Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The NEW FamilySearch is FINALLY Here!

The new FamilySearch has just gone online!

The website is much “cleaner” than it was before, much more organized, and more “user friendly" than it was before.
There has been over 85,000 visitors per day to the site, and they view over 5 million records per day.

Try the site out at www.familysearch.org, to see how it works for you.

Diary of Henry Jones

Lambton County Branch Meeting of the OGS will hold its regular meeting on Sunday, May 14, 2013 at 7:30 pm at 1400 Murphy Rd., Sarnia when they will present the Diary of Henry Jones 1832 by George Bice.

*Note: This meeting will also be available online via Live Meeting

Henry Jones brought settlers from Scotland to Lambton County to establish a communal settlement in the late 1820s. He was a believer in socialist theory, and his diaries are kept in the Lambton County Archives.

Lambton County Archives www.lclmg.org/lclmg/?TabId=110

They hold many records including –

Cemetery records - Lambton, Kent and most of Middlesex Counties

Local newspapers

Church records

Family surname files

Family histories

Directories

Historical atlases

Municipal records

Township papers

Ontario Vital Statistics

Lambton O.G.S. library

Lambton County Archives: History from the Vault http://lambtoncountyarchives.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html The Lambton County Archives also has a blog, where the Henry Jones’s diaries are written about quite extensively

Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?BioId=38113 Gives the history of Henry Jones, a community founder of Maxville, Ontario (near Brights Grove, Ont).

Go to the Lambton County Branch of the OGS at www.ogs.on.ca/lambton

Monday, April 15, 2013

New/Updated CANADIAN Websites, Blogs, Facebook, and Newspaper Articles – 15 April 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 are no new/updated websites this past week.

Blog

TONI Coordinators Needed http://ogsottawa.blogspot.com/2013/04/toni-coordinators-needed.html Mike More, past chairman of the Ottawa Genealogical Society, has put a post on the blog looking for a TONI coordinator.

Your Community Blog
Toronto teens win Heritage Minute contest with epic trek story www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2013/04/toronto-teens-heritage-minute-commemorates.html Eamonn O'Keeffe, a 15-year-old high school student and history buff from Toronto, has created a Heritage Minute about the 110 kilometre march from New Brunswick to Kingston that was completed by the New Brunswick's 104th Regiment of Foot in 1813.

Facebook - Video – You Tube

Heritage Train www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zcWv8RSrBs Take a ride on CPR's Heritage Train travelling out of Josephburg, Alberta by watching a YouTube video.

Newspaper Articles

3D technology deciphers tombstones from 18th century www.sackvilletribunepost.com/News/2013-04-09/article-3216315/3D-technology-deciphers-tombstones-from-18th/1 Grant Aylesworth , a Mount Allison anthropology professor, is using new technology to preserve the past. He is reading the “illegible” tombstones from the 1700s using 3D software technology.

Consider economics, user dynamic in rural library services - Bridgewater deputy mayor http://southshorenow.ca/archives/2013/041013/arts/Consider_economics_user_dynamic_in_rural_library_services___.html.php Read what the deputy major has said about a “user-pay” system that may be considered as a possibility at a recent town- hall meeting about saving the town's library.

Princess of Wales' Own Regiment's 150th year honoured by Canada Post www.sacbee.com/2013/04/09/5328087/princess-of-wales-own-regiments.html
The Regiment's first deployment came in 1866 when it was sent to the Niagara region to deter Fenian attacks from the United States. Its members have served as part of the Canadian Forces in every major conflict since then.

In Alberta, World Heritage sites include Dinosaur Provincial www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Photo+Vote+Your+photos+Alberta+heritage+worthy+sites/8222405/story.html In an article, the newspaper points out that Alberta has World Heritage sites, including Dinosaur Provincial Park, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. They want the readers to send in photos to the newspaper in honour of World Heritage Day.

Alberta government donates funds for upgrade of Lacombe's archives http://www.lacombeglobe.com/2013/04/11/alberta-government-donates-funds-for-upgrade-of-lacombes-archives As part of her “Culture Connects” tour, Alberta Culture Minister Heather Klimchuk toured various historical sites around the city to promote them and remind Albertans how important their past is to their future.

Pictures and Story of the Week

Obee 10 Top Tips: How to Bust Through Your Genealogy Brick Wall www.youtube.com/watch?v=33NcRbkm-eQ&list=UU9Qr-Qu_vz66fh4d9rdXaOQ&index=1
There are more RootsTech 2013 YouTube videos on the Internet, and I came across one done by Lisa Louise Cooke, where she interviews a Canadian genealogist and speaker - Dave Obee.

As Lisa Louise says “Apply the Top 10 Genealogy Research Tips that Dave Obee gives Genealogy Gems Winner Sarah Stout at #Rootstech to your own research and get results”

You can read all the details on Sarah's ancestor's incredible story and the complete list of tips at Lisa Louise Cooke's blog at
http://lisalouisecooke.com/2013/04/winner/

Dave is the Houston Lecturer this year at the Ontario Genealogical Society where he talks about Seven Habits of Highly Successful Genealogists - Seven things to remember as you conduct research and compile your data.

He is also giving four lectures at the conference–

Lecture # 1 – Family History in Western Canada

Lecture # 2 – Introduction to Eastern European Family History

Lecture # 3 – Destination Canada

Lecture # 4 – Travel Smart with Technology

Dave’s website is at Dave Obee’s Family History Page www.daveobee.com

To read more news about the conference, go to www.ogs.on.ca/conference2013/registration

Look for more articles next Monday April 22nd.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Canadian Newspaper Articles Every Monday

Don’t forget to check my blog every Monday morning for my New/Updated Canadian Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles.

This week the blog will include a blog post by Mike More, the former chair of Ottawa Genealogical Society, who writes about TONI; you can take a ride on a Heritage Train travelling out of Josephburg, Alberta by viewing a YouTube video; read about “user-pay” services that may be introduced in a library in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, and a special YouTube interview by Lisa Louise Cooke with Dave Obee, Canadian genealogist.

So don’t miss the New/Updated Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles blog on Monday April 15th.

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

Elizabeth

Writing Family History

There will be a workshop called Writing Family History at the Eastern Townships Resource Centre.

This interactive workshop will give participants tips and guidance on how to capture the emotion of their family’s stories while avoiding the dreaded “chronological boredom” when writing family history with Tracey Arial and Janice Hamilton.

Registration is limited.

The workshop will be held May 11, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It will be held at 2600 College, Bishop’s University Cleghorn Common Room, Sherbrooke (borough of Lennoxville)

For information, call Jody Robinson at 819-822-9600 ext: 2261 or email at etrc2@ubishops.ca

The website for the Eastern Townships Resource Centre www.etrc.ca/home.html

Eastern Townships Research http://simmons.b2b2c.ca There are a list of churches, cemeteries, census records, newspapers online, and there are full maps of the Eastern Townships at the site.

Société de généalogie des Cantons de l'Est www.genealogie.org/club/sgce/accueile.htm This is a research site which gives tutorials, and the organization has a library.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Ottawa Genealogy Day

I am going to the Ottawa Genealogy Day on Saturday May 4th to be held at James Bartleman Centre, 100 Tallwood Drive, Ottawa, known locally as the City Archives.

It will start at 8:00 am with registration. The marketplace will open at that time, as well as the Computer Research Room.

It will officially start at 9 am, and I am going to spend that hour doing research in the Ontario Genealogical Society Branch Library which is onsite. I went to their library-holding catalogue, which they have online at http://ogsottawa.on.ca/library and checked the books they had for Leeds and Granville County, and they have books that I will check when I am there. (I I have just been informed by Mike More, that the reference room where the OGS library is located, does not open until 10:00 am on Saturdays. So I will do my library work between 12:00 and 1:00 pm, and visit the Marketplace at 9:00 am. Thanks, Mike.)

At 11:00, I will listen to Marthe Sequin-Muntz of the LAC give a presentation called Genealogy: the “Facebook” of the past: a look at Library and Archives Canada “Wall”.

I will have to ask if she had to “vent” her talk with the LAC management before she gave her talk to us. It seems the employees must now do that in order to give public addresses these days.

The second talk will be given by Shirley Ann Pyefinch called Utilising FamilySearch.org Information Resources.

The question I want to ask is about RootsTech 2014. Is a conference going to be held in Ottawa in February next year? And if it is going to be held in Ottawa, exactly what will it entail?

And the third talk I definitely want to hear is Glenn Wright’s talk about Great Revelations: Canada, Canadians and the 1921 Census. I want to ask if we have anyone in Canada to index the census as they did with the 1940 census in the States? Does he know if there are any groups who are organized to take on such a task?

As John D. Reid said in his blog yesterday at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2013/04/50-days-to-go.html, there are only 50 days left before the 1921 census is released. We had better mobilize and organize a lot of indexers quickly if we plan to do something about this.

Are there any questions that you would like me to ask on your behalf? Just write to me at genealogycanada@aol.com with your questions, and I will endeavor to ask them.

So I will report on the "day" during the week of May 7th.

The website is at http://ogsottawa.on.ca

Friday, April 12, 2013

Cemetery Walking Tour – Vancouver's Mountain View Cemetery

On Saturday, April 27 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, there will be a Walking Tour, and it will focus on Mountain View’s 1919 Section. Meet at the Celebration Hall, 5445 Fraser Street (enter at 39th Ave.). The cost is $10 per person (cash only please).

Join Lorraine Irving from the BC Genealogical Society for a walking tour of the 1919 section of the cemetery. Located on the south side of 41st Avenue, this section is the last resting place for Joe Fortes, the best loved Vancouver lifeguard, and Janet Smith whose murder has never been officially solved. As well, there are other murder victims, those that died in the sinking of the S.S. Sophia and Britannia Mine disaster, there’s the first memorial for the Sons of Italy, a memorial for firemen, and much more.

On Monday, June 10 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, there will be a Walking Tour which will focus on Food Traditions at Mountain View. Meet at the Celebration Hall, 5445 Fraser Street (enter at 39th Ave.). $10 per person (cash only please).

The walking tout will be conducted by community historian Chris Mathieson as he takes you on a tour exploring the history of Vancouver’s relationship with food, through introductions to fishermen, farmers, hunters, shopkeepers, brewers and more. There will also be a discuss food traditions associated with death and cemeteries.

On Sunday, July 14th, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, there will be a Walking Tour of the Chinese, Japanese and Jewish Sections of Mountain View Cemetery. Meet at Celebration Hall, 5445 Fraser Street (enter at 39th Ave.). The cost of $10 per person (cash only please).

Historian Maurice Guibord leads a walk exploring the Chinese, Japanese and Jewish sections of Mountain View Cemetery. These sections are fascinating examples of the segregation that existed even in cemeteries during the 19th and 20th centuries. Each of these three areas evokes cultural traits of communities that were seeking a foothold in Vancouver’s society. We will discuss the disinterment of Chinese remains, until 1937, to be repatriated to China for reburial with their ancestors; the self-segregation of a burgeoning Jewish congregation; and the survival of an impressive swastika-decorated Japanese obellist through the Second World War.

On Sunday, August 4, there will be a Women’s History Walking Tour of Mountain View with Lorraine Irving, M. Diane Rogers and Jolene Cumming, co-sponsored by the BC Genealogical Society and the Herstory Cafe. Watch for details soon.

Vancouver’s Mountain View Cemetery tour information is at http://vancouver.ca/your-government/visit-mountain-view-cemetery.aspx

You can e-mail them at mountain.view@vancouver.ca, or phone them at 604. 325. 2646

Some other posts that I have put on over the years include –

Wednesday, February 27, 2013
UPDATE: Vancouver, British Columbia, Mountain View Cemetery Index, 1887-2007http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=70665

Friday, October 26, 2012
All Souls Event at Vancouver’s Mountain View Cemetery An archived list of burials at Mountain View Cemetery is available here http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/NONMARKETOPERATIONS/MOUNTAINVIEW/burials/index.htm

Find a Grave - Mountain View Cemetery and Crematorium
www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=cem&FScemeteryid=1968309