Quinte OGS Branch Meeting

On 15 Jun 2013 at 1:00 pm, the Quinte OGS Branch will present the talk Why Can't I Find It Online? Other Resources to Help with Your Search. The talk will be presented by Ruth Blair, from The Passionate Genealogist blog.

A good deal of research can be done online, and many believe this is all we need, but only about 1% of genealogical data has been digitized and been made available on the Internet. Great strides are being taken to get more data online, but it is a costly process and sometimes what is available is only a small reference to a certain record group, and not the actual image.

Libraries and archives are still the main sources of information for the genealogical researcher, especially when you want to dig deeper. Ruth Blair will present case studies using such resources.

The talk will take place at Quinte West City Hall Library, 7 Creswell Drive, Trenton, Ontario

The Quinte OGS Branch web site is at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canqbogs/index.htm

The Passionate Genealogist web site is at http://blog.familyhistorysearches.com 

10th Anniversary of Canada's Juno Beach Centre

For a look back at the ceremony on 06 June 2003 of the opening of Canada's Juno Beach Centre, please visit our website for the original post - http://www.genealogycanada.com/Juno%20Beach.htm

69th Anniversary of D-Day

 The Men Are Ready...Only You Can Give Them Wings

  Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1983-30-106 (Copyright: is expired) 

Today is the 69^th Anniversary of D-Day – the Normandy Invasion on the northern beaches of France.

As the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, said today in an official statement -

“The 109 vessels and 10,000 sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy helped keep the German fleet bottled up in ports, cleared mines across the English Channel, silenced enemy batteries on the shoreline, and carried Canadian troops and landing craft to the battle.

“Finally, the soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade through raw courage, grit and determination engaged in fierce combat on the beaches and in the small towns of Normandy helping smash the first line of German coastal defences.  In fact, by the evening of June 6, 1944, Canadian troops had progressed further inland than any of their Allies – a proud and remarkable accomplishment.

“The day took a heavy toll.  To secure victory on D-Day, 340 Canadians gave their lives, 574 were wounded and 47 taken prisoner.

“Let us pause on this day to recall and honour the noble sacrifices of these heroes who with other Allied forces turned the tide of the war, rid Europe of the Nazi scourge, and paid a price so that we and so many others might be able to enjoy peace and freedom with our families. While it is an impossible debt to repay, we honour their memory". 

Lest We Forget

D-Day: Canada's role http://www.cbc.ca/news/dday CBC give a very comprehensive retelling of  Canada’s role in D-Day, with video, photos, and excellent timelines that you might find useful in writing family history.

Juno http://junobeach.stormpages.com A site which describes the Canadian participation of the 3rd Canadian Division which landed on Juno Beach. 

Experience Aboriginal History Month at the Canadian Museum of Civilization

If you are planning to come to Ottawa during your summer vacation, stop by the Canadian Museum Of Civilization to take in their new Aboriginal exhibit - Indigenous and Urban.

Indigenous and Urban is a summer-long program featuring visual and media arts, music, dance, film, readings and interactive workshops.

Come see the new outdoor sculpture created by Mary Anne Barkhouse of the Nimpkish band, Kwakiutl First Nation for the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The sculpture of a life-size copper canoe and bronze wolf will be installed outside in the pond adjacent to the Grand Hall.

You can also walk through the six Native houses and explore the newly-redesigned First Peoples of the Northwest Coast exhibition. You can also see the brightly coloured ceiling mural by Dene Suline artist Alex Janvier  and Bill Reid's well known sculpture, The Spirit of the Haida Gwaii.

In addition, you can also visit the Grand Hall and the towering totem poles of the Northwest Coast. And you can continue on to the First Peoples Hall for an overview of the  history and culture of Native Peoples across Canada.

Join the people on June 27 at 5 p.m. for Indigenous and Urban, and see the new sculpture by acclaimed  Kwakiutl First Nation artist Mary Anne Barkhouse.

As the press release says “MAKE JUNE your month to connect with the songs and stories, history and present day of the Peoples who have inhabited this land for thousands of years”.

The exhibit will be open from June 27, 2013 to September 2, 2013 

To see more about the museum, you can go to www.civilization.ca

UPDATE: 1891 Canada Census

There is still more census news today - 

"Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the Canadian Census of 1891. This third general census covered the seven provinces and one territory that were then part of Confederation: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories.

The new version includes suggestions for corrections that were received from users in recent months, as well as revised district and sub-district information".

You can go to www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

Update on 1921 Census

Here is the press release we have been waiting for -

"Library and Archives Canada took custody of the Census of the Canadian population, 1921 from Statistics Canada on June 1st, 2013, and is beginning work to make it discoverable for Canadians. Closed for 92 years under the Statistics Act to protect individuals’ private information, the census data is being indexed so it can be mined for historical and genealogical research as soon as possible.

Information for the census was collected on the following five subjects: population; agriculture; animals, animal products, fruits not on farms; manufacturing and trading establishments; and supplemental questionnaire for persons who were blind and deaf. This represents a total of 565 questions. The population questionnaire contained only 35 questions.

Library and Archives Canada is committed to making the 1921 Census’ rich and complex information accessible and available to all Canadians, no matter where they live, in the next few weeks. Further details on the 1921 Census’ availability will be shared once they are available".

So there we have it – the 1921 Census has been transferred from Statistics Canada to the Library and Archives Canada.

Now, the LAC isn’t saying who the indexers are, right now. Will we learn, as they say, in the next few weeks? Who are these “mysterious indexers”?

The website is www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx.

OGS Branch Anniversaries in 2013

Crest of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS)

This year, the following branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) will be celebrating their respective anniversaries (in chronological order) since becoming an organized branch of the OGS -

 

London & Middlesex County Branch - They will be celebrating their 45th anniversary this year. They are presently reworking their website, which already contains many resources online.

 

Their website is www.londonmiddlesex.ogs.on.ca

Kingston Branch - It will be 40 years since they first met in Kingston to form a genealogical society.
 

They have interesting speakers at their monthly meetings, and have extra resources available on their "Members' Only" webpage.

 

Their website is www.ogs.on.ca/kingston

 

Kent County Branch - It will be 35 years ago this year that Kent County formed a genealogical society to be a part of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

 

Their website is www.ogs.on.ca/kent

 

Leeds & Grenville Branch - It will be 35 years since the Leeds and Grenville Branch was formed, and they have made great progress since then.

 

They publish a great newsletter four times a year, and have interesting programs. They also have a very good resource centre.

 

Their website is www.leedsandgrenvillegenealogy.com

 

Simcoe County Branch - The Simcoe County Branch was formed 30 years ago, and they have a great website, with many programs highlighted.

 

The website is www.simcoebogs.com

 

Perth County Branch - The Perth County Branch was also formed 30 years ago, and they have many of the township resources online.

 

Their website is www.ogs.on.ca/perth

 

Irish Palantine SIG - The Irish Palantine Special Interest Group (SIG) was first formed five years ago. They have a history of the Irish Paltines online, and are always conducting tours of Ontario, plus tours of Ireland.

 

The website is www.ogs.on.ca/SIG-IP

 

The website of the Ontario Genealogical Society is www.ogs.on.ca

Canadian Week in Review

03 June 2013

I have come across the following Canadian websites, blogs, Facebook, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too

Websites

There is none available this past week.

Blogs

My Ain Folk The Faunt & Fants of Ireland  http://myainfolkfantofireland.blogspot.com The blogger’s family were mostly in Cork/Tipperary/Limerick for 600 years when they left Ireland in 1869 and came to New Jersey. Other lines ( Fant) are in Colonial Virginia c. 1671 and Canada and Australia ( Font and Faunt) Few are left in Ireland.

Facebook- YouTube – Video

At Park Canada, they have over 40 videos to view, and over 4,000 people have spent time at this site. 

Some of the videos are not what you would expect to see, but they are interesting, nevertheless.

An example is the Whitewater German Prisoner of War Camp, The Vikings of L’Anse Aux Meadows, and The Battle of Fort George.

They are available at http://www.pc.gc.ca/media/index_e.asp

 

Newspapers

'Lest We Forget' - launched at Algoma U www.sootoday.com/content/news/details.asp?c=57444

A new collection, the "Lest We Forget" Remembrance and Military Library (LWFRML), which houses a special collection of books focusing on Canada's vast military history and peacekeeping activities is now at Algoma University at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Upper Fort Garry heritage park development set to begin www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2013/05/27/mb-upper-fort-garry-heritage-park-winnipeg.html Work is starting this week on a heritage park at Winnipeg's Upper Fort Garry site, an area known as the birthplace of Manitoba.

Rescued murals now at U of S: Saskatoon's Perehudoff paintings on display http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/story/2013/05/29/saskatoon-mural-130529.htmlMurals that William Perehudoff painted at the now demolished Intercontinental Packers building are on display at the University of Saskatchewan. Art historians painstakingly removed the murals before the building was torn down.

Classic cars rev up the ultimate car show at Reynolds-Alberta Museum

http://beaconnews.ca/blog/2013/05/reynolds-alberta-museum-hosting-ultimate-car-showOn June 8 and 9, over 550 cars, trucks and motorcycles will be on display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum west of Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

Canadian history on a brick wall: Three cameras will synchronize for War of 1812 video screening www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/metro/Canadian-history-on-a-brick-wall-209257921.html A free showing of Flames of War — An 1812 Experience will take place at The Historical Museum of St. James-Assiniboia on Sat., June 8 at  3180 Portage Ave, Winnipeg.

Irish delegation coming to West Prince (Prince Edward Island) www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2013-05-23/article-3257682/Irish-delegation-coming-to-West-Prince/1The Tignish Municipal Council and the Irish Heritage Festival committee meant with a delegation from County Monaghan, Ireland during the last week in May.

The lonesome beauty of Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore: The coast between Halifax and Cape Breton is rugged, rich in history and largely unexplored www.montrealgazette.com/travel/lonesome+beauty+Nova+Scotia+Eastern+Shore/8425394/story.html Follow along with Elin Miller as she travels Route 7 along the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia.

Pictures and Story of the Week

Have you decided where you are going on vacation this year? Ever thought about our national parks, and what Canada Parks have to offer?

The 2013 season, called Reboot, Escape, Discover, they have many programs that you can visit at their National Parks of Canada, National Historic Sites of Canada, or at National Marine Conservation Areas of Canada.

The site where you can visit is at www.pc.gc.ca/eng/index.aspx   

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday June 10, 2013

Families - Spring Edition

Vol  52 No 2 May 2013

The spring edition of the Ontario Genealogical Society Families has just been published, and there are five papers in this issue.

The first paper is the 4^th place winner of this year’s Keffer Writing Contest Tracing 19^th Century Homesteading with 21^st Century Google Earth by David Harper.

He demonstrates how one can use Goggle Maps to trace land grants so that you can see the land grants actually owned by your ancestors.

The surname covered by this paper are HARPER, GRAHAM, WHITBY, MCCONNELL, TABER, WALKER. The  places are KITCHENER, PICKERING, WHITBY, COUNTY KILKENNY, IRELAND.

The second paper is by Sarah Coates named Identifying a Photograph’s Age Based on Women’s Fashion, in which she gives excellent examples of the photos taken of her family to illustrates the point.

Sarah Ann and Her Daughters by Sandra Lewis tell the life of her great-grandfather’s sister Sarah Ann Argyle, and her four daughters, two of whom were sent to Canada as Home Children by the Church of England Waifs and Strays Society.

Discovering the Enigma of “James Boyer” by Partrick Boyer is a true to life turn of the 19^th century mystery story of a man who emigrated from England, to New York, and then to Muskoka, Ontario.  

The keywords are BOYER, JEFFS, BILLINGSLEY, SAVAGE, WILLIAMS THE PLACENAMES ARE MORTON-IN-MARSH, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, BRACEBRIDGE, MUSKOKA.

And the last paper is The Courtice Family from Devonshire to Darlington and Their Bible Christian Connection by James M. Bowen in which he tells of a a brief history of the children of John and Mary Courtice, who has immigrated to Canada from England.

Some of the keywords are ANNIS, CONANT, ASTON, COLLEY, CORY, COURTICE, FAWCETT, FREEMAN, HOLLWAY, JENKINS, JENNINGS, LANE, MASON, PHILLIPS, RUNDLE, SCORE, TENEYCK, THORNE, TREMEIRE, VENEY.

If you would like to receive Families, you must be a member of the Ontario Genealogical Society.           

To join the OGS, go to the website  www.ogs.on.ca/membersonly/mem_membership_order.php    

UPDATE: 1921 Canada Census

It looks like June 2, 2013 will come and go without any news on the 1921 Canada Census from the LAC. And what about indexing of the census? Will it or won’t it be indexed? Question, questions, questions.

While we are waiting for the answers, we can read John D. Reid’s posts on the 1921 Canada Census at

http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2013/06/alls-quiet-on-census-front.html

Disbanded soldiers of the War of 1812-1

A cavalcade of cars from The Richmond Community Historical Society are planning to review the legacy left by the disbanded soldiers of the War of 1812-14 who settled first in Drummond County.  Later, many of these settlers moved to areas such as L’ Avenir, Ulverton and South Durham. It will take place on Saturday, June 8.

Cars will depart from the Museum, 1296 Route 243 in Melbourne Township at 1:30 p.m. and the United Church parking lot in Ulverton at 1:50 to visit various points of interest near the St. Francis River, and Major General Frederick George Heriot’s final resting place in Drummondville.

This tour coincides with the annual barbeque at St. Georges’ Anglican Church. 

For reservation or inquiries about this guided trip, contact Don Healy at 819-826-2793 by Thursday, June 6. 

All are welcome.

The web site of The Richmond Community Historical Society is www.richmondcountyhistoricalsociety.com

LAC Update: How to make the most of your reference appointment

Here is the latest update from the Library and Archives Canada -

Reference librarians and archivists at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) are happy to assist you by:

• showing you how to make the best use of our research tools
• directing you toward suggested resources

You may wish to take a proactive approach to your research project before making a reference appointment. Being better prepared in the following ways will allow you to maximize your time with a LAC professional.

Have you laid the groundwork using sources near you?

Local municipal and university libraries provide a wealth of resources to researchers. These resources are an important first stop for anyone embarking on a historical research project.

Read everything you can about your subject. Books and journal articles provide important background and context for your research project. Verifying the bibliographies and source citations of such published items can often help identity additional research resources, which may or may not be held at LAC.

Take notes! When consulting any source, be sure to take well-organized notes and to fully transcribe all references. For published sources, you will need to have the complete title, the author’s name, and the place and date of publication. For archival sources, be sure to note the name of the archives that holds the records, the collection name, collection code, box or volume number, file titles and dates. Bring these references to your appointment at LAC along with the tools necessary for taking additional notes.

Do you have the right archive or library?

LAC holds a wealth of archival material of national and federal significance relating to Canadian history. However, we do not hold everything. Provinces, universities, counties, cities, corporations and social organizations all maintain their own unique archival and library collections. Depending on your topic, these may prove to be not only the most relevant but possibly the only resources available to you.

For example, information relating to land grants, local land titles and lot history is generally held at the provincial level. If you are interested in the history of a local arts festival or business, then the city archives or local historical society will likely be the best resource to consult. Please note that in the case of corporations and social organizations, their unique historical records may not be open for public research. In the case of some unique provincial resources, a fee for use may be required.

The website of the LAC is www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

Conference 2013 - Footprints Through Time

Mark your calendar - The  Moose Jaw Branch of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society will be hosting the  2013 Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Conference, October 4-5-6, at the Heritage Inn, 1590 Main St N Moose Jaw SK. 

New This Year is the Brick Wall Story.

We will print your Brick Wall Story in our syllabus at no charge. 

Email us a detailed account of your Brick Wall. Who or what you are looking for? When & where your wall went up? What you’ve already found and where you’ve looked?

You must put your contact name and email address with the submission of this you give us permission to print it in the Conference Syllabus. Entries MUST be EMAILED to twg@canwan.com no later than September 15th 2013.

On Friday Evening C.C.S.G. will "Breakdown one of these walls!"

The web site for the conference is http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~skmjbsgs  

Spirit Walk at the Crown Cemetery

A Spirit Walk will be held on Tuesday June 11th at 7 p.m. at the Crown Cemetery at Aberfoyle, Ontario.

Join them as they tell the life stories of five people buried in Crown Cemetery

two pioneer settlers

a World War Two soldier

a travelling music teacher

a  pioneer storekeeper in Morriston

A 'tailgate lunch' will follow, and you are asked to meet at the rear entrance to the cemetery off Nicholar Beaver Road (at Tim Hortons on Brock Road), Aberfoyle, Ontario.

The web site for the Puslinch Historical Society is at www.puslinchhistorical.ca/Mtgs.shtml

Open Doors – Ottawa

 Open Doors – Ottawa will be held June 1 and 2, and it is a FREE event.

The doors will be open to the buildings which “celebrates our community’s built heritage, allowing access to functionally, culturally, and historically significant buildings.  Held during the first weekend in June, Doors Open Ottawa has witnessed the annual attendance rate rise to over 80,000 visitors, and include the participation of over 125 of the city’s finest buildings”.

Some of the buildings which will be open this year will include the Billings Estate National Historic Site, All Saints Cathedral, and the city transit building.  

If you go to the website, there is a map, where the parking will be, and there will be shuttle buses to take you to each of the buildings.

The web site is http://ottawa.ca/cgi-bin/doors/list.pl?lang=en 

Calgary Nurses in the Great War

A meeting will be held on Monday, June 3, 2013 at 7:00 pm by the Alberta Family History Society at the  River Park Church, 3818 - 14A Street, Calgary where the speaker will be Marjorie Norris, and her topic will be Calgary Nurses in the Great Wars.

Noted Calgary author Marjorie Norris will give a presentation on the contribution of Calgary nurses in the Great War, based on her years of research in often hidden resources.  Copies of her book Sister Heroines will be available for purchase.

 The Annual General Meeting will also be held.

For more information, go to www.afhs.ab.ca

If you want to read a review of the book Sister Heroines: The Roseate Glow of Wartime Nursing, 1914-1918, you can read a review by Cynthia Toman in The Canadian Historical Review, Volume 85, Number 1, March 2004.

The review is on the website at http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/can/summary/v085/85.1toman.html

Historical Maps of Toronto

Nathan Ng would like to share with us his newest site. His blog is called Historical Maps of Toronto.

The site is an easy site to use, online collection of notable pre-1900 maps of Toronto. Specific maps that researchers may find of utility include the 1858 Boulton Atlas of the City of Toronto and Vicinity, and the 1860 Tremaine Map of the County of York, Canada West.

He says that “I hope the site will facilitate discovery and exploration, as well as serve as a convenient resource for casual research [It's also enormously fun to randomly browse through]. The site is intended to serve as a companion resource for my previous mapping project, Goad's Atlas of Toronto -- Online!

I would be delighted if you could please share this with anyone who would enjoy it or find it useful as a resource...

I will be using the site when I am called to do research in Toronto. 

The site is at www.oldtorontomaps.blogspot.com If you go to the website and like what you see, drop him a line at nathan.ng@gmail.com

Canadian Week in Review

May 27 2013

I have come across the following Canadian websites, blogs, Facebook, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too

Websites

The Ottawa Journal 1941-1960 Ottawa, Ontario  $  http://www.newspapers.com/title_1188/the_ottawa_journal/?xid=186 This is a subscription service, but it has the latest in updates. They have a Clip Service, and a sample page that you can view.

The Winnipeg Tribune 1901-1949 Winnipeg, Manitoba $ http://www.newspapers.com/title_1017/the_winnipeg_tribune/?xid=186  This is a subscription service, but it has the latest in updates. They have a Clip Service, and a sample page that you can view.

Blogs

Chroniques ancestrales http://chroniquesancestrales.blogspot.ca  This blogger write about his  Bélanger, Caron, Dagenais, Dusablon et Therrien lines.

Facebook- YouTube – Video

BC Students Celebrate Centennial of Canadian Expedition with Historical Videos

www.bcheritagefairs.ca/bc-students-celebrate-centennial-of-canadian-expedition-with-historical-videos

Newspapers

Petition looks to rename Victoria Day

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/05/19/victoria-day-rename.html ‘Victoria and First Peoples Day' would share holiday with Aboriginal Peoples

Concerns About Serious Mismanagement of the Library and Archives of Canada  http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2013/05/concerns-about-serious-mismanagement-of-the-library-and-archives-of-canada.html Read what Dick Eastman has to sat about the  trouble at library and Archives Canada.

Island students receive awards at annual Heritage Fair www.gov.pe.ca/index.php3/newsroom/index.php3?number=news&newsnumber=9006&dept=&lang=E The winners are listed for Grades 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Huge cache of Canadian history hits U.K. auction block, tests Library and Archives

www.canada.com/Huge+cache+Canadian+history+hits+auction+block+tests+Library+Archives/8436011/story.html#ixzz2UOSZHEJs Read about the huge cache of Canadian history left by Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, the Nova Scotia governor who conquered Maine during the War of 1812 and later served as Canada’s governor general.

Government of Canada designates first two heritage lighthouses in British Columbia http://news.yahoo.com/government-canada-designates-first-two-190000655.html Two lighthouses in British Columbia have been chosen by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. They are the East Point Lighthouse on Saturna Island and the Fisgard Lighthouse in Colwood.  

Story of the Week

National Aboriginal History Month

In June, Canadians celebrate Aboriginal History Month,which is an opportunity to honour the heritage, and cultures of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

June was declared National Aboriginal History month in 2010, after Nanaimo-Cowichan Member of Parliament, Jean Crowder, introduced a motion to make June a month of recognition for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. 

June has long been a month of celebration and remembrance in Canada, with National Aboriginal Day on the 21st, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on the 24th, and Multiculturalism Day on the 27th.

Families, an Ontario Genealogical Society journal, recently published two papers on Canadian Aboriginal people.

The first one was about Squire Davis, who came to Canada after the Revolutionary War in the United States, and lived outside of the city of Brantford, Ontario. This article appeared in the February 2013 issue.

The second paper was about Marguerite Brien 1793- 1865 "Fille Naturelle", a Mohawk woman from Oka, Quebec, who, with her family, travelled all over Eastern Ontario in the 1800s. It was published in May 2013.   

For events that will take place during the month, go to www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013322/1100100013323

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday June 3, 2013

Bentham Pioneers

Destitute to Successful, A Poor Man’s Dream will be a talk that will be given by Richard Bentham on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Bruce and Grey Branch of the OGS at the LDS Family History Centre, 2nd Ave. SE, Owen Sound.

The forebears of Richard Bentham fled the grinding, dismal circumstances of ordinary people in Yorkshire, England and Ireland in the mid 19th century. They arrived in Ontario as pioneers and faced daunting challenges simply to survive. Hope for a new beginning saw them through many hardships.

Richard Bentham of Grey Highlands Farm near Flesherton discusses what they were leaving behind and what they were looking for here. The story of the Bentham Pioneers could be a template for the many thousands of pioneers that poured into Grey County.

For more information, go to www.bruceandgreygenealogy.com

Want to track down descendants of immigrants who were on the Empress of Ireland

A display of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland in the St. Lawrence River will tour across Canada in hope of tracking down descendants of immigrants who came to Canada onboard the ship. 

Here is the press release - 

TORONTO, May 24, 2013 - Is your last name Clark, Johnson or Smith? Do you know if your ancestors came to Canada onboard the Empress of Ireland? Would you like to know more about this Canadian Pacific Railway Company's ship?

On May 26th in Toronto, following the 99th Anniversary memorial service organized by The Salvation Army's Historical Society to commemorate the sinking of the Empress of Ireland, the "Site historique maritime de la Pointe au Père" (SHMP) will launch a national tour to trace down descendants of immigrants who came to Canada onboard the Empress of Ireland.

For a week, starting on Monday May 27th, at The Salvation Army's Territorial Headquarters for Canada and Bermuda (2 Overlea Boulevard, Toronto), you will learn everything about the fascinating but tragic story of the great ship that disappeared in 14 minutes on May 29th 1914 at 1 h 55 am in the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence River near Rimouski. 1477 people were on board, 1012 of them died. This disaster, overshadowed by the outbreak of the First World War, remains, to this day, the largest maritime disaster in Canadian waters.

A visual stand showing the ship in all its 1914 glory will showcase may pictures of the magnificent ship's interiors as well as a reconstitution of the disaster and rarely seen video footage of the underwater wreck. Documents and interesting information related to the exhibit will also be on display, including the list of onboard passengers from 1906 to 1914, the passenger list at the moment of the tragedy, a log book relating the ship's history and a complete calendar of all remembrance activities to be organized. Over ten cities across Canada will welcome this truly unique exhibition.

In 1914 The Salvation Army shared in the national tragedy of the sinking of The Empress of Ireland in the St. Lawrence. On board were more than 150 members of the Canadian Salvation Army, bound for a major international gathering in London, England. Most of them, including the national commander and members of the Canadian Staff Band, were drowned.

As the exhibit travels across Canada, Mrs. Pascale St-Amand, project manager, will be on hand to answer any questions from all visitors interested in this important page of Canadian history. Mrs. St-Amand will also keep a record of all the information and details visitors share with her regarding the hundreds of stories from immigrants who adopted this country at the beginning of the 20th century.

Come tell us your story!

Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) AGM

On Saturday, June 1, 2013, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the AGM of the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network will be held at the Golden Rule Lodge #5, 560 Dufferin, Stanstead, Quebec.

There will be several items that be put to a general vote among QAHN core members including

** Minutes of May 12, 2012

** 2012-2013 financial statements

** Appointment of an auditor

** Reports from officers and directors

** Project reports: Significant Objects for Telling Identity (SOFTI); Mapping the Mosaic: Montreal & Its Diverse Neighbourhoods; StoryNet

** Proposed changes to QAHN Bylaws

** Election of new QAHN directors

One thing to note, is that the QAHN’s 2013 AGM will take place at historic Golden Rule Lodge #5, the oldest standing Masonic Hall in the province of Quebec. Following the business meeting, attendees will be treated to a guided tour of the Colby-Curtis Museum, which occupies a splendid 1850s-era home known as Carrollcroft.

A delicious lunch will then be served at the Vieille Douane Restaurant in downtown Stanstead.

This will include the annual awards ceremony and a talk by writer and humorist Ross Murray.

The day’s activities will conclude with a guided tour of the world-famous
Haskell Free Library and Opera House.

For more information, call QAHN at (819) 564-9595; Toll free at (877) 964-0409

Email home@qahn.org, or go to the http://www.qahn.org

Immigration and Citizenship records at LAC before 1865

In case you are not aware of the databases that the LAC has to offer on immigration and citizenship, here is a summary of the indexes -   

This article, the first of a series depicting Immigration and Citizenship sources, offers insight into pre-Confederation arrivals in Canada. Very few records compiled before 1865 still exist. Most surviving records, which are from various sources, have been indexed by name in databases.

The Immigrants to Canada database was compiled from documents such as immigration and land records and some private fonds, namely the Peter Robinson Papers. It provides access to more than 28,000 references to records held at Library and Archives Canada (LAC).

The Montreal Emigrant Society Passage Book (1832) database provides access to 1,945 references and digitized documents to people who received assistance from the Montreal Emigrant Society in 1832.

The Immigrants at Grosse-Île (1832-1937) database is the result of an agreement between Parks Canada and LAC. It contains more than 33,000 records spanning a 100-year time period. The references describe various events for immigrants arriving at the city of Québec and their time spent at the Grosse-Île Quarantine Station.

The Upper Canada and Canada West Naturalization Records (1828-1850) database gives references to the names of 2,967 persons naturalized in what is now the province of Ontario between 1828 and 1850. The 188 registers have been scanned and digitized images are accessible in this database.

The Citizenship Registration Records for the Montreal Circuit Court (1851-1945) database provides access to more than 8,000 references to the Citizenship Registration Records for the Montreal Circuit Court. The records have been digitized and linked to the database references.

If you think some of your “ancêtres” can be traced back to France, LAC holds a small number of lists from the French Regime (1717-1786).

To see the databases, go to www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-908.002-e.html

Release of a new version of the Census of Canada, 1901 database

I see where the LAC has released the new version of the 1901census today - 

Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the 1901 Census of Canada database. This fourth general census covered the seven provinces and the territory that were then part of Confederation: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Territories.

The new version includes suggestions for corrections that were received from users in recent months, as well as revised district and sub-district information.

To go to the 1901 Census, go to www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1901/Pages/1901.aspx

History and Importance of the Duff-Baby House

The Essex Branch of the OGS will be held on Monday June 10, 2013 from 6:00 pm at the Windsor Public Library, 850 Ouellette Ave., Windsor.

The talk will be entitled History and Importance of the Duff-Baby House, and the person giving the talk will be Evelyn McLean.

The meeting will be Free, and you can go to www.essex.ogs.on.ca for up to date info the meeting.

The Buff-Baby house was built between 1792 and 1798. It is considered to be the oldest building in Windsor. The house was built by Alexander Duff as a fur trade post, and bought in 1807 by James Baby. It  and was used as the headquarters of U.S. General Harrison. The British ravaged the building during the War of 1812.

The Duff Baby House is also one of the best-preserved and oldest Georgian-style houses in Ontario. Today the building is owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust and houses government offices.

Irish potato famine mystery solved

Scientists in Germany have discovered that a plant-pathogen strain, called HERB-1, was the blight that caused the potato famine in Ireland of the 1840s. Before this tine, it had been thought that an American strain, called US-1 has caused the famine.

According to the website at Irish National Famine Museum, Ireland lost almost a quarter of its population to death or emigration between 1845 and 1850.

The mystery finally has been solved.

Read the complete story at http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4350890/researchers-discover-irish-potato-famine-pathogen

WHY AREN'T WE AMERICANS?

There will be an event Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the action between H.M.S. Shannon and the USS Chesapeake, on June 2, 2013, 1:50 pm - 3:45 pm at St. Paul's Church and The Old Burying Ground - Halifax, Nova Scotia.

On June 1, 1813, USS Chesapeake, Captain James Lawrence, sailed out of Boston harbour to attack HMS Shannon, Captain Philip Broke. Certain of another British defeat, Bostonians anticipating the evening's victory banquet came out to sea to enjoy the fight. They were shocked to see that only fifteen minutes after the battle began, Chesapeake's ensign dropped. Up rose the Blue Ensign; below it, the Stars and Stripes appeared. His captain, severely wounded, his first lieutenant killed, it fell to 22-year-old Halifax born Provo Wallis, Shannon's second lieutenant, to command his ship. The third lieutenant, Charles Falkiner, took charge of the Chesapeake, giving special care to Lawrence, who lay in his wardroom, mortally wounded. The two frigates sailed eastward into the gathering darkness as the disappointed sightseers returned to Boston to report the unbelievable news. Chesapeake taken!

His Honour Brigadier General the Honourable J. J. Grant, CMM.ONS.CD (ret'd), Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, will inspect the Maritime Forces Atlantic Honour Guard at the Grand Parade prior to the event commemorating ceremonies at St. Paul's Church.

Following the ceremony at St. Paul's we will continue on to the Old Burying Ground, on Barrington St. The Commemorative Service will take place from 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm.

For further information, please contact - Mr. Larry Camp-902-826-2630 or wendybrookpark@hotmail.com Chair of the Old Burying Ground Foundation.

Shannon vs. Chesapeake June 1813 http://ns1763.ca/hfxrm/shannon.html

Niagara Peninsula Branch Indexes Updates

Steve Fulton U.E., Chair of the Niagara Peninsula Branch OGS, tells us about the following indexes on the web site -

Surname Index - Contains over 24000 Pedigree Charts

Morse & Sons Funeral Home Records - Contains 19229 Funeral Records from 1828 to Sept 1963

Neff Young Index - Contains 19136 records of family histories, notes, newspaper clipping and memorabilia from Welland County

*NEW* Branch Publications Index - Contains 7998 various publication records for the Lincoln/Welland Area

Please check back often as indexes are being worked on.

Canadian Headstones Project - The Niagara Peninsula Branch continues to work on photographing headstones in the old Lincoln/Welland Counties. Just recently we crossed over the 20,000 mark and the number is continuing to climb.

Please visit http://canadianheadstones.com for your old Lincoln and Welland research needs.

For more information, please go to Niagara Peninsula Branch O.G.S. at www.ogs.on.ca/niagara

Canadian Week in Review

20 May 2013

I have come across the following Canadian websites, blogs, Facebook, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too

Websites

Genealogy Karma www.mocavo.com/karma The search engine, Mocavo, has decided to “give back” to genealogy, and they have decided to build Genealogy Karma “to empower the Mocavo community and connect researchers around the country”. They modeled it after the former Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness. They are asking if anyone can volunteer or request help from someone for projects like taking a photo of a headstone, or finding a document in a local library.

There are 151 requests already on the site.

Blogs

The Passionate Genealogist http://blog.familyhistorysearches.com Canadian blogger, Ruth Blair, was at the NGS Conference in Los Vegas last week, and sent back reports on all three days of the conference.

Facebook- YouTube – Video

Ontario Genealogical Society www.facebook.com/pages/Ontario-Genealogical-Society/259163438258 Every time I go to their Facebook page, I discover new photos about Ontario.

Newspapers

Canadian history is not just about wars and battles www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/13/canadian_history_is_not_just_about_wars_and_battles.html An opinion piece written by Clive Doucet, a writer and former Ottawa city councillor, telling us his feelings about our history. Do you agree?

Historic restoration projects earn honours www.langleyadvance.com/news/Historic+restoration+projects+earn+honours/8392979/story.html This year, owners of the Cummings residence in Murrayville, the Matheson house in Willoughby, and the Hogben residence in Fort Langley were honoured by the Langley Township in British Columbia.

Card-Carrying Cajuns? Louisiana Lawmakers Weigh ID Change http://kosu.org/2013/05/card-carrying-cajuns-louisiana-lawmakers-weigh-id-change US News reports that Louisiana lawmakers are deciding whether to let Cajun citizens celebrate their ancestry by customizing their driver’s license, adding the phrase “I’m a Cajun” below their photograph.

Seeking PM's support for heritage designation www.thedailyobserver.ca/2013/05/18/seeking-pms-support-for-heritage-designation Read what has been a long history to getting heritage status for the Ottawa River. The rivers which feed into the Ottawa, namely the French, Rideau and Mattawa Rivers, already enjoy heritage status.

Op-Ed: Victoria Day is a uniquely Canadian holiday http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Victoria+uniquely+Canadian+holiday/8402341/story.html#ixzz2TkBt7pMg
Victoria Day, the Monday of the May 24 long weekend, sounds like a holdover from Canada’s history as a British colony – but it isn’t. Read about the real story behind May 24th.

Pictures and Story of the Week

The Library and Archives Canada was back in the news again this week. Although Daniel Caron resigned as Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada and Chair, Heads of Federal Agencies last Wednesday, a check of the LAC site this morning showes his picture was still there – giving the impression he was still in the position.

But he resigned because he paid $4,500 with taxpayers money to take Spanish lessons.

The bio says that “he launched the modernization initiative in order to ensure the institution would be able to embrace the multiple challenges of the digital environment. This initiative is a call for collaboration, epistemologically grounded institutional policies and policy driven decisions”.

Although the last time the page was modified was 2013-02-08

Further, he still appears on the Facebook page in a short list called The Deputy Head's Short List. Updated about a week ago, it says that “as the Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada, I am fortunate to oversee one of the most impressive collections of Canadiana in the world. It is my pleasure to share my favourite collection items with you every week. Visit us regularly to discover fascinating Canadian treasures from our vaults”!

So I am confused. He resigned - didn't he? Why is his picture still on the LAC webpage? Is it an oversight?

You can check the website at www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

There were a number of news organizations, which covered his resignation. They were -

Head of Library and Archives resigns over Spanish lessons www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/05/15/pol-library-archives-daniel-caron-resigns-spanish.html

Canada's library head Daniel Caron resigns as $170,000 in expenses found www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Library+head+Daniel+Caron+resigns+expenses+found/8391614/story.html#ixzz2Tm11WTAS

In hot water for big spending ways, Canada's top librarian quits www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2013/05/20130515-173805.html

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday May 27, 2013

Brant County Branch of OGS Monthly Meeting

On Sunday, May 26, 2013, there will be a General Meeting at 2:00 pm, the speaker will be Floyd Doctor, Smokey Hollow Estates, and he will speak about Chief Peter Green and his descendants. Come Early and Browse the Brant County Branch O G S Library.

There is Free Admission Everyone Welcome

And on Monday June 24, 2013, there will be a BBQ And Strawberry Social held at 6:00 pm Brant County Branch O G S, Library and Smokey Hollow Leisure Park, $12.00 per person.

Come Early and Browse our library.

This is our Annual Fundraiser!

The The Brant County Branch Library is at 114-118 Powerline Road, on the grounds of Smokey Hollow Estates, going east from the Wayne Gretzky Parkway, just outside the North-East corner of Brantford.

One thing to note is that they are having two reunions this year at the Brant County Branch premises.

The reunions are –

Haviland Family – July 9, 2013

Misner Family - August 17, 2013

The contact information is at www.ogs.on.ca/brant/reunions.html

The website of the branch is www.ogs.on.ca/brant

Google in overhauling it’s maps!

At the developer show held in San Francisco last week, Google announced it will be using two of its own programs to enhance it's map feature – it will be using anonymous data collected from people using Google Maps on mobile phones, it picks the best navigation routes, and it will be using photos people upload to its Panoramio and Picasa photo services, it generates immersive tours that swoop around popular attractions

Read all about it at http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57585066-93/how-google-with-your-help-is-overhauling-its-maps/?tag=nl.e496&s_cid=e496&ttag=e496

Newfoundland and Labrador's Historic Sites Open this Weekend

The Commissariat - At the corner of King's Bridge Road and Military Road, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Credit: Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Sites

Historic Site are opening this weekend in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Are you planning to visit any, or some or them this summer?

“Our Provincial Historic Sites offer an interactive history lesson on the many influences that have shaped who we are today as a people, including the lives of the Beothuks and the history of lighthouses,” Terry French, minister of tourism, culture and recreation, said in a news release. “You can experience Christmas in the Library at Mockbeggar; Voices on the Wind at the Beothuk Interpretation Centre; Jam and Jammin at Point Amour; or Cultural Company at Heart’s Content, to name a few. I invite visitors from home and abroad to explore our unique culture and heritage.”

Provincial Historic Sites include: the Commissariat House and the Newman Wine Vaults in St. John’s, as well as the Colonial Building (which is currently closed for renovations); the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse and Mockbeggar Plantation in Bonavista; Hiscock House Visitor Centre, and the Mercantile Premises in Trinity; the Heart’s Content Cable Station; the Beothuk Interpretation Centre in Boyd’s Cove; the Cupids Cove Plantation; and, Point Amour Lighthouse in Labrador.

For more information on these and other programs, visit www.seethesites.ca .
The provincial government has also announced that visitor information centres around the province opened today.

The centres provide information to the travelling public such as directions, advice and local knowledge, and also assist with booking reservations.

Provincial visitor information centres are located in Port aux Basques, on the Deer Lake Highway, Notre Dame, Clarenville, Whitbourne, and Argentia. The Argentia location is currently undergoing renovations and an update on its opening will be provided at a later date.