Genealogy à la carte

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa will host its monthly meeting online, featuring two presentations, this Saturday, January 11.

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. EST —  Education Talk
How Valuable are Valuation Rolls? by Robert Urquhart

From 1855 until 1987, assessors compiled an annual valuation roll for domestic and commercial property in each county and burgh in Scotland. Valuation rolls are often ignored by genealogists, who assume that they merely confirm what has already been established from census returns and civil registers.

This talk will explain that these rolls are worth a look, since they can provide details of the properties associated with ancestors (their houses, business premises, workplaces and wedding venues). These details can then be bridging information for access to other records (such as property registers, estate papers and employment records), and can help explain why some people apparently vanish from census returns and civil registers. Also covered in the talk will be precursors of the post-1855 valuation rolls, such as land tax rolls and assessment rolls compiled by parish heritors for poor relief purposes.

10:00 — 11:30 a.m. EST —  Feature Talk
The Time of Cholera (another favourite talk in the 30th Anniversary “From the Vaults” series of presentations) by Alison Hare

Alison Hare’s ancestor died of cholera in 1854 London, England. The source of the cholera epidemic was traced to a pump on Broad Street by Dr. John Snow, a legendary figure in the history of public health and infectious diseases. Ms. Hare’s genealogical research on families affected by the epidemic provides a human face on the tragedy. She is a BIFHSGO member who first presented this very popular presentation in 2009.

Register to watch online. Only one registration is required to attend one or both registrations.

Season 11 of the genealogy docuseries, Finding Your Roots, begins tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time on PBS.

Hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the guests will include Joy Behar, Kristen Bell, Laurence Fishburne, Debra Messing, Michael Imperioli, Melanie Lynskey, Natalie Morales, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lea Salonga, Amanda Seyfried, Dax Shepard, Sharon Stone, Chrissy Teigen, celebrity chefs José Andrés and Sean Sherman, novelist Amy Tan, poet Rita Dove, historian Lonnie Bunch, and musician Rubén Blades.

There will also be a special reveal: the solution to a mystery that has haunted Dr. Gates’ own family for generations.

Tonight’s episode features actors Lea Salonga and Amanda Seyfried.

Thomas MacEntee has published the schedule for this season on his blog, Genealogy Bargains.

New series: Great Migrations
Starting January 28, PBS will air a new four-part docuseries from Dr. Gates, called, Great Migrations: A People on the Move.

The series tells the story of African American movement over the 20th and 21st centuries, and how it shaped the United States by exploring the meaning behind those movements. 

Three branches of Ontario Ancestors will host a free virtual presentation this week.

The one by Christine Woodcock about the Peter Robinson settlement scheme is especially timely because this year marks the 200th anniversary of the British government’s plan to alleviate poverty and unemployment in Ireland by settling Irish emigrants in Upper Canada. Canadian politician Peter Robinson administered the passage and settlement.

All of these presentations are open to members and non-members.

The following times are in Eastern time.

Tuesday, January 7, 7:30 p.m. — Durham Region Branch
Where have all the obits gone? by Gordon McBean

Some argued that there was no need for genealogical societies to record obits anymore, once online obituaries became available. After all, it’s all online now! Due to the high cost of publishing obits many people are only publishing brief notices and then using the funeral homes’ website to publish a complete obit. Funeral home sites are not permanent and newspapers are closing and their websites disappearing.

A detailed obituary will focus on the important moments that made up the life of a loved one and include short anecdotes which show readers the true character of the person who has passed away. An obituary is the final record of a person’s life: their achievements, interests, passions and milestones. Because published obituaries become part of the public record, obituaries keep the memory of those we loved alive. Who is ensuring the information will be preserved when newspapers shut down and websites disappear? Register to watch online.

Wednesday, January 8, 7:30 p.m. — Huron County Branch
Researching the McEwan Family by Anne Kay

Anne Kay is the author of The Salt Man – an historical fiction novel inspired by the true story of her great-great grandfather Peter McEwan’s life. Spanning two continents and three generations, The Salt Man is a sweeping saga that traces how Peter’s quest for adventure led to a discovery that would change the face of many Southwestern Ontario towns for decades to come. Anne will explore her research on Peter McEwan’s family – brickwalls and breakthroughs. Register to watch online.

Saturday, January 11, 10:30 a.m. — Simcoe County Branch
Removing the Rebels: Peter Robinson’s Settlement Scheme by Christine Woodcock

The South of Ireland was in dire straits at the end of the 18th century and on several occasions was on the verge of civil war. The Whiteboys developed as a secret oath-bound society among the poor. Their operations were chiefly in the counties of Waterford, Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary and were not directed against the government, but rather against local landlords. No amount of legislation seemed to tame the anger which had led to many “disturbances.” As a means of removing some of the rebels, offering them a new life and free land in Upper Canada, and hopefully settling the anger back home in Ireland, the government decide to pay for families to be resettled at the expense of the government. Peter Robinson, brother of John Beverley Robinson, was tasked with finding and settling the emigrants.

In this presentation we will look at the history and politics that led to what has become known as the Peter Robinson’s Settlement Scheme. We will also take an in-depth look at the various resources available for researching your Peter Robinson Settler ancestors. Register to watch online.

The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History’s winter program continues into the new year with the free webinar, Genealogy Without Borders, presented by Chris Paton on Saturday, January 4, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.

As family historians, we can be tempted to try to tell the stories of our ancestors solely from their sources in the areas where they once lived, but in this talk, genealogist Chris Paton examines why the consideration of the extended family around the world can be particularly fruitful for your family history research also. As part of a wider worldwide diaspora, Chris will show how emigrant family members provided him with clues to their stories overseas, often with records that plugged the missing gaps in research for family members back home, and giving him a much broader understanding of his family at both home and abroad.

Register to watch online.

Prepare to have your brain explode with lots of online genealogy learning opportunities at Legacy Family Tree Webinars.

The lineup for Legacy Family Tree Webinars’ 2025 program is now available. There are 173 scheduled presentations. Almost all are free to watch for a limited time, with the exception of about a dozen webinars that are only available to members.

The new year will feature 132 speakers from 17 countries, including at least 15 presentations by Canadian speakers. The O Canada series returns with five presentations, along with other popular series, including Down Under, England Counties Research, and African Diaspora. Also returning are the 24-Hour Webinar Marathon and Webtember.

The new members-only series, Artificial Intelligence for Genealogists, includes two joint presentations by Canadian Mark Thompson and American Steve Little. A second members-only series, Genealogy Guys Learn, features Americans George Morgan and Drew Smith.

The following presentations will be delivered by Canadians:

February 21 — O Canada series
Soldiers, Squatters and Settlers by Christine Woodcock

February 27
Trouvez vos ancêtres dans les recensements canadiens sur MyHeritage by Kathleen Juneau Roy

March 28 (Members only)
Picture the Past: An Introduction to AI Images for Family Historians by Mark Thompson and Steve Little

April 3
Seven Sources for Seeking Scoundrels by Janice Nickerson

April 4
FamilySearch Catalog: The Sears Christmas Catalog for Genealogists by Lianne Kruger

April 30 — O Canada series
Invaded! The Fenian Raids and the Canadian Response by Kathryn Lake Hogan

May 2 — O Canada series
Nach Kanada! Immigration of Germans to Canada by Dave Obee

May 13
Finding and Fixing Tree Inconsistencies by Wayne Shepheard

June 20 — O Canada series
Exploring Library and Archives Canada Online by Ken McKinlay

August 1 — O Canada series
Finding Your Scot Ancestors in New Scotland by Brian Nash

August 1 (Members only)
Five Reasons to Build a Genealogy Website by Linda Yip

August 22 (Members only)
AI Video Creation for Genealogy by Johanne Gervais

October 3 (Members only)
An Ontario Genealogists’ Gem: The Report of the Loyal and Patriotic Society of Upper Canada by Janice Nickerson

October 24 (Members only)
Organize Digital and Digitized Photos & Documents Using AI by Art Taylor

December 19 (Members only)
The Best Uses of AI for Genealogists by Mark Thompson and Steve Little

All live webinars are free (except for the members-only Artificial Intelligence for Genealogists series) and their recordings are free to watch for the first week. After that, you must be a member to watch the recordings.

Registration is now open. You can also print the webinar program brochure.

Membership is US$49.95 (about CDN$72). With a webinar membership, you receive additional benefits, including access to more than 2,300 recordings and handouts.

Learn more about the 2025 program on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars blog.

If I’ve missed any Canadian speakers, please let me know.