Genealogy à la carte

Branches at Ontario Ancestors are hosting six virtual presentations this week. All are open to the public, and with the exception of one, all are free.

The following times are in Eastern time.

Monday, November 18, 7:00 p.m. — Oxford County Branch
Sir Frederick Banting: The Man You Thought You Knew by Grant Maltman

Historians and scientists have deemed the discovery of insulin to be “the most significant event in the history of Canadian medical science.” Historians and authors have well documented the difference Sir Frederick Banting made with his involvement in the discovery of insulin. What has not been as effectively communicated are his many other contributions throughout the course of his lifetime. There was far more to this distinguished Canadian’s career than the often-simplified events of the insulin period. Banting’s interest in art, his military service in both world wars, and support for medical research in Canada will be discussed. Register to watch online.

Monday, November 18, 7:00 p.m. —- Sudbury District Branch
The Second World War: Researching the Canadians Who Served by Ken McKinlay

This presentation delves into the wealth of records available for researching Canadians who served during the Second World War. We’ll explore both the poignant records of those who gave their lives in service to Canada and the rich archival resources that reveal the stories of those who survived. Whether your interest lies in uncovering military service details, personal narratives, or broader historical insights, this session hopefully provides the tools and guidance to deepen your understanding of those who served Canada. Register to watch online.

Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 p.m. — Thunder Bay and District Branch
Debt, Drunk & Disordely, Vagrancy, Prostitution, Theft, Assault, Insanity: Are You Sure Your Ancestors Were Never In Jail? by Janice Nickerson

No one wants a criminal at the dinner table, but finding one in your family tree can add pizzazz to an otherwise boring list of names and dates. Did you know that 19^th-century jails were full of people who just couldn’t pay their debts, got caught drinking in public, or got into one too many fights? Irish people were over-represented and women were most often incarcerated for “moral” offences. This lecture will introduce you to the wonder of Ontario jail records, and what they can tell you about your ancestors. Register to watch online.

Thursday, November 21, 12:30 p.m. — Sudbury District Branch
MyHeritage: New Features and a Canada Focus by Daniel Horowitz

Register to watch online.

Thursday, November 21, 7:00 p.m. — Hamilton Branch
The Wedge Family’s Truth and Lore by Beth Adams

While helping a cousin uncover their family history through DNA results, “stories” of connection to “the mountain” in Hamilton were discovered. This presentation will review the process that led to the discovery of the family they never knew, as well as investigating the very surprising possibility of Indigenous and UEL heritage. These “stories” have led to research in an effort to prove or disprove the Indigenous connections in an ethical and sensitive manner. Successful and unsuccessful sources will be discussed. As with most of our family trees, this one is a “work in progress” and we may find out more by November! This webinar is free to all society members. Non-members can purchase access to the live presentation and the recording for two weeks for $10. Register to watch online.

Sunday, November 24, 2:00 p.m. — Halton-Peel Branch
Second World War: Researching the Canadians Who Served by Ken McKinlay

This presentation delves into the wealth of records available for researching Canadians who served during the Second World War. Whether your interest lies in uncovering military service details, person narratives, or broader historical insights, this session, hopefully, provides the tools and guidance to deepen your understanding of those who served Canada in this terrible war. Register to watch online.

There’s unfortunate news in the genealogy world in British Columbia.

The Qualicum Beach Family History Society will hold its very last meeting on Wednesday, November 20, before closing for good after 20 years.

The speaker for the evening will be Dave Obee, publisher and editor of the Times Colonist and a well-known family historian and speaker. He has written a dozen books on family history and local history topics and received a number of awards. Many have benefitted and continue to benefit from the vast number of Canadian resources on his website, CanGenealogy.

This is a hybrid meeting, starting at 7:00 p.m. Pacific time. The presentation is free to all, in person and online.

Mr. Obee will present in person to deliver the presentation, Destination Canada.

More than seven million people arrived in Canada from Europe, the United States and Asia between 1815 and 1930. This session deals with the wide variety of sources that deal with immigration to Canada, including ship passenger lists (available from 1865 through 1935), border crossing records and naturalization and citizenship documents.

The in-person presentation will take place at Rotary House, 211 Fern Road West in Qualicum Beach.

If you cannot attend in person, it will also be available on Zoom. To register for the presentation on Zoom, please send an email to presentations@qbfhs.ca.

Ancestry has organized two free webinars that will be presented by Crista Cowan. Registration is required for both.

The first webinar, Ancestry Pro Tools: Taking Your Family Tree to the Next Level, takes place today, November 13, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time.

If you’ve been climbing your family tree for a while, you are ready to explore it in a whole new way. Ancestry Pro Tools gives you access to features designed to help you navigate the growing amount of information you’ve collected about your family, improve your tree’s accuracy, and showcase the people in your tree like never before. Join Crista for a guided tour of smart filters, tree checker, tree mapper, enhanced shared matches, and more. By the end of this session, you’ll be ready to make even more discoveries. Register here.

Ancestry’s second webinar, AncestryDNA 201, will be presented on Wednesday, December 11 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time.

This beginner-friendly webinar will give you the information and skills you need to make the most out of your AncestryDNA Match List so you can keep making meaningful family history discoveries. Crista will guide you through how to determine your genetic relationship with your matches, how to create custom groups, and how to keep your discoveries organized in a way that will lead to even more discoveries. Whether you just got your AncestryDNA results or have had them for a while, you’ll learn how to navigate your AncestryDNA Match List with confidence. By the end of this session, you’ll have a solid foundation to keep exploring! Register here.

It’s another good week at Ontario Ancestors with plenty to learn from seven virtual presentations. All are open to the public and all are free, with the exception of one presentation that charges a fee for non-society members.

The following times are in Eastern time.

Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 p.m. — Essex County Branch
A Tour of the Franco-Ontarian Research Centre

Essex County Branch volunteers will give a tour of the Franco-Ontarian Research Centre that has been in Essex County, helping researchers with their French genealogy for more than 40 years. They have amassed a huge resource collection.

The Essex County Branch is assisting in the digitization of many of the documents in their collection but so many of the documents are under copyright and can only be viewed at the Centre. Register to watch online.

Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 p.m. – Lambton County Branch
Winter of Discontent by Jean Rae Baxter

This presentation is based on the speaker’s book, Battle on the Ice “Winter of Discontent,” the 1837-1838 Patriot Revolt. It focuses on what caused it and the importance of the Battle of Pelee Island on March 2, 1838. Register to watch online. 

Wednesday, November 13, 7:00 p.m. — York County Branch
The Representation of the First World War in Film by Cameron Telch

Cameron Telch is a third-year doctoral candidate in Educational Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University on the underrepresentation of shell shock in Canadian war museums within the frameworks of critical theory and difficult knowledge. Register to watch online.

Thursday, November 14, 7:00 p.m. — Haldiman-Norfolk Branch
Finding North American Passenger Lists by Tara Shymanski

Are you missing a key genealogy clue because you haven’t found a passenger list? Do you know when your relatives first stepped on North American soil? Learn where to find passenger lists, and tips to figure out when they arrived, and how to find  finding passenger lists for elusive ancestors.

This webinar is free to all society members. Non-members can purchase access to the live presentation and the recording for two weeks for a fee of $10. Register to watch online.

Thursday, November 14, 7:30 p.m. — Toronto Branch
Unwritten Chapters: Unveiling Ancestral Narratives with Y-DNA and MTDNA by Katy Rowe-Schurwanz

You may have already done autosomal DNA testing or are planning to. But if you haven’t done any Y-DNA or mitochondrial DNA testing, you might be missing out on information that can really help you make new discoveries about your ancestors. Katy Rowe-Schurwanz will explain what these two other DNA tests are and how they can help. The session, including discussion, will be recorded and available for a limited time to Toronto Branch members only. The webinar is free and open to all. Register to watch online.

Friday, November 15, 7:00 p.m. — Niagara Peninsula Branch
The Great War and the White Plague, 1914–1950 by Eric Story

Eric Story will discuss how the medical war unfolded from 1914 to 1918, specifically through one of the gravest diseases of the twentieth century — tuberculosis. “The Great White Plague,” as it was commonly called, instilled intense fears of not only death but also long-term chronic illness. In addition, it forced the Canadian government to rethink its approach to healthcare across the country after the war was over. Mr. Story will explore this overlooked wartime disease and its ramifications on individuals diagnosed with it as well as the country at large. Register to watch online.

Saturday, November 16, 10:00 a.m. — Kingston Branch
Travels With My Aunt:  Adventures in Europe, 1914 by Barbara Tose

In 1914, Nellie Miller and Eliza McAlpine, two ladies from Lindsay, Ontario, set off for the adventure of a lifetime — a grand tour of Britain and Europe. When Barbara Tose started researching her family history, she discovered in her grandmother’s truck the letter her great-great aunt Nellie wrote to her brother telling him about the trip. In her presentation, Barbara will weave the stories from Nellie’s 29-page letter with momentous events of that summer, especially those leading to the start of World War I. Register to watch online.