Genealogist's Reference Shelf

6 primary works • 9 total works

Genealogical Standards of Evidence

by Brenda Dougall Merriman

Published 15 March 2010

Genealogical evidence is the information that allows us to identify an individual, an event in his or her life, or the relationship between individuals. In such a process, we often hear or use words such as evidence, proof, or documentation. Brenda Dougall Merriman takes readers through the genealogical process of research and identification, along the way examining how the genealogical community has developed standards of evidence and documentation, what those standards are, and how they can be applied. As a supplement to courses, workshops, and seminars, this book provides both an in-depth and inexpensive reference, perfect for compiling and checking research notes.

Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada

by Janice Nickerson

Published 1 January 2010

Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada provides genealogists and social historians with context and tools to understand the criminal justice system and locate sources on criminal activity and its consequences for the Upper Canada period (1791-1841) of Ontario's history. Illustrative examples further aid researchers in this era of the province's past, which is notoriously difficult to investigate due to paucity of records and indexes. An entertaining, educational read, the book features chapters with detailed inventories of available records in federal, provincial, and local repositories; published transcripts and indexes; online transcripts and indices; and suggestions for additional reading. Also included are engravings (jails and courthouses, public hangings, judges), maps (showing the boundaries of districts), charts (for statistics such as frequencies of different kinds of offences), and document examples (court minutes, jail registers, newspaper reports, et cetera), while case studies demonstrate the use and relevance of various records.

Education and Ontario Family History

by Marian Press

Published 1 January 2011

Many family researchers with Ontario roots discover they have ancestors who were teachers. Those with no teachers in the family may have ancestors who were part of the Ontario education system as students. Today there are numerous varied resources available to find information on teachers, pupils, schools, textbooks, and curricula in historical Ontario. Education and Ontario Family History outlines the resources available for education from about 1785 to the early twentieth century, not only for genealogists, but also for other historians with an interest in educational records. Many historical resources are currently being digitized, and Ontario and education are no exceptions. These electronic repositories are examined in author Marian Press's book along with traditional paper and archival sources.

Time Traveller's Handbook

by Althea Douglas

Published 1 January 2011

This book considers documents and how to look at papers and artifacts that have survived over the years, as well as those family legends and mythinformation handed down by word of mouth, and how to avoid wasting time wading through this sort of information.

Better Place

by Susan Smart

Published 1 January 2011

A Better Place describes the practices around death and burial in 19th-century Ontario. Funeral rituals, strong religious beliefs, and a firm conviction that death was a beginning not an end helped the bereaved through their times of loss in a century where death was always close at hand.The book describes the pioneer funeral in detail as well as the factors that changed this simple funeral into the elaborate etiquette-driven Victorian funeral at the end of the century. It includes the sources of various funeral customs, including the origins of embalming that gave rise to the modern-day funeral parlour. The evolution of cemeteries is explained with the beginnings of cemeteries in specific towns given as examples.An understanding of these changing burial rites, many of which might seem strange to us today, is invaluable for the family historian. In addition, the book includes practical suggestions for finding death and burial records throughout the century.

York's Sacrifice

by Janice Nickerson

Published 1 January 2012

The militia's contribution to the War of 1812 is not well understood. Even now, 200 years later, we don't know how many Upper Canadian militia men died defending their home. York's Sacrifice profiles 39 men who lost their lives during the war. They include 19 residents of the Town of York, five residents of York County, and 11 residents of Halton, Peel, and Wentworth Counties. Where possible, biographies include information about each man's origin, residence, occupation, civic life, family, militia service, and circumstances of death. A section on records provides detailed guidance in finding and using records from the period to trace an ancestors militia service and life in this difficult time period. A complete list of men who served in the three York regiments during the war indentifies those who were killed, injured, captured, or deserted.

Inheritance in Ontario

by Jane E. MacNamara

Published 25 April 2013

Whether your ancestor left hundreds of acres of land, money, or a few modest belongings, the records created when those legacies were distributed can provide valuable clues to family connections, relationships, and just how your ancestors lived.

Inheritance in Ontario will help you determine whether your relative's will was proved in the Court of Probate, surrogate courts, or another court, and navigate the finding aids to locate surviving estate files and other complementary records at the Archives of Ontario, local courthouse or archives, or through FamilySearch.org. Not every Ontario estate was handled by a court, however, and land records, newspapers, and manuscript collections can also help you discover "who got what."

Ontario Genealogical Society 12-Book Bundle

by Jane E. MacNamara, Janice Nickerson, Althea Douglas, Dr Margaret Ann Wilkinson, Susan Yates, David R Elliott, Marian Press, Brenda Dougall Merriman, Susan Smart, and Mr Kenneth Cox

Published 27 December 2013

Researching Your Irish Ancestors at Home and Abroad

by David R Elliott

Published 12 May 2012

This book will help those who are searching for ancestors in Ireland. David R.Elliott gives practical advice on preparing for your trip with tips on travel, driving, accommodation, and meals. An annotated bibliography and a review of important websites round out this illustrated guide.