February 11^, 2021 -7:00 PM on Zoom

Land Records in Your Pyjamas – Speaker Linda Corupe

Focusing mainly on the records available on-line, the presentation begins with methods of determining the correct lot and concession number.  From there, the 2 different methods (FamilySearch and ONLAND) of accessing abstract deeds online, step by step, and also how to access individual memorials/instruments online. Linda will also address the issue of why numbers seem to “jump” in some deed books and appear to have all sorts of missing documents.

The author of over 50 books, Linda Corupe, UE, has been researching genealogy and family histories for more than 40 years. Her publications are invaluable resources for anyone researching the early years of Upper Canada. Among the most notable of her works are the annotated transcriptions of the Assize Court records, called “Upper Canadian Justice”, now completed from 1793 to 1829 for all areas of the province at that time, and the records of the First Heir and Devisee Commissions, detailing land claims filed from 1797 to 1804, again for all of early Upper Canada.  Linda is a member of the United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada, the Ontario Genealogical Society and the Ontario Historical Society.

September 10    Rhoda Bellamy –

Exploring Archival Collections, a Research Case Study – Canon Maurice Sanderson

This presentation is designed to give an overview of just a few of the types of historical materials that can be found in archival collections.  Research that provided the foundation for a possible writing of this fascinating Aboriginal man's biography, in itself reveals an interesting tale of discovery.

Archival institutions are a fantastic resource for all researchers, including family historians who are interested in learning about their ancestors and the communities in which they lived.  These facilities are charged with safekeeping historical records, usually ones which pertain to the institution that houses the records.   In addition to specialising in certain subject matter, archives can be local, regional, national or global in scope.  There is also a great variety of records - not only paper documents, but photographs and other visual images, film, audio recordings, digital files, etc.  These are available in all kinds of formats, so researchers embarking on their research journey must broaden their scope and search with an open mind.  You never know what surprises await.

October 8     – Linda Corupe -– Making Her Presence Known – This talk will guide us through the records left behind in archives and libraries that researchers can use today to enhance their knowledge of female ancestors.

November 12    –Cheryl Levy - Transcriptions, Abstracts and Extractions –what researchers need to understand when transcribing early documents