Showing posts with label Nova Scotia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nova Scotia. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Nova Scotia Genealogy Website Available in French

The website with nearly a million possibilities for people to search for their Nova Scotia roots is now available in French.

The Historical Vital Statistics website, maintained by the Nova Scotia Archives, has a searchable database containing nearly one million personal names. Each is linked to a corresponding birth, death or marriage registration, digitized and available online. The earliest records date from the mid-1700s and the most recent from the 1960s.

"One of the ways the province is making life better for Acadian and francophone families is by creating more access to bilingual services online," said Communities Culture and Heritage Minister Leonard Preyra. "The Historical Vital Statistics website is an invaluable genealogical tool for Nova Scotians to explore our family history and learn more about our culture and heritage."

The website is the only one of its kind in Canada that people can browse for records about their genealogy free of charge. The website is a popular destination for family history researchers and community historians from Nova Scotia and around the world.

To search for records on the Historical Vital Statistics website go to www.novascotiagenealogy.com. People can also purchase electronic or paper copies of the documents by ordering online and paying via secure credit card transaction.

The Historical Vital Statistics website includes records transferred from Vital Statistics after 100 years for births, 50 years for deaths and 75 years for marriages.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Ancestry.ca UPDATE: Canada, City and Area Directories, 1819-1906



As of 12 March, 2013, Ancestry.ca has 8,299,563 people in their database of Canadian directories.

TherThere are directories for Kentville, Nova Scotia, and Henry B. Webster is listed there as a barrister in 1867, in the Hutchinson’s Nova Scotia Directory, 1866-1867, and in 1869 in the  McAlpine’s Nova Scotia Directory, 1868-1869.

Henry B. Webster was the son of Henry Webster of Kentville, Nova Scotia, and Edwardiana Barclay, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, who was the only daughter of James Barclay and Catherine Bingay, the brother to my g-g-g-g-grandfather George Barclay.

So go to www.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=3789, put in the name of yout ancestor, and see what come up – you may be surprised.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Dick Eastman’s Blog: Finding Acadian Resources in Books and Online

In Dick's blog this morning, there is news about a newspaper column written by Roxanne Moore Saucier in which she tells us about a great way to discover and read about our Acadian ancestors – through books and online.

As he says, “the term French Canadian describes those with Quebec ancestry, while Acadian refers to the French who occupied what is now Nova Scotia and parts of New Brunswick until the British deported them in Le Grand Derangement of 1755”.

You can read Dick’s full article at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2013/03/finding-acadian-resources-in-books-and-online.html

To read Roxanne Moore Saucier column, see the Living Section of the Bngor Daily News at http://bangordailynews.com/community/finding-acadian-resources-in-books-and-online

And don’t forget the more than 100 family reunions scheduled for Aug. 8-24, 2014, during the World Acadian Congress, visit http://cma2014.com/rencontres-de-familles-prog.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Heritage Property Resource at the Nova Scotia Archives

People who want to join the Canada-wide celebration of Heritage Day can explore a new heritage property resource at the Nova Scotia Archives.

For the first time, records and photos of pre-1914 built homes, churches, railway stations, bridges and other community structures are available.

A selection of the records is now available for visitors on public computers in the archives' reading room. The records include photos, descriptions of the properties and information about historical features and architecture.

The Provincial Built Heritage Inventory Project began in the late 1990s to record and document all buildings built before 1914. The Heritage Property Program records were digitized then transferred to the Archives in January.

Information about the archives' resources and programs is available at www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm

I checked the information that the archives has on the town of Shelburne and there is the paper-covered book containing list of assessments of Shelburne county and poor taxes for 1787, in semi-alphabetical order. I had never actually seen the book before, only a photocopy of it, so it was good to see the book itself as it was created in 1787.

The other communities that I have got to check when I have more time is Barrington, Tusket, Yarmorth, and Kentville.

Two other papers I noticed was the original signature of Andrew Barclay, and a postcard photo of James Barclay’s house, son of Andrew, in Shelburne, on page 9 image 4.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Gold: A Nova Scotia Treasure

From Saturday January 19 to Sunday March 31, 2013 there will be an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia where the History of Bling Told in Gold: A Nova Scotia Treasure will be open to visitors. It is the little known 150 year old story of Nova Scotia and its relationship with gold.

The press release says that “Co-curated by Shannon Parker, Curator of Collections at the AGNS and Debra McNabb, Director at the Museum of Industry, this multifaceted exhibition was inspired by the discovery and identification of 15 watercolours by Frederick B. Nichols, rare paintings that document the first of Nova Scotia’s three gold rushes, as well as other industrial landscapes around Halifax. An American engraver and mining engineer, Nichols moved to Nova Scotia in 1865 because of his interest in our gold fields, and worked here as a chemist, mining engineer and professor of geology.

Sponsored by Kinross Gold Corporation the exhibition also features an extensive series of oil sketches by the Group of Seven and all manner of gold items including a Nobel Prize, Anne Murray’s gold record for Snowbird, gold jewellery crafted by Nova Scotian artisans and a stunning collection of gold medals from Nova Scotian athletes”.

To read about gold in Nova Scotia, go to -

Finding Gold in Nova Scotia
http://gemology.knoji.com/finding-gold-in-nova-scotia/

Church's mineral map of Nova Scotia. Church, A. F. (Ambrose F.), 1889
www.davidrumsey.com/maps2867.html

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

FamilySearch Update: Canada, Merchant Marine Agreements and Accounts of Crews, 1890-1920

FamilySearch has updated the Canadian Merchant Marine Agreements and Accounts of Crews, 1890-1920 with 23,381added images.

As they say in their description, “This collection covers ports in British Columbia (primarily Victoria). Some records are from ports in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and a few foreign ports. The documents are organized by ship and include, among other information, the signatures of crew members, their ages and birthplaces. Each box includes a general inventory of its contents listing box and file numbers, date, ship name, location and owner. The original records are in possession of the British Columbia Archives in Victoria”.

In the records, they may have the following information -

■ Full name of crew member

■ Year of birth

■ Place of birth

■ Name of ship where the crew member last served in

■ Date and place of agreement

■ Date, place, cause of death

■ Name of ship

To go to the records, go to https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Canada,_Merchant_Marine_Agreements_and_Accounts_of_Crews_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia Meeting

Pam Wile the Editor of the Nova Scotia Genealogist newsletter from the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia tells us that they will be open today Sunday, January 13, 2013 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. EST

They are located at 3258 Isleville Street, Halifax, and you can have a comfortable research space that includes a patrons' computer with internet access and a library. If you can't make it to their place, you can view their library holdings at www.novascotiaancestors.ca/libraryRecords.php


And she tells us that there will be a meeting on Saturday, January 26, and they will be having special speaker Nancy Wilson, and her topic will be Genealogy and Youth.

Nancy Wilson was the Coordinator for the intergenerational genealogy project: Genealogical Sleuths: Youth and Seniors Partnering to Discover their History developed by the South Shore Genealogical Society.

The meeting will be from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm in the Akins A/V Room, Nova Scotia Archives, University Ave, Halifax, NS.

Attendees are encouraged to bring along a young person - child, grandchild, neighbour, friend - to introduce them to ways to research their family history. Nancy will talk about ways to get youth involved that will inspire you to share your stories with the younger generation.

There will be door prizes and light refreshments will be served.

A selection of our publications will be on display and for sale at the
lecture.

To find out more about the meetings, go to www.NovaScotiaAncestors.ca

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Halifax Explosion, 1917

To add to my post I did yesterday morning on the Haliax Explosion, the Library and Archives Canada Flickr website now has put photos on the Internet.

The LAC says that the explosion was a “tragedy on a massive scale (which) happened on Canadian shores on December 6, 1917 when the French cargo ship, the SS Mont Blanc, and the Norwegian SS Imo, collided in the harbour at Halifax, Nova Scotia.’

The photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157627774733594

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Keeping History Alive

The Herald News has an interesting story this morning in the online paper that could be of interest to genealogical societies across the country..

John Ashton, a historian, has helped to design a number of kiosks in Pictou County (Nova Scotia). They have been placed in the rural parts of the county, and they tell the stories of the communities from the time they were founded to times that are more recent.

To read more about keeping their history alive at http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/193540-kiosks-help-keep-past-alive

Friday, September 21, 2012

Lest We Forget: Researching Your World War Ancestors

The Keshen Goodman Branch of the Halifax Public Library is hosting a talk this Saturday at 2:390 pm on learning how to build your military ancestors' stories using the most common resources available online and at the library.

The talk will be given by Joanne McCarthy, Reference Librarian, and she will use actual examples of Nova Scotia service files from the Lest We Forget workshops for those of you in the area,

Visit the Keshen Goodman Public Library at
www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/branches/locations/keshen-goodman.html

Visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hfxpublib

Monday, July 30, 2012

New Canadian Blog

We congratulate Betty on staring a new blog that is going to contain Canadian content, and it is called The Pye Plate at http://thepyeplate.blogspot.com.
Since she is a Mayflower Descendent, she will discuss ancestors who travelled from England to New England, and from there to the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and to New Brunswick.  
She promises that the blog will be mostly about her family, but she will post for anyone who is seeking assistance in researching their family.
Welcome aboard Betty!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Stone Family Gathering 2012

The descendants of George Stone & Mary Doody will meet for a family reunion July 19th to the July 22, 2012 at Bras D'or Lakes Inn, Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.
They have a full days planned with a Ceilidh on Thursday, a “Meet and Greet” on Friday evening, a full day of activities on Saturday, including a church service at 11:00 AM at the Ecumenical Church Service at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Barra Head,  and they will have a  Family Gathering Meal at St Peter's Lions' Hall on Sunday
 It is believed that George & Mary Stone and their one year old son Jonas arrived at Sydney CB, aboard a vessel from Trepassey NL, named "the Elizabeth" on the 21st of July, 1800
 If you can’t go to the Gathering, they have various articles on their website, with photos, and a Guest Book on their website  at http://stonefamilygathering2012.webs.com/weekendschedule.htm

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Canadians Who Fought in the Boer War

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Colchester Historical Museum Honours Local People

During their annua Heritage Night Celebration on Thursday, February 23rd, the museum honoured the following people or groups -
  • Truro's Carol Campbell and James Smith received an award in the written history category for their writings about the Planters.
  • Lisa Davies of Onslow will take home an award in the genealogy category for three extensive family genealogy projects.
  • Tatamagouche's Dale Swan is being honoured with the Iindividual Heitage Award for volunteering with the Anna Swan Museum, North Shore Archives, and Creamery Square.
  • The Planter 250 Committee will be given the Promotion of Heritage Award for its organization and implementation of events celebrating planters.
  • The Town of Truro Award will go to the owners of 23 Inglis Place (Temptations) for its façade upgrades. The owners are Vineberg and Fulton.
The museum itself has—in its archives—vital statistics, newspaper articles, census reports, school registers, photos, and family genealogies. The museums has exhibits on lighthouses, "Colchester Today", "Unearthing Colchester", and past exhibits include "New Beginners: Planters in Cobequid 1761-1780"; “A Favourable Opportunity: The Planters Choose Cobequid"; and "Victoria Park: A Cultural Landscape"
.
The museum/s website is http://colchesterhistoreum.ca/. They have a newsletter, and are on Facebook and Twitter.

Congratulations to all - well done!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Genealogy Show and Tell (GANS)


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hope to see you there.

Regards,

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

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas Wishes


Diane Lynn Tibert, a genealogy writer from Nova Scotia, has made a number of wishes in her regular column, and some of them are -
  • I wish for you to find a wrecking ball in 2012 that knocks down a major brick wall blocking your path to unearthing a piece of information that exposes a branch of your tree that has been kept buried for years. May the opening be large enough to see into several generations.
  • I wish for you to take a trip to a place you've never gone and discover a long lost headstone you've been seeking for years. May it still stand with a flawless inscription that provides all the vital information, including the deceased's country of origin and a wee tale of why they came to Canada. I wish you clear passage to it and an insect bite-free visit.
  • I wish for you to come into possession of a stack of letters. The yellowing envelopes contain love letters between your great-grandparents when during the First World War he was a soldier serving overseas and she was living at home with her parents.
Read the rest of her Christmas wishes in the Times & Transcript newspaper at  

And submit a query to her column. It's free! Her email address is tibert@ns.sympatico.ca.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Holy Cross Roman Catholic, Halifax, Nova Scotia

The ChronicleHerald.ca, an online newspaper http://thechronicleherald.ca/HCW/1265125.html, has a story in the paper about Halifax’s oldest Roman Catholic cemetery.

The story says “Five years ago, Holy Cross, which is a final resting place for 25,000 people, had reached a state of disrepair. Many of the 2,500 tombstones near the corner of South and South Parks streets had been toppled and broken as a result of vandalism, weathering and neglect. In addition, the cemetery’s 150-year-old chapel was crumbling”.

The cemetery had been established in 1843.

The project was helped by the Charitable Irish Society of Halifax and An Cumann, a non-profit Irish association.

Holy Cross Cemetery Trust http://www.holycrosscemeteryhalifax.ca/history/index.html A volunteer organization which has worked over the past years to restore Holy Cross Cemetery and its historical Chapel, started and completed on the 31st of August, 1843 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Find a Grave http://www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=cem&FScemeteryid=639382 There are two records on this site – the burial of Charles Robertson, and Sir John Sparrow David Thompson.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

FREE Genealogy Workshop in Windsor, Nova Scotia

Members of the West Hants Historical Society are holding a FREE Genealogy Workshop on Saturday, 20 August, 2011 from 10 a.m. until everybody gives up!

The workstations will be -

- Locating and using on-line sources

- Demonstration of a 'typical' genealogy package (Legacy)

- Thinking of writing a book?

- Hants County Cemeteries

- WHHS Library resources (try them)

- Care and storage of photos and documents.

- Lots of handouts.

They ask that you join them at the West Hants Historical Society, 281 King St., Windsor, NS

Their website is at http://www.westhantshistoricalsociety.ca/

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Scottish Immigrants to Canada

I have just received permission to repost this notice by Caitlin McNally of PBS in New York -

"My name is Caitlin McNally, and I'm doing research for an American public
television genealogical program. I'm trying to learn about Scottish
immigrants to Canada, particularly the McLauchlen and Murray families. I
have a few names and dates, and was wondering if someone could help me fill
out these family trees a bit. Most importantly, I'm trying to discover if
and when these families came to Canada from Scotland, what their livelihoods
were in Canada, and why they left Scotland.

Also, any larger context about Scottish immigration to Canada during the
generations when these families immigrated would be much appreciated!

Here are the individuals and the little information I have:

John Robert McLauchlen
born 1851 (?) in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick
married June 18 1875 in Boston, MA

and
James McLauchlen
born in Scotland??
and Sarah McLauchlen
born in New Brunswick?

wife of John Robert McLauchlen: Jesse Murray
born January 1854 in Pictou (?), Nova Scotia
--daughter of--
John and Mary Murray
born in Nova Scotia?

If you know of anyone I could speak with about these families as well as
Scottish immigration to Nova Scotia, I'd appreciate it greatly. Many thanks
in advance and I look forward to hearing from you -- I can be reached at
this email caitlinarkmedia@gmail.com, or at my office in New York: (718) 935-9745".

All the best,

Caitlin
--
Caitlin McNally | Producer/Director | Ark Media for PBS-WNET
office 718.935.9745 | mobile 917.981.5541

Sunday, February 1, 2009

LAC Launches Black History Month

The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) launched Black History Month today (Sunday, February 1st), and they are calling it "The Courage to Make a Difference."

As Ian E. Wilson, Librarian and Archivist of Canada says, "I invite researchers, historians, educators, genealogists and students to delve into our vast array of material and resources to learn more about the rich heritage of Black Canadians."

This year, the LAC is paying special notice to Abraham Doras Shadd, who played a major role in the Underground Railroad, and to Rosemary Brown, the first Black woman to be elected as a member of a Provincial Legislative Assembly in Canada. The website is www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/black-history.

You can go online to to read about the Anti-Slavery Movement in Canada at
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/anti-slavery/index-e.html. An article about this will be in the February issue of the Ontario Genealogical Society's newsletter, NewsLeaf.

The Port Roseway Associates Database at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/port-roseway/index-e.html gives access to a listing of 1,498 Black Loyalists Refugees who settled in Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

As stated on the website at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/northern-star/index-e.html, "Under a Northern Star presents seven unique collections held at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) that document the diverse historical experience of African Canadians."

There are other resources to check, including Achievements and Contributions, Literature, Music, and Sports.