Genealogy à la carte

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) will host a hybrid meeting and presentations on Saturday, May 9, starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Documenting Lives: A Spotlight on BIFHSGO’s Partnership with Library and Archives Canada from 1994 to 2026 and Beyond by Sue Lambeth and Nicole Watier

BIFHSGO Research and Projects Director Sue Lambeth, joined by Nicole Watier, Genealogy Consultant at Library and Archives Canada, will speak about the partnership between BIFHSGO and LAC that has spanned more than 31 years. They will highlight projects undertaken by BIFHSGO volunteers that document events in the lives of British home children. Sue and Nicole will also offer a look ahead, describing new initiatives planned for 2026 and beyond.

10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
A Good and Faithful Servant: the life of Henry Arrowsmith Brogdon (1812-1883) by Veronica Scrimger

In the 19th century, Methodism expanded greatly in the counties of Northumberland and Durham. Like many other lay preachers at this time, Veronica Scrimger’s 3x great-grandfather Henry Brogdon made a significant lifelong contribution to the spread of the word of God. He preached in over 165 cities, towns and villages in the northeast of England. His was a dual life; Henry worked a full-time job and spent his evenings and Sundays sharing the teachings of Jesus Christ. Henry witnessed the development of the railways and the expansion of coal mining in the Great Northern coalfield. His death in December 1883 left a huge void in his community of Willington, County Durham.

Attend in person at Knox Presbyterian Church (Lisgar & Elgin) in Geneva Hall. Use the Garden Entrance on Elgin Street. Limited free street parking is available on Saturdays, and the City Hall Parking Garage is available for $2.

Or join online by registering here. This registration covers both talks.

One of my favourite sales is on now. Until May 3, a one-year membership at Legacy Family Tree Webinars is 50 percent cent off.

Use the checkout coupon spring26 to register for a one-year membership that costs US$24.98 (about CDN$34) for a limited time.

Anyone without a current membership should be able to take advantage of this sale. Current members cannot use the coupon to extend their membership.

Until April 26, MyHeritage is offering free access to all of their Australian and New Zealand records to help celebrate Anzac Day.

If you’re new to MyHeritage, you’ll need to register for a free MyHeritage account to view the 351 collections from Oceania.

Anzac Day commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. It is held annually on April 25.

Four branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society will this week hold a virtual presentation, including one that is also in person. As usual, these presentations are free and open to all.

The following take place in Eastern time.

Tuesday, April 21, 2:00 p.m. — Sudbury District Branch
Spanish River Derailment – A Biography of a Tragedy by Robbie McCauley

This is a hybrid presentation. Attend in person at the Greater Sudbury Public Library, 74 Mackenzie St., or register to watch online.

Tuesday, April 21, 7:00 p.m. — Nipissing District Branch
The Role of Remembrance and How to Research Your Ancestors’ Wartime Histories by Vanessa Kirtz

Register before April 21 to watch online.

Thursday, April 23, 7:00 p.m. — Ottawa Branch
Logging Experiences on the Ottawa River by Gord Black

Gord dives into the bottom of the Ottawa River to reclaim logs that sank during the Pontiac log driving era from almost 100 years ago. Back in those times, logging was a primary economic force that brought many workers into the community. After being cut down, logs were “driven” down the rivers to be transported to the lumber companies. But not every log made the journey. “My guess is between two to three per cent of every log that was put into the river, sank,” says Black. Register to watch online.

April 26, 2:00 p.m. – Halton Peel Branch
Planning and Preparing Your Genealogy Legacy by Heather McTavish Taylor

When you’re no longer here to tell the stories, will anyone be able to understand your documents and family tree? Join us as Heather discusses how to prepare and plan your genealogy legacy. You will learn how to organize your papers, files, photos, and what you can do to engage others to make sure it is all not lost along the way. Register to watch online.

The Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS), which will host the Nova Scotia Genealogy Virtual Conference on May 2 and 3, has added a new session to the schedule.

The new session, Researching Indigenous Genealogy at Library and Archives Canada, will be presented by LAC staff members, Kirstei Abbott and Meaghan Bulger.

Tracing Indigenous roots requires a specialized methodology and an understanding of specific record sets held at the national level. Kirstei and Meaghan will provide essential guidance for those navigating these complex and deeply important family histories.

The society has also added additional details about other sessions, including Mark Thompson’s on Using Artificial Intelligence to Research Family Photographs.

The conference, under the theme, Explore Your Ancestral Ocean Playground, features a number of well-known speakers.

The registration fee is $39 for GANS members and $69 for non-members.

For an additional cost, there is also an all-day virtual conference, called Virtual Workshop: An Introduction to Using Legal Records for Nova Scotia Genealogy, 1749-1900, led by Neal Cody.

Sessions will be recorded and available to registrants for 60 days.

Learn all about the conference speakers, topics, and schedule at www.nsgenconference.ca.