Friday, August 8, 2014

Loyalist Resources on Ancestry

Ancestry.com has put on Loyalist Resources, written, it looks likefrom the American point of view. 

They have a short introduction, a list of records and publications at the UK and Canada, and a list of US records and publications.  

Although it was just put on 06 August 2014, they have put on the old address for Library and Archives Canada at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/022/022-909.003-e.html and not the new address at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/Pages/military-heritage.aspx

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Nova Scotia Paving Programme


Starting in 1934 and completed in 1938, the Nova Scotia Department of Highways undertook a major highway reconstruction project known as the Paving Programme. And I know this for a fact, that my father and his brothers* worked on this project as it made its way through the Shelburne-Jordan Falls, Shelburne County area, on the southwestern shore of Nova Scotia. 

When I took a look at the photos at the Nova Scotia Archives site, I even recognized some of the areas that they worked on, and where the paving plant was located in Jordan Falls. 

As you leaf through the scrapbook, do you also recognize the places today? Nothing has changed too much. The highways are wider than they used to be, and there are more houses. From what I understood, it was messy, hot work during that that summer of 1938, but they were happy to get the work. 

Now, nearly eighty years later, those albums have been digitized and are displayed here for Internet visitors to explore. There are 350 black-and-white images to be seen. 

The website is at http://novascotia.ca/archives/virtual/highways/


*My father was Harold Arthur Barclay, and his brothers were Perley and John Barclay of Jordan Falls, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Historical officer rank insignia reinstated

During a reception at the Canadian War Museum on August 4th, which marked the 100th anniversary of Canada’s entry into the First World War, the unveiling of the historical officer rank insignia took place. 

“The restoration of the Canadian Army’s historical identity reinforces the ties between present-day soldiers and previous generations of warriors, while celebrating our proud Army heritage. Canadian Army officers will wear these insignia knowing that they carry on a strong legacy of service, while standing strong, proud and ready for the future,” said Lieutenant-General Marquis Hainse, Commander of the Canadian Army. 

You can read about the Canadian Army at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Army

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Community. Education. Advocacy.


The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) recently adopted these three core beliefs – Community. Education. Advocacy. 

The organization is a community of over 3,000 like-minded genealogists who believe in helping people who want assistance in finding their Ontario ancestors. 

They have 33 branches and SIGs throughout the province, and they have a top-notch website, with The Ontario Name Index (TONI), which is free to everyone to use at http://www.ogs.on.ca/toni.php.

The organization believes in education. Each branch holds free meetings you are encouraged to attend. The OGS hold an annual spring conference at various points in the province at a very reasonable price, and they offer courses through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies at a reduced rate if you are a member of the OGS. 

Over the past, the OGS has advocated the Library and Archives Canada on our behalf for the release of the 1921 Census, and the Ontario government for the restoration and registering of cemeteries within the province. Without this action, neither one would have received as much support as they did from members of the public. 

Every day, members are busy gathering information, indexing records, and planning the next conference. Editors are reading another paper to be placed in Families, keeping track of noteworthy news from all over the province to be placed in the various publications, and using these resources, another genealogical puzzle has been solved by a person who just wanted to find their Ontario ancestor. The OGS can help. 

If you have a chance, go to the OGS blog, and take a minute to view two videos that were recently taped. 

The first one is by Alan Campbell, the president of the OGS, and the second one was recorded at this year’s conference in Niagara. 

Monday, August 4, 2014

Today Canada joined in the start of the First World War


The 4th Canadian Division in France, September 1918

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War. Canada joined Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth  Nations in sending our men and women overseas, and unfortunately 66,000 of them lost their lives. 

In part, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement - 

"Today, Canadians join the international community in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, which engulfed Europe in conflict from 1914 to 1918 and killed at least ten million combatants and millions more civilians. 

“It is a time to remember and honour the sacrifices and tremendous achievements of the more than 650,000 brave Canadians and Newfoundlanders who left their families and the comfort of their homes to serve their King and country, as well as to preserve the universal values of freedom, peace and democracy that we hold most dear. 

“It is a time to remember the more than 66,000 of our selfless men and women who gave their lives during the First World War, and the estimated 172,000 more who were wounded. 

“It is a source of deep national pride that the bravery and courage of our service members helped ensure Allied victories in important battles at places like Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele and Amiens. These efforts played a vital role in finally bringing about the negotiation and conclusion of the Armistice, which ended the First World War at precisely 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.

“The dedication, courage and determination demonstrated by our brave soldiers, sailors and airmen, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with like-minded allies to fight for what they believed in, resulted in Canada emerging as a proud, victorious nation with new found standing in the world". 

Canadian Week in Review 04 August 2014




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

History Week in Canada

In 1793, Gen. John Graves Simcoe, lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, began clearing the site for the city of York, which today is known as Toronto, the fourth-largest city in North America, and the capital of Ontario.

Previous to this, the capital had been in Newark (now known as Niagara), but Simcoe thought it was too close to the Americans, and fearing invasion, had it moved it to York.

To read more about Toronto, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto
==================================================
On July 31, 1957, the Distant Early Warning Line defence system officially went into operation in northern Canada. 

It was set up to detect incoming Soviet bombers during the Cold War, and provide the early warning system of any sea-and-land invasion. 

To learn more about the system, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distant_Early_Warning_Line 

Here is a list of DEW Line Sites at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_DEW_Line_Sites 
==================================================On July 24, 1947 a school principal is demoted over Daylight time dispute in Alberta. 

Social Media

Local links to The Great War (Video)
A cemetery, a stadium and a golf course - what is the link between these Regina landmarks and the First World War? Reporter and history buff Will Chabun talks about these strange connections in this video.

The CBC: Your Community Blog
How does your community commemorate the First World War? 

War monuments of southern Alberta are reminders of soldiers who didn’t come home (Video) 
Postmedia has done another great job in covering War Memorials in southern Alberta to soldiers who never came home. 

Newfoundland

Former Newfoundland legislature gets $22M facelift
The building was opened in 1850, and now is being restored to its former glory as Newfoundland's former legislature. 

Nova Scotia

Shubenacadie band changes name to traditional Sipekne'katik 
The Shubenacadie band, Nova Scotia's second largest First Nations group, located in central part of the province, has restored the traditional spelling and pronunciation of its name and will now be known as Sipekne'katik.

New Brunswick

No news this week. 

Prince Edward Island 

Rare Summerside Bank note selling for $54,000
This bank note was issued by The Summerside Bank of Prince Edward Island in 1872. 

Celebrating our heritage farms 
The P.E.I. Agricultural Awareness Committee has teamed up with P.E.I. Mutual Insurance Company to recognize and celebrate farms that have been in operation at least 150 years. 

Quebec 

Little fanfare for Quebec Confederation parlay 
Sir John A. Macdonald and others also held the Quebec Conference in 1850 which built on the Charlottetown Conference a few weeks earlier. Could Quebec and Ontario be forged together within Canada as had the Maritime colonies been discussed in Charlottetown?

Ontario 

The Colonization of Canada and Anishnawbek History 
Clyde Moonias gives a revealing history of how colonization affected the Anishnawbek people of northwestern Ontario.

Viceregal wife impresses with song penned by husband David Onley 
Ruth Ann Onley, the wife of Ontario Lieutenant-Governor David Onley, sang the song penned by her husband, to a packed stadium at a First World War 100th anniversary celebration Thursday. 

Canadian History for Kids: Trans Canada Highway 
On July 31st, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker opened up the Trans Canada Highway – Canada’s national highway! 

The eager doomed: The story of Canada’s original WWI recruits 
The First World War put in historical context by historian Time Cook. 

‘What a sight it must have been to behold’: Memorial, re-enactment recalls Battle of Lundy’s Lane 
Two hundred years ago on July 25, 1814, the Battle of Lundy’s Lane was fought between the American’s and the British, and it was remembered in a memorial re-enactment.

Beauty As Duty? That Really Happened 
The magazine the Worm has an article called Beauty as Duty. It was a propaganda campaign launched in 1939 and it aimed to make women believe that wearing makeup and looking polished was their patriotic duty! 

Manitoba

A new name for Civic Holiday? 
Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger suggests other provinces may want to follow his lead and change the name of the August Civic Holiday to Terry Fox Day.

Pioneer church has history behind its beauty 
St. Michael's remains a centrepiece for city's Ukrainian Orthodox community

Saskatchewan

No news this week.

Alberta

Saving Alberta’s farming icons 
Grain elevator enthusiasts promote history and preservation of historic structures 

Alberta Aviation Museum to honour WWI veterans 
A new exhibit at the Alberta Aviation Museum this weekend will shed light on the history of Albertans who served in the Royal Flying Corp

Heritage Festival gives offenders chance to repay their debt
Tom Wimbs is a probation officer with the community corrections and release program with the Solicitor General of Alberta, and his crew of adult offenders were on hand at the Heritage Festival Friday, helping set up event tents at Hawrelak Park.

British Columbia

Canadian documentary series features SFU professor 

Professor Rudy Reimer has just returned from Whitehorse in the Yukon, where he filmed Wild Archaeology, an exploration of the history of First Nations across Canada.

Story of the Week


Parliament Hill: Sound and Light Show



You still got time to see the Sound and Light Show on Parliament Hill, and what a show it is – it is spectacular!

We went to see two years ago, and sat there in awe as the history of the county passed in front of our eyes, to be sitting there in the dusk of a summer’s evening on Parliament Hill was just breathtaking. 

If you have a chance to come to Ottawa this summer, the show is on until September the 6th, and it’s free. But be sure to get there in plenty of time because the seats fill up early. And talk to the people. They are there from everywhere – from right here in Ottawa, to places overseas. 

All of them had said that they had never seen anything like this before. 

And then as we left Parliament Hill, we stopped across the street to watch a fellow who was playing a set of drums made from plastic buckets, and learned that he travelled across the country playing the drums in the summer time.

A very enjoyable evening!

To check when the Sound and Light Show is held, go to http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1379439870049 or to the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mosaika.en

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in the country! 

The next post will be on August 11, 2014.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Reminder: Canadian Week in Review will be posted tomorrow


Check the Canadian Week in Review tomorrow morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

It has the most up-to-date news items covered in New/Updated Websites, History, Social Media, and Newspaper Articles.

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! 


It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

New Acadian research guide


Got this email from Janice Hamilton yesterday, the blogger who does the Genealogy Ensemble blog, and she told us the following -

“If you are researching Acadian heritage, you might find the recent research guide, Acadians of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, compiled by Jacques Gagné, of interest. It will help you find Acadian Parish Registers under the French and British regimes, as well as links to websites that shed light on various other aspects of Acadian history. 

The link can be found on the Genealogy Ensemble blog, at http://genealogyensemble.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/the-acadian-congress/

This is the latest of Jacques’ contributions to the genealogy community. He has put together similar research guides on Genealogy Ensemble, including the Catholic Churches of Quebec http://genealogyensemble.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/irish-catholic-churches-of-quebec/ and an online guide to researching your ancestors in archives in France, http://genealogyensemble.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/learn-how-to-research-french-archives/

Janice

Saturday, August 2, 2014

The OGS picks their theme for the 2017 conference!



Our Canada-Your Family: Building A Nation is the theme which has been chosen for the 2017 Ontario Genealogical Society's conference, and what a fantastic title!

And the reason that the title of the conference was chosen is that 2017 will be the 150th birthday of the founding of Canada. It will be a super busy time in Ottawa, so why not plan at attend the conference and do some sightseeing along with your stay? 

This will be the sixth time (plus they co-hosted the 2012 conference in Kingston) that Ottawa (the nation’s capital) will have hosted the conference.

They already have a small group of volunteers, but they can always have more people join them in this effort. 

You can contact them at conference2017@ogsottawa.on.ca 

Watch for news in this blog and at the Ottawa blog at http://ogsottawa.blogspot.com/ and their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/237267743111732/?fref=ts 

The webpage is http://ogsottawa.on.ca/

Friday, August 1, 2014

OGS puts on “Ontario Locator”


The OGS has put on their website every municipality in Ontario (city, town, village, township, regional municipality) and all of the geographic townships which have belonged to a municipality.

Current and historical townships are on the website, but not the unorganized townships.

At a future date the list will be expanded to include the former Police Villages and the current hamlets.

If you are researching historical land records, the "Ontario Locator" can be used to this purpose.  

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Will Héritage index their records? Maybe.


Ever since Héritage, a division of Canadiana, put on all of those records from the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) over a year ago, I was asking “Where are the indexes that go with the digitization of these records?”

Héritage has the objective of digitizing 40,000 reels of microfilm from “Canada’s most important archival collections”. 

They hope to comprise 60 million page images when the project is completed next year. 

But not one of these records has been indexed! Not one! So what good are they to me? -

They say that they “would like to enhance access to this content by partially transcribing select collections. Once transcribed, researchers can conduct key-word searches on a collection, allowing them to find specific personal names, geographical locations, events, etc. within a document. We need your help in choosing which collections to transcribe first”. 

So, they have put together a short survey to ask our opinion. I clicked every one of the records that they have included in the survey. 

They say that “By participating in this short survey, you can have a voice in telling Canadiana which collections are important to you. If interested, please share this widely with your members, branches, and other contacts to help us get the most feedback”. 

Please take a minute to go through the records, and click the ones you would like to see indexed.


The website for Canadiana is http://www.canadiana.ca/

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Family associations


One way to discover your French-Canadian roots is to join a family association. It all has to do with collaboration, doesn't it? 
The Library and Archives Canada says that “The main goal of a family association is to perpetuate the memory of these ancestors and preserve the cultural heritage associated with them, such as the land that was granted to them in New France, or the ancestral house, if it still exists”. 
The association members organize meetings and reunions, small or large, and publish newsletters, and of course, many have a website and a Facebook page.  
On a personal note, I see where my husband's paternal surname (Lapointe dit Audet) and his maternal surname (Jobin) are there. 
If you have Acadian roots, go to http://www.fafa-acadie.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30&Itemid=40 for a list of Acadian surnames. 

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

FamilySearch to improve its Research Wiki pages


FamilySearch.org is improving its Research Wiki pages.

They say that "There will be more space on the web page to view enriched text and images. There will also be increased editing capabilities for contributors and several other useful changes".

You can go to the Testing: Wiki Usability page at https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Testing:_Wiki_Usability to give your opinion of the proposed changes.

Meanwhile, they have added more indexed Catholic Parish Registers, Quebec 1621-1979 to their records.

This collection contains images of Catholic parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials. It also includes some confirmations and some index entries for Montréal and Trois-Rivières.

Go to the website at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1321742

If you want to index, you can go to https://familysearch.org/indexing/get-started-indexer

Monday, July 28, 2014

Canadian Week in Review 28 July 2014


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

History Week in Canada


In 1793, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Scottish-born explorer and fur trader, reached the Pacific Ocean at Dean Channel. He had just crossed the Rockies, and to mark this achievement, he painted on a rock the inscription - Alex Mackenzie from Canada by Land 22nd July, 1793. This was the first east to west crossing of North America, north of Mexico.

To read more about his life, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mackenzie_(explorer)
===================================================
In 1892, fire destroyed most of St. John's, Nfld.

To read more about the fire and its aftermath, go to http://www.heritage.nf.ca/law/fire_1892.html
===================================================
In 1948, Newfoundlanders voted narrowly in a referendum to join Confederation. The campaign for confederation was led by journalist Joey Smallwood, who was asked to form an interim government. Newfoundland officially became Canada's tenth province on March 31, 1949.
===================================================
Did you know that in 1961, the government of Canada officially opened the town of Inuvik, Northwest Territories? The town, the largest Canadian community north of the Arctic Circle, was constructed to replace the old settlement of Aklavik.

To read more about Inuvik, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuvik
==================================================

Social Media


Molly’s Canopy
http://mollyscanopy.com/
Her name is Molly and she said her “passion for family history research was ignited more than 20 years ago on a vacation trip to Montreal, Quebec, when I found my paternal great, great grandfather Laurent Charbonneau’s 1832 baptismal record in an archive”.

Crème de la crème blog
Genealogy à la carte
Be sure to check out Gail Dever’s blog. She carries other news stories in her daily blog, and I cover them on a weekly basis. Together, we try to bring the latest Canadian news to you!

Newfoundland and Labrador 

No stories this week.

Nova Scotia

Genealogical society’s records at risk
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1225407-genealogical-society-s-records-at-risk#.U9ODCs7GVIM.facebook
Cheryl Lamerson of the South Shore Genealogical Society says the society is facing a problem – what to do with the society’s museum collection. They need a space, and they need it now!

Sod turned for new Ross Farm Museum learning centre
http://www.atlanticfarmfocus.ca/NB-NL-NS-PEI/2014-07-23/article-3810892/Sod-turned-for-new-Ross-Farm-Museum-learning-centre/1
The new 16,000 square foot centre will house public spaces including an entrance and foyer, programming rooms, washrooms, meeting rooms, an open hearth room, a commercial kitchen, a gift shop, staff/administration space, a period costume area, a historical society office and research space and controlled storage for artifacts.

Gaining perspective: Unique history lessons at Maritime Museum’s War of 1812 exhibit
http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/1104929/gaining-perspective-unique-history-lessons-at-maritime-museums-war-of-1812-exhibit/
That includes Maritime causes of the war, its impact on Nova Scotia’s economy and the legacy of Black refugees.

Prince Edward Island

No stories this week.

New Brunswick

N.B.'s Central Hampstead Baptist Church sells for $1,900
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/n-b-s-central-hampstead-baptist-church-sells-for-1-900-1.2719059
A New Brunswick church built in Canada’s confederation year sold for $1,900 at auction on Saturday. The buyer plans to move it down the road, and turn it into a cottage. The church was built in 1867 and it was the Central Hampstead Baptist Church, near Gagetown.

Quebec

What’s happening to Montreal’s churches? Quebec finding new ways to preserve its heritage in a secular age
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/25/whats-happening-to-montreals-churches-quebec-finding-new-ways-to-preserve-its-heritage-in-a-secular-age/
The purpose of church buildings are changing!

Quebec police move to block auction of Lac-Mégantic locomotive
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/07/23/locomotive_from_lacmegantic_train_from_hell_up_for_auction.html
The locomotive MMA 5017 was scheduled to go on the auction block on August 5th in Maine, but the action has been blocked by the provincial police until the end of the judicial process.

Ontario

Old tombstones located south of LaSalette
http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2014/06/25/old-tombstones-located-south-of-lasalette
Perseverance paid off for a group of history detectives in LaSalette, Ontario. Following several failed digs last year, the group has finally located the burial ground for a collection of 19th-century headstones that were destroyed and buried in an old Catholic cemetery. 

Portrait of aboriginal leader Joseph Brant sells at auction for $7.5 million
Gilbert Stuart's work may be most valuable portrait of Canadian leader ever produced
http://www.canada.com/entertainment/Portrait+aboriginal+leader+Joseph+Brant+sells+auction+million/10062517/story.html
Brant was known as Thayendanegea to his followers.

Manitoba

Group of Manitoba teachers to visit Juno Beach for educational tour
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Group-of-Manitoba-teachers-will-visit-Juno-Beach-for-educational-tour-268132572.html
Four teachers will be in Vimy as part of the 10th annual Professional Development Battlefield Tour for Educators.

Saskatchewan

Map: More Saskatoon history coming to a smartphone near you
http://metronews.ca/news/saskatoon/1108314/map-more-saskatoon-history-coming-to-a-smartphone-near-you/
Through mid-August and September, the Nutana and Broadway Heritage QR code self-guided walking tour will be expanding even further to include more than 30 new points of historic importance and interest.

Alberta 

Archeology is messy, sweaty and slow - but the rewards are worth it
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/Archeology+messy+sweaty+slow+rewards+worth/10049263/story.html
Read about a couple who are spending part of their summer at Bodo, a small Alberta community about three hours from Edmonton. The place was once inhabited by the Plains Indians, who hunted bison and camped in the area in the past 5,000 years.

Canada remembers Korean War
http://www.airdriecityview.com/article/20140724/ACV0903/307249957/canada-remembers-korean-war
Yesterday, Canada celebrated Korean War Veterans Day. From 1950 to 1953, 26,000 Canadians saw action in Korea, and played a great role in the success of the first United Nations intervention by halting the aggression and securing a truce that has held for the past 61 years.

Heirloom is part of Wild Rose Overseas: Albertans in the Great War, an exhibition at Calgary's Military Museums
http://ww1.canada.com/battlefront/great-grandfathers-letter-from-the-front-was-a-chance-discovery-with-video
Read how University of Calgary student, Michael Hilton started working on his Canadian Studies project, and he discovered a letter from his great-grandfather, Canadian soldier Edward Iley, written on the fabric of a German aircraft wing shot down by Iley’s battalion.

And the story continues …
WW I memorabilia connects family to its history: Calgary brothers find link to their great-grandfather through letter, photos
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ww-i-memorabilia-connects-family-to-its-history-1.2718683

British Columbia

'Your history is standing straight up': Survivors' Totem Pole to be raised in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/michael-stewart/2014/07/your-history-standing-straight-survivors-totem-pole-to-be-rai?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20rabble-news%20(rabble.ca%20-%20News%20for%20the%20rest%20of%20us)
The Totem pole, called The Suvivors’ Totem Pole, is being carved by the only female apprentice of the Haida artist Bill Reid -- Skundaal, of the Raven Haida.

First Nation Works to Preserve Historically Important Trees
New project will identify, protect culturally modified trees
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/812915-bc-first-nation-works-to-preserve-historically-important-trees/?photo=2
It includes trees in the Great Bear Rainforest that have been altered by First Nations people as part of their traditional use of the forest. Some of these trees date back to pre-contact time with the Europeans.

Story of the Week


 

Top 10 Endangered Places to See Before They Are Gone

Heritage Canada National Trust recently released its Top 10 Endangered Places list, outlining the most iconic heritage sites and structures in the country that may soon be gone.

Here are the five structures -

1. The Robertson Headframe is the tallest free-standing structure in the Northwest Territories, and has ruled over the Yellowknife landscape since 1977. 

2. The pre-1940s heritage homes on Vancouver's West Side are bring torn down at an alarming rate to make way for bigger, pricier houses. 

3. The Paramount Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta was built in 1952, but Famous Players bought and closed the building in 2003. It been the site of real estate speculation ever since. 

4. Built in 1882, Guelph's heritage-designated Petrie Building is considered a local landmark in the city's downtown. The towering four-storey structure was originally built for a local pharmacist, and features large windows and a mortar-and-pestle design in the stonework. Now it is on the demolition block. 

5. Former Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) Locomotive Repair Shops in Stratford, Ontario. Officials in Stratford, are trying to decide what to do with a 105-year-old locomotive repair shop they acquired in 2009. The 46,000 square-metre structure is considered culturally significant, but the city of Stratford does not see it that way.

To read about the rest of the structures, go to http://www.heritagecanada.org/en/issues-campaigns/top-ten-endangered 

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country!

The next post will be on August 4, 2014.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Reminder: Canadian Week in Review



Check the Canadian Week in Review tomorrow morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. 
It has the most up-to-date news items covered in New/Updated Websites, History, Social Media, and Newspaper Articles. 
It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country!
It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

350th anniversary of the Notre-Dame de Québec parish

The Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec
Photo credit: Gilbert Bochenek

The year 2014 marks the 350th anniversary of the Notre-Dame de Québec parish, the oldest Catholic parish in North America, north of Mexico.

Monsignor François de Laval, who arrived in Québec City in 1659 as the vicar apostolic, signed the decree for the establishment of the parish on September 15, 1664, in honour of the “Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

The church, located on the Cap-aux-Diamants promontory, was opened for worship in 1650. Over the years, it has undergone many alterations, including renovations, expansions and reconstructions.

The 350th anniversary is being celebrated in a special way with the opening of a Holy Door, a symbol of humility and a rare privilege granted by the Holy See. The Holy Door is the seventh in the world and the first in North America. It will remain open until December 28, 2014.

The history of the Holy Door is http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/documents/ns_lit_doc_14121999_porta-santa_en.html

The Holy Door is open from 8:45 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. Monday to Sunday, until September 1. From September 2 to December 27, the Holy Door is open from 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and to 16:45 on Saturdays and Sundays. On December 28, during a celebration, the Holy Door will be closed and sealed until the next Holy Year of the Roman Catholic Church, around 2025.

To read about the history of the Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica, go to https://notredamedequebec.org/en/feasts-of-the-350th.

There is not a charge to enter; however, all offerings would be greatly appreciated.

Library and Archives Canada says in its blog that it has “historical records on the Notre-Dame de Québec parish, including many iconographic representations of the church in different eras. The Notre-Dame Catholic parish fonds (Québec City) contains baptismal, marriage and burial records, as well as various parish censuses conducted in 1744 and between 1792 and 1815”.

A description of the fonds is available at http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=98024

A news article appeared in the July 21, 2014 edition of the Canadian Week in Review (CWR) in a Maine newspaper which said that a pilgrimage is being planned to Québec City in October of this year. 

The link is (go down the page until you get to Québec) http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/07/canadian-week-in-review-21-july-2014.html

Friday, July 25, 2014

Gae­no­vium: A new kind of conference


They say in their press release that “Gae­no­vium is the genea­logy tech­no­logy con­fe­rence, by genea­logy tech­no­logists for genealogy technologists. Gaenovium is exclusively for academics, developers and visionaries at the forefront of genealogy technology. 

Leaders in genealogy technology come together to learn from each other, discuss current issues, explore the bleeding edge, share their wisdom and insight, passionately argue their viewpoints, and just have an all-around good time”. 

A lecture will be given by Louis Kessler from Winnipeg, and some of the other speakers are Timo Kracke, Tony Proctor, and Michel Brinckman. 

Gae­no­vium 2014 takes place on 7 October 2014 in Leiden, Netherlands. It will be a small and intimate event, and includes an all-attendees dinner.

MyHeritage.com and RootsTech are the official sponsors. 


They just started a Facebook page yesterday at https://www.facebook.com/Gaenovium 

They also have started a blog at http://blog.gaenovium.com/ 

Postscript: I have just sent an email them to ask that the panel discussion - Current & Future Genealogical Exchange Standards be an HOA broadcast. If you feel the same way, you can write to them on their Facebook page or you can email them. Let’s see if we can convince them to present the panelists in an Hangout on Air.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

60th annual Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion & Stampede


This year, an unique show will be held at the 60th annual Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede from today until the 27th of July at Austin, Manitoba.

They will be commemorating the First and Second World Wars in displays, exhibits, and musical performances in the “Manitoba’s Military Heritage”. It will commemorate the impact of the 100th Anniversary of the First World War and the 75th Anniversary of the Second World War on Manitoba farms, families and communities.

The feature attraction will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that includes many unique features such as

•Manitoba’s largest assembly of operating vintage military vehicles, including 1 of 2 operating First World War era Sherman tanks in Canada and a motorized First World War field ambulance

• Live daily presentations of Life in the Trenches for a First World War soldier at 11 am and 3:30 pm

• Displays of the current and heritage capabilities of Canada’s Armed Forces from 1 RCHA and 2 PPCLI from CFB Shilo.

• Exhibits on important Manitoba military sites, people and units stationed in Manitoba

• Daily fashion show of military uniforms and civilian dress from the war years at 4 pm

• Musical performances from the RCAF Air Command Band (Friday and Saturday) and the PPCLI Regimental Drum Line (Saturday only)

Go to their website at http://ag-museum.com/

You can go to the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mbagmuseum

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Ancestry Update: South African War Land Grants, 1908-1910

Ancestry.ca has added a new historical record -

“During the South African War (or Boer War) of 1899–1902, for the first time, Canada sent troops to fight in a war overseas. About 7,300 Canadian troops and 12 nurses served in South Africa. Veterans of the war were became eligible for 320 acres of Dominion Land (or a payment of $160 in scrip) under the 1908 Volunteer Bounty Act.

This database contains applications for these bounty land grants. Applications typically include the following details:

· name

· gender

· service start date, location

· residence

· death date

· place of death

· age at death

· birth date

· birth place

· regiment

The applications are two pages long, so be sure to page forward to see the entire record.” 

One thing I did notice is that in some applicant’s forms, there are notes that you may finding helpful, and the date range of service is there also. 


The records are in the Library and Archives Canada, under the citation of Department of Veterans Affairs. Soldiers of the South African War, Land Grant Applications. Record Group 38 (vols. 117-136). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Did you index yesterday?


The FamilySearch Indexing project yesterday had over 66,000 individuals who indexed at least one batch, and many did more than one batch of documents. Over 3 million records were indexed, and over 500,000 were arbitrated! That is a fantastic number.

And did you watch some or all of DearMYRTLE’s GeneaSleepOver Hangouts On Air on Google+ and archived at YouTube?

If you didn't watch, you can view the 24-hour session (divided into segments) at https://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

So congratulation to everyone who indexed. It is not too late to start indexing today. Go to https://familysearch.org/indexing/.

There are plenty of Canadian records waiting to be indexed.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Canadian Week in Review 21 July 2014


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

History Week in Canada


In 1792, a royal proclamation divided Upper Canada into counties.

Go to the website of the Archives of Ontario at http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/maps/ontario-districts.aspx

Also, Brenda Dougall Merriman, in her 30th anniversary edition of Genealogy in Ontario: Searching the Records, has maps on pages 7-10 which shows the different political divisions in Ontario
===================================================
In 1880, Dr. Emily Howard Stowe became the first woman licensed to practise medicine in Canada. She graduated from the New York Medical College, because at the time, no Canadian medical college would accept a female student.

To read more about Dr. Stowe, go to http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/physicians/030002-2500-e.html
===================================================
In 1836, the first Canadian railway opened. The track of the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railway, which ran 24 kilometres between the St. Lawrence and Richelieu Rivers, was built of a wooden base and wooden rails covered with a protective metal strip.

===================================================
In 1874, the first Mennonites arrived in Quebec. They eventually settled in Manitoba.


Social Media 


OGS Conference Community
To keep abreast of the developments of the OGS conference at Barrie in 2015, become a “friend” and keep informed.

The History Blog
An archaeological team excavating the Newfoundland colony of Avalon has found a small copper crucifix from the early dates of the settlement in the 1600s.

There are photos of the Empress of Ireland – a very impressive story.

New tour focuses on city's haunted history
There is a news story as well as a video on the city’s “haunted history”.

Newfoundland and Labrador

A dog indelibly part of our history
Read the history of the Newfoundland dog in the province’s development.

Nova Scotia

Fire upgrades part of work at site symbolizing Acadian deportation
The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. There has been preservation work going on since 2009 to the site. The chapel was built in 1930 to commemorate the deportation of the Acadians in 1755.

An exhibit has opened at the McCulloch House Museum and Heritage Centre. Here is interpretive panels in Gaelic and English which tells the story of the arrival of the Scottish Gaels in Nova Scotia, their language and culture.

COUNTERPOINT: Western Nova Scotia up to scratch
A response has been written to the Halifax-Boston ferry that others have raised.

Prince Edward Island

Troupe that brings Sir John A. to life seeks sponsors
The future of the Confederation Players is unclear with P.E.I. 2014 funding close to an end
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/troupe-that-brings-sir-john-a-to-life-seeks-sponsors-1.2711882
Summer students bring the 1864 Charlottetown Conference to life every summer, but now its unclear if the program will continue because of cut backs to the funding. The players conduct paid walking tours.

New Brunswick

No stories this week.

Quebec

Bishop Deeley to lead pilgrimage to Quebec City
http://www.portlanddailysun.me/index.php/newsx/news-briefs/12470-bishop-deeley-to-lead-pilgrimage-to-quebec-city
There will be a pilgrimage from Maine to Quebec City to honour the 350th anniversary of Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral from Friday October 3rd through Sunday October 5th.

Ontario

Donated artifacts tell new stories in local history
Forty-one donors have given more than 2,000 artifacts, documents, photographs and postcards to the Cornwall Community Museum in the Wood House.

A snoop through closets past with two new books that offer smart takes on history’s fashion sense
These are two books to add to the library.

Van Doos make history at Buckingham Palace
The Royal 22nd Regiment is standing guard at their posts at Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace respectively where they began six days guarding the British Royal Family, to the cheers of thousands of tourists thronging the capital.

History of Canadian Furniture
Do you know that Kitchener (then known as Berlin) was the birthplace of Canadian furniture?

Is Hotel Waverly's lurid past keeping it from heritage designation?
'A sense of nostalgia...doesn’t necessarily warrant physical protection'
The hotels does not meet the criteria for a heritage building, it was decided recently. The four storey hotel located in on Spadina Avenue close to the University of Toronto's downtown campus opened in 1900.

Remembering the Bloody Assize
http://www.chch.com/remembering-bloody-assize/
Did you know about this trail? I didn’t. It certainly tells of a time when we had a trial for high treason - 15 men were charged with espionage, and giving aid to the American enemy

Manitoba 

Showcasing the Natural and Cultural History of the East Beaches Area 
Manitoba has given financial support to the Rural Municipality of St. Clements for the renovation of the Heritage Wing in the Grand Marais Community Central.

Saskatchewan

No stories this week.

Alberta

Bringing ghosts to Innisfail Historical Village
Author Johnnie Bachusky to make presentation for Chamber event at historical village
 
His books - Ghost Towns of Alberta, Ghost Towns of the Red Coat Trail, and Ghost Towns of British Columbia capture his solitary sojourns from British Columbia to Saskatchewan in pursuit of hamlets and hovels, long since abandoned by those who once called them home.

MacEwan University uncovers part of Edmonton’s railway history
The century-old Canadian Northern Railways turntable pit has been unearthed in preparation for the building of the university’s new centre for arts and culture. And it’s still intact.

Historic Barron Building will not get legal protection from province
Calgary Heritage Initiative Society says it was notified by Alberta's culture minister of decision
The Barron Building will not be getting legal protection from the province after all so the Calgary Heritage Initiative Society has been told.

British Columbia

No stories this week.

Story of the Week


The birthplace of Winnipeg - Upper Fort Garry will open in September


Governor Gate, a new entrance to Upper Fort Garry, will open in September. Backed by the Friends of Upper Fort Garry, the gate will transform the land around Upper Fort Garry, known as the birthplace of Manitoba. The land will turn into an heritage park and interpretive centre.

The fort was first erected in 1835 under orders from George Simpson, then-governor of the Hudson Bay Company. Upper Fort Garry served as the centre for trade in the West, and was the site of significant historic events, such as the development of Manitoba.

The Friends of Upper Fort Garry have a website that you can go to and view the blog at http://www.upperfortgarry.com/blog, videos at http://www.upperfortgarry.com/videos/, and get the story behind the building of the Governor Gate.

There is a Virtual Heritage Exhibit of the Upper Fort Garry at http://www.virtual.heritagewinnipeg.com/vignettes/vignettes_128W.htm, as well as a timeline and photos at http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/upperfortgarry.shtml

And if you are interested in the history of upper Fort Garry, there is a historical summary online at  http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=6939

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country!

The next post will be on July 28, 2014.