The Grande Prairie & District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society has made a great addition to its website that is available to all for free.
Right now, in their Current Newsletters section, you can read recent newsletters and journals from the British Columbia Genealogical Society, the Camrose Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society, Ontario Ancestors, and the Alberta Family Histories Society.
This week Ontario Ancestors announced that all of their live monthly presentations will be free to everyone who registers. The online presentations will be delivered live on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time.
In 2024, non-members had to pay $10 to watch the live webinar. So, this is a nice change moving forward.
Here’s their monthly webinar program for 2025, and it begins January 2.
Recordings will be available to members only.
Stanley Diamond, the founding president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal, passed away on December 18. He was 91 years old.
He was also the founder and executive director of Jewish Records Indexing – Poland, a searchable online database.
Many comments on the memorial page are about the impact Mr. Diamond had on genealogy. He was a mentor and guide to many family historians throughout the years. One person wrote, “He helped me, and hundreds if not thousands of others, in our genealogical searches. And he did it all with optimism, kindness, and with an open, non-judgmental mind.”
In his blog post, Groundbreaking Côte Saint-Luc researcher in genealogy Stan Diamond has left us, journalist Mike Cohen shared his memories about Mr. Diamond and the contributions he made to the genealogy world.
He wrote, “His commitment to uncovering family histories obscured by war and upheaval paved the way for countless people of European Jewish ancestry to trace their roots and track down surviving relatives.”
There’s still time to do last-minute Christmas shopping — or perhaps even purchase a gift for yourself.
Until December 24, a one-year subscription to Genealogy Quebec is 25 percent off.
Use this link to purchase a subscription for $105, down from $140.
Some of the bijoux I discovered this week.
Blog posts
Family Search Full Text Search by Diane Gould Hall on Michigan Family Trails.
3 Tips for Searching the Census When a Family Goes Missing by Diana Elder on Family Locket.
Finding Your Ancestors: Fundamentals – Immigration by Kenneth R. Marks on The Ancestor Hunt.
Linking to Digitized Genealogy Booklets by Marian B. Wood on Climbing My Family Tree.
We All Have a Story to Tell by Paul Chiddicks on Family Wise.
The Father-and-Son Project: Memories of Christmas by Sophie Sikert on German-Canadian Studies.
Reflect on Your Genealogy Journey with the Genie Jar by Ellen Thompson-Jennings on Hound on the Hunt.
Storytelling for Genealogists: Turning Family Lineage into Family History by Doug Tattershall: Book Review by Linda Stufflebean on Empty Branches on the Family Tree.
Enhanced ancestral trees: Brick Walls, Pictures and Dots by Jonny Perl on DNA Painter.
How to Use the Gedmatch Segment Search by Mercedes on Who Are You Made Of?.
Articles
Worthing researcher uncovers her own family history as she looks into why nearly 2,000 people were persuaded to leave Sussex for Canada by Elaine Hammond, Sussex World, England.
How cold case DNA technique came to Ottawa from California — and where it’s headed next by Kristy Nease, CBC News, Ottawa, Ontario.
Infectious diseases killed Victorian children at alarming rates — their novels highlight the fragility of public health today, The Conversation, Waltham, Massachusetts.
For more gems like these throughout the week, join the Genealogy à la carte Facebook group. When you submit your request to join, you will be asked to answer two quick questions about your family history research.
Thanks to Cyndi Ingle, who is the creator and curator of the excellent genealogy resource, Cyndi’s List, I learned yesterday that the Vancouver Public Library has made available its collection of digitized British Columbia City Directories, from 1860 to 1955.
I’ve added this collection to the City Directories section in my Genealogy Research Toolbox where you’ll find many other Canadian directories.
The Canadian eSIG of the Genealogical Society of Collier County (GSCC) in Naples, Florida will host the free webinar, Canadians in North America – Where They Came From and Where They Went, presented by Brian Mulcahy, on January 28 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Have you ever wondered about your ancestors’ journeys to make their way to Canada? Was it Ontario? Did they go to Saskatchewan? Or perhaps the USA?
Bryan’s presentation will guide attendees through the historical, social, and economic forces that influenced migration to Canada. From the early exploration routes of Leif Erikson, Jacques Cartier, and Samuel de Champlain to the Loyalists who fled upheaval in the United States and the immigrants who escaped famine, conflict, or seeking economic opportunity, this session promises a comprehensive look at the people who helped build Canada.
This event will also illuminate the challenges faced by immigrants, such as the discriminatory policies endured by Chinese labourers or the trials of Irish Famine survivors. Participants will gain insights into diverse ethnic groups, including Indigenous peoples, Black Loyalists, Ukrainians, Scandinavians, and others, and strategies for navigating Canadian genealogy records. Whether you’re beginning your genealogy journey or are a seasoned researcher, Bryan’s expertise and practical advice will equip you with valuable tools to uncover your family’s unique story.
A particular highlight will be tips for accessing and utilizing resources, including Library and Archives Canada and other repositories, to trace ancestors through Canadian ports of entry. As part of the event, attendees will receive a study guide packed with resources for continued exploration and a presentation recording for future reference.
Bryan Mulcahy’s presentations are known for their depth and accessibility, making this event an excellent choice for genealogists of all experience levels. If you’re passionate about understanding how immigration shaped Canada’s past — and, by extension, your family’s history — this is an event you won’t want to miss.
Register to watch this webinar.
These are the other webinars planned for the Canadian eSIG’s 2025 winter/spring lineup:
February 25
Using the FamilySearch Wiki for Canadian Research by Marie Overman, GSCC President
April 22
Timeline Canada: Immigration and Impact by Jan Raska, PhD, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
May 27
Between Friends / Entre Amis: Cousins Across the Border by Dave Obee, genealogical researcher and speaker
Canadian Genealogy eSIG
So, what’s an eSIG? It a special interest group that is available online. In the case of this eSIG, you don’t need to be a member of the GSCC to take part. The services are free and include:
eSIG benefits
Learn more about what the eSIG offers on the Canadian Genealogy eSIG website.
Ontario Ancestors’ monthly webinar program for 2025 is now available on their website.
It should come as no surprise that there is an excellent variety of presentations delivered by well-known speakers.
The topics include AI, weather, Fenian raids, family history writing, Belfast ancestors, and how to involve children in family history research.
Ontario Ancestors members can watch all of the society’s webinars for free. Non-members can watch for a $10 fee.
Some of the bijoux I discovered this week.
Blog posts
Your Scottish Archive catalogue launches by Chris Paton on Scottish GENES.
New Newspaper pages from Canadiana and 1921 Census of England and Wales by John Reid on Anglo-Celtic Connections.
Major Breakthrough: 3.4 Billion Records Extracted From Historical Newspapers Were Added to MyHeritage by Esther on MyHeritage Blog.
5 Strategies to Find Elusive Dutch Ancestors by Yvette Hoitink on Dutch Genealogy.
Documenting Your Family Christmas Traditions by Melissa Barker on A Genealogist In The Archives.
Saturday Night Genealogy Fun — Holiday Celebrations and Memories – Part 1 by Randy Seaver on Genea-Musings.
Genealogy and the Holidays: Connecting with Family Past and Present by Diane Henriks on Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family.
On becoming an Accredited Genealogist® professional – Canada Western Provinces by Linda Yip on Past Presence.
Article
Digital archive of old Ontario newspapers a hit with readers as far away as New Zealand by Matthew Trevithick, CBC News, London, Ontario.
For more gems like these throughout the week, join the Genealogy à la carte Facebook group. When you submit your request to join, you will be asked to answer two quick questions about your family history research.
If your relatives lived in Toronto, start doing the happy dance.
The Toronto Public Library has digitized all of the Toronto city directories, from 1833 to 2001. This means every directory has now been digitized.
Previously, the library’s digitized Toronto directories covered 1833 to 1969, but those up to 2001 — the final year for directories — were still under copyright. Thanks to Fiona, Senior Services Specialist for local history, who secured special permission to make them available online, and support from Internet Archive, the entire collection is now available to search online.
A link to this collection is also available in the Genealogy Research Toolbox, under City Directories, on this website.
