There are seven virtual presentations and two drop-in sessions at Ontario Ancestors, taking place from this Monday to Friday. All are open to the public and all but one are free.
The following times are in Eastern time.
Monday, March 24, 7:30 p.m. — Toronto Branch
Members’ Story Night
Three of our longtime Toronto Branch members who have come together to share important stories—and the techniques they used to uncover crucial and sometimes surprising details.
Great-Grandma’s Surprises
Beth Adams remembers her Great Grandma. She lived with her paternal grandparents, and Beth and her brother would run upstairs to see her when they visited. Born Marie Albina Roy, she was the only line in Beth’s tree that did not originate in the British Isles. Albina lived in Montreal until she was about 11 years old, so Beth and her father always “assumed” (never a good idea!) Albina’s family was Québécois. They weren’t wrong, but they weren’t completely correct either! Join us to find out what “Great Grandma’s Surprises” have turned out to be (so far!)
Rita’s Story
When the Nazis invaded Poland Rita Holdengraber was only seven years old. A little Jewish girl, who soon became an orphan, it seemed unlikely that she could survive on her own. All around her Jews were being murdered and imprisoned. Miraculously Rita did survive. After the War, Rita came to Canada and eventually became my godmother. But Rita’s family did not. Rita didn’t have any family left — or did she? This is Rita’s story.
Finding (T)Ruth: The 30-Year Search for My Mom’s Birth Parents
When she was 56 years old, Dawn Kelly’s mother Ruth was told she had been adopted. This shook her self-identity to the core and sent Dawn on a decades-long search to learn the identities of the birth parents. A crucial final chapter of the story was discovered just in the nick of time.
Tuesday, March 25, 2:00 p.m. — Family Tree Maker User Group
Drop-In Session
Whether you are a new FTM user, have been using it for years, or are just curious and want to learn more, this user group is for you. This FTM User Group holds bi-monthly live-chat style sessions. Sessions alternate day and evening times to accommodate more people and are open to anyone. This user group is attendee driven, so users of all skill levels are encouraged to attend. Sessions are free and open to anyone to attend. Sessions are recorded and then archived on the society’s website in the Members’ Corner. Register to attend this online drop-in session.
Tuesday, March 25, 7:00 p.m. — Wellington Branch
My DNA Brought Me to the Forest, but Where Are all the Trees? by Sara Cochran
Genealogical DNA tests are bringing thousands of new cousins to our attention, but many of them don’t have trees yet, or the trees aren’t attached to their test. Learn some new techniques for figuring out how these individuals connect with you (Focus is on Ancestry.com results system). Register to watch online.
Thursday, March 27, 1:00 p.m. — Scottish SIG
Registers of Deeds by Emma and Graham Maxwell
Thursday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. — Ottawa Branch
Canadian Pacific Steamships Limited Archives at Ingenium by Adele Torrance
Ingenium is a crown corporation in Ottawa that includes the Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. Archivist Adele Torrance will describe the Canadian Pacific Steamships (CPS) Limited archives in Ingenium’s holdings. She will go over the kinds of CPS records that may be of interest to genealogists, showing a few rich examples. The archives are now mostly available on Ancestry, thanks to a digitization project funded by the company. Register to watch online.
Thursday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. — Ontario Ancestors
Researching Women Series – Aberdeen to Zonta: Women at the University of Waterloo by Jessie Blackwell
This presentation is an overview of the women’s history collections at the University of Waterloo’s Special Collections & Archives. Particular emphasis will be placed on collections of Ontarian women and on those that relate to our core collecting areas, such as reproductive rights. Ontario Ancestors members may attend for free. The fee for non-members is $10 for one session or $25 for the three presentations in the series. Register here.
Friday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. — Niagara Peninsula Branch
Niagara HELP Desk
Join us for Family Research Live on Zoom! Our Niagara Research Team volunteers are ready to help you uncover your family history — whether you need help finding documents, breaking through brick walls, or discovering new research paths. Tell us what your biggest brick wall is. Bring your names and dates and let’s explore your past together! Register to attend online — and you could win a MyHeritageDNA kit.
