North American Indexing Volunteers Invited to Join New US Immigration & Naturalization Community Project

As many of you know, people who immigrated to North America often went to the United States first, and then proceeded to Canada, and many who went to Canada first, often crossed the border to go to the United States.

So even though this is a FamilySearch Community Project, it should be of interest to Canadians indexers.

FamilySearch says that “It will be an indexing effort to make passenger lists, naturalization records, and other immigration related records freely searchable online. Hundreds of thousands of North American volunteers are expected to contribute over the next 18-24 months, focusing initially on passenger lists from the major US ports”.

To find out more about the project, Individuals, societies and other groups that want to participate should visit From Sea to Shining Sea: Helping Everyone Find US Immigration Ancestors at https://familysearch.org/immigration

More Photos of the Dieppe Raid on Flickr

The Library and Archives Canada has put on more images of the Dieppe Raid on Flickr. 

I didn’t know that the Dieppe Raid was also called “Operation Jubilee” and it was supported by over 5000 Canadian troops.

There are photos showing advertisements in newspaper about Victory Bonds, a striking photo showing men from the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry kneeling at the graves of Canadian soldiers killed at Dieppe, and an unidentified infantrymen of the Essex Scottish Regiment.

The images are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157630512532280/with/7556117254


You can also see other photos at Through a Lens: Dieppe in Photographs and Film at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/dieppe/index-e.html

Library Hours at QFHS

This has just come in from Jackie Billingham of the Quebec Family History Society –

Attention: All Members of the Quebec Family History Society, and other Researchers

The Library and Office of the Quebec Family History Society will be closed Thursday, August 23, 2012 to Monday, September 3, 2012.

On Tuesday, September 4, 2012 the QFHS will re-open and resume our regular opening hours.

The web page will remain active during the library closure at www.qfhs.ca

Genealogy Workshop

The Halton-Peel Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society and Heritage Mississauga invite you to attend a Genealogy Workshop featuring co-star of television’s "Ancestors in the Attic," Fawne Stratford-Devai on Saturday, September 8th, 2012 at The Grange, 1921 Dundas Street West, Mississauga.

The workshop will cover two sessions:

• Early Ontario Birth Marriage and Death Records

• Leaving Ontario – Resources for Tracking Migrants

Time: 10 am to 3 pm; Registration fee: $25. Space is limited. You must make your own accommodations for lunch.

For more information or to reserve space, please contact Heritage Mississauga at 905.828.8411 ext. 0 or email info@heritagemississauga.org.

Ontario’s British Home Child Day

Upper Canada Village in Morristown will hold the First Anniversary of Ontario’s British Home Child Day on Friday, September 28th.

This day will recognize the accomplishments of the more than 100,000 children sent to Canada from Great Britain from the 1860s to the 1930s. They worked as farm labourers and domestics in homes in Ontario and across Canada. A special emphasis will be placed on the Quarrier’s Homes, and a travelling museum exhibit from Ontario and Quebec will be showcased at this event.

A British Home Child Symposium/Information Session will also be held at the South Stormont Township Hall in Long Sault (close to Cornwall) on Saturday, September 29th from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This event will present a full day of exhibits, displays, speakers, and research information. Cost for attendance at this event is $10.00, which includes refreshments and attendance at the event.

If you wish more information, go to www.uppercanadavillage.com/index.cfm/en/home, or drop by their Ontario East British Home Child Family Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Ontario-East-British-Home-Child-Family/122254607880910.

I will be at both events, so I will see you there!

The Ottawa Genealogist

The summer issue of The Ottawa Genealogist has been published, and it is chock full of the latest news about the Ottawa Branch.

There are articles on "Frederick Alfred Weedmark and Susan (DeLorge) Fraser: The Mystery is Debunked", and "Your Introduction to GOONS!".

Photos and a write-up of "The Eighteenth Annual Historical Walking Tour of Beechwood " which was given to Edward Kipp, the editor of the newsletter.

The War of 1812 Timeline is in The Ottawa Genealogist, and an OGS Conference 2012 report which was held in Kingston this year is in the newsletter, as well as photos.

This newsletter is for members only, but if you want to become an member, go to www.ogs.on.ca, and click on Membership.

A Genealogical Day in Quebec: 1621-2012

A seminar will be held on Saturday, September 29 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the QFHS Heritage Centre and Library, 173 Cartier Avenue, Pointe-Claire. It will be presented by Sharon Callaghan and Gary Schroder.

This seminar will examine the main sources used in Quebec genealogical research regardless of whether your ancestors originated from France, the British Isles, or any other part of the world.

They will explain church records, civil registration records, censuses, notarial records, ship lists, newspapers, land and judicial records. There will also be emphasis on the most important websites used in Quebec genealogical research and how to use the website and databases of the Bibliotheque et Archives nationales du Québec.

The registration fee is $30.00 members, and $40.00 for non-members. Reservations are required.

Call 514.695.1502 or contact Jackie Billingham at qfhs.communications@bellnet.ca.

For more information, go to www.qfhs.ca