Stone Family Gathering 2012

The descendants of George Stone & Mary Doody will meet for a family reunion July 19^th to the July 22, 2012 at Bras D'or Lakes Inn, Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.

They have a full days planned with a Ceilidh on Thursday, a “Meet and Greet” on Friday evening, a full day of activities on Saturday, including a church service at 11:00 AM at the Ecumenical Church Service at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Barra Head,  and they will have a  Family Gathering Meal at St Peter's Lions' Hall on Sunday

 It is believed that George & Mary Stone and their one year old son Jonas arrived at Sydney CB, aboard a vessel from Trepassey NL, named "the Elizabeth" on the 21st of July, 1800

 If you can’t go to the Gathering, they have various articles on their website, with photos, and a Guest Book on their website  at http://stonefamilygathering2012.webs.com/weekendschedule.htm

Canada Celebrates St. Patrick's Day

GenealogyCanada's Blog Search - Yes, using our very own search box (at the top right), just type in "Irish" or "Ireland", and see what resources or news items have been posted here. (This also works for other topics of interest).

The Irish Canadian Society http://www.irishcanadiansociety.net/ - This website etablished a connection between Canada and Ireland, and gives an account of how to search for Irish immigants.

Irish Resources at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-905.005-e.html - Canada's most recent census returns list the Irish as the fourth-largest ethnic group in Canada, with almost 4.5 million Canadians claiming either some or full Irish lineage.

Irish Ships Passenger Lists www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ote/iriship.htm

Canadian Immigration Records: Irish Immigrants www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Canadian-immigration-records.html - Canadian immigration records on Irish immigrants.

Grandma's Family Tree http://judycorbettbarker.com/index.html - Judy Barker is tracing the surnames of CORBETT, HAWCO, COSTIGAN, FUREY, KENNEDY, LACOUR, MURPHY, QUINLAN, CRAIG, HEALEY, and SULLIVAN from Ireland. They emigrated to Chapel`s Cove, Harbour Main, and Holyrood in Newfoundland.

Emigration From Cork Island to Upper Canada: The First Peter Robinson Settlers http://webhome.idirect.com/~obrienr/cork1823.html - The website explains the reasons behind emigration to Canada, and lists other websites.

Discover Your True Irish Roots in our New Historical Records www.ancestry.ca/irish?o_iid=50529&o_lid=50529&o_sch=Web+Property - Ancestry.ca has Irish Records that you can check online. Their 14-day FREE access offer is available.

======================================

Books

I have just published two booklets - The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://www.globalgenealogy.com/, the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/, and now, in the U.S., from the Family Roots Publishing Company at http://www.familyrootspublishing.com/.

For more on the booklets, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Genealogical Day in England and Wales (Seminar)

Gary Schroder, QFHS President, will give a talk on Sa turday, March 31st 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Quebec Family History Society Llibrary, 173 Cartier Avenue in Pointe-Claire.

The purpose of this seminar will be to A) examine the basic structures of family history research in England, Civil Registration of BMD's 1837-2005, Censuses 1841-1911, Wills 1858-2011, etc., and B) examine how to find your ancestors for the period prior to 1837 and how to make the best use of the English databases to found to be found on Ancestry and other commercial websites.

Reservations are necessary: call 514.695.1502, or you can visit the society online at http://www.qfhs.ca/. The fee $30.00.

Canadian Air and Space Museum Set to Close

Anna-Louise Richardson, a videographer from Toronto, has written me about the closure of the Canadian Air and Space Museum. She wrote to say that the museum has recieved notice from developers that the museum will be evicted from the old DeHavilland Building at the old Downsview airforce base in Toronto.

She noticed that this blog had posted a press release from the North York Central Library's Canadiana Department about an appearance by Keith Hyde and his talk on the DeHavilland Mosquito (Wednesday March 7, 2012) www.genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/03/dehavilland-mosquito.html, and Anna-Louise said that reading it had compelled her to write me about the closure of the CAS Museum.

There is more information available about the museum here - www.casmuseum.org/home.php

She said that the developers plan to demolish the building to put up a hockey arena. She goes on to say that it is "So sad....I have started to interview one WWII vet who volunteers there and hope to interview another who has written a book about his WWII experiences as a pilot. This place is rich in history and they need our help."

I checked the website the other day, and was impressed by the amount of information that they have made available. There is a full account of the closing of the museum, the awards that they have received, a history of the mueum, and a video and photo gallery.

She produces vidoes at http://www.treeoflifevideo.com/. There you can see interviews from two WWII pilots that volunteer at the CAS Museum. One is Philip Gray, who has written the book, "The Ghosts of Targets Past", about his time as a Lancaster pilot.

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 21

Here are some of the websites and blogs that I have come across the week ending March 11, 2012.

Family History Alive http://www.familyhistoryalive.com/ Sue Fenn has had this site for about a year now, and she sees the site as a 'where to find it' resource, providing information on what's available, and where to find it, in Canada, the UK, and to some extent, the US. You should go to the site to see what is there because it is absolutely fabulous!

Rowe Families of Newfoundland www3.sympatico.ca/john.rowe A website which follows Edward Rowe (1699-1754) of Trinity, Newfoundland; Benjamin Rowe (1786-1850) of Carbonear, Newfoundland; and Henry Rowe (1780-1833) of Carbonear, Newfoundland.

St. Columban-Irish: Our Mission: Honour Our Irish Ancestors http://www.stcolumban-irish.com/ Settlers came in the early 1820s and settled in the Village of St. Columban, Québec. In July 2010, the descendants and friends of St. Columban unveiled the cemetery monument dedicated to the original Irish settlers.

Wyemen – McKay http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~raeb Researching WYSEMAN, WISEMAN, HAMILTON, ROBERT, OGILVIE, GAIR, JAMIE, MORRICE, TIMMON. They are primarily from Scotland and the Dundee area but the WISEMAN/WYSEMAN name is originally from Essex, England.

Cape Breton Genealogy: Point Edward Grants http://charlesgrantcb.blogspot.com/ Douglas Grant has taken the Charles Grant family of Point Edward, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, Canada and has put the research notes on a blog. I have read though them, and they are most interesting.

 Pardon Me: A genealogy blog by Tamara Tillinghast Haskett http://pardonmetammy.wordpress.com/ Another blog just started in March which traces the family of Hasketts from Ireland that emigrated to Ontario.

Where The Story Takes Me http://wherethestorytakesme.ca/ Jane MacNamara, from the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genelogical Society, has started a blog in which she has put handouts of the talks she has given to people who have attended her Family History Library Lectures in Salt Lake City; has given her thoughts on RootsTech Conference 2012; and has posted lots of research on the site that she has come across along the way.

Canadians Who Fought in the Boer War

Forces War Records (a British website) has just added an additional 250,000 searchable military records.

Boer War records have been added to the Forces War Records database, and these records contain data about members of the British and Commonwealth Forces who were issued campaign or gallantry medals during the second Anglo Boer War 1899-1902.

The war ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging, signed on 31 May 1902.

The website is at http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/default.asp

Canada sent 7,368 soldiers and 12 Nursing Sisters to the Boer War.

The personnel records include medal registers, land grant applications, and correspondence relating to those who served.

One interesting thing I found was that L. Beverly Webster from Kentville, Nova Scotia (a distant relative of mine), served with the British Army, and he is recorded in the Forces War Records as having died in England.

But a legal reprensentative made an application for land grantis on his behalf, but he didn't live long enough to enjoy the benefit of being awarded the grant of land. His body was sent back to Nova Scotia, and he is buried in Kentville.

The website at the Library and Archives Canada is www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/south-african-war/index-e.html

Simon Fowler is Coming to Canada!

Gwyneth Pearce, of the Toronto Family History Branch, sent this reminder to me to send out to everyone about a workshop to be held on March 31st called "Finding Your Great War Ancestors"in Toronto.

She says that "This day-long workshop is jointly presented with the Canadiana Department of North York Central Library, and will take place on Saturday 31 March 2012 at the North York Memorial Community Hall, with convenient access from the North York Centre subway station.

Participants can choose one of three concurrent lecture streams - British Research, Canadian Research and "Case Studies and Curios" - or mix and match the topics that interest them the most. It will be an opportunity to learn from some of the world's leading Great War experts, including Simon Fowler, one of Britain's top family history teachers, writers and researchers.

Full program, speaker and registration details are available on the Toronto Branch website at http://www.torontofamilyhistory.org/GreatWarWorkshop2012.

The early registration deadline has now passed but OGS members are still eligible for reduced rates - a full day of learning for just $55.

And then on Monday, Simon Fowler will be speaking in Ottawa at the Auditorium at the Library and Archives Canada at an event sponsored by the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa.

He will present "An Evening with Simon Fowler" from 7 until 9:30 in which he will give two FREE lectures on "Researching your Military Ancestors Online", and "British Emigration Records".

Simon Fowler is one of Britain’s most experienced family history teachers, writers and researchers. He specializes in military family history, with a particular focus on the First World War, and is the author of numerous well-regarded research guides and articles. Simon worked on and off for The National Archives/Public Record Office at Kew for over thirty years and edited their family history magazine Ancestors. He also teaches online military history courses for Pharos Tutors.

The BIFHSGO site is at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/events.php.

Dave Obee Gives Two Talks

His first talk, entitled “Destination Canada”, will be given on Saturday, March 24th from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. at the West Vancouver Memorial Library.

More than seven million people arrived in Canada from Europe, the United States, and Asia between 1815 and 1930.

This talk discusses the wide variety of sources that deal with immigration to Canada, including ship passenger lists (available from 1865 through 1935), border-crossing records, and naturalization and citizenship documents.

The second talk, “Writing Your Family History”, will be held from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in the Welsh Hall, and touch upon the reason for writing a family history, and how a well-written story will make other family members more interested in the research that you are doing. He will also discuss ideas that will help you get over writer's block.

For more information, visit the West Vancouver Memorial Library at http://www.westvanlibrary.ca/, or write info@westvanlibrary.ca.

The DeHavilland Mosquito

This talk, to be held tonight on military aircraft, will be of interest for those people who are interested in World War II history. The North York Central Library published this press release yesterday, and it says -

'The North York Central Library's Canadiana Department is proud to host aviation historian and aero-engines expert Keith Hyde for a talk on the DeHavilland Mosquito aircraft, built locally at DeHavilland's Plant #1 at Downsview. Prior to Keith Hyde's talk on the Mosquito at 7 p.m., aviation history resources available at the Toronto Public Library will be discussed by Canadiana Department staff.

Join us at the North York Central Library Auditorium at 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto, on Wednesday March 7, 2012, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

DeHavilland Aircraft of Canada's Plant #1 was established at Downsview in October 1928 after moving from its first site at Mount Dennis. DeHavilland built Gipsy Moth aircraft totalling 1384 between 1939 and 1945 as well as building 375 Avro Ansons which were assembled from parts sent over from England. Both of these aircraft were used to train aircrews for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan that was established December 17, 1939.

Downsview Plant #1 took part in another significant war effort, building 1134 DeHavilland Mosquito aircraft. Known as the "Wooden Wonder", it was the world's fastest aircraft in World War II from 1939 to 1944 and also the world's first multirole aircraft, which in different variants carried out interception, bombing, reconnaissance and pathfinding missions for larger bomber formations. Planes built at Downsview flew to Goose Bay, Labrador for refuelling and then over to England to front line RCAF and RAF squadrons.

The Canadiana Department holds a reference collection of Canadian genealogy, Ontario local history, North York history, and materials related to Canada. The Department also houses collections from these genealogical societies such as Ontario Genealogical Society,  Jewish Genealogical Society (Toronto Branch), Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants, York Pioneer and Historical Society, and Société franco-ontarienne d'histoire et de généalogie"

Contact the North York Central Library at 416-395-5623.

English Historical Society of West Nipissing

A meeting took place at the Sturgeon River House Museum in Sturgeon Falls on February 25th, where twenty people came together to form the English Historical Society of West Nipissing.

They formed the group because they were concerned that local English history was quickly disappearing, and that something should be done so that historical documents and photos can be given a home where people can come, research, and learn about their English background.

An interim board will meet during the next several months to discuss writing a constitution, raising funds, discussing incorporation, and holding an election for officers of the new society.

TheWest Nipissing area has two Francophone historical societies, and the municipality has recently appointed the Advisory Heritage Committee.

For more information regarding the English Historical Society, please contact Jean Johnson at 705- 594-2513 or Wayne LeBelle at 705-758-9669.

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 20

Here are some of the websites and blogs that I have come across the week ending March 4, 2012.

Many Branches, One Tree http://www.manybranchesonetree.blogspot.com/ This blog covers the family names of Amaro, Baron, Bennett, Fay, Gaffney, Hoppin, Huesca, Kangas, Makepeace, McGinnis, Perroyin, Quinn, Riney, Sannella, Schiavon, and Tully, in Ontario.

The Gray and Haley Family http://gailgray.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=gailgray&view=9&ver=455 There are 7,990 names listed on this website, and it all started as a genealogicak project when the webmater started to research his parents from Nova Scotia, and how they met.

Canada Genealogy Queries www.cousinconnect.com/p/a/3 Have you checked out this site lately? They have now have 1,9286 Canadian queries posted.

The Clark(e) Family Homepage http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~c239 James Clarke, born circa 1810, came to North America with the British army. Married to Bridget Duffy (b. 1830), James Clarke settled on Howe Island, an island south of Kingston, Ontario.

Stimers Genealogy http://home.cogeco.ca/~rstimers Descendants of Jacob Stimers and Catherine Light. Jacob and Catherine came to live in Thurlow Township, Hastings County, Ontario in 1800 from Dutchess County, New York State.

Ontario Churches in Ontario http://pg.webring.com/members/blog/anglicanchurch History of some Anglican churches in Ontario.

Twigged: The Blog http://twigged.ca/blog Included is a WWI album, and the history of the Bray family of St. Teath, Cornwall, England, who emigrated to Ontario, Canada.

Aboriginal Peoples: Guide to the Records of the Government of Canada (Revised Version) www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/the-public/005-1143-e.html Originally released in 1996, the revised online guide includes updated instructions on how to locate records from the Department of Indian Affairs (RG 10 / R216) and the Department of the Interior (RG 15 / R190) in Archives Search. The guide also explains how to search by finding aid number in Archives Search.

Cyndi's List http://www.cyndislist.com/ She celebrated her 16th birthday yesterday! It's hard to believe that when I first read this new "List", she would still be going strong years later. Congratulations, Cyndi!

Family History Event in Muskoka

Mark Saturday, March 24th on your calendar for a workshop on discovering your family tree.

This event will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located upstairs in the Masonic Building at 4 Miller Street in Parry Sound, Ontario.
Come and learn “how-to” information, available resources, and how to find help.

This event is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with assistance from the Bracebridge Family History Centre, the Muskoka Parry Sound Genealogy Group, the Parry Sound Public Library, and Seguin Public Libraries.

Everyone is welcome.
For more information, please call 705-346-0366, or visit www.sites.google.com/site/discoveryourtree

Scottish Ancestry Research Workshop

A press release was received from Christine Woodcock the other day, and it says -

"Christine Woodcock will be giving a talk at the Kitchener Public Library (Country Hills Branch) on Monday, March 19th at 6:30 pm.

Her talk will center around the Statutory Records, Old Parish Registers, The Scottish Naming Pattern, Irregular Marriages, Making Use of the Census Records, and other useful resources including online resources, local resources, and more.

Admission is free (being Scottish, this is always my favourite price!) but you are asked to call the library ahead of time to register (519-743-3558). This will also help us to ensure we have enough hand-outs for everyone.

You can also contact Christine at cdwoodcock56@sympatico.ca”

The Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario

The Smiths Falls & District Historical Society, in collaboration with the Smiths Falls Municipal Heritage Committee, asked the following question at a recent meeting - should the downtown area, called Uppertown, be considered as a heritage conservation district?

This question was answered in the affirmative by Nicole McKernan, a graduate student at Carleton University who summarized her findings of the Uppertown Heritage Conservation District Study.

She said that the area north of the Rideau River is generally known as the Downtown Core. She said that 150 years ago, when the town began as a booming economic centre for the county, this same neighbourhood was referred to as Uppertown. She looked at this 11-square block area straddling the main thoroughfare of Beckwith Street North, and she evaluated the architectural, historical, and cultural significance of the buildings in her study.

The Speaker Series will continue in March with Rideau Canal Heritage Visualization, presented by the Department of History of Carleton University. Discover how this innovative project will bring visual heritage out of archives and museum collections, and puts them into the mobile devices and apps technology.

For information, go to the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario http://rmeo.org/, call them at 613-283-5696, or send an e-mail to info@rmeo.org.

For information on how you can become involved in the Smiths Falls & District Historical Society, please call the Heritage House Museum at 613-283-6311 or e-mail them at heritagehouse@smithsfalls.ca.

Canadian Emigration: Parliamentary Papers of 1826

The following press releases was received from FindMyPast, and it says, in part -

“This parliamentary paper publishes the correspondence and extensive supporting documents of the British government with the Governor-General of Canada concerning the settlement of poor Irish in the Newcastle District in 1826, or 'Mr. Robinson’s Emigrants' as they became known. This was the result of a Commons request to be furnished information on the settlement as it had been publicly funded.

The official title of this parliamentary travel and migration record is:

Return of the Assessed Value of the Townships in the Newcastle District in Western Canada, which were settled by Pauper Emigrants from Ireland, between the years 1825 and 1828 at the public expense: Of the number of various Emigration Societies formed in Canada in 1840, by Canadian Proprietors desirous of Settling Emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland upon their Estates. (1848)”.

Initially the Governor-General just sent updated valuations of the relevant townships (Ashpodel, Douro, Dummer, Emily, Ennismore, Ops, Otonabee and Smith) which had since be designated as part of the District of Colbourne. But following further demands for information, he sent a detailed breakdown of every plot settled by Irish paupers in 1826 by Peter Robinson.

The details listed include:

- Name of the 1826 settler
- Number in the settler’s family
- Lot number
- Concession
- Acreage
- Number of acres cleared by 1847
- Number of horses and horned cattle on the plot
- Name of present occupants on lot
- Relationship of occupants to settler
- Other critical pieces of information

In total, around 260 plots are covered, giving details of over 700 people. While this is a short publication, it is an essential migration resource for those who became known as the Robinson Irish settlers, and indeed, for anyone in Southern Ontario with an Irish family history.

The information is at http://www.findmypast.ie/

Colchester Historical Museum Honours Local People

During their annua Heritage Night Celebration on Thursday, February 23rd, the museum honoured the following people or groups -

• Truro's Carol Campbell and James Smith received an award in the written history category for their writings about the Planters.
• Lisa Davies of Onslow will take home an award in the genealogy category for three extensive family genealogy projects.
• Tatamagouche's Dale Swan is being honoured with the Iindividual Heitage Award for volunteering with the Anna Swan Museum, North Shore Archives, and Creamery Square.
• The Planter 250 Committee will be given the Promotion of Heritage Award for its organization and implementation of events celebrating planters.
• The Town of Truro Award will go to the owners of 23 Inglis Place (Temptations) for its façade upgrades. The owners are Vineberg and Fulton.

The museum itself has—in its archives—vital statistics, newspaper articles, census reports, school registers, photos, and family genealogies. The museums has exhibits on lighthouses, "Colchester Today", "Unearthing Colchester", and past exhibits include "New Beginners: Planters in Cobequid 1761-1780"; “A Favourable Opportunity: The Planters Choose Cobequid"; and "Victoria Park: A Cultural Landscape"
.
The museum/s website is http://colchesterhistoreum.ca/. They have a newsletter, and are on Facebook and Twitter.

Congratulations to all - well done!

1918 Flu Epidemic

As I suffered through a bad cold this month in Ottawa, I started to wander how people dealt with the flu epidemic or the Spanish Flu that stuck people in 1918. I have found out that they now estimated that maybe between 40 to 50 million people worldwide may have died in the fall of 1918. Approximately, 50,000 would have been in Canada.

So I found some websites that talk about the epidemic as it struck Canada less than a year after the completion of the First World War, and the sites are -

1918 Flu Epidemic www.cbc.ca/news/background/flu/fluepidemic.html It gives a history of the flu as it hit in the fall of 1918.

1918 Flu Pandemic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic A short, but comprehensive history of the flu of 1918.

The Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918 in Ottawa,Ontario, Canada www.bytown.net/flu1918.htm A very interesting paper on the flu written by Marc St. Pierre.

Spanish Influenza Epidemic- Fall 1918: Tragedy on the home front www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/firstworldwar/025005-3100-e.html This website gives a concise history of the flu (the site says that 50,000 people died of the flu), plus a few extra websites to visit online.

Thematic Guides - Unpublished Guides:Spanish Flu Epidemic www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/the-public/005-1142.18-e.html A list of guides at the Library and Archives Canada to the flu of 1918.

Note: A couple of weeks ago, as part of my blog concerning disasters, I received a note from fellow Ottawa blogger, John D. Reid (famous for his always informative and entertaining Anglo-Celtic Connections blog - http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/), drawing my attention to the following -

“Hello Elizabeth:

I see from your blog you've developed an interest in disasters. Maybe you'd also like to mention this article that attempts to capture all types of Canadian disaster that took 20 or more lives at http://web.ncf.ca/jonesb/DisasterPaper/disasterpaper.html

John"

======================================

Books

I have just published two booklets - The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com/, the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/, and now, in the U.S., from the Family Roots Publishing Company at http://www.familyrootspublishing.com/.

For more on the booklets, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Library Lover's Month

I did not know it, but February was Library Lover’s Month! And the Yorkton Public Library in Yorkton, Saskatcewan, http://ypllibrary.wordpress.com/, recently had a flood at their location. They renovated their location, and rededicated their library.

One area where there is particular pride is a new multi-use room, currently unnamed, which has a fireplace and is designed to encourage people to "sit down and read." The room, established in honor of Bob Ribchester, a former board member, also houses materials from the Yorkton Chapter of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society www.parkland.lib.sk.ca/genealogy.htm. The space represents the library’s ideal of becoming a "third space", a place other than home and work where people come to spend time and are comfortable.

This sounds like a great idea to have a room like this in a library.

Congratulations, Yorkton Public Library, and Happy Library Lover's Month to all!
___________________________________________________

Talk about books, have you had a chance to read about my booklets on the War of 1812 and on migration?

Books

I have just published two booklets - The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com/, the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/, and now, in the U.S., from the Family Roots Publishing Company at http://www.familyrootspublishing.com/.

For more on the booklets, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Ontario Jewish Heritage Month

On February 23, 2012, the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 17, making the month of May Jewish Heritage Month in the province. The Bill, presented yesterday at Queen’s Park by Eglinton-Lawrence MPP Mike Colle, was co-sponsored by Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman and Parkdale-High Park MPP Cheri DiNovo.

The President & CEO of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Ted Sokolsky, and UJA Federation’s Board Chair, Elizabeth Wolfe, issued the following joint statement:

"On behalf of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, we are proud and grateful to the Members of the Ontario Legislature for passing Bill 17, making May Jewish Heritage Month a reality in Ontario. Building - and contributing - to community and to society has always been a top priority for Jews since their arrival in Canada, and this honour recognizes those contributions as we continue to add to the diverse multicultural mosaic that has made Ontario a place envied by many around the world. This announcement will call for an extra celebration at this year’s UJA Walk with Israel, which for 45 years has taken place in May."

It was supported by many leading Jewish organizations in Toronto, along with the National Congress of Italian Canadians–Toronto District, the London Jewish Federation, Ontario Jewish Archives, and the Toronto and Hamilton chapters of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada.

Community Archives May be Closing

Word has it that the Mitchell Archives located in Logan Township in Perth County, Ontario may be closing. There has been a petition in the community, and so far, 276 people have signed it to keep the archives open.

Michell is a small community located just outside of Stratford, and it was settled in 1837 by William Hicks, and his son John, near the Thames River.

To read more of the history of Mitchell, go to
 http://www.westperth.com/communitylife/history/westperthhistory.html

The Mitchell Archives is a small branch of the The Stratford-Perth County Archives which has recently been upgraded, and the branch could be folded into the main archives. A date for the possible closing has yet to be announced.

The Stratfor-Perth Archives is at http://www.perthcounty.ca/stratford_perth_archives

QFHS - Seminars and Public Lecture Series

News has been received from the Quebec Family History Society (QFHS) in Montreal that they will host two events in March, and they are -

The War of 1812 (Free Lecture)

It will take place on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the Briarwood Presbyterian Church Hall, 70 Beaconsfield Blvd, Beaconsfield, QC, H9W 3Z3.

The talk, given by Luc Lépine, will be a lecture about the War of 1812 and will focus on events that took place in Lower Canada (now Quebec) and the Battle of Châteauguay. Luc Lépine is one of the leading experts on the War of 1812 and author of the book, Lower Canada's Militia Officers, 1812 - 1815.
_________________________________________________________________

A Genealogical Day in England and Wales (Seminar)

It will be held on Saturday, March 31, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Quebec Family History Society Library, 173 Cartier Ave., Pointe-Claire, QC H9S 4H9, and will be presented by Gary Schroder.

The purpose of this seminar will be to a) examine the basic structures of family history research in England, Civil Registration of BMDs, 1837-2005; Censuses, 1841-1911; Wills 1858-2011, etc.; and b) examine how to find your ancestors for the period prior to 1837 and how to make the best use of the English databases to be found on Ancestry and other commercial websites.

Reservations are necessary. Please call 514.695.1502

For details, visit them online at http://www.qfhs.ca/

LDS and Nova Scotia Church Records

The LDS Church is making available church records for the Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and United Church of England denominations.

As their website says, "The Public Archives of Nova Scotia has many original church registers as well as microfilm copies. The Protestant registers generally cover 1780–1914. There are Catholic records 1679–1914. A list of these holdings can be found in Genealogical Research in Nova Scotia, by Terrence M. Punch.

Parish registers of baptisms, marriages, deaths and other records for some Catholic and Church of England in Canada parishes from Nova Scotia. These records cover 1720-2001, and dates vary for each parish. Some parish registers are written in French or Latin".

They have put on a Wiki to explain the church records, and Citation for This Collection.

The website is https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Nova_Scotia_Church_Records_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)

Louis Riel Day

Yesterday was Louis Riel Day in Manitoba. The Library and Archives Canada just put more pictures on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157628221185477

Louis Riel Day: Remembering Manitoba Founding Father http://louisrielday.com/ You can go on the Louis Riel tour, a very good timeline of events in his life, and a video.

Louis Riel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel#Execution There is a history of Louis Riel from his birth on the 22 October, 1844 to his execution on 16 November, 1885. It reviews his life in Parliament in Ottawa, and as a Métis leader of his people in Manitoba, to his involvement in the Red River Rebellion, and the North-West Rebellion.

A Biography of Louis Riel http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/riel/rielbio.html The biography discusses his education in Montreal, and as a voice of the Métis of the prairie provinces, and of his trial for treason.

Riel, Louis www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/louis-riel A very good review of Riel’s life and times.

Louis Riel www.metisnation.org/culture--heritage/louis-riel.aspx His life is examined from the Métis point of view. He is referred to a “the Father of Manitoba”.
_____________________________________________________

Books
I have just published two booklets - The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com/, the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/, and now, in the U.S., from the Family Roots Publishing Company at http://www.familyrootspublishing.com/.
For more on the booklets, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Ontario Heritage Week 2012

The Ontario Heritage Trust has been celebrating Heritage Week since 1985. This year, it celebrates Heritage Week from February 20th to the 26th. Even if you can’t get out to visit the events, the website itself, www.heritagetrust.on.ca, has a wonderful array of things to see, such as the exhibit on Samuel de Champlain; Ontario’s Places of Worship; and Heritage Matters - the organization’s magazine.

You can also see what is happening this week in the following communities - Ajax, Aurora, Brampton, Cambridge, Cayuga, Fergus, Guelph, Harley, Jordan, Kitchener, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Oakville, Smiths Falls, Thornhill, Thunder Bay, and Toronto.

They also opened the new Parliament interpretive centre on February 16th with an exhibit called, Foundations & Fire: Early Parliament and the War of 1812 Experience at York.

The interpretive centre is located at 265 Front Street East, Toronto, and it comprises the site of Ontario’s first purpose-built parliament buildings.

The press release goes on to say that they were “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. Today, the site is both historically and archaeologically significant for its association with the beginnings of our representative government”.

Books

I have just published two booklets - The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com, the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at www.genealogicalstudies.com, and now, in the U.S., from the Family Roots Publishing Company at www.familyrootspublishing.com.

For more on the booklets, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Genealogy Show and Tell (GANS)

From Pamela Wile, the Programme Convener for GANS (Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia), comes this press release -

"Our society encourages those interested in their family history to participate in the social aspect of genealogy. This is our 2nd event of this type. The Show and Tell last year was fabulous and brought together people with many different research interests. As well, we heard some great stories and saw some interesting family heirlooms.

Please join us on February 25, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. for our 2nd Annual Genealogy Show and Tell.

Come and meet other folks who may share your genealogy interests.

Members have been invited to take ten minutes to tell us about their research, show us an heirloom or talk about a book they've written. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions or make suggestions on how they can further their research. As well, members that aren't in the area have been invited to email in their research interests so you'll have an opportunity to look through those and possibly "meet" a cousin or two!

Are you new to genealogy? Browse our publications, pick up some handouts and research tips and get to know some fellow genealogists.

Don't forget to wear your family t-shirts, hats or buttons!

There will be a door prize and light refreshments will be served.

All lectures are open to the public and will be held unless otherwise noted in the Akins A/V Room, Nova Scotia Archives, Public Archives Site, 6016 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Many of our publications are normally on display and available for purchase at our regular monthly meetings.

Hope to see you there.

Regards,

Pamela Wile
Programme Convener
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/GANS/
https://www.facebook.com/NovaScotiaAncestors
___________________________________________
nsroots mailing list
nsroots@ednet.ns.ca
http://mailman.ednet.ns.ca/cgi-bin/listinfo/nsroots"

Heritage Day 2012

This year's theme of Heritage Day in Petrolia, Ontario is 'History of ENERGY’. It will take place on Saturday, March 3rd from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Victoria Hall, Petrolia.

There will be at the display the Union Gas, the Oil Museum of Canada, Van Tuyl and Fairbank Solarware, Waste Management, Wind Power, the Lambton Room, and the Lambton Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society!

Oil was discovered in Petolia, and in the Oil Springs area in the 1850s, and the Petrolia Heritage Committee has amassed a huge amount of material you can go through at http://www.petroliaheritage.com.

Storing and Preserving Family Archives and Artifacts

On 3 March 2012 from 1 pm to 4 pm, there will be at the City of Ottawa Central Archives, 100 Tallwood Drive, a talk will be given by Kyla Ubbink, and sponsored by Ottawa Branch OGS.

She will let you in on the secrets when it come to telling you how to store your family documents, how to save newspaper clippings, why your photographs are going ‘silvery’, and how you get rid of that musty smell in your books.

The cost: $20.00 per person. The registration is limited and the Deadline for Registration is 24 February 2012

Please make cheques payable to “OTTAWA BRANCH, OGS”

Registration Form available at http://ogsottawa.on.ca

Ancestry.ca Offers FREE Access to Records

I just received this press release from Ancestry.ca. In part, it says -

“Did you know that almost 40 per cent of Ontarians can’t trace their ancestry back more than 100 years, and 40 per cent don’t know when their family first arrived in Canada? Even more surprising, almost 35 per cent don’t know the maiden names of either of their grandmothers.

Family Day is an ideal time to spend with loved ones discovering the ancestors that came before you. With schools and shops closed, not to mention the chilly winter temperatures, there’s no better time to stay indoors and close to the ones you love, and to start to learn about your genealogy.

Lesley Anderson, genealogist for Ancestry.ca, is available to discuss:

· Why Family Day is the perfect time of year to begin your family research
· Tips on getting started and gathering information
.  How to use historic records available on Ancestry.ca to find your ancestors
· How to get family members – including your kids – involved in your family history project
. How to incorporate memories from this year’s Family Day into your family tree

In honour of Family Day, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca/) is providing free access to more than 28 million records. Those wishing to discover their family history this week will be able to explore all Canadian birth, marriage and death records free of charge until Monday, February 20th".

Call for Papers the Ontario Genealogical Society

The Ontario Genealogical Society (the Durham Region Branch) will hold it's conference May 31 – June 2, 2013 at The University of Ontario Institute of Technology/ Durham College, Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario.

The deadline for Submissions is 31 July, 2012, and selected speakers will be notified in the late summer of 2012, and the Syllabus material (PDF files), due in late 2012, is require for...

The theme will be Pulling Up Stakes – Putting Down Roots

The press release says that “We invite lecture submissions on topics about migration from all over the world to Canada – to Ontario specifically from early times to the present.

They should include: why the people left their homeland, the method of transportation used and why and where they settled. Topics could also include movement from Ontario to other parts of Canada and the USA”.

If you have any questions, email the Programme Chair at <2013progcom@gmail.com>.

Books

I have just published two booklets - The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com, and the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at www.genealogicalstudies.com.

For more on the booklets, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Manitoba Genealogical Society Sponsors Heritage Fair Award

The society is sponsoring the MGS Book Award for the Best Project Utilizing Family or Local History at this year's Red River Regional Heritage Fair, taking place in Winnipeg on May 3, 2012.

The website says that "The project must be based on research that deals with family or local history. The subject could be biographical; about someone who lived in or is living in what is now Manitoba (formerly Rupert’s Land/Northwest Territories). This person may be famous or not but, ideally, they should be related to the contestant. The subject could also deal with a historical topic concerning the student’s local Manitoba community or neighbourhood. The project should make use of primary source materials".

For other entry information see the Red River Regional Heritage Fair at www.redriverheritage.ca or the MGS site at www.mbgenealogy.com.

Books

I have just published two booklets - The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com, and the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at www.genealogicalstudies.com.

For more on the booklets, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html
and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Roots to Boots Festival War of 1812

The Bicentennial Signature Event in Amherstburg, Ontario to commemorate the War of 1812 will take place on the weekend of August 3, 2012.

They say that it will be a community “totally immersed in 1812” during the festival.

There will be a Genealogy Pavilion – Ontario Genealogy Society & Certificate Program on the Saturday, as well as a Grand Parade Downtown, a First Nations presentation at Kings Navy Yard Park, and a Destiny Art Exhibit, and much more!

Go to www.1812amherstburg.com to find out about the summer long program.

Books

I have just published two booklets  -

The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com, and the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at www.genealogicalstudies.com

For more on the booklets, please visit these links -

War of 1812 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html, and

Migration - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

Ancestry Search at Library and Archives Canada Blog

In their blog today, they had hints for doing ancestry research in their databases by simply using the ancestor’s name. I have used this method before on my Webster line, and it has worked for me, so give it a try, and see what you can find.

They also give hints under the title of "Did you know?", and some of them are -

Databases can have indexing errors because of poor handwriting, poor legibility, or the fading of ink over time in the original records. If you find an error in the index, use the “Suggest a correction” feature.

Some databases allow for wildcard searching, that is, you can substitute a letter with a symbol to allow for more search results. For example, use “Sm*th” for Smith or Smyth, or “Fred*” for Frederick or Fredrich.

In the past, many names were written phonetically by the person recording them, such as the priest for a Parish Register or an enumerator for the Census. This resulted in various spellings of the same name.

To read the rest of the hints, go to http://thediscoverblog.com

To search for your ancestor, go to www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/search/anc_adv .

============
I have just published two booklets -

The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com, and the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at www.genealogicalstudies.com

For more on the booklets, please visit these links -

War of 1812 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html, and

Migration - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs Week 19

Here are some of the websites and blogs that I have come across the week ending February 5, 2012.

Yukon Territory Online Historical Directories  http://sites.google.com/site/onlinedirectorysite/Home/can/yt Over a dozen directories, and you can search them online. They include telephone directoties, city directories, and Alaska-Yukon City and Business Directory.

GenDisasters: Events That Touched Our Ancestors' Lives http://www3.gendisasters.com/taxonomy_menu/6/80 News reports about Newfoundland and Labrador disasters.

Ancestral Notes: A family history blog with genealogy links, resources, ancestors, and related topics http://ancestralnotes.ebradt.org A blog wich talks about family history found in Southwestern Ontario in Essex County.

Madeline's Essex County: A History of Canada's Deep South http://alifeinessexcounty.wordpress.com/about  A completely blog to the piece just written in the previous post. It is a blog about Madeline Wallace, and her time in Essex County by her daughter Victoria Fenner.

Mining Accidents U.S., Canada and Australia http://www.genealogy.com/users/s/h/e/Jerry-Sherard There have been 485,000 mining accident records (fatal and nonfatal) covering most of the United States, and the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec in Canada

Family Names: Beck, Keffer, Kratochvil, Moore, Puterbaugh, Secor http://ks-gt.blogspot.com This blog covers the families of Beck etc as they moved to Ontario from Pennsylvanian.

Canadian Vital Stats Genealogy Canada: Births Deaths & Marriages Exchange
www.olivetreegenealogy.com/can/bdm/index.shtml Have you checked this resource lately? The Olive Tree Blog has the Canadian Births or Baptism, Deaths and Marriages Exchange on file.

Panoramic Maps Canadian Map http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/pmhtml/canmap.html Check out these panoramic maps of the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec.

War of 1812 http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sswetw/index.html?launch=true It gives a history of each of the topics covered as well as nifty graphics!

Rare list of P.E.I. Acadians intrigues N.B. researchers http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2012/01/31/nb-acadian-list-pei.html They have found a "rare list" of PEI Acadians at l'Université de Moncton. The list is of 289 names of Acadians who were living on Prince Edward Island in 1763.

Books

 I have just published two booklets -


The War of 1812: Canada and the United States, and Migration: Canada and the United States.  

They are available for purchase through Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com, and the National Institute of Genealogical Studies at www.genealogicalstudies.com

For more on the booklets, please visit these links -

War of 1812 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-1-war-of-1812-canada-and-united.html, and

Migration - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/01/booklet-2-migration-canada-and-united.html