Thursday, September 8, 2011

Twenty Ways to Avoid Grief When Researching

You will never know what you will find when you take a couple minutes to look around the Internet. Such was the case yesterday when I went on the British Columbia Genealogy Society website, and came across a “tips” article entitled “Twenty Ways to Avoid Grief When Researching” by Margaret M. Sharon*.

Some of the tips are -

Always note the source of any material you photocopy.

How many times have you gone to the archives, and have photocopied pages and pages from a book and then forget to mark the pages, or the source of the material?

Try not to let your research get behind.

Yes, can I tell you of the boxes, and boxes that I have of research material that has yet to be put in my genealogical family history?

Place names and boundaries have changed constantly over the years.

Even in a country like Canada with such a short history changes in place name and boundaries are everywhere. In the small village where I grew up it was known as Jordan River for many years before it was changed to Jordan Falls around 1900. Changes in place names do make a difference.

Take a minute, and read the paper in full because even though it is now somewhat “dated” having been written in 1988, there are still some genealogical truths in the paper that are still valid today.

The website is at http://www.bcgs.ca/Twenty%20Ways%20to%20Avoid%20Grief%20When%20Researching.htm

*It was originally published in The British Columbia Genealogist, March 1988, Volume 17, No. 1, pp. 4-6. © B.C.G.S.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Research Wiki Needs Writers!

The Research Wiki of the FamilySearch.org https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Main_Page where it publishes various articles on doing research in a particular county on many subjects.

Canada is listed 98th out of the most popular entries with over 20,000 views.

But they still need more articles on Canada.

Do you have articles that have yet to be published?

They have a complete guide to writing the articles, what is needed, and how to put the articles on the Research Wiki.

Go to the website to find out what you need to do at https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Canada

PEI Places Receive Heritage Designation

The following place in Prince Edward Island received the provincial Heritage Places Protection Act this summer -

SOURIS TOWN HALL & the McLEAN HOUSE INN, Souris

Built in 1905, the Souris Town Hall was built of Island sandstone. It was the post office and customs house for the town until the 1960s when the post office relocated.

The McLean House Inn, Souris was built in 1875 for John McLean (1845-1936), partner in the very successful Matthew and McLean business.

For the website of the town of Souris, go to
http://www.sourispei.com/about/about.html

FARMERS' BANK of Rustico

Built between 1861-1864 of locally quarried Island sandstone, the Farmers’ Bank was established to provide low interest loans to local farmers. It was to be one of the first credit unions of the province.

To read about the Farmer's Bank, go to http://www.farmersbank.ca


BARACHOIS INN, Anglo Rustico

The Barachois Inn was built in 1880 for Joseph Gallant, a prosperous local merchant.

To read about the inn, you can go to the website http://www.barachoisinn.com

ST. JAMES UNITED CHURCH, West Covehead

St. James United Church is a fine example of a rectangular Meeting House, with Classical Revival architectural design elements.

There are pictures of the church on this site at http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.com/2011/07/st-james-united-church-west-covehead.html

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Canadian Genealogist Online

The Canadian Genealogist has been put online at the Ontario Genealogists Society (OGS) website at http://ogs.on.ca/services/cdn_genealogist.php

It was published four times a year between 1979 to 1988 by George and Elizabeth Hancocks.

It followed the same layout as OGS Families, and there are lots of articles from across Canada, whereas Families is mostly concerned with genealogy that has an Ontario slant.

All of the issues have been indexed.

Niagara Peninsula Branch Fall Event

J. BRIAN GILCHRIST will be the featured speaker at the Niagara Peninsula Branch Fall Event to be held later in October.

He has over 40 years experience as a researcher, and speaker, and will facilitate the following 3 sessions -

LOOKING FOR RECORDS IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES - ACCESSING EARLY
ONTARIO RECORDS 1790 - 1860

WHO GETS WHAT WHEN? HOW TO DISTRIBUTE YOUR RESEARCH.
Brian assisted by Steve Fulton, Technical Support and Innovative Committee Chair
for the OGS will make suggestions.

PROBLEM SOLVING PANEL – Please submit your questions with your registration or
by email.

Te date will be Saturday, Oct. 29th, 2011, and it will be at the First Grantham United Church, 415 Linwell Road, St. Catharines, Ontario.

Doors open at 9 am for Registration, and the Region 4 Meeting, and Publication sales. The cost will be $25 before October 1st, and $30 after Oct 1st, and at the door.

Lunch as well as door prizes will be included.

Payment can be made by cheque to Niagara Peninsula Branch OGS Box 2224, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2R 7R8, or with PayPal on our website http://www.ogs.on.ca/niagara

For further information call 905 934 1537 or email niagara@ogs.on.ca

Monday, September 5, 2011

British Home Children Newsletter



A brand new newsletter has just been added to the newsletters produced by Canadian genealogy organizations, and it is the BHC-SIG Newsletter. That is – the British Home Children Special Interest Group.

In the first issue of the newsletter there is an article about the S.S. Toronto, Dominion Line; an article on Mary Scott Pearson submitted by Beth Bruder; an article on William Thomson Robin by Margory Ronnin; an article on Percy Henry Smith by Shirley Sturdevant; My BHC Ancestors by Phil Ellis, and Part I: Thomas (George) Warner – A Barnardo Boy by Linda Hurtubise.

There is a message from the Chair Phil Ellis, and an article about the Flamborough Archives, and the work they have done on the Home Children from the town of Waterdown.

If you wish to join, the fee is $5.00 per year (in addition to the regular yearly ($60.00) and a half-yearly ($35.00) fee.

If you wish to join, go to the membership site at http://www.ogs.on.ca/membership/join.php, or contact Marsha at the OGS membership@ogs.on.ca to discuss it with her. Or you can go to the BHC-SIG site at http://www.ogs.on.ca/SIG-BHC/index.htm

New/Improved Canadian Websites and Blogs - Week 1

A weekly listing of some of the Canadian websites and blogs that I have come across the week ending Sept 4th, 2011.

The Oram Family Tree http://oramtree.sumgen.com — This Oram family is thought to have originated in Wiltshire, UK. Some members have appeared to have gone to Canada.

The New Auty Genealogy Site http://www.autygenealogy.org — AUTY, AWTY, AUTIE, AUTTIE, AUTEY, AUTTY, AUTTEE surnames covering England, New Zealand, Australia, USA, and Canada.

Roots Cape Breton Genealogy & Family History Centre http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/en/home/researchlearn/rootscapebreton/default.aspx — Roots Cape Breton is a computer-assisted research service for those in search of their Cape Breton roots. $

Directory of Oxford County 1857-1858 http://www.ocl.net/genealogy/oxford_dir — Online searchable directory of residents and businesses of Oxford County, Ontario 1857-1858. I wrote a blog posting on this site - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/08/oxford-county-library-databases-indexes.html

Ontario (Upper Canada) County Directories http://www.ontariogenealogy.comontariocountydirectories.html

The FERGUSON Connection - A Family History http://thefergusonconnection.cds-enterprises.com — The FERGUSON, FIELDS, and related families are included from all over the Unites States, and some from Canada.

Quebec Genealogy Pointers - ManyRoads http://www.many-roads.com/category/thoughts/tips-opinions/quebec-genealogy — Mark Rabideau writes about French Canada, and the Rabideau – Henss histories & Genealogy.

Canada Lands Survey System http://clss-satc.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/googledata-donneesgoogle-eng.php — Canada Lands in Google Earth including Indian Reserves, National Parks, and the territories.

Canadian Military Research and Genealogy http://canadiangenealogyandresearch.ca — A bilingual (French/English) website which can help research your military ancestors.

RIVETTE Family Genealogy http://www.rivettefamily.com/places_index.htm Follow the Acadian family through New Brunswick, and other Acadian settlements in Canada.