Five Ontario Ancestors branches and a special interest group will host a free virtual presentation this week, and each one is open to all who register.
Monday, February 7 – 10:00 a.m. – Scottish SIG
Glengarry Archives by Allan MacDonald
Registration is required.
Monday, February 7 — 7:00 p.m. – Essex County Branch
Three Loyalist Heroes by Ruth Nicholson
Ruth Nicholson, a proud UEL descendant, will discuss her research into the lives of three of her loyalist ancestors who played an important role in the history of Upper Canada and early Essex County. Registration is required.
Tuesday, February 8 – 1:00 p.m. – Kawartha Branch
Ontario Municipal Records by Dr. Fraser Dunford
Hosted by the Curve Lake First Nation Cultural Centre, this beginner/intermediate-level virtual presentation will be repeated on Tuesday, February 22, at 7:00 p.m.
Choose the meeting, day and time that best works for you and contact Tracey to Register. Telephone: Curve Lake First Nation Cultural Centre at 705-657-2758, or email Tracey at TraceyT@curvelake.ca. After you register you will receive an email with your invitation to join the meeting you have registered for.
Tuesday, February 8 – 7:00 p.m. – Lambton County Branch
How Sisters Find Their Missing Sister; The Route They Took by Beth Atkinson and Penny MacDonald
Beth Atkinson and Penny McDonald will talk about how they found their sister without the use of DNA or the Internet. Registration is required.
Friday, February 11 – 7:00 p.m. – Kent Branch
Remembering Their Legacies: Stories from Chatham-Kent’s Black Community by Dorothy Wallace and Samantha Meredith
The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and Black Mecca Museum archives hold over 400 family histories of local Black families. Though some families have more extensive information then others one thing rings true, the stories you’ll discover here are often unexpected and extraordinary because they are so often left out of history. Join Dorothy Wallace and Samantha Meredith who will share just a tiny handful of some of the hidden stories of a few local families from our Black community. Registration is required.
Saturday, February 12 – 2:00 p.m. – Simcoe Branch
Surviving the Famine: Tracing the Irish Famine Generation in Ontario by Laura Smith and Charmaine Lindsay
The story of the Great Irish Famine is well known. The population of Ireland was reduced by millions through starvation, disease, and outbound migration. While much of the emphasis and research has focused on those who did not survive the passage to Canada, or died upon arrival, the Canada Ireland Foundation has launched a new project to celebrate the survivors of this tragedy and their success in Ontario.
The Simcoe County Branch is pleased to join representatives from the Canada Ireland Foundation to learn more about the project and the records used to trace the migration of thousands of famine emigrants from Lake Ontario ports into the interior of the province in the summer of 1847.
The basis of the project is a group of little-known records at Library and Archives Canada called the Emigration Service Records. These records provide a vital missing link in tracing Irish famine migrants from an era where few passenger lists exist. The speakers will outline how you can use these records to trace your own Irish Ontario ancestors and how you can get involved to help with the Canada Ireland Foundation project. Registration is required.
