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August 31, 2017

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Search Ancestry.ca Labour Day Free Access to Occupational Records all Weekend Long

August 30, 2017

Mary Facey Elgie Photo Album p 8

What a great photo! You can see what it says on the reverse (image below) but I'll list the people left to right starting with the front row:

On grass: Donna Bragg, Helena Massey (my mother-in-law), Luella Conn (Helena's mother) 
Middle row seated: William Elgie  holding Roberta Bragg, Joan Elgie, Mary Louise Facey Elgie, Margaret Wilford Facey
Back row standing: Florence Elgie Hooper, Harry Elgie, Annie Elgie


August 28, 2017

Got Scottish Ancestors?

I recently discovered a new (to me) website when searching for my former daughter-in-law's Scottish ancestors.

The website Scottish Indexes explains

"The aim of this website is to help you trace your Scottish family tree and find out more about the lives of your ancestors by helping you access historic documents that are here in Scotland.
We have a wide range of indexes from birth, marriage, death and census records to mental health and prison records. You can search all of our indexes from this page or you can go to our 'Record Sets' page and search by individual category. Find out exactly what we have indexed so far on our coverage page."
It's a mix of records. For example I found this record:

Register of Extracted Decrees

PursuerHelen Murie, daughter of Robert Murie, Balfron, Stirlingshire
DefenderThomas Bulloch, Watchmaker & Jeweller, Strathaven
Year of Child's Birth1880
Year Extract Isssued1880
Sheriff CourtHamilton
CountyLanarkshire
NRS ReferenceSC37/7/25 p. 15
The site gives me two options to purchase the record since this is an index only. The options are:

1. the full record for a small fee
2. full record plus a transcription for a slightly larger fee

If you have Scottish ancestors you may want to give this site a look.


August 27, 2017

Nursing Sister Philips WW1 Photo Album 49 V

49V summer chapel le treport


This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One.

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

August 25, 2017

Meme: Our Immigrant Ancestors - Hendrick Meesen Vrooman

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share on OliveTreeGenealogy blog what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

One of my Dutch immigrant ancestors was Hendrick Meesen Vrooman born ca 1617 in Holland. Hendrick Bartholomeus (Meesen) and 5 children sailed to New Netherland (New York) on D'Eendracht (The Concord) in 1664.

I've written a book about Hendrick and his brothers which is available on Amazon as "The Vrooman Family: Ancestors & Descendants of the Brothers Hendrick Meesen Vrooman, Pieter Meesen Vrooman and Jacob Meesen Vrooman of New Netherland (New York)" (Volume 8 of my New Netherland Settlers series)

You might also like to join our Vrooman Facebook Group to share stories, and ask for help with a challenging Vrooman ancestor.

Hendrick was 47 years old and with him were his five children including his daughter, my 8th great grandmother Eva Hendrickse Vroomn. Eva was 14 years old. Hendrick was a widower, his youngest child was only 5 years old. Their ship, De Eendracht, arrived in the harbour 19 July 1664.

Six months after his arrival, Hendrik wrote a letter to his family in Leiden: his brother Jacob, his sister Maartje and his mother Ariaantje. In it he described the new land he has come to, and asked for items from home such as silk thread.

 The amazement about the new environment is thus still fresh at the time of writing and some passages of  Hendriks letter state:

It has been a good summer there. Very fine corn has grown there and the cultivation was good and the land still pleases me. At snechtendeel [Schenectady and the surrounding area] the land is more beautiful than I have ever seen in Holland.
 The year in which Hendrick arrived in New Netherland (1664) is the year in which New Netherland was taken by the English. Hendrik writes of this in his letter:

Furthermore I let you know that there have arrived three English ships at the Manhattans with soldiers and they have claimed the land and they say that it belongs to their king. And Stuyvesant has given it to them without one shot, with an agreement.

In 1690 Hendrick, his son Bartholmew aged 30, his son Adam with his wife Engeltie and their six children (Barent 11, Wouter 9, Peter 5, Christina 4, Hendrick 3 and a male infant) were living in Schenectady. Then came the Indian and French attack on Schenectady on the cold snowy evening of Saturday February 9, 1690.

On 9 February 1690, in the total of 60 people killed at the Schenectady Massacre, were Hendrick, his son Bartholomew aka Bartol, and two black slaves who were killed and burned by Indians. His two remaining sons, Adam and Jan, were left to inherit his estate. Hendrick's grandsons Barent and Wouter were taken captive to Canada but later recovered. Hendrick's son Adam escaped with his three children Peter, Christina and Hendrick.

The report of the investigating party sent out from Albany states:

"Hend. Meese Vrooman and Bartholomeus Vrooman kild & burnt....Item 2 Negroes of Hend Meese ye same death....Engel the wife of Adam Vrooman shot & burnt, her childe the brains dashed out against ye wall...."

Hendrik's life story illustrates the guts and perseverence of the Dutch colonists in New-Netherland: they left their safe home behind and built themselves a new life in a wonderful, but harsh country. 350 years later, Hendrik's letter does not only offer us a unique view of the fortunes of a Dutchman in New-Netherland, but also of the unpolished history of development of a nation. This makes his letter a great ego document to celebrate the Hudson year. (http://hum.leiden.edu/research/letters-as-loot/archive/monthly-letter.html)


Sources:

The letter is kept in HCA 30-226-1. A first diplomatic transcription was made by Netty van Megen for the Wikiscripta Neerlandica project. The comment on this monthly letter is provided by Judith Nobels. The quotations of the letter have been translated freely. See http://hum.leiden.edu/research/letters-as-loot/archive/monthly-letter.html


August 23, 2017

Mary Facey Elgie Photo Album p 7


This photo taken in 1916 shows William Elgie and his wife Mary Louise Facey with their children Harry (b. 1907), Anne (b. 1912) and baby Florence (b. 1914).


This photo is labelled "Miss Bradbury (Ingersoll) & Annie Edythe Elgie Mitchell"

Unfortunately we have Annie Edythe Elgie married to Robert Bragg so we cannot explain the reference to her as Mitchell.

There was one more tiny photo, which looked like it had been torn from a larger one, tucked into the plastic sleeve with the photo dated 1916.


This photo is labelled "Grandma Facey, Annie Edythe Elgie Mitchell". Grandma Facey is Margaret Wilford, wife of Samuel Facey. Annie Edythe was her granddaughter and daughter of William Elgie and Mary Louise Facey.

August 21, 2017

Finding a Yorkshire England Ancestor

Recently I discovered a goldmine of information my husband's Yorkshire Elgie ancestors. His Elgie ancestors lived in North Yorkshire, and while researching that area I discovered the North Yorkshire archives website.

A search of the North Yorkshire County Record Office online catalogue using their "Quick Catalogue Search" box resulted in 32 "hits" for the surname Elgie.

Clicking on each one in turn brings up more details, including reference numbers which are needed to order copies of the full document.


Not being able to find an online form or method of ordering documents online I wrote to the
the North Yorkshire Archives (Archives@northyorks.gov.uk) with this email:
Hello
I have found several records for my ELGIE family that I would like to order from your online index of your catalogue.
I was not able to find how to submit my request for copies. I am happy to have digital copies sent by email but I can accept them in any format you use.
There are 5 items - here is one example:
1818 papers for the opinion of the Justices relating to the petitions of John White and William Elgie insolvent debtors [2 items] [North Riding of Yorkshire Quarter Sessions. Easter Quarter Sessions. Document QSB 1818 2/14]

Can I send you a list of document numbers by email to order copies?
Thank you for any help you can offer me.
It didn't take long before I received an email from the North Yorkshire County Record Office with the following information:

If you would like to order copies, payment can be made by cheque payable to North Yorkshire County Council and sent to us at The County Record Office, Malpas Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL7 8TB. We can also accept payment by credit or debit card (except American Express), but we advise that you let us know card details by post or telephone, as we cannot guarantee the security of information sent electronically.  Our telephone number is 01609 777585.
Next I mailed (old school postal) my request along with my credit card information and within a few weeks I had copies of five documents ranging from 1797 to 1822 for the Elgie ancestor of interest. The cost for those five documents was $20.00 Canadian. How amazing is that! And from the documents I learned, among other things, that my husband's 5th great-grandfather William Elgie was in debtor's prison in York when he requested a pardon so he could leave prison and repay his debts.

If you have North Yorkshire ancestors you should give this site a good look.

August 20, 2017

Nursing Sister Philips WW1 Photo Album 56R

Netheravon Church. Rector Mr. Chorley

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One.

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

Nursing Sister Philips WW1 Photo Album 46 V

 Newspaper clippings.  1 - Wounded includes Capt. Gatherer.  2 - Canada's Matron, with a dated autograph of 8_1_16
 

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One.

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

August 19, 2017

Hans Coenradt & Barentje Straetsman in New Netherland



The exact date of Hans Coenradt’s arrival in New Netherland is not known but we know he would have been among the refugees fleeing Recife Brazil in April 1654. Presumably the family continued on to New Netherland soon after arriving safely in the Netherlands. The first record found indicating he was in New Netherland is dated in Albany (Fort Orange) in early December 1655.  [i] So sometime between April 1654 and December 1655, Hans (and probably his entire family) arrived in New New Netherland.

As New Amsterdam came into view with its gallows and weather beaten wooden houses dominating a raw, windswept landscape, the Barheit family must have had mixed feelings. New Amsterdam in 1654 was a frontier outpost filled with brawling sailors and rough-looking fur traders. Over fifty grog houses catered to a never-ending stream of men dropping in for a little fun on their way to or from Massachusetts or Virginia. [ii]

Many researchers believe that Barentje stayed behind in the Netherlands and arrived in New Netherland for the first time in 1660. Records reveal that Barentje and two children left Amsterdam between 22 December 1659 and 8 January 1660 on board the ship de Trouw. The ship sailed into the harbour at New Amsterdam some time before 6 June 1660.  [iii] However it is unlikely that this was her Barentje’s first trip, since it occurred at least five years after her husband’s arrival. Barentje more than likely returned to the Netherlands on either business reasons or to visit family, and this 1660 arrival is her return voyage.

We find records of Barentje in New Netherland as early as August 1658 when she was called a whore by Pieter Jansen. Her sister defended her vigourously and Pieter took her sister to court in New Amsterdam. [iv] This suggests that the 1660 voyage was not her first time to New Netherland.

The late Pim Nieuwenhuis’ abstracts from notarial documents in the Amsterdam Archives reveal that on 16 August 1659, Barentje was in Amsterdam conducting business on behalf of her sister Teuntje. [v] It seems obvious that Barentje, her legal affairs in order, then booked passage on the next ship to New Netherland – de Trouw leaving after 22 Decemember 1659.

This is an excerpt from my book
 

The Barheit Family Revealed: A Genealogy of Hans Coenradt and Barentje Jans Straetsman, the Immigrant Ancestors of the Barheit Family of Albany New York available  on CreateSpace and Amazon.com

Publication Date: Apr 21 2016
ISBN/EAN13: 1987938062 / 9781987938067
Page Count: 60
Trim Size: 8.5" x 11"
 
[i] CFOB V1.1920 p.242 Hans was called as a witness in a case about stolen sugar cookies
[ii] They Came From Recife: the First Jews to Settle in America 1654. Dr. Kenneth Libo Ph.D and Michael Skakun
[iii] http://olivetreegenealogy.com/ships/nnship77.shtml
[iv] RNA. Vii p 427. 27 August 1658. Pieter Jansen pltf vs Teuntje Straaatmans [sic] deft. Pltf delivers in court certain written complaint for the insults and abuse given him, pltf, by the deft. Deft. Admits having done so, but did not threaten him with a knife, and says the pltf abused her sister for a whore and her as one who steals. Plft denies it and says she, the deft., abused his wife as a thief, and threatened him with a knife, which Leuntje Pieters knows. Deft says the pltf abused her three times in the first instance. Parties charged by the Court to keep themselves quiet and peaceable and whichever of the two should begin again, shall pay 25 gl as a fine to the Schout
[v] NNC. V. 5 No. 3. 2000 p 78. 16 August 1659. Not. H. Schaef, 1359/106. Barentje Straetsmans, housewife of Hans Coenraets from Beerhey, now a free baker near Fort Orange in New Netherland, being a sister of Theuntke [sic] Straetsmans (the wife of Thielman Jacobsz from Caerick who sailed in 1646 on the ship Rhee van Zeeland to Brazil and who died later in Gaudeloupe, now declares in the name of her sister Theuntje Straetsmans now living in Manhattan, that she has received a full account of the wages earned by her late husband. (Note that in fact Thielman had not died in Gaudaloupe and reappeared some years later after Theuntje had remarried as his widow)

August 16, 2017

Mary Facey Elgie Photo Album p 6





"Harry Elgie at Lot 24, Concession 7, East Nissouri. the Will Elgie Farm, now Harry Elgie Farm"

As near as I can tell, the Harry Elgie in this photo is Harry the son of William Elgie and Mary Louise Facey. Harry was born in E. Nissouri in 1907, and married Madge Brown in 1936.



On back of photo is this notation: "Sam and Margaret Facey. Grandpa & Grandma Facey." Underneath is a notation that seems to read "Of Anne Elgie Mitchell"

I am not sure what the second notation refers to, because I only know of two Anne Elgie women - one married Alexander Pelton, the other married Robert Bragg and was the mother of Roberta who inherited these photos from her Aunt Florence.

August 14, 2017

Irish Catholic Church Records Coming Soon!

Good news for those of us searching their Irish Catholic ancestors! The National Library of Ireland has announced that it will give free online access to its archive of Catholic Church records, the earliest of which dates back to the 1700s.

They cover 1,091 parishes throughout Ireland and are mainly baptismal and marriage records.  This new project adds to the over 2.5 million images of Irish births, deaths and marriage records from the General Register Office (GRO),  released online in September 2015. The earlier set of records is available on www.irishgenealogy.ie The records cover births from 1864 to 1915, marriages from 1882 to 1940 and deaths from 1891 to 1965.

Read the full story at All of Ireland’s Catholic Church records to go online

August 13, 2017

Nursing Sister Philips WW1 Photo Album 58V

58V Newspaper clipping with photo. "Canadian Nurses in England are going to front". Photo- "Sisters Smellie and Philip". The figures in the background are indicated as "S. Armstrong S. Wishart

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One.

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.


I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"


August 11, 2017

Bodies of Swiss Couple Found on Glacier After 75 years

Marcelin and Francine Dumoulin went to milk their cows in a meadow above Chandolin in the Valais canton on August 15, 1942. They left their seven children back at home, expecting to return in a few hours. They never came back.

Their youngest child was 4 years old and it was the first time Francine had gone with her husband. In the past she'd either been pregnant or with a child too young to be left with older siblings.

Searches failed and eventually were called off. The children were farmed out to various relatives and never knew what had happened to their parents.

75 years later, a shrinking glacier revealed the bodies of a man and woman lying near each other, perfectly preserved in ice. Identity papers proved who they were - Marcelin and Francine Dumoulin. Authorities believe they fell into a crevasse and were hidden for decades until melting snow and ice revealed their bodies.

Read the full story at Bodies of Swiss couple found on glacier 75 years after they went missing

Do You Have New Netherland (NY) Ancestors?

If you have New Netherland ancestors, come join us on the New Netherland Settlers Facebook group.

On September 19, 1609, the East India Company ship Halve Maen, commanded by Henry Hudson, an Englishman working for Dutch businessmen who were seeking a passage to the Orient, reached the present-day Albany New York area. 

It was not until 1624 that the first colonists arrived in New Netherland (now New York) to settle at Fort Orange (present day Albany), the mouth of the Connecticut River, and High Island (Burlington Island) in the Delaware River. 

English colonists were in Virginia and Plymouth, and England was claiming the northeastern Atlantic Coast. They both laid claim to Long Island, where the Dutch took hold of the western end and, later, the English settled on the eastern end. 

(Source: http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/nn/overview.shtml )

August 9, 2017

Mary Facey Elgie Photo Album p 5





A nice photo identified as "Grandpa Facey (Samuel Facey), Mrs. Henry Haves, Mrs Haves (Granny) and Grandma Facey (Margaret Wilford)" 

Redigon Facey, a daughter of Samuel Facey and Margaret Wilford, married Robert Haves and this could be the connection.


This photo is labelled as Jennie Mary (Rennie?) and Margaret Wilford Facey


Search the Free UK Census Records

Announcement from FreeCen:

FreeCEN offers a free-to-search online database of the 19th century UK censuses. Transcribed entirely by volunteers, we have more than 32 million individuals available on our website that anyone can search without having to create an account. The new ‘FreeCEN2’ website (https://freecen2.freecen.org.uk) will launch on Monday 31st July 2017 with all of the records that the current website holds, but with a fresh new look and feel in-line with Free UK Genealogy and FreeREG. 

FreeCEN, FreeREG and FreeBMD are projects by Free UK Genealogy, a registered charity that promotes free access to historical records. FreeREG underwent this process in 2015, and FreeBMD is due to begin its renewal later this year.  

August 7, 2017

Newly Discovered Diary Describes Halifax Explosion


Dec. 6, 1917. Royal Navy sailor Frank Baker wrote in his diary

"We...had just drawn soap and powder and the necessary utensils for cleaning paint work,” he wrote, “when the most awful explosion I ever heard or want to hear again occurred.”

What Baker heard was the largest explosion since before the Atomic Bomb. Sailors 150 miles out to sea heard the blast. On land, people felt the jolt 300 miles away. The shock wave demolished almost everything within a half-mile.


An outbound Belgian ship, the Imo, collided with an inbound French freighter, the Mont-Blanc. The freighter carried 2,925 tons of high explosives, including 246 tons of benzol, a highly flammable motor fuel, in drums lashed to its deck.

Passersby stopped to watch the fire but when the explosion occurred the town of Halifax was devastated. There were 2000 known fatalities and over 9000 people were injured.


Baker's diary is now in an exhibit in the Dartmouth Heritage Musuem. Read the entire diary on the Smithsonian 

August 6, 2017

Nursing Sister Phiips WW1 Photo Album 66 R


66R 2-2 Doctors C.A.M.C. leaving Netheravon for France

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One.  

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain. 

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission. 

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus a number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.  

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos" in the vertical menu bar on the right side of your screen. You can also click on that phrase at the bottom of this post.

August 5, 2017

Genealogists Heads Up re Proposed Bylaw: No Photographs in Cemetery!

Thanks to Murray Pletsch for bringing this to our attention. Polite action is called for - tell them NO!

Cause for Concern...

It has come to our attention that the City of Waterloo in Ontario Canada is considering
implementing a bylaw that would ban photography at all municipal cemeteries.

The proposed bylaw: "Photography: No person shall cause or permit the taking
of any photographic or video imaging within any Cemetery except with the
prior permission of the Manager."


This would mean that as of September 1st, no one would be allowed to take
photographs or video in any municipally owned cemetery operated by the City
of Waterloo without prior permission.

In other words, you could not take a photograph or video of a headstone you
own without prior permission. Or a photograph / video of a loved ones
headstone. Or request that someone take a photograph / video on your behalf
without prior permission. The bylaw does not provide guidelines for granting
or denying permission, only that the manager would decide.

Approval of this bylaw would also set a precedent for other municipalities
in Ontario to follow.

It would have a major impact on genealogy, and not just in terms of projects
like ours (think of the number of cemetery photographs you currently use in
your personal genealogy research!)

There are also multiple businesses and organizations that use cemetery
photographs, including the government.

Luckily there is time to stop this bylaw from being approved, and your help
is need to make this happen.

The bylaw changes were submitted to The Bereavement Authority of Ontario for
approval. The BAO are the ones who ultimately decide if cemetery bylaws will
be approved.

Before September 1st, please take a moment and send them a polite written
message to let them know what you think about this bylaw and how it would
impact you personally.

Bereavement Authority of Ontario
Email: info@thebao.ca
Telephone: 647-483-2645
Toll Free: 844-493-6356
Fax: 647-748-2645
Mail: Bereavement Authority of Ontario, 100 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 505,
Toronto, ON M2N 6N5

Need more info? The cemetery bylaws were discussed by the City of Waterloo
Council at their July 24th meeting. A copy of the agenda can be read here:
http://www.waterloo.ca/en/calendar/council/Details.aspx?Id=d11b5d9f-7c1a-4326-9fde-8369970131fa

The proposed cemetery bylaws are on pages 101-177, the clause regarding
photography is on page 113.

101 Best Genealogy Sites from Family Tree Magazine

Olive Tree Genealogy is very excited and honored to be chosen as one of Family Tree Magazine's Top 101 Genealogy sites for 2017.

Olive Tree Genealogy was chosen in the category Big Genealogy Websites along with FamilySearch, Heritage Quest, Access Genealogy, Library of Congress, NARA, Rootsweb and US GenWeb. Wow! I'm super thrilled to be in such esteemed company!




This is what Family Tree Magazine said about my site:


Each year, Family Tree Magazine publishes the 101 Best Websites for family history to guide genealogists to the top websites where they can make family history research progress, and to honor the individuals and organizations who create those sites. This year, they focused on websites that provide genealogy information and records free to researchers.

The full list of 101 Best Websites, including my site, can also be found at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/best-big-genealogy-websites-2017

August 4, 2017

Update of Canadian WW1 Personnel Files Online

Attestation Papers WW1 CEF
The Canadian Expeditionary Force WW1 database has been updated and now includes full files of soldiers up to Box 7834 and last name Pilkey.

To date 461,575 of 640,000 files are available online for researchers to freely use.

August 2, 2017

Mary Facey Elgie Photo Album p 4

This photo is labelled "taken 1914" and the individuals are identified as "Fred & Annie (Facey) Rogers at Grandpa Facey's Farm"  The reference to Grandpa Facey refers to Samuel Facey (1857-1930), my mother-in-law's grandfather.



This photo is of my husband's great-grandparents Mary and William Elgie, and their daughters Florence (1914-1996), Annie (1912-1979) and Luella (1917-2009). Luella was my husband's grandmother. Annie married Robert Bragg and she was the mother of Roberta who passed this family treasure trove on to my husband's mother. The box was found in Florence's home after she died in 1996.