Tuesday, January 27, 2009

1916 Prairie Census, Canada - films available at Cloverdale Library, Surrey, BC

The 1916 Canadian prairie census films for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have finally arrived at the Cloverdale Branch of the Surrey Public Library in British Columbia.

FamilySearch.org now has a searchable index for this census (no census images). See the link below to do a name search to assist you in viewing the microfilm.

If you are doing Canadian research and living or visiting anywhere near Greater Vancouver in B.C., the genealogy department at the Cloverdale Branch Library is THE place to go. It's the largest collection of Canadian material in the west with knowledgeable staff and a good collection of genealogy guides as well. Both Ancestry Library Edition and Heritage Quest are available - in the library only.

For a look at the Cloverdale holdings and information about Canadian genealogical topics, download a free copy of the Canadian Genealogical Resources: A Guide to the Materials held at Cloverdale Library, 15th edition, edited by Laurie J. Cooke, Jacqueline Haines & Stephanie Kurmey.

If you cannot visit, Cloverdale's Genealogy department offers a limited look up service at a nominal cost for specific records on microfilm, in print or genealogy databases. See the webpage for details.

Genealogy Department, Cloverdale Branch Library: http://www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/Programs+and+Services/Genealogy/default.htm

1916 Canadian Prairie Census index search, FamilySearch.org: http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#c=1529118;p=2;t=searchable

Friday, January 23, 2009

Ukraine: An Illustrated History - Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - 15th Edition



Souvenir booklet for Ukrainian Week in Ottawa, Canada, 30 January to 8 February, 1976. 66 pp. Black & white with colour photo on back cover. Private collection.

The image shown on the front cover is a 'bandurist', a singing minstrel ..."known for his songs of heroism and valour."



It’s time for the 15th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. This will be my first entry in this Carnival. The topic this time is “history books. Write about a history book that you have read or are reading that deals with the history of a Central or Eastern European country or the regions of Central and Eastern Europe.”

Although I have no direct ancestors from Central or Eastern Europe (that I know of), several people in my family married into Ukrainian Canadian families and my mother grew up in an area of Manitoba, Canada where many Ukrainian Canadians lived. I wanted to learn more about these families and thought it a good time to read more about Ukrainian immigration to Canada and about the history of Ukraine.

From school in the 1950’s and later in university courses, the most vivid image of Canada’s immigration policy from the 1890’s was of the immigrants in ‘sheepskin coats’ – the Ukrainian families who were encouraged to emigrate to Canada and take up land on the prairies – in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. I do know something about Canadian immigration policy and prairie settlement, but almost nothing about Ukraine’s own history, so that’s where I decided to start.

The book I chose to read first was Ukraine: An Illustrated History by Paul Robert Magocsi (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). I did a search about Ukrainian history writing and browsed a couple of library’s shelves first. I picked this particular book because, in his introduction, Magocsi says that “History can best be understood when the reader has access to maps" (p. ix) and I could see right away that maps appear throughout the book and complement the text, photographs and other illustrations. I know that for myself when I am learning about a new place, the first thing I reach for is a map or gazetteer, so I liked Magocsi's style.

Paul Robert Magocsi is the Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada, the editor of The Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples and the author of a number of books and articles. I was interested to see that much history of Ukraine has been written by Canadians and sponsored by Canadian organizations.

I found Ukraine: An Illustrated History a very readable, well organized and balanced history. Magocsi’s study of Ukrainian history involves a “territorial, or multicultural approach” (p.ix). He stresses the importance of Ukraine's historic regions, even when their boundaries have extended beyond present-day Ukraine and he looks, however briefly, at all the various ethnic groups who’ve lived in these regions. Little history worth reading is without controversy, and I know Magocsi’s multi-cultural approach, particularly concerning the Rusyns, has been criticized, but those new to Ukrainian history like myself will likely appreciate his "territorial" approach. I did find some of the sections on World War II less balanced, even troubling, though.

Ukraine: An Illustrated History covers the history of this area from the time of its first semi-permanent settlements to almost present day. The introductory chapter on physical geography was too short for me, and since the book is only 308 pages, no early period gets too much attention. About a third of the book covers Ukraine’s history after World War I. Although there is little detail about the period I am most interested in, 1890-1914, this is certainly a book well worth reading for background history alone and it has spurred me to read further.

Ukraine: An Illustrated History has 46 maps as well as 16 charts (mainly dealing with population), a good index and excellent illustrations. The only thing missing, I think, is a note on ‘further reading’. However, since Magocsi himself has written many other books, including two general books on Ukraine – A History of Ukraine (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1996) and Ukraine, a historical atlas written with Geoffrey J. Matthews, cartographer, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985) likely I will continue on with these.

In addition, I am currently reading two other older histories which I am finding helpful: Peasants in the promised land: Canada and the Ukrainians, 1891-1914 by Jaroslav Petryshyn with Luba Dzubak (Toronto: James Lorimer & Co., 1985) and Early Ukrainian settlements in Canada, 1895-1900: Dr. Joseph Oleskow's role in the settlement of the Canadian Northwest by Vladimir Julian Kaye (Toronto: Ukrainian Canadian Research Foundation, University of Toronto Press, 1964). Both these books are based in large part upon archival sources and discuss to some extent the history of Ukrainian attitudes towards emigration. Kaye’s book is very detailed; Petryshyn’s doesn’t neglect the history of Ukrainian Canadian labour and radical politics. Both books are indexed; Kaye’s book even includes a surname index.

I am also reading two genealogy guides - Ukrainian Genealogy: A Beginners’ Guide by John D. Pihack (Edmonton, Canada: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, 2007) and Finding Your Ukrainian Ancestors by Muryl Andrejciw Geary (Toronto: Heritage Productions, 4th Edition, 2003). I can recommend these two guides as well. Geary’s book is a good introduction to research and Pihack’s book is particularly thorough with extensive suggestions for research sources and reading.

I'm very interested in hearing suggestions for further reading.

To read more about this Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy, go to:
Jessica's Genejournal:
http://jessicagenejournal.blogspot.com



Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Cabinet of Curiosities #13 (Baker's Dozen Edition)

Well, the Cabinet of Curiosities #13 - the Baker's Dozen Edition is up at Walking The Berkshires and what a wonderful melange of curiosities it is this time.

Love the flying pig and the sneaker burger (NOT the dress! although think of the work that went into that). From animal crackers to steamer trunks to fish to human tripods and yeti crabs- this Cabinet has it all, even dust and old book perfume (don't need those though- we have the real stuff right here). Thomas certainly know what's needed for an elegant blogging evening, but no, thank you, grandma doesn't want to find those taxidermists' eyes in her button box...eeewwww.

Cabinet of Curiosities #13 - Baker's Dozen Edition, Walking The Berkshires: http://greensleeves.typepad.com/berkshires/2009/01/cabinet-of-curiosities-13-bakers-dozen-edition.html

The Life and Work of Mattie Gunterman, Photographer - Illustrated Talk, Vancouver BC Canada

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 7-9pm, Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Life and Work of Mattie Gunterman, Photographer (1872-1945)

An illustrated talk by Henri Robideau, photographer and author of "Flapjacks and Photographs: A History of Mattie Gunterman, Camp Cook and Photographer".

Co-sponsored by Herstory Cafe and the Vancouver Public Library, Special Collections

Location: Central Library, 350 W. Georgia St.,Alma VanDusen and Peter Kaye Room (lower level) Free, but seating is limited.

For details : Herstory Cafe: http://www.herstorycafe.ca

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Early Chinese Canadians, 1858-1947 - New On-line Exhibit at Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada has another new virtual exhibition on-line, The Early Chinese Canadians, 1858-1947. This complements the index, Immigrants from China, already available.

This exhibit includes historical information by author Paul Yee, whose fictional pieces accompany the history, a research guide written by LAC staff, and a gallery of documents and photographs - both published and archival materials, for instance, a signed petition from 1894 from Chinese residents of Victoria, British Columbia to extend the time allowed away from Canada to visit China and a film clip showing a 1918 Chinese funeral procession in Victoria, B.C. But as the exhibit notes, most of these documents are about Chinese Canadians, not by or from Chinese Canadians.

The index is to three sources of immigration information - the General Registers of Chinese Immigration 1885-1949 (often called the Head Tax registers. The Head Tax was an entry fee legislated to control Chinese immigration to Canada). This shows immigrants of Chinese origin arriving in Canada between 1885 and 1949; the Port of New Westminster Register of Chinese Immigration - Chinese immigrant registrations at New Westminster, British Columbia from 1887 -1908; and the Newfoundland Register of Arrivals and Outward Registrations - Chinese entering Newfoundland as immigrants from 1910 - 1949 or leaving from 1906 - 1950.

You can also read an essay by Dr. Henry Yu, from the book, Finding Memories, Tracing Routes: Chinese Canadian Family Stories. His grandfather, Yeung Sing Yew, was among those Chinese immigrants forced to pay the Head Tax.

Visitors to the exhibit are being encouraged to submit comments about their family's experiences and these will be added to the exhibit. Teachers' resources will also be on-line soon.


LINKS

The Early Chinese Canadians: 1858-1947, Library and Archives Canada: www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/chinese-canadians/index-e.html

Finding Memories, Tracing Routes: Chinese Canadian Family Stories by Shirley Chan, Belinda Hung, Roy Mah, Dan Seto, Hayne Wai, Candace Yip, Gail Yip and Ken Yip. Editor. Brandy Liên Worrall. Bilingual Chinese/English edition and an English only edition. (Vancouver, B.C.: Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia, 2006): www.cchsbc.ca/

If you are researching a Chinese Canadian family, these two Vancouver Public Library's websites will be of help -

Chinese-Canadian Genealogy: www.vpl.ca/ccg/index.html

Chinese-Canadians: Profiles from a Community, a wiki: http://ccgwiki.vpl.ca/index.php/ccg_wiki

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Cabinet of Curiosities, 13th Edition





Cabinet of Curiosities, 13th Edition


"Our Curiosity Cabinet is a marvelous melange"

Well, this time round I pulled an old wooden box out of the Curiosity Cabinet - its contents are indeed a melange, a variety, an assortment of miscellaneous things - buttons!

This is my grandma Rogers' button box, full of years of our family life - Grandpa's and Dad's shirt buttons, big fancy buttons from the colourful dresses my mum liked to wear, the odd earring or part of a broach (might come in handy someday, you know), a hot pink button from one of my favourite teenage coats, even some Canadian Army buttons - buttons nowadays are so plain in comparison.

I never really knew my grandma Rogers, but when I was little, while mum sewed, I used to play at sorting buttons from the box by colour and size or just by picking out the ones I liked. Later on I made little decorative pins with buttons, nowadays sometimes I scrapbook with buttons. (You're right - it's seldom anymore that I actually sew on a button!) I always think of this as 'her' box although it's been used by mum and me since 1954.



I do collect one kind of buttons now myself - heart shaped buttons. You can see a few here. I can't seem to let go of the others though - surely they'd be useful to someone, but there are a lot of memories in that box.


I'm not alone in collecting buttons.

Here is Paul Rice's amazing website full of his grandmother, Anna Claudia Cope's, buttons: http://www.pdrice.com/

The Keep Homestead Museum in Monson, MA, USA has Myra Keep Lovell Moulton's button collection. Photos: http://www.keephomesteadmuseum.org
An article about the Warther Carvings Museum and Button Collection in Dover, OH, USA - 73,282 buttons on display. Roadside America.com: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10049

Have a look at the links to learn something more about buttons and those who collect them.

LINKS

Serious button collectors research buttons, talk about buttons, show off their buttons, even make art with buttons. Here’s some photos from the Ottawa Valley (Canada) Button Club: http://www.ottawavalleybuttonclub.ca/ButtonClub/Ottawa_Valley_Button_Club.html

National Button Society: http://nationalbuttonsociety.org/

“Button Collecting: A Lifetime Voyage of Discovery” by M. W. Speights, Editor, National Button Bulletin, from Antiques & Art Around Florida, Summer/Fall 1998: http://www.aarf.com/febutt98.htm

“Collecting antique buttons” by mayanddec, an eBay Canada Guide: http://reviews.ebay.ca/Collecting-antique-buttons_W0QQugidZ10000000000936360

Saturday, January 17, 2009

2009 is Year of the British Home Child in New Brunswick, Canada

New Brunswick in Canada leads the way in declaring 2009 the Year of the British Home Child.

Descendants of Home Children, children sent to Canada from 1869 to 1948 as child immigrants by British organizations like Barnardo's, are still working to have 2009 named as the Year of the British Home Child across Canada.

2009 is the 140th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of these child emigrants.

"A special year for home children's descendants", published Saturday January 17th, 2009. "History Province the first in Canada to recognize contribution of the British boys and girls brought to Canada a century ago" by Tammy Scott-Wallace. Telegraph-Journal, from Belleisle Creek: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/542738

For more about British Home Children, see the British Home Children Descendants website: http://www.britishhomechildren.org

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Grandpa Scott and Sandy - 'Walking In A Winter Wonderland' - Carnival of Genealogy - 64th Edition

It's time for the Carnival of Genealogy's 64th Edition - 'Walking In A Winter Wonderland'.


Not All Misery During Canadian Winter

....Canada as a matter of fact has one of the healthiest climates in the world – our winters and all.... A good many Canadians do not realize this. They have got into the bad habit of blaming the climate unduly and thus disparaging the country. If they lived more in the out-of-doors and enjoyed and made use of the bracing winter weather, they might get over the illusion that this is a terrible country to live in. The greater part of our winter should be a joy to every normally healthy inhabitant of the country.

Manitoba Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 31 January 1927, p. 1



My mother grew up in Manitoba, Canada and always thought we wet coasters in south western British Columbia didn't even know what winter was. I never heard her or my Na complain about winter, except maybe about the slush and wet we kids tracked in on their clean floors.

This photo, signed 'Love Dad', shows my maternal grandfather, James Walter Scott (1885-1947) on the farm in winter at Newdale, Manitoba, Canada with the family's dog, Sandy.

I don't know what date this is, but it was probably in the 1930's as my mum was working in Winnipeg by then, and I imagine the photo was taken to send to her in the city. (She was an only child.) Likely my Na - my maternal grandmother, Amy Estella (Irwin) Scott (1884-1983) - took the picture.

I'd guess it's early in the winter as there's snow on the ground but Grandpa's not 'bundled up' yet. My mum told me once he always wore a hat. This one sure wouldn't keep his ears warm.

I never met Grandpa Scott, but I feel from what my mum and grandma told me of him that we'd have liked each other. My mother used to talk a lot about Sandy, the dog, a lot too. I remember she told me he was afraid of thunder storms and used to hide under the bed. Probably he liked winter as less chance of thunder then, I think.

New British Columbia, Canada Blog - KnowBC

Over the holiday season, a new blog appeared - KnowBC - written by Dan Francis, a British Columbian historical writer and researcher with a number of books to his credit and by Howard White, writer, poet and publisher.

They intend to cover "all manner of BC-related subjects, be they cultural, historical, economic or political." So far they've had posts on BC business history, movie stars in BC, artists, voting, neglected classics (Janet Smith - oh no! not again - a BC 'in' story) and Trotsky. Quite a mix!

Oh, and then there's a poll about changing British Columbia's name. (For me, it's 'no, thank you, I'm British!' - another in joke although it doesn't quite fit. Salish names I'd be interested in though for my home towns - both are named for 'dead white men'. Maybe when the land claims are settled someday...)

Dan Francis was editorial director for the Encyclopedia of British Columbia and he's on the Editorial Board of Geist magazine. His latest books are Red Light Neon: A History of Vancouver’s Sex Trade , 2006, A Road for Canada: The Illustrated Story of the Trans-Canada Highway, 2006, Far West: The Story of British Columbia, 2006, and Operation Orca: Springer, Luna and the Struggle to Save West Coast Killer Whales, 2007. He also writes a Canadian history blog - HistoryWire: What's Past is Prologue - for Historica.

Howard White is co-owner with Mary White of Harbour Publishing, always a very independent company and well known here for the hundreds of great British Columbia history books it's published and promoted. The company's original offerings, RainCoast Chronicles, collections of articles about BC life and history, are now classics and have been reprinted several times. He's also the publisher of The Encyclopedia of British Columbia. My favourite of his own books is A Hard Man to Beat The Story of Bill White: Labour Leader, Historian, Shipyard Worker, Raconteur, 1983.

They'll be inviting others to join their discussions. I hope they'll be thinking of adding some genealogy to that mix.

LINKS

KnowBC: http://knowbc.blogspot.com/

Encyclopedia of British Columbia (Pay site, but there is a 30 day free trial available): http://www.knowbc.com/

History Wire: http://historywire.ca/

Harbour Publishing: http://www.harbourpublishing.com/index.php

Monday, January 12, 2009

British Child Evacuees to Canada - World War II

John D. Reid has written an interesting and instructive article, "World War II Guest Children" for this month's issue of Family Chronicle. This will be a very useful introduction to those intending to research a World War II British child evacuee.

For most, especially the children privately evacuated, historical records are few. The official evacuation plan, managed by the Children's Overseas Reception Board (CORB), sent children to relatives and volunteer foster families in Commonwealth countries - Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa - and to the United States. The National Archives of the U.K. does hold some CORB records and John Reid outlines how to find these and other research sources.

John Reid writes regularly on genealogy with a 'British-Canadian perspective' on his blog, Anglo-Celtic Connections.

The examples given in the article are of children sent to Central or Eastern Canada, but some British evacuee children were sent to British Columbia, Canada and there is some good information on one group of these on-line. In September of 1940, 34 child evacuees sailed on the S.S. Nerissa. One, Bernard H. Atkins, who was evacuated to Victoria, British Columbia with his two brothers, has written a memoir of the trip which is published on the S.S. Nerissa website along with a list of the children on that voyage, their last place of residence and their destinations in B.C.

A Vancouver, B.C. film company some years ago produced 'A Rough Crossing' about World War II child evacuation. Several adults, once Canadian guest children, appear in the film. As the film shows though, not all children were welcome in Canada during this period.

'Guest Children', an on-line fictional story exhibition for children about two British children evacuated to British Columbia, Canada, was produced by Idéeclic for the Canada Science and Technology Museum. The website has ideas and additional information for teachers and students.

LINKS

"World War II Guest Children" by John D. Reid, Family Chronicle, January/February 2009, pp. 31-32

John D. Reid's blog, Anglo-Celtic Connections: http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com

Wartime Evacuation and the Children's Overseas Reception Board, S.S. Nerissa: http://www.ssnerissa.com/?q=evacuation

A Rough Crossing, directed by Teresa MacInnes, Starry Night Productions Inc., 1995. Information and video clip, National Film Board of Canada: http://www3.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/?id=32764#ff-gen

Review by Jonathan McConnell, A Rough Crossing, The Peak, Simon Fraser University, Volume 91, Issue 6, 2 October, 1995: http://www.peak.sfu.ca/the-peak/95-3/issue5/crossing.html

Guest Children, Picturing The Past, Canada Science and Technology Museum: http://www.images.technomuses.ca/?en/guest_children/child/intro/

The Human Element - Learning Genealogy from Fictional Detectives

'It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.' Sherlock Holmes in A Scandal in Bohemia

'Data! data! data!' he cried impatiently. 'I can't make bricks without clay.' Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure Of The Copper Beeches

Emily A. Croom has an article in the January/February 2009 issue of Family Chronicle, "Research Advice From Literary Sleuths" (p. 33). Since I am a mystery reader, this is one of the articles I looked at first this month!

The advice she presents from fictional detectives is clear and to the point (although she doesn't cite her sources). Even the most unemotional fictional detective can be 'human' though. I've just been reading Imprint Of The Raj: How fingerprinting was born in colonial India by Chandak Sengoopta who points out that Sherlock Holmes once had examined fingerprint evidence with a wary eye, but later appeared to take its value for granted. (I do recommend Sengoopta's book, by the way. Excellent read!)

I have some favourite fictional quotations of my own. This one, I think, sums up why we don't always take the long research path - why we sometimes jump to conclusions or ignore vital or contradictory evidence.

'It's because you don't get your mind cluttered up with the human element that you see these things so quickly,' he said. 'You see everything in terms of A and B. It makes all the difference.'
Mr. Campion, the most gentle of men, made no comment at all.
Detective Inspector Stanislaus Oates in The Border-Line Case

But then isn't that one of the reasons we do genealogy and family history? Because we are most often passionate about the clues to our human past we find in our ancestors' everyday lives, their foibles and mistakes, their joys and their triumphs. Now if we could only focus some of our passion and energy into examining genealogical hypotheses and cleaning up citations!

LINKS

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (Charleston, South Carolina, USA: BiblioBazaar LLC, 2007)

"It is a capital mistake...." A Scandal in Bohemia, p.13 (First published, 1891, The Strand Magazine)
"Data! data! data!...." The Adventure Of The Copper Beeches, p. 289 (First published, 1892, The Strand Magazine.

Preview at Google Book Search: http://books.google.ca/books?id=FkTwORm1r8AC
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Sherlock_Holmes


The Borderline Case by Margery Allingham in Modern Short Story Classics of Suspense (The Readers Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., 1968)

"It's because....", p. 21

Originally published in Mr Campion: Criminologist (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1937) See The Margery Allingham Society, Bibliography: http://www.margeryallingham.org.uk/index.html

Saturday, January 10, 2009

No Ginger Rogers, But Always Ready To Tap, Tap, Tap In The Rain

No Ginger Rogers, But Always Ready to Tap, Tap, Tap in the Rain.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 1954. Dance costume (blue with blue sequins) made by Muriel Rogers. Photographer, Julius Shore.
Family Collection.

Amy Coffin at the We Tree blog posted a helpful list recently -
'Jump Start Your Genealogy Blog. 52 ideas. 52 weeks.'
The first week's prompt was to post a favourite photograph and say something about it. I'm not promising I'll keep up the next 51 weeks, but this week's idea did catch my eye. Thanks, Amy.

Who Are You? I Really Want To Know! 9th Edition, Smile For The Camera - KAUFMANN, TRAGLING, SAMKS - see UPDATE 2020

Here's a likely pair of photo studio cowboys - what we used to call 'drugstore cowboys' but these must be the 'one day only- just for the folks at home' kind, I think. Wonder if the photographer charged extra for these very fancy togs, eh! And a handgun?
This is a postcard I bought some time ago. Would love to know where these two hailed from and where they mosied on over to later. And was Lena a sweetheart, a sister, a friend?
Postcard, unmailed. Electric Studio, [illegible] Hastings St. W. Vancouver, BC [Canada]
Addressed to Miss Lena Samks (?), St Bonifacius [Minnesota, USA?]
Written on the back: Bert Tragling, C. Kaufmann May/6/12
According to David Mattison's 'Camera Workers', the Electric Studio (aka the Electric Photo Studio) operated in Vancouver, BC, Canada, from 1910 to 1919, first by George H. Buck (or Boak) and George Borden, later by Buck only.

Who Are You? I Really Want To Know! is for the 9th Edition of Smile For The Camera.

LINKS:

Camera Workers: The British Columbia Photographic Directory, 1858-1950 - B - Volume 2 (1901-1950) by David Mattison: http://members.shaw.ca/bchistorian/cw1858-1950.html

Smile For The Camera: http://www.shadesofthedeparted.com/


UPDATE

Edited, 30 August 2020 - I think I've identified both men as Charles Kaufmann and Albert Trayling. Please see my newer article published today.  


Genea-Bloggers Visit Ancestry, January 2009

Most of us doing genealogy and family history use Ancestry.com one way or another. Many of us love to hate it, but can't think about life without it either.

Some genea-bloggers were given a special tour yesterday and had the chance to listen to Ancestry.com's (The Generations Network - TGN) people and to ask them questions.

Interesting that TGN is aware of the power of genea-blogging. Wonder if anyone from outside the USA was invited?

For now, keep an eye on these three bloggers for news about this. I'll post links to other bloggers' reactions later:

DearMyrtle: http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/
Randy Seaver: http://www.geneamusings.com/
The Ancestry Insider: http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/

Addition - Diane Haddad At the Genealogy Insider (Family Tree Magazine-USA) has just posted her first comments on this trip:
http://blog.familytreemagazine.com/insider/New+And+Next+At+Ancestrycom.aspx

No real international content news yet - maybe Internet Genealogy/Family Chronicle need their own visible blogger? (mmmm...) Leland Meitzler of the Genealogy Blog wasn't invited, but I think/hope he will be commenting: http://www.genealogyblog.com/

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Oldest Working Fridge in British Columbia, Canada - BC Hydro Contest

BC Hydro, a provincial crown corporation, the electric power company in British Columbia, Canada, recently sponsored a contest to find the oldest working refrigerator in the province - part of BC Hydro's campaign to reduce the use of inefficient fridges and save energy.

The oldest found, from Surrey, BC, is a 1930's Frigidaire, but the most unique was found in Powell River, BC - a turquoise 1957 GE. Wow!

If I had a fridge like that, I' d keep it even just to store things in it! Our 1950's fridge was a pain as I remember; nothing 'modern' like this one. Twink, the cat, loved our old fridge though - she slept underneath near the warm motor.

Have a look at these two winning fridges here: http://www.bchydro.com/news/articles/conservation/fridge_relics_contest.html?WT.mc_id=c-09-01_relics

What kind of fridges (or iceboxes?) do you remember??

Monday, January 05, 2009

99 Things Meme - Now 110 Things!

This 99 Things Meme (now 110 Things!) has been going the rounds.

When it entered the genea-sphere though, it transformed into the 99+Genealogical Things Meme. Have a look at Kinexxions post link below to see how that happened. I've added a few too and made a few small changes.

The list is annotated in the following manner:
-Things you’ve already done: bold face type
-Things you’d like to do: italicize
-Things you haven’t done and don’t care to: plain type.

  1. Belong to a genealogical society.
  2. Researched records on site at a court house in the U.S.A.
  3. Transcribed records.
  4. Uploaded tombstone pictures to Find-A-Grave.
  5. Documented ancestors for four generations (self, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents)
  6. Joined Facebook.
  7. Cleaned up a run-down cemetery.
  8. Joined the Genea-Bloggers Group.
  9. Attended a genealogy conference.
  10. Lectured at a genealogy conference. *Lectured at history conferences though.
  11. Spoken on a genealogy topic at a local genealogy society.
  12. Been the editor of a genealogy society newsletter.
  13. Contributed to a genealogy society publication.
  14. Served on the board or as an officer of a genealogy society.
  15. Got lost on the way to a cemetery.
  16. Talked to dead ancestors. (But haven't heard any answers, yet.)
  17. Researched outside the state/province/county/canton etc. in which I live.
  18. Knocked on the door of an ancestral home and visited with the current occupants.
  19. Cold called a distant relative.
  20. Posted messages on a surname message board.
  21. Uploaded a gedcom file to the internet.
  22. Googled my name.
  23. Performed a random act of genealogical kindness.
  24. Researched a non-related family, just for the fun of it.
  25. Have been paid to do genealogical research.
  26. Earn a living (majority of income) from genealogical research.
  27. Wrote a letter (or email) to a previously unknown relative.
  28. Contributed to one of the genealogy carnivals.
  29. Responded to messages on a message board.
  30. Was injured while on a genealogy excursion.
  31. Participated in a genealogy meme.
  32. Created family history gift items (calendars, cookbooks, etc.).
  33. Performed a record lookup.
  34. Took a genealogy seminar cruise.
  35. Am convinced that a relative must have arrived here from outer space.
  36. Found a disturbing family secret.
  37. Told others about a disturbing family secret.
  38. Combined genealogy with crafts (family picture quilt, scrapbooking).
  39. Think genealogy is a passion not a hobby.
  40. Assisted finding next of kin for a deceased person (Unclaimed Persons).
  41. Taught someone else how to find their roots.
  42. Lost valuable genealogy data due to a computer crash or hard drive failure.
  43. Been overwhelmed by available genealogy technology.
  44. Know a cousin of the 4th degree or higher.
  45. Disproved a family myth through research.
  46. Got a family member to let you copy photos.
  47. Used a digital camera to “copy” photos or records
  48. Translated a record from a foreign language. *I won't count my dictionary/software tries.
  49. Found an immigrant ancestor’s passenger arrival record.
  50. Looked at census records on microfilm, not on the computer.
  51. Used microfiche.
  52. Visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
  53. Visited more than one LDS Family History Center.
  54. Visited a church or place of worship of one of your ancestors.
  55. Taught a class in genealogy.
  56. Traced ancestors back to the 18th Century.
  57. Traced ancestors back to the 17th Century.
  58. Traced ancestors back to the 16th Century.
  59. Can name all of your great-great-grandparents.
  60. Found an ancestor’s Social Security application. *Not often applicable outside U.S.A.
  61. Know how to determine a soundex code without the help of a computer. *If I have my notes!
  62. Used Steve Morse’s One-Step searches.
  63. Own a copy of Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
  64. Helped someone find an ancestor using records you had never used for your own research.
  65. Visited the main National Archives building in Washington, DC.
  66. Visited the Library of Congress.
  67. Have an ancestor who came over on the Mayflower. *I have some connections who said they did!
  68. Have an ancestor who fought or died in a civil or revolutionary war or action, or in an international war.
  69. Taken a photograph of an ancestor’s tombstone.
  70. Became a member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits.
  71. Can read a church record in Latin.
  72. Have an ancestor who changed their name.
  73. Joined a Rootsweb mailing list.
  74. Created a family website.
  75. Have more than one "genealogy" blog.
  76. Was overwhelmed by the amount of family information received from someone.
  77. Have broken through at least one brick wall.
  78. Visited the DAR Library in Washington D.C.
  79. Borrowed microfilm from the Family History Library through a local Family History Center.
  80. Have done indexing for Family Search Indexing or another genealogy project.
  81. Visited the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  82. Had an amazing serendipitous find of the "Psychic Roots" variety.
  83. Have an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War.
  84. Have an ancestor who was a Loyalist in the American Revolutionary War.
  85. Have both Patriot & Loyalist ancestors, as above.
  86. Have used Border Crossing records to locate an ancestor.
  87. Use maps in my genealogy research.
  88. Have a convict ancestor who was transported from the UK.
  89. Found a bigamist amongst the ancestors. *Well, she was the wife of my ancestor! He divorced her eventually - more scandal.
  90. Visited The National Archives in Kew, England.
  91. Visited St. Catherine's House in London, England to find family records. *Yes, I am that old - I've also been to the later Family Records Centre in London, now closed.
  92. Found a cousin in Australia (or other foreign country). Also in the U.S.A., Sweden, South Africa, etc.
  93. Consistently cite my sources. *I hope I'm consistent but I am NOT perfect.
  94. Visited a foreign country (i.e. one I don't live in) in search of ancestors.
  95. Can locate any document in my research files within a few minutes. *Unless it's imperative that I have it in minutes.
  96. Have an ancestor who was married four times (or more).
  97. Made a rubbing of an ancestors gravestone.
  98. Organized a family reunion.
  99. Published a family history book (on one of my families).
  100. Learned of the death of a fairly close relative through research.
  101. Have done the genealogy happy dance. * I have also quietly 'shouted' BINGO! in a tip toe quiet academic library's microfilm room. Saw some smiles.
  102. Sustained an injury doing the genealogy happy dance.
  103. Offended a family member with my research. *Ouch, I think I just upset my daughter with my on-line tombstone. Oh, well, I know now what my epitaph will likely be, if not, 'She was a strange lady, but loved..."
  104. Reunited someone with precious family photos or artifacts.
  105. Uploaded photos to DeadFred.
  106. Contributed to a GenWeb site.
  107. Visited your own country's national Archives facility or national Library to research your ancestors.
  108. Visited a museum for information or to see artifacts belonging or relating to your family.
  109. Recorded a whole cemetery.
  110. Looked up applicable census and other records on-line while watching a television biography or non-fiction feature.

To follow this Meme, see The 99 Things Meme, Kinexxions: http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/2009/01/99-things-meme.html

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Rosemary Brown, BC Activist and Politician, Honoured on New Canadian Stamp

Next month, in February, 2009, Canada Post will issue 2 new stamps to commemorate Black History Month. One will show Abraham Doras Shadd, remembered for his 'underground railway' work, and the second will be of Rosemary Brown, well remembered in British Columbia, Canada, for all she did to fight injustice, racism and sexism.

She emigrated from Jamaica to Montreal, Canada in the 1950s where she attended McGill University. This was the first time she encountered racism herself.

In the early 1960s, she came to live in British Columbia, Canada with her husband, Bill Brown. Both were members of the British Columbia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People and she joined the Voice of Women, then the Vancouver Status of Women.

In 1972, she became the first black woman to be elected to public office in Canada when she won a seat in the British Columbia legislature and, later, she was also the first black woman (and the second woman) to run for the leadership of a Canadian federal political party.

Her political career spanned 14 years. After that, in the 1980's, she became the CEO of MATCH International, one of my 'favourite' NGOs, and international development and human rights, especially for women, became her main focus.

She was named to the Order of British Columbia in 1995 and named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1996 - as "a champion of women's and minority rights and a political and social activist whose contributions to democratic and social processes are exceptional."

For more about Rosemary Brown and women in British Columbia politics, I recommend Anne Edwards' new book, Seeking Balance: Conversations With BC Women In Politics (available from Caitlin Press, 2008: www.caitlin-press.com

I certainly look forward to seeing and sending this stamp. I am only sorry that Canada Post has missed the opportunity to honour Rosemary Brown's legacy by making this a joint commemoration of Black History Month in February and of International Women's Day in March.

LINKS

Rosemary Brown, brief biography, Heroines.ca: www.heroines.ca/people/brown.html

Order of Canada: www.gg.ca/honours/nat-ord/oc/index_e.asp

Order of British Columbia: www.protocol.gov.bc.ca/protocol/prgs/obc/obc.htm

MATCHInternational: www.matchinternational.org

Black History, Canada, Historica: http://blackhistorycanada.ca

International Women's Day: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

Saturday, January 03, 2009

New Year's Resolutions - 63rd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy

The January 4, 2009 edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - New Year's Resolutions - is now posted over at Creative Gene. So many genea-resolutions, goals, objectives, and some wishes and dreams!

Tomorrow I'll be reading over all these with my coffee - wish there was some fruitcake left to go with that, Jasia. I love fruitcake! It would help me deal with being 'snowed in' here again. We just aren't ever ready for this.

And then the topic for the next Carnival of Genealogy is: A Winter Photo Essay. Show us those wintertime photo(s) of your ancestors or family members and tell us the story that goes along with them. Winter is here! Let's record it and celebrate it! The deadline for submissions is January 15th.


Creative Gene, Carnival of Genealogy, 63rd Edition: http://creativegene.blogspot.com/2009/01/carnival-of-genealogy-63rd-edition.html

Thursday, January 01, 2009

New Year's Resolutions! Carnival of Genealogy - 63rd Edition


What Some People Say....

that New Year's resolutions again prove more brittle than

the crust of Christmastime mince pie.


Victoria Daily Colonist, Sunday, 8th January, 1905


Once again it's time to write up those New Year's resolutions, and, to have a look at last year's to see how I did. Not everyone likes New Year's resolutions, or even approves of the idea, but most of the time I find that writing down a goal, then writing up a plan to achieve it, works for me. (Not always, of course!) I'm expecting 2009 to be a very busy year, so I will be spending more time actually working out my plans than in 2008, but for the most part, my goals in 2009 will be very similar.

In 2008, I resolved to focus on

1. research that would fit my future travel plans - to Montreal, Detroit, and Sweden. I did work on this all year. In fact, I made it to Detroit. I had done everything I could beforehand and was able to take full advantage of the time I had there to research my James Walter Scott and his wife and her family, mainly using resources at the Detroit Public Library, especially directories and newspapers. Now I'm ready to head to Sweden and also to Montreal. See you soon, Leonor!

2. scanning more family photographs, especially ones taken when I was young, those of my nieces and also Newdale photographs. Still haven't got to the niece's photographs! but I have done a lot of this scanning. Now in 2009, I must do something to share these photos!

I started a scrapbook for my baby brother and one about myself, but what with one thing or another, few pages got finished. A scrapbooking friend has just reminded me to make more time for this, so that is one of my resolutions and will go into my plan. But I need to make it more fun, I think.

One way to do that is by attending scrap nights and I resolve to schedule that at least twice, but today I looked at Photojojo's list of New Year's resolutions. The 'Get Organized' one is always applicable - we must be realistic - but I was especially struck by one 'start a new tradition' idea - going to a photobooth for pictures every Friday. OK - I wouldn't do it that often, but right away I knew there was a photobooth right across the way. I've never ever ever had my photo done in a booth - why not? I resolve to pencil in a few dates to do that this year and I will do my best to get my kids and grandson to come at least once each with me. Then I can challenge myself to scrap with the new photos and some old ones.

I've signed up for the January Scanfest so I will have the box of photographs of my younger nieces ready for scanning that day. My goodness, they are having children themselves now, I've been so long at this.

3. blogging more. This was fun all year, I blogged while at home and away and I also updated my blog a couple of times. I hosted a Cabinet of Curiosity and, if Creative Gene is willing, I resolve to host a Carnival of Genealogy in 2009.

I joined the Association of Graveyard Rabbits with a new British Columbia cemetery blog too. As well, I write on the British Columbia Genealogical Society's new blog.

I have some future ideas for posts, and I want to write more often. I've set up separate Hassles to remind me to write for each blog, staggering the days, so I won't be feeling frantic. Just recently Blogger changed my status - I'm no longer 'suspect' - so I can postdate entries on both blogs. I resolve to have at least 2 posts and 2 'Wordless' posts ready to go at any time starting in mid-February.

4. putting up a Newdale, Manitoba, Canada genealogy research web pages. Oh, dear! This project was derailed some time in the summer. I was doing ok with it till then, but one too many trips away (and there were a lot of trips), I just never got back to it. This is now a high priority for 2009. By the 9th of February (my mother's birthday - she and her mum are my Newdale connections), I will have something on-line.

5. investigating new ways to illustrate my family history. This I did work on last year - I experimented with 'Passage Express' and with 'Map My Family Tree' software. I use Legacy which now includes features with Microsoft's Virtual Earth, but I haven't had much time to look at that. These are programmes I can continue to 'play with' even when I'm away from home in 2009. I do have a laptop, but I hope to be able to get a lighter one and one of the new small external drives for myself in 2009. (Yes, there are some financial New Year's resolutions this year too.) I resolve to produce CDs for my family with the Islay, Scotland connection information and photographs on it. I have already made a binder which was given to the Islay Family History Society, so I can update that information and add more photographs.

Now about organization. This is a continual challenge, I believe, for most of us. I was so encouraged to see that DearMYRTLE posted her updated January organizational chart today. I loved the charts she had 'in the old days' and I do have her booklets. I resolve to follow her outline and put those brightly coloured file folders and the coloured CD cases I got for Christmas to good use. (Thank you, daughter dear.) I love DearMYRTLE's gold clipboard idea - mine might be for 'next... library day' though as occasionally I get there without that one vital bit of info.

I've recently resolved to save paper in my office as an 'Act of Green', so I'll be thinking twice before I print (that should cut down on the filing!) and I'll be remembering to use both sides when I do print. As soon as I can figure out all these wires and hubs, I resolve to start using power bars to save energy too.


So for 2009, my personal genea-resolutions are to

1. Scan more photos and scrap more photos - about my brother and myself. Attend 2 scrap nights; schedule some time for fun photos to mix with the older ones.
2. Blog on a more regular schedule; have 2 posts and 2 'Wordless' posts in reserve for each blog by mid-February.
3. Host a Carnival of Genealogy.
4. Have some Newdale pages on-line by 9 February 2009.
5. Produce Islay CDs as family gifts.
6. Follow DearMYRTLE's organization checklists.
7. Save trees and energy by using less paper! Buy 2 power bars to use in my office area.


Happy New Year everyone and Good Luck with all your genea-resolutions in 2009!


LINKS

The British Colonist, [Victoria, British Columbia Canada] Online Edition 1858-1910: http://britishcolonist.ca/


Photobooths Around The World: http://www.photobooth.net/locations

January 2009 Organizational Chart, DearMYRTLE: http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2009/01/finally-get-organized-jan-2009.html

One Million Acts of Green, CBC.ca: http://green.cbc.ca/



Data Backup Day!

Today, the first of the month, is Data Backup Day for Genea-Bloggers.

I backed up many of my computer files again, and now I have backup copies of my 2 blogs since Blogger has made this so easy. I even rearranged some files on my external backup drive.

Usually I do back up computer files every Wednesday (my anti-procrastination day), or special files every day if I'm working on a big project, but I have also now arranged to receive a 'hassle' e-mail every 10 days reminding me to back up both my personal blogs from http://www.hassleme.co.uk/. If you keep forgetting to back up, and don't have a reliable human to give you a gentle reminder, try hassleme. It's free (but a donation is always appreciated).

Backup Your Blogger-Based Blog, Thomas MacEntee, Bootcamp for Genea-Bloggers...: http://fbbootcamp.blogspot.com/2008/12/backup-your-blogger-based-blog.html

Data Backup Day, Genea-Blogger Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=42197774095