Welcome to the Durham Region Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society

welcome about us contact us branch council our office surname list branch projects SIG-England photogallery

durham@ogs.on.ca

Local Repositories

6 FREE Genealogy Sessions (Bowmanville and Courtice Libraries)

Durham Branch Facebook Group

Durham Branch Facebook Page

Durham Branch Blog

2018 branch brochure Durham Brochure
-updated

- Our 35th Anniversary - was celebrated (with CAKE) at the October General Meeting.

Ryan Taylor's Orphaned Photos

For King and Country memorial Cedardale PS in Oshawa

For King and Country
A project to transcribe the war memorials in Toronto schools by the Toronto Branch of the OGS

Conference 2013 Photos
and some 2013 tour photos by Bob Bell

••• Everyone Welcome! •••

• Durham Region Branch Meetings [Location/Time] — [Future Speakers] [Past Speakers] [Members Only]- Next Meeting - Tuesday - May 7, at 7:30 p.m.

Our usual general meeting location has changed, to Northminster United Church (676 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, ON L1G 4V7 (nw corner of Simcoe Street North and Rossland Road West).

click for bigger image - or a Google Map here

Sandra McNamara -Two Topics: Researching Through Face Book and the Tricks and Trades of a Genealogy Sleuth

Sandra McNamara graduated from York University in 1983 as a Geophysicist. She oversaw digitization of African Airbourne Magnetic Maps and worked on the compilation of Ontario Aeromagnetic Maps. For the past twenty-five years she has been a stay at home mom, focusing her research on the genealogy of her father’s side of the family, keeping in mind her Grandmother saying, “I come from a strong Loyalist stock.” Her latest endeavour is researching into The Declaration of Dependence, for which she has started a closed Facebook group, “LD1776”, for descendents of those signers. She is an administrator for “Revolutionary War Research” and the initiator of “Loyalist in depth study." https://allthingsliberty.com/author/sandra-mcnamara/

Our meetings are often streamed on YouTube starting at 7:30. Our channel for streaming is http://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCiHiKL0pfzXzG- G9YARS8Sg/live .

This video covers the business portion of the May 2019 meeting, along with a plea for book indexing transcribers, to add to TONI (The Ontario Naming Index). https://youtu.be/qPv2lLTwLQU

The DNA SIG (DNA Special Interest Group) within our branch continues meeting monthly, on the 3rd. Wednesday of each month. Next mtg. - May 15th, in our new office at Northminster United Church.

• at our April 2, 2019 Meeting.

Research experiences - On The Road Again.

Sher Leetooze has been researching her family for just over 40 years, but still has a long way to go. In the process of doing research, Sher has gone right to the source in Great Britain and found some GREAT stuff! Some of these things she will share with you on April 2nd.

Our meetings are often streamed on YouTube starting at 7:30. Our channel for streaming is http://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCiHiKL0pfzXzG- G9YARS8Sg/live .

Mini-talk - Stephen Wood, with a Brick Wall Update, concerning identifying a relative via the US 1850 census, even though she was born in Canada. A slightly editted version of the April 2019 meeting is available on YouTube: - https://youtu.be/NrFfmnNwx2k

• at the March 5, 2019 Meeting

Bob was unable to speak, as the 401 became impassable that day. He has re-scheduled for the June meeting. Nancy pinch-hitted with a report about her recent, week-long visit, to ROOTS TECH, followed by Anne's "Organizing a Family Reunion". Here is a slightly editted recording of the March meeting: - https://youtu.be/KhKbsO_HB_w

Bob Dawes: - The Family History Reno Project (the easy do-over) If you've ever wanted to clean up your family history file, this is the easy way to approach it. Normally, a Do Over involves re-entering all of your family information from scratch while this approach allows you to continue using your file for research while cleaning it up. It also allows you to take advantage of everything you've learned over the years as well as new resources and tools. [Click on the image for Bob's handout summary.]

Bob Dawes is a past chair of Quinte Branch and currently responsible for database and computer maintenance. Bob and his wife, Barbara, have traveled extensively throughout North America and the United Kingdom in search of their ancestors and enjoy using technology to enhance their research.

• at our February 5, 2019 Meeting

Our Feb Meeting featured Jennifer Weymark from the Oshawa Museum. She took us on a virtual tour of the museum, with emphasis on records of interest to genealogists. Here is a slightly editted video of the meeting [https://youtu.be/of6aJJ1mN88 ], which also includes the business portion of the meeting, and a mini-talk, by Stephen Wood - "Using Signatures in Old Documents", to zero in on ancestors.

• at the January 8, 2019 Meeting

Durham Region Branch will be starting 2019 off in our newly renovated office and library! We’re not totally unpacked yet, but on Tuesday January 8th at 7:30 pm, for the very first time, we will be holding our meeting in our new location on the 3rd floor of Northminster United Church, Oshawa!
Our topic will be “Busting Down Brick Walls” through the brainstorming and crowd sourcing of our members.

An editted video of the January 08, 2019 meeting, with a tour of our new office, is at: https://youtu.be/n9HMgaylTlI .

• at the December 4, 2018 Meeting

Show and Tell / Bring & Brag –

At this meeting we celebrated the season together, along with any genealogical breakthroughs, special stories, favourite websites, interesting documents or other artifacts brought to this gathering.

Members were invited share genealogy 'ah-ha's and edible holiday treats.

The slightly editted video for our December meeting is available here [https://youtu.be/TCN6lpC0hw8].

• at our November 2018 Meeting •

Bryan Davies -- A Boy From Botwood [archived here: - https://youtu.be/KA-nlThRBD4]
Bryan Davies is the co-author of 'A Boy From Botwood'. It's Newfoundland soldier Arthur Manuel's account of his experiences in the First World War, including three major campaigns (Gallipoli, the Somme, and Passchendaele), his time as a German prisoner of war, his escape and his re-capture. Manuel died before he could turn it into a book. His story was discovered in 2011 by his grandson, hidden in the attic in a shoebox. Jan. 19, 2017. - Ryan Pfeiffer / Metroland

Private Arthur Manuel was a self-described “common soldier” in the First World War who did something uncommon: he set down his memories for posterity.

But the Royal Newfoundland Regiment member’s story would have been lost forever if his grandson, David Manuel, had not discovered the war veteran’s efforts. And David Manuel went a step further: he mentioned it to Whitby writer Bryan Davies when the two Durham men met by chance at Charley Ronick’s pub.

The result is A Boy From Botwood, a book by Davies and Andrew Traficante.

“(David Manuel) did something I think was amazing,” Davies says. “He comes across this find ... and he cared so much about his grandfather’s story, he thought, ‘I’ve got to preserve this’. We’re forever grateful to him.”

• Our October 2, 2018 Meeting

Dam Busters: Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid against Nazi Germany - Ted Barris.
Based on personal accounts, flight logs, squadron war diaries, maps, and photographs of the Canadians involved, Dam Busters recounts the dramatic story of these young Commonwealth bomber crews tasked with the high-risk operation against an enemy prepared to defend the Fatherland to the death.

It was a night that changed the Second World War. The secret raid against the hydro-electric dams of Germany’s Ruhr River took years to plan, involved an untried bomb, and included the best aircrews Allied Bomber Command could muster – many of them Canadian. The raid marked the first time the Allies tactically took the war inside Nazi Germany. It was a mission that became legendary.

Dam Busters: Part 1 of 2 - Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid against Nazi Germany - Ted Barris.

https://youtu.be/gphhB9TqtCA

Dam Busters Part 2 of 2 - Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid against Nazi Germany - Ted Barris.

https://youtu.be/X3CQt3or9aY

[Ted Barris is an award-winning journalist, author, and broadcaster. He regularly writes in the national media (National Post, Air Force magazine, Zoomer among many), and has hosted many CBC Radio network programs and shows on TV Ontario. His weekly blog The Barris Beat features commentary and narrative from his travels/experience. Among his eighteen previous bestselling non-fiction books: Juno, Behind the Glory, Deadlock in Korea, Victory at Vimy, and Breaking the Silence. In June 2014, his book The Great Escape: A Canadian Story won the Libris Non-Fiction Book Award of the Year.]

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Mini-Talk - Conference 2018 highlights, from members who attended.

Are You Really Finding It All When You Search? - Marian Press

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Mini-Talk - "Are Your Ancestors Wikipedia Worthy?" - was given by Anne Delong

An editted version of this meeting is at: https://youtu.be/lPWLtSsGRDg

Life on the farm: your ancestor’s place in Ontario agriculture - Jane MacNamara.

We often think of farming as a traditional occupation — something that hasn’t really changed much. But that is not and was never the case. Farmers had to react and adapt to changing conditions like climate, technology, economics, new markets and new competitors. Some farmers did more than adapt. They set out to be the most productive by innovating with new techniques and processes, products, and marketing. Farm journals and business records survive in many archives. Farmers may have had help and encouragement along the way from agricultural associations, community groups, government agencies, or private patrons. Digitization of many of the records of these pro-agriculture organizations has made them a viable source to help us understand the changes that were happening around our farming ancestors—and whether they were leading the way or following the pack. http://wherethestorytakesme.ca/

Our meetings are often streamed on YouTube starting at 7:30. Our channel for streaming is http://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCiHiKL0pfzXzG- G9YARS8Sg/live .

Dave Clements spoke on the topic: "The Barber, The Bishop and Lucy" - Uncovering the story of the African Canadian Smith family of Bowmanville in mid 19th century.

"At the Clarington Museums, we often receive requests for information on family histories. A request from Michigan has led to the uncovering of the Smith family story. Nehemiah Smith was born in the Niagara district. From about 1842, he lived and moved between Whitby, Colborne and Bowmanville. A barber by trade, he moved to Michigan in the mid 1860's. Dave will tell us the story of this local African Canadian barber and his descendants."

DNA Basics for Genealogists by Nancy Trimble, PLCGS

Nancy discussed why you might want to test DNA, what tests are available and the factors that dictate which testing company to use. She also gave pointers on how to maximize results and find cousins, followedby a Q&A.

Short Presentation -by Karen Church -How DNA increased my family. See how Karen made an surprising connection about a "stray" who was informally adopted by her family.
A slightly edited version of this meeting is available here: https://youtu.be/OaBQI1HjRLA

Overcoming Brick Walls - strategies and anecdotes for overcoming research dead-ends.

DON'T GIVE UP!!

If, during your research, you have come across a particularly frustrating dead-end,our local panel of experts can help. See the results, in this editted copy of the meeting's video stream, at: https://youtu.be/dY1N1jmdwyo

Show and Tell / Bring & Brag –

At this meeting we celebrated the season together, along with any genealogical breakthroughs, special stories, favourite websites, interesting documents or other artifacts brought to this gathering.
Members were invited share genealogy 'ah-ha's and edible holiday treats.

A slightly editted video of our December meeting is available on YouTube - https://youtu.be/dYJrDnV8qO4.

Sher Leetooze and Robert Bell presented a most intersting history about many churches in Oshawa and Bowmanville. Through their extensive research we learned about the original appearance of most churches, and their locations. The presentation is archived here: https://youtu.be/FASamjO7fi0

Durham Region Branch Anniversary & Meeting

It's our anniversary! We're 35 years young, proud of it!

Our speaker, the ever popular Ruth Burkholder, came with a brand new lecture on the "Prairie Provinces Land Records". Archived here.

"Canada 150, An Oshawa Perspective" (Lisa Terech, left, of the Oshawa Museums): - This year celebrates an important milestone in the history of Canada, marking 150 years since the British North America Act of 1867 came into effect, resulting in the creation of Canada. Our confederation was many years in the making, and our own Oshawa residents played important roles in the development and growth of our country. Lisa's talk is available in the branch members only area (on YouTube).
Stay connected with the Oshawa Museum:
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Tumblr Oshawa Museum Blog

Sher Leetooze (author and historian) Using Other Visuals: - Ilustrating Your Family History with Substitute Sources for Family Photos
"If your family is anything like mine, there are few photos of anyone beyond grandparents or great grandparents. How, then, do we illustrate a family history without them? In this presentation, Sher provided some suggestions to solve this dilemma, including the use of personal items that may have been handed down in the family, maps of the ancestral area, and many more ideas easily accessible to most people. Most of Sher's ideas have been used in her own family history book." A slightly editted video of this meeting is archived here: https://youtu.be/KHmUI_gjwhg (Apologies for the high volume level.)

Mini-talk: "Ancestry: Shaking Leaves" - is that all there is? - Nancy Trimble

Trina Astor-Stewart, Executive Director for Whitby Historical Society at Lynde House Museum in Whitby, spoke about the importance of Lynde House from an historical viewpoint and the genealogical relationships of the Lynde family in this area as representational of some early settlers to Southern Ontario. One of the most loved homes in Durham Region, Lynde House has been moved twice in order to preserve it and its story for future generations. Thousands of people lined the streets for each of its moves, most recently in 2015 from Cullen Gardens. The stories surrounding Lynde House during the war of 1812 provide a romantic portrayal of the times and now that it is being operated as a museum housing thousands of artifacts, the tales this house can tell grow daily. Come and discover more and find out why this house and the lives of those who lived here make an impact on us even today.

Mini-talk: Deborah Wilbur - "The Princess Mary 1914 Christmas Gift" to WWI soldiers, with family artifacts.

Paul Jones - "I am not a Jones, but what am I?" Paul related his saga about researching two generations of 'father unknowns' and his true surname, involving 25 years of research, and including family oral history (often proven wrong), along with some usual and not so usual documents. Finally, a puzzling Y-DNA test, and an autosomal DNA test yielded solutions. Paul had agreed to archive his talk (for a limited time), in the branch's 'members only' area.

Mini-talk: Methods for backing up records, by Anne Delong, is also archived after Paul's talk, in the same (above) 'members only' YouTube link.

“Victory at Vimy” – Story of the birth of a nation What the world witnessed that Easter Monday morning – April 9, 1917 – was a near miracle of ingenuity, co-operation and courage among volunteers of the Canadian Corps. That day, 80,000 of them – fighting for the first time as a national army – swarmed up that strategic ridge in north-central France and in a matter of hours accomplished what no Allied army had, in nearly three years of blood-letting in Europe. They seized Vimy from an entrenched German army. Some say those young citizen soldiers also breathed life into a fledgling nation – Canada. In a talk/visual presentation, based on his book Victory At Vimy: Canada Comes of Age, April 9 – 12, 1917 Ted Barris reconstructs the blow-by-blow moments of that historic four-day operation, that some say changed the momentum of the war. It put Allied troops in control of the strategic Vimy heights for good. For the first time, it sent the most powerful army in Europe into full retreat. It also firmly established the four Canadian Infantry Divisions as the most effective fighting force on the Western Front.

Mini-talk: Two of our members bring mementos and memories of the Vimy Memorial opening in 1936.

James Thomson - Using Maps in Genealogy - Maps, both print maps and digital maps,are an essential tool for family history research. James discussed theuse of such maps, and where to find them. James provided handouts to those in attendance, now posted in the members only area.

Overcoming Brick Walls - strategies and anecdotes for overcoming research dead-ends - Mini-talk: Anne Delong - Backing up your files: - strategies.

If, during your research, you have come across a particularly frustrating dead-end, it would be most helpful if you send a brief description to our experts, well before the January 3rd meeting (at least by December 30), so they can prepare a concise response.

Show and Tell / Bring & Brag –

At this meeting we celebrated the season together, along with any genealogical breakthroughs, special stories, favourite websites, interesting documents or other artifacts brought to this gathering.
Members were invited share genealogy 'ah-ha's and edible holiday treats.

Tip-Palooza! - An Extravagant Celebration of Ideas & Tips

Seven members of the audience stepped up to present tips. This was our Palooza Tips and Elections meeting, with a variety of contributions: - Scotland tips, DNA tips, Old photo tip, UK Map tip, Ahnentafel tip, Frustrating surnames tip.

Thank You for visiting - the Durham Region Branch OGS.