www.rideautownshiphistory.org/index.html

Gloucester Place Names Project

The Gloucester Historical Society of Ottawa has an ongoing project that will lead to the publication of a book, and the project is to identify all Gloucester Place Names, past and present, and provide some basic information about each.

Included is the original Gloucester Township, east of the Rideau River, and south of the Ottawa River. It comprises the former City of Vanier, Rockcliffe Park, and those parts east of the Rideau River that have been part of Ottawa since 1950, and even earlier.

They are asking for your help. Have the society missed a name? They are asking for any photos which shows past or present of any community listed. Do you know how a place name originated, or do you any interesting stories about any community?

If so, you can contact http://www.gloucesterhistory.com/history.html#Index, or you can reach them at english@gloucesterhistory.com.

Some Early Scots in the Maritimes

There will be a meeting at the Halifax Regional Library, Spring Garden Road, Halifax at 7 p.m., Tuesday, 15 November 2011 as they host the launch Volume II of Some Early Scots in the Maritimes by author Terrence M. Punch, FRSAI.

There will be a short talk, and time for questions,followed by light refreshments.

Volume II will be available for purchase. As well, a few copies of Volume I of the set will be available.

The Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia is at http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/GANS

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 7

Here are some of the websites, and blogs that I have come across the week ending October 16, 2011

Ancêtres Famille Paquin http://afpaquin.org/~afpaquin/joom/index.php A free comprehensive Canadian & American PAQUIN family tree from 1672.

New Version of the Home Children Database
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/home-children/index-e.html I wrote about this on my blog on the 11th of October. The LAC has added 20,000 new names to the database, and they have been compiled by the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa.

Barclay - Matlack Family Homestead http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/a/r/Thomas-Barclay/index.html The site includes many names including the family name of Freeman from Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

AllFuneralHomes.com http://www.allfuneralhomes.com Lists the funeral homes found in Canada.

Ottawa Valley Irish: A family history weblog & genealogy database http://www.ottawavalleyirish.com As the site says, "This blog covers the family history of a number of interrelated Irish and French Canadian families in the Ottawa Valley area, including the Morans of Huntley township; the Laheys and Killeens of March township; the McGlades of Perth; the McCarthys of Kitley township; and the Derouins of Otter Lake".

The Genealogical Site of French America http://www.genealogiequebec.com A bilingual site (Frensh/English) that has more than 33,861,400 images, and files online. For instance, they have 1,260,000 BMD records linked to Drouin Collection images, 1881 and 1901 Quebec censuses, and 1881 from Ontario; 1926-1996 Marriages, 1926-1996 Deaths, and so on.

La Société du patrimoine et d'histoire de la Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec http://sphcb.com A French only site that tells the history of this famous region of Quebec.

Bible Christian Magazine http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~biblechristianmag/title.html The site contains biographies, memoirs, and obituaries of people who were involved with the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Although this site mainly is about people in England, it does contain Canadian references.

The Ball Bureau: A blog to share my research of the Ball family in Devon, England and Glamorgan, Wales http://ballbureau.blogspot.com Karen Ball traces the Ball family roots in the counties of Devon, England and Glamorgan, Wales to British Columbia.

Skeletons in my Closet http://skeltonsinmycloset.blogspot.com Among others, Jennifer R. Grandchamp ("Jenny Roses") is researching her French-Canadian roots.

Ottawa Valley Irish Blog

Michael McBane the author of the blog "Ottawa Valley Irish: A family history weblog & genealogy database" has said that he is working on a book on the missionaries of the Ottawa Valley and the Pontiac on the Quebec side.

He provides a partial list of Roman Catholic Missionaries served the Pontiac County area in the mid-nineteenth century such as -

1836-1838 Rev Pascal Brunet, curé Montebello/Wm Cannon, vicaire à Bytown
1836-1838 F.L. de Bellefeuille, S.S. Montréal/J.B. Dupuis, Evêché Montréal

To see the rest of the list, go to http://www.ottawavalleyirish.com/2011/08/missionaries-of-pontiac-1836-1851.html#comments

The website is at http://www.ottawavalleyirish.com

OGS is 50 Years Old Today!

October 15, 2011

"While we have been celebrating our 50th Anniversary all year, it's worth sharing that today, October 15th, is the actual birthday of The Ontario Genealogical Society.

On October 15th 1961 The Ontario Genealogical Society was established in a meeting at the University of Waterloo. The fledgling Society was sponsored by the Pennsylvania German Folklore Society of Ontario, and Dr. G.E. Reaman of Waterloo Ontario was made the first President.

Dr. Reaman's first President's Message is found on the front page of the very first Bulletin (now Families) which OGS members may view in the Members Only section of our website.

Through the hard work of enthusiastic genealogists across the province, we have changed and grown a great deal since that day in 1961.

Thank you to all members of The Ontario Genealogical Society for your tireless efforts and contributions over the years. Your dedication has made us who we are today.

Happy Birthday and welcome to our 51st year!

Sarah Newitt
Executive Director OGS
http://www.ogs.on.ca
ed@ogs.on.ca

Atlantic Canada Genealogy Project

This project is "related to descendants of the migration of families from Yorkshire, England in the late 1700s, to what is now Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Canada".

There are people you may be related to on the site, a Guest Book, and a Chapman family tree that you can read, if you wish.

If you discover any person that is your ancestor, send Don Chapman a message onsite.

The webpage is http://chignecto.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=chignecto&view=9&ver=1677

Women's History Month

October is Women's History Month in Canada.

October was proclaimed in Canada in 1992, and this year it "recognizes women's invaluable contributions to the military in Canada over the years".

To see their website, please go to http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/dates/whm-mhf/index-eng.html

1st Annual Genealogy Fair!

Here is a press release sent by the Kitchener Public Library -

"You’ve discovered Bob’s your uncle….Now what?!

Kitchener Public Library will be holding its first annual Genealogy Fair on Saturday, October 29th from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. This free event will be held in Kitchener’s City Hall Rotunda at 200 King Street West. Genealogy enthusiasts from both near and far are welcome!

Speakers and workshops are scheduled throughout the day, suitable for both beginner and seasoned researchers. Exhibits will include local area archives, libraries and museums, as well as vendors of specialized genealogy products and services".

For more information, please go to http://www.kpl.org/_docs/programs/GenealogyFair2011.pdf

War of 1812 Events Planned

The government has announced that October 2012 will be designated as a month of commemoration of the heroes, and key battles of the War of 1812.

In addition, the government will support the following -

a pan-Canadian educational campaign focused on the importance of the War of 1812 to Canada's history

support for up to 100 historical re-enactments, commemorations, and local events

a permanent 1812 memorial located in the National Capital Region

interactive tours, six exhibits, and improvements to three national historic sites across the country

investments in infrastructure at key 1812 battle sites, such as Fort Mississauga and Fort York, Ontario

celebrating and honouring the links that many of our current militia regiments in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada have to the War of 1812

For more information, go to http://www.1812.gc.ca

Names Added to Home Children (1869-1930) Online Database

The Library and Archives Canada has just issued this press release -

"Gatineau, October 6, 2011 — Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the online database Home Children (1869-1930). More than 20,000 names of children, who came to Canada between 1925 and 1932, were added to the extended version. The names were extracted from passengers lists held at Library and Archives Canada.

The database is available at the following address:
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/home-children/index-e.html

Library and Archives Canada would like to thank the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa http://www.bifhsgo.ca, and its volunteers without whom this project would not have happened".

Descendants of Foreign Protestants

On Tuesday 25 October 2011 at 7:30 p.m., there will be a meeting of the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia.

Iris Shea will talk on "Descendants of Foreign Protestants who settled at the Northwest Arm: Jollimores, Slaunwhites and Boutiliers".

The location is Akins Room, Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management, 6016 University Avenue, Halifax, NS

The website is http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/GANS/index.html

They also have Publicly Accessible Databases, which includes an Index to Vital Stats from "The Colonial Patriot" 1827-1834, the Published Genealogies of Nova Scotia Families, and the Nova Scotia Genealogist Subject Index.

The databases are at http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/GANS/databases.html#public

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 6

Here are some of the websites and blogs that I've come across the week ending October 9, 2011

Golden Ireland-America http://dewdropin.weebly.com/1/category/ireland/1.html Linda McLean shares her Golden family letters and journals about immigrating from Ireland to Canada and the US in the 1850s.

Looking Back On Charlotte County's History www.heritagecharlotte.com This site covers over 50 communities within Charlotte County, New Brunswick, with views of cemeteries, censuses, funeral homes, and former military bases within the community.

McFadyen-Parker History http://genealogy.mcfadyen.ca This site covers the families of McFaden, Mcilmoyle, Bertrand, Parker, Jory, and Willoughby, concentrating in Bruce County and the areas of Kincardine, Seymour, and Northumberland in Ontario, Canada.

Projet GenWeb Montreal, Québec, Canada www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~qcmtreal If you go to this site look at the MontrealGenWeb, Anglophone Ancestors side, and you will see a list English names, city directories, passanger lists, and migration.

The Scotch-Irish of Canada www.libraryireland.com/ScotchIrish/Canada1.php As the site says, "An essay on the impact of the Scotch-Irish settlers in Canada, giving examples of those who thrived in the military, business, and other spheres".

Broadmeadow Genealogy http://broadmeadowgenealogy.wordpress.com Rose Staples tells us how she started in genealogy, and what services she offers. $

Roe Family Tree http://roefamilytree.com For the Irish and English Descendants and Ancestors of John Roe and Eliza Poole. They emigrated from Coon/Coan Townlands near Coolcullen, Ireland in the county of Kilkenny to Lanark and Huron Counties in Ontario, and then to Pickford Michigan, Chippewa County near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Morrow Family Tree (Morrow/Morin/Moreau) http://morrowfamilytree.com Descendants and Ancestors of Andre Morin (Andrew Morrow) born 24 Feb 1797 in Montreal, changed his name to Andrew Morrow when he moved to the US (Mackinac Island), and eventually to Cheboygan, Michigan.

Cohen's Genealogy Site at Rootsweb http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~thecohens/birthindexes-usa.html Free Canadian Birth and Baptism Databases.

Our Ohlhausen/Koenig (König) Family History Website www.ohlhausen.ca/index.htm They came from Bessarabia, and other Russian areas, to Crossfield, Alberta in the early 1900s.

The Plotters

The Londoner, a weekly newspaper in the London, Ontario area, recently did a story on Lorne and Lanna Thompson, who are plotting the graveyards covered by the London-Middlesex Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

This is what the newspaper said they are doing -

"Armed with clipboards, they've been keeping up-to-date records of local cemeteries for the OGS. 'We are going through and checking data for any additional information and keeping track of any new burials,' said Lanna. 'We check for spelling mistakes or something someone may have missed and put the information in a binder for the OGS database.'"

Read the rest of article at http://www.thelondoner.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3313681

The Cloverdale Library, Surrey, BC

Do you know that The Cloverdale Library has one of the largest Canadian family history collections in the country?

The Cloverdale Library Canadian Family History Collection is located on the second floor of the library. The Family History department includes seven microfilm/fiche reader/printers, a photocopier, three dedicated computers for Ancestry Library Edition and Heritage Quest, 1 CD ROM station, and a general use meeting room where Family History programs are conducted.

On October the 15th, there will be a "Finding Your Roots Tri-Stake Seminar" at the Surrey Family History Centre on Saturday, October 15, 2011 from 8:30am – 4:00pm at 6270-126 St. Surrey, BC.

Be sure you look at the Family History Programs at
http://www.surreylibraries.ca/programs-services/4815.aspx


They have courses such as the following this fall and winter -

Cloverdale Library Genealogical Collection Orientations

Start Searching Your Family History - A Beginners' Workshop in 5 Lessons

Discover Your Past, Discover Yourself!: An Introduction to Family History

Third Annual Family History Show & Tell!

Were Your People Really Irish?

Start Writing Your Family History: A Communications Workshop in 5 Lessons

Life Stories on "The Island Register"

There are life stories (with various names) on The Island Register this morning from Prince Edward Island.(PEI) – http://www.islandregister.com.

The first story is by Kay Lamb in Tennessee "Skype Bringing Families Together" where she tells how she uses Skype to talk to her 98 year old cousin 2,000 miles way in PEI.

The second story is about a diary entry from "Diary From Weds. Oct 12, 1927 To Weds. Feb 5, 1941 - My Grandfather, Samuel Beaton, Bonshaw, P.E.I." by Eardley Beaton.

In the diary he talks about Beaton's neighbours, and their daily life in Bonshaw.

Another story is about William Franklin Knox, the Secretary of the Navy under President Franklin D. Roosevelt by Dennis Taylor

The story starts with some Island roots of William Franklin Knox. He was the son of Sarah Collins Barnard. Sarah was born Aug 9 1849 in Charlottetown. She was the daughter of Jabez Alder Barnard, born Jan 10 1820 in Charlottetown. Jabez Alder was the son of Jabez Barnard, the builder, and Catherine Hawkins.

It goes on to tell how he bought the newspaper in Sault Ste. Marie, eventually becoming the general manager of Hearst newspapers, and his exploits in the Second World War.

Genealogy Trivia

The Southeastern Branch of the New Brunswick Genealogical Society will hold its October Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 1-4 p.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church, 4 Fatima Dr., Riverview (next to Riverview Town Hall, use basement entrance at the back of the main entrance).

Alice Garner will present an ancestor profile, and David Laskey will hold a rousing session of Genealogy Trivia.

All are welcome

The website is http://www.nbgs.ca/southeast.html

Toronto Office Assisted Immigration Registers

The Ontario Archives has a database which is an index to the four volumes of assisted immigration registers created by the Toronto Emigrant Office between 1865 and 1883.

The chronological breakdown of the volumes is as follows: -

Volume 1
January 3, 1865 to September 20, 1870

Volume 2
September 26, 1870 to July 31, 1873 and October 2 1874 to Dec. 29, 1876

Volume 3
January 1, 1877 to January 31, 1883

Volume 4
May 24, 1873 to Oct. 2, 18

The first emigrant office in Upper Canada (Ontario) was opened in 1833 in Toronto, headed by AB Hawke.

It is not totally clear which communities other than Toronto, Kingston, and Hamilton had proper "offices" as such, but Hawke received reports from agents in Ottawa, Port Hope, Peterborough, Cobourg, Prescott, and other locations at various times.

Fields such as Date of Application, Nationality, Trade, Destination are filled in when you put a person's name in the database.

The website is http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/db/hawke.aspx

The Leduc Genealogy Club

The Leduc Rep, the online newspaper which serves the town, has a story in it that the Leduc Genealogy Club is asking the city to preserve it's history by looking out for the cemeteries that are in the city.

the Group says that the cemeteries have trees and weeds growing out of -- in the summer, and now it is clear that the grave are stating to sick into the ground.

Read about what the city father's said when this was brought to their attention last month http://www.leducrep.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3290214

The Nova Scotia Archives Asks for Your Help

I recently received from the Nova Scotia Archives a notice that they have digitized a large number of old, and fragile nitrate negatives, and they need your help!

A selection of 150 negatives of "turn-of-the-last-century black-and-white photos showing Nova Scotians having fun at home and far away, including the Canadian West, Italy, Japan, maybe Russia and some places we cannot identify. Perhaps you can help us?"

They can be seen on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsarchives/

They are looking for details such as locations, landmarks, the identity of those photographed, the year or decade, and other pieces of information that will add useful context.

We look forward to your contributions! Tags added to the photos will be
screened by Archives staff for accuracy, and then used in the next few
months to create a permanent virtual exhibit.

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 5

Here are some of the websites, and blogs that I have come across the week ending Ocotber 2nd, 2011 -

Sherratt Family - From England to Canada http://sherrattfamily.com As the website says, "The main focus is on the paternal side, surname, SHERRATT dating back to the mid 1700s from Brown Edge, Norton in the Moors and Talke Pitts, Audley, Staffordshire, England to Ontario and British Columbia, and Hillcrest, Alberta area, Canada".

1837 Toronto - Home District Directory www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onyork. You can search the surnae database of The Home District - that is the old name for the area - and it covers not only York County but also much of Simcoe, Peel and Ontario (now Durham) Counties.

Canadian Great War Project www.canadiangreatwarproject.com The website says that this site is "The Canadian Great War Project is intended to promote interest in Canada's participation in World War 1, commonly referred to as the Great War, to research the Canadians who participated in the Great War 1914-1919 or other nationalities who served in the CEF".

Provincial government has legislated Sept. 28 as British Home Child Day www.innisfilscope.com/news/2011-09-28/Front_Page/KIDS_Up_to_70000_children_settled_in_Ontario.html A news story about the British Home Children, and how they served in the First World War.

Eagle River Ontario Historical Image Gallery www.spruce.ca/eagleriverpic/gallery The Eagle River Ontario Historic Gallery has a collection of images and other items from the early settlers and their families of the Eagle River area.

Kahn Family Genealogy:A History http://kahngenealogy.wordpress.com "This is about the history of our line of the Kahn family. Our roots are in Germany, but branches spread to Luxembourg, France, England, Canada, the USA and, perhaps, elsewhere. "

The Forest City: A look at the history and genealogy of London, Ontario www.forestcity.blogspot.com I came across this blog the other day, and what a nice blog it is about the history of London, Ontario.

Updates – The Canada Gazette (1841-1997) www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/canada-gazette/index-e.html As the website says, the "Library and Archives Canada (LAC) commemorates the 170th anniversary of the Canada Gazette by making accessible the digitized back issues, from 1841 to 1997, on its website dedicated to this official publication."
I wrote about this site on Saturday http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/10/update-canada-gazette-1841-1997.html, and gave examples of genealogy you can find within The Canada Gazette.

Durham Genealogical Resources www.durhamgen.com The website says that they are starting to digitize all the cemeteries in the area, and you are advised to check back often.

Upper Canada Genealogy www.uppercanadagenealogy.com/index.html A commercial site offering research services by Janice Nickerson, as well as some free Upper Canada resources. She also has a new book, Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada: A Researcher's Guide. $

Update - FamilySearch Records

The monthly figure has just been released from FamilySearch.org for the Saskatchewan Provincial Records, 1879-1987.

Currently, there are 192,459 records browsable, with another 13,864 has just been added. The website is https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1916143

The website says that the "Various documents housed in the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan, including homesteads, voter lists, pioneer questionnaires, biographies, military and municipal records, teacher registries, township registers, and Henderson Directories. This collection is being published as images become available".

Update – The Canada Gazette (1841-1997)

This past Monday (September 26th), the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) commemorated the 170th anniversary of the Canada Gazette by making accessible the digitized back issues of this official publication at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/canada-gazette.

A Nation's Chronicle: The Canada Gazette is also available at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/canada-gazette/index-e.html

The press release says that it is often referred to as “the official newspaper of the Government of Canada.”

The database is searchable by keywords (for example – keywords such as divorce, immigration, and naturalization), and not by a person's name.

For example, from 1867 to 1968, the website says that "a person wishing to obtain a divorce was first required to place a notice of intent to petition the government for an Act of Divorce in the Canada Gazette and in two newspapers in the district or county where the petitioner resided. It was to appear for a six-month period".

An explanation of the Divorce Laws in Canada is given at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/022/022-906.008-e.html

Here is a sample of the divorce records found in the Canada Gazette -

"NOTICE is hereby given that Dame Beatrice Evelyn Tutill, housewife, of the City and District of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, wife of Walter Joseph Bobineky, taxi driver, of the City of Montreal and District of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, will apply to the Parliament of Canada, at the next or following session thereof, for a bill of divorce from her husband, the said Walter Joseph Bobinsky, on the ground of adultery.
Dated at Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, this 9th day of July, 1947.
N.W. JACOBS,
Solicitor for the Applicant"

Source: A Nation's Chronicle: The Canada Gazette, Library and Archives Canada. APPLICATIONS FOR DIVORCE Part I (1947-1997), volume 81, number 30, 26 July 1947, p. 7

Information about Immigration and Citizenship at the Library and Archives Canada is at
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-908.011-e.html

An example from the Canada Gazette is -
Vanderveen, Clarence- certificate of naturalisation No. 72000, series A, granted at Ottawa, Ontario, on July 28, 1930.

Source: A Nation's Chronicle: The Canada Gazette, Library and Archives. Canada DEPARTMENT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE OF CANADA,THE CANADIAN Citizenship ACT Part I (1947-1997), volume 83, number 29, 16 July 1949, p. 4