Our long Thanksgiving weekend is over and I hope you had time to spend with family and/or researching your family history. Now, it’s time for us to get back to learning.
This week, three branches and two special interest groups at the Ontario Genealogical Society will host a virtual or hybrid presentation. As usual, these presentations are open to the public and free.
The following are in Eastern time.
Tuesday, October 14, 7:00 p.m. — Essex County Branch
The Lives That Touched Belle Vue, Amherstburg by Debra Honor, UE
Belle Vue is a beautiful 200-year-old home that many people admire. Debra has written a book that tells the stories of those whose lives in some way touched this house as either the owners or the employees. Come and learn the history of Amherstburg through the lives at Belle Vue. Register to watch online.
Wednesday, October 15, 1:00 p.m. — Irish SIG
From Ireland to Canada: Stories of Migration, Loss and New Beginnings by Jillian van Turnhout
Join us as we trace the remarkable journey of Irish emigrants to Canadian shores, from the pioneering settlers of the 1600s through the devastating years of the Great Famine and into the modern era. Through poignant personal narratives, historical documents, and genealogical insights, this presentation illuminates the resources available for discovering your Irish ancestors and understanding their Canadian journey.
We’ll explore the push and pull factors that prompted families to leave Irish soil, the challenges they faced during passage, and how they built new lives across the Atlantic. Discover practical strategies for navigating both Irish and Canadian records, connecting the documentary dots between two nations, and breathing life into your family’s migration story.
Whether you’re taking your first steps in family history research or tackling stubborn genealogical brick walls, this talk offers fresh perspectives and research techniques to help uncover your family’s transatlantic tale. Register to watch online.
Thursday, October 16, 1:00 p.m. — British Home Children SIG
History of Middlemore Homes by Val Hart
Val Hart will give us a history of the Middlemore homes and the children who ultimately left Middlemore to come to Canada to work as indentured farm workers. Register to watch online.
Saturday, October 18, 10:00 a.m. — Kingston Branch
Presentation and Workshop — WikiTree — Why You Need It by Mags Gaulden
From 10:00 to 11:30, we will hold our regular (brief) Branch meeting, including a presentation from Mags Gaulden on An Introduction to WikiTree.
From noon to about 3:00 p.m., Mags will lead a workshop on advanced WikiTree topics, starting from the elements in the intro session and doing a deeper dive. Attendees will also learn a great deal more about DNA as it relates to WikiTree. The workshop is based on the knowledge levels and questions from the participants.
This is a hybrid meeting. Attend in person at the Kingston Seniors’ Centre or register to watch online. Learn more here.
Saturday, October 18, 10:30 a.m. — Simcoe County Branch
Andrew Borland and the Development of Orillia and Coldwater by Fred Blair
Andrew Borland was a veteran of the War of 1812, a fur trader in 1813, a surveyor’s assistant in 1820, a steamboat captain in 1832, and possibly even a hotel keeper and wood mill owner. The images in the presentation are taken from a variety of records. For some members, this may be an introduction to some of the records available for the War of 1812, land records, Upper Canada Land Petitions, Upper Canada Sundries, and 1837 Rebellion British payrolls.
This is a hybrid meeting. Attend in person at Ramara Centre, 5482 Highway 12, Orillia (Brechin), or register to watch online.
