Three branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society will host a free virtual presentation this week, plus the Toronto Branch will host an online party with five presentations to celebrate the new online availability of the Ontario Land Records Index. All are free and open to those who register.
The following are in Eastern time.
Friday, January 16, 7:00 p.m. — Niagara Peninsula Branch
Rebuilding and Growing: Robert Nelles and Post-War of 1812 Society by Ken Corker
The end of the War of 1812 must have brought great relief to the Nelles Family and the Grimsby community. The prospect of invasion and annexation by the United States had been defeated. However, they now had to contend with a shattered economy and extensive losses caused by military occupation. Compensation for these losses was slow in coming, but life had to go on. Robert Nelles was elected to the Upper Canada Legislature where he helped steer post-war government policy. His brother Abraham started a survey business, and his son Henry oversaw the family business interests. Another son entered the church and had an extensive career there and in education. The Nelles Family, and their home Nelles Manor, did eventually recover from their wartime trauma, and subsequent generations would live out their lives there. In 2026, Nelles Manor turns 228 years old and celebrates its tenth anniversary as a museum. Register to watch online.
Saturday, January 17, 10:00 a.m. — Kingston Branch
Hate in the North: Exploring Ku Klux Klan’s Impact on Canadian Communities by Kathryn Lake Hogan
Discover the little-known story of the Ku Klux Klan’s activities in Canada during the
1920s and 1930s. This webinar unpacks the Klan’s presence in Ontario, including its
propaganda, targets, and legal challenges. Through historical examples and
genealogical insights, learn how communities resisted hate and how to research this
controversial part of Canadian history responsibly. Register to watch online.
Saturday, January 17, 1:00 p.m. — Quinte Branch
Intermediate DNA: Strategies for working with your matches by Arun Konanur
Continuing from last year’s DNA Basics talk, we’ll review preliminary steps for building out your tree and cover concepts such as Shared Matches and Generation of Connection prior to reviewing online tools for analyzing your DNA matches. Register to watch online.
Saturday, January 17, 1:00 p.m. — Toronto Branch
A Celebration for the Ontario Land Records Index
Almost 50 years ago, in 1979, staff of the Archives of Ontario created the Ontario Land Records Index — a massive index connecting settlers who were allocated Crown land in Upper Canada/Canada West/Ontario to specific properties. Until the fall of 2025, this wonderful research aid was only found on microfiche in a few locations. But now, it is available worldwide online for free on the Internet Archive.
And we think that’s something to celebrate! As sponsors and funders of the digitization project, Toronto Branch is hosting an online party from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in honour of the OLRI, and it’s open to everyone with an interest in Ontario family history research. Come and explore the records and stories the OLRI can help reveal.
Jane MacNamara will kick off the festivities with a nuts-and-bolts explanation of how to use the OLRI, with a spotlight on the new features available with the digitized version.
The program for the afternoon will also feature presentations by other enthusiastic OLRI users, including:
Ken McKinlay: OLRI to the Rescue
Chuck Buckley: Unlocking Records for the Founders of Burritts Rapids
Glenn Wright: In Recognition of Your Service: Land Grants for Ontario Veterans of the Fenian Raids and the South Africa War
Linda Corupe: Ontario’s AA Grants—Warning: AA Could Mean “Absolutely Awful”
Learn more and register here to watch online.
