Don't Miss My E-Books on Ontario Genealogical Society Website

Olive Tree Genealogy is pleased to announce that several of my e-books are now being offered for sale on the Ontario Genealogical Society Website.

Visit my author page to see what is available and drop a couple into your shopping cart for holiday reading!

As of December 7, 2017 there are 5 of my e-books available, and two more are coming soon! 

Remember, you don't need a Kindle to read an e-book. Amazon has free Kindle Reading apps you can download.

Meeting Some Well-Known Genea-Peeps

My Genea-Peeps and Yours Truly

Yesterday I hosted a dinner and get together for a few of my genea-peeps who were attending or presentig at the OGS (Ontario Genealogical Society) Conference in Ontario. I had only met two in person - (Mark Olsen and Thomas MacEntee). It was wonderful to reconnect and to meet those who I only knew through Social Media! 

Thomas MacEntee, Dave Obee, Christine Woodcock, Janet Iles, Kathryn Lake Hogan and Mark Olsen joined my husband and I (and two of my grandchildren) for dinner and a lovely fun evening of laughter and genealogy talk. 

 It's always great to talk to like-minded people - namely other genealogists!!

New Database for Obits in London & Middlesex Ontario

Recently the London & Middlesex County Branch Ontario Genealogical Society put a searchable index of 357,000 Obituary, Death Notice and Memorial records online. It's a great resource. I used it today and found several of my husband's Massey ancestors' obituaries. 

It only costs $5.00 per obit if you can't make it in person, and at that rate, this is a very affordable way to do some long-distance research.

Here's the information you need if you want to order some obits after using their online index.

Discovery of Old Unknown Cemetery

This is an exciting find of a previously unknown and unrecorded cemetery. I am not sure who found this old burial spot in Ontario Canada but the YouTube channel is owned by NPBOGS which stands for Niagara Peninsula Branch Ontario Genealogical Society.

The explanation with the online video says

"We came across this cemetery from a tip that we received from an OGS [Ontario Genealogical Society]Member. Besides taking photos and other information we preformed [sic] Dowsing and from what can gather there are approx 8 plots. Please see video for more details."

Farewell to a Fellow Genealogist

J. Brian Gilchrist passed away in Ontario on May 1 2014. He was a good man and a very learned genealogist. In fact he was scheduled to speak at the OGS seminar this weekend. I met Brian virtually several years ago when I was trying to find the exact location of my father's grave.

I knew what Cemetery my father was in (St. James Crematorium in Toronto) and at the age of 19 I tried to find him so I could visit. Cemetery office staff  told me that he was in an unmarked grave in what is known as Potter's Field and they did not know the exact location.  Many years later I mentioned on a mailing list that I desperately wanted to find his grave and visit. Lo and behold, Brian stepped in and offered to help.

Within 2 days I had the exact location of my father's grave and a name of the person I should contact about having a memorial marker placed or my father's ashes moved. Within a month my father's ashes were sent to my home and I arranged for re-interment in a Cemetery in Guelph where his mother, father and brothers are all buried.

And so 49 years after my father died suddenly at the age of 47, we held a Memorial Service for him in Woodlawn Cemetery in Guelph Ontario.

I cannot explain how much finding my father's ashes meant to me. I am  deeply indebted and grateful to Brian for his generous spirit and for helping a complete stranger find peace.

Farewell Brian and may you Rest in Peace. 

Brian's funeral will be held at The Cathedral Church of St. James
Diocese of Toronto - Anglican Church of Canada at 11 am, May 5th, 2014
65 Church Street, 
Toronto, ON 
M5S 2E9
and will be conducted by Sub-Dean & Vicar The Reverent Canon David Brinton OGS

Library and Archives Canada Answers Questions About the 1921 Canadian Census

As most genealogists know, the 1921 Canadian Census is now online on  Ancestry.com and Ancestry.ca   It has not been indexed (yet) so researchers can only browse the images for now but Ancestry will be providing an index within a few months. The images are free to view but when the index is ready it will behind a pay-to-view wall.

Those who are not already Ancestry subscribers do need to sign up for free access but no credit card details are required. This is not the same as their 14 day free trial where credit card information is required. 

There is some controversy over Library and Archives (LAC) partnership with Ancestry.com and many people are questioning why an American based company has Canadian records, will we see the census on LAC's website at any point, etc.

After looking around, I found the answers to many  of those questions here on Collections Canada website at Learn more about the Library and Archives Canada Agreement with Ancestry.ca. It’s a very detailed explanation of the partnership deal between LAC and Ancestry.

Basically Ancestry gets to use the images while they do the indexing. The images and index are on Ancestry for 3 years then the indexes are turned over to LAC and they put the index and images online for free.

Seems like a win-win situation to me! If we waited for LAC to index we’d be waiting a very long time!

Interested genealogists can also read "LAC Answers Questions about Release of 1921 Census" on the OGS (Ontario Genealogical Society) Blog.

OGS Genealogy Conference 2013 May 31-June 2

OGS Conference 2013 is being held at Oshawa this year on the campus of Durham College. The theme is "Pulling up Stakes, Putting Down Roots" and it runs from May 31st to June 2nd

Fifty lectures and eight workshops offer tips and know-how for research in many countries including England, Ireland Scotland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Croatia, Ukraine, and many more. This year’s conference will include a number of presentations about migration routes and transportation methods.

May 17th is the cut-off for ordering meals with your conference registration.

Please see the conference website for a registration form and further details

Ontario Genealogical Society's 2013 Conference

The Ontario Genealogical Society's 2013 Conference will be held at Oshawa,
on the campus of Durham College/UOIT.  The dates will be May 30-June2, 2013.

The website and the blog for the event are being prepared and should be up
soon with all the information you will need to register.  Please go
to:  Ontario Genealogical Society website  and follow the links to the Conference.

OGS Quinte Branch Updated Searchable Database

The Quinte Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) covers Hastings, Prince Edward and southeastern Northumberland counties was one of the first areas settled by United Empire Loyalists in 1784.

Their Searchable Names Index has been updated and now has over 1,014,600 Names

More than 514,000 names have been added from cemetery transcriptions, baptism records, newspaper indexes and genealogies

If you are searching for Canadian ancestors in other parts of Ontario see Ontario Genealogy for online databases and links.

Ontario Genealogical Society 2009 Conference

The Ontario Genealogical Society's 2009 Conference web site is now on-line

This year the conference is hosted by the Halton-Peel Branch and is being held at Sheridan College in Oakville from May 29th to 31st. It will also celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the Palatines who left their homes in 1709.

The web site contains full details of the schedule and registration, including a trip to the new Ontario Archives.

2008 Conference of the Ontario (Canada) Genealogical Society

May 30 - June 1, 2008

2008 Conference of the Ontario (Canada) Genealogical Society

Come to he largest genealogy and technology Conference in London, Ontario, Canada, sponsored by the Ontario Genealogical Society. Join Dick Eastman, Steve Morse, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Geoff Rasmussen, David Lifferth, Fawne Stratford-Devai, Louise St. Denis, Valerie Adams, Paul McGrath, Dick Doherty, Halvor Moorshead, Rick Roberts, Stephen Young, and 11 other speakers as they explore how technology & the internet can enhance genealogical research. 48 presentations.

The Marketplace will have the most complete selection available of material relating to family research in Ontario as well as material for other provinces and countries. Membership in the Ontario Genealogical Society is not required to register.