OntarioGenWeb's Q&A

I have found a relative on the 1861 census of Frontenac County, Ontario on Ancestry.com in the USA. I know how to get hold of free images for the various census of the United States and am wondering how I can go about it for Canada. Are the images on microfilms at the Library and Archives Canada public domain? If so, do you know where to get a copy of the film or public domain images made from it? If not, are there any public domain images, microfilm or digital, of the 1861 census.

2013-09-20T13:25:00.000-04:00

The Canadian census images that appear on Ancestry are provided by Library & Archives Canada (LAC) through a collaborative partnership between Ancestry and LAC¹. With the current exception of the 1921 census (Ancestry only) and 1825-1842 censuses (LAC only), all digitized census images can be viewed on both websites.

Ancestry requires a subscription to access all but the 1921 census (which is free to view with free registration), access to LAC is completely free (no registration or subscription).

Microfilm of Canadian census records can be viewed at any Family History Centre worldwide. For those within Canada it can also be viewed at LAC and any Canadian library or archive with microfilm capabilities.

For terms of use of LAC images see: Using Files Located on Non-Government of Canada Servers and Copyright / Permission to Reproduce

¹ Library and Archives Canada Agreement with Ancestry.ca, Library and Archives Canada Partners with Ancestry.ca

I am traveling to the Oshawa/Whitby area for research. Where do I go to do the research please?

2013-09-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

Start with the County GenWeb that covers your area of research. In this case, Durham County GenWeb. Many GenWebs include a list of local repositories and our coordinators can be contacted for suggestions if needed.

My ancestor moved from Port Hope, Canada West to Walworth Co., Wisconsin sometime between 1856 and June of 1858. What routes and modes of travel might they have used?

2013-09-10T13:00:00.000-04:00

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What were the conditions of a settlement agreement after 1826?

2013-09-06T12:49:00.001-04:00

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In 1846 I had a relative living in "Cat Fish Creek, Upper Canada". Is there any source I might access that would assist me in locating where this couple resided?

2013-05-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

The Ontario Locator is a searchable directory of Ontario place names past & present.

When will the 1921 census be released?

2013-05-27T19:07:00.000-04:00

The 1921 census is expected to be released to Library & Archives Canada on June 2, 2013. However there's no date set for when the LAC will allow public access to the census though it's presumed to be sometime later this year.

John Reid's "Anglo-Celtic Connections" provides excellent updates on the status of the 1921 census.

My grandparents were married in Toronto on June 1, 1911, the same day as the census. I cannot find them listed anywhere, and have just checked the new version of the 1911 census. I've even checked page by page hotel census' in Niagara Falls in case they went there on a honeymoon! Perhaps they just missed it altogether and didn't bother. Any advice welcome.

2013-03-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

June 1, 1911 is the official date of the census - the day enumeration began and the date each enumerator was told to use in questioning (e.g. As of June 1st how old were you?). The enumeration process actually took several months.

If a person is missing from the census there could be several explanations besides them not being home. They could be mis-indexed under names that would not be obvious or they could have moved before enumeration took place in their area to an area where it had already been completed.

Check the Toronto City directories for 1911-1912 to get the address where they lived. Then use that address to locate who was enumerated there in the 1911 census.

It's also possible they were enumerated as single or they were living in someone else's household and were mis-indexed under that surname - check their relatives or do a search without surnames.

We have found a relative who emigrated to Canada from England in 1904. Both parents and two siblings died before 1921. There were three girls left. We have trawled through all the records we have access to and also newspapers but can find no trace of them. One of their brothers who died we believe was adopted.Could you point me in the right direction in trying to find these three young girls?

2013-03-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

If the children were minors when their last parent died there may be court records. While adoptions were possible in that era they were still rare and mostly private.

It's also possible the children were placed with living relations - did anyone else emigrate or is it possible they could they have returned to England?

Later this year the 1921 Canadian census will be transferred to Library & Archives Canada, once they release it for public viewing it may provide a few more clues.

Do you know if there are parts to the 1851 Canadian Personal Census missing?

2013-03-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

Quite a few parts of the 1851/2 Census are missing. They were lost or destroyed so no copies remain.

For some areas the personal census was lost but the agricultural was not.

For a list of Ontario census records, including what is and isn't missing, see our census project.

How do I find the marriage record of my father and mother's marriage in or around the year 1954 in Toronto, Ontario?

2013-02-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

You can request a marriage records search from Service Ontario and can use the result to order a marriage certificate.

Where can I get records for the Simcoe Reformatory Prison in 1861?

2013-02-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

If records still exist they will be held either by the Archives of Ontario or Library & Archives Canada.

I am trying desperately to find information about my maternal grandfather. His name was Robert Spence. His death occurred somewhere between 1945 and 1955. What route should I take to obtain the information I require.

2013-02-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

You can request a death records search from Service Ontario and use the result to order a death certificate. Anyone can apply for a short form death certificate but next-of-kin (proof required) can request a long form which will be certified and include more information.

My husband's parents died and were buried in the Peterborough area in the 1980's. The family can't recall the name of the cemetery. How can we find out where they are buried?

2013-02-07T16:00:00.000-05:00

Start by searching the available online cemetery websites such as CanadaGenWeb's Cemetery Project, OCFA, OGS and The Canadian Gravemarker Gallery.

If none yield results contact the local branch of the Ontario Genealogy Society. Each OGS branch has compiled cemetery transcripts for their area.

You could also locate their obituaries to see if a cemetery was mentioned and contact local funeral homes to see which one may have handled the service.

My uncle name was Edward Conway born 1921 died 1945, in India served in the Canadian army. Married to Gladys Margaret Conway of London, Ontario. My question is how do I go about finding their children, and their children's children.

2013-02-04T13:30:00.000-05:00

First, check out our How can I find someone in Ontario who may, or may not be deceased? post as the tips included there will work here as well.

To the list of things to check include London city directories (available at London Public Library). Start with the last known year of contact (1945?) and search forward to see if they remained in the city or not.

If Edward died while serving in the Canadian Army you can request a copy of his service file from Library & Archives Canada.

My father, Josef, died in 1972 in Toronto. A British citizen he had lived in Canada for about 20 years. We have his death certificate but want to know what department would have reported his death to the authorities in Great Britain, and how. Also if any effects, such as a passport, would have been sent to the UK or retained and archived in Canada.

2013-01-31T11:00:00.000-05:00

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My 3rd Great Grandfather, Able Jay Hubble left Connecticut and settled in Cramahe sometime before 1819. In winter of 1844 his daughter Mary and her husband Elias Williams made a 300 mile trip Michigan. Her father and some of her siblings followed. I am wondering: Why would someone move from Connecticut to Cramahe and then why brave a winter trip to Michigan? In other words, what was the draw to Ontario and then what made them leave? I'm sure there are many possible reasons, but was there some historical or political reason for such migrations?

2012-05-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

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Are there any Bastardy records kept in 1859 for illegitimate children?

2012-05-07T15:17:00.000-04:00

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My great-grandfather was from Otley, Yorkshire, England and wasn't known to have even visited Canada yet there are legal documents drawn up by Otley lawyers indicating he purchased two plots of land in Perth County, Ontario.

2012-02-19T14:54:00.000-05:00

The question in full detail:

During the course of family research into my LAYBURN line, I was surprised to learn my great grandfather John LAYBURN (1821-86) had some kind of association with Mornington / Mill Bank in Perth County,Ontario.

John LAYBURN's origins are firmly established in the market town of Otley in Yorkshire, England. He has never been known to have actually visited Canada. How he ever became involved with Perth County is unknown but there are 2 legal documents held by descendants that strongly indicate he did have an interest.

Both documents were drawn up by lawyers in Otley, Yorkshire
(1) Bond for Deed dated 2 April 1858 – an obligation that John NICKLIN of the village Mornington is bound to John LAYBURN of the village of Mill Bank for 250 Canadian Pounds. This requires NICKLIN to transfer to LAYBURN "three quarters of an acre of land known as Lot Number one fronting upon John Street on the south and also fronting upon Ebenezer Street on the West & bounded upon the North by the concession line of seven & eight & bounded on the East by land owned by Joseph NICKLIN"
(2) Bond for Deed dated 16 September 1858 – an obligation that George SWAIN of Mornington is bound to John LAYBURN of Mornington for 500 Canadian Pounds. The document states SWAIN has sold one square acre of land to LAYBURN for 6 Pounds 15 shillings. The land is described as "the West half of lot number fourteen in the Eight Concession of the Township of Mornington in the County of Perth of the province of Canada according to a survey made by Moses McFadden Esq. Provincial Land Surveyor"

From what little I've been able to glean about Mornington and Mill Bank, is it accurate to conclude that these two documents indicate John LAYBURN bought the two pieces of land on some kind of deferred payment basis?

Is it correct that the projected development of the towns of Mornington and Mill Bank did not take place because they were bypassed by a major railway line?

Professional Genealogist Brenda Dougall Merriman offers these suggestions:

My first thought is to search the two property descriptions involved. It can't be done online, of course. The questioner would have to hire someone to do that at the Archives of Ontario (I recommend consulting the OCAPG list: http://ocapg.org/). There could be other documents. Since we don't know John Layburn's family/children, I question whether this is the ancestor, e.g. could he have had a son John who went to Canada? A cousin? Could Nicklin or Swain be related? The 1851 and 1861 censuses bracket this man's apparent residence in Millbank, but on a quick look at Ancestry.ca I don't find anyone of that name in Mornington Township. There is a John Leyburn age 41, born Ireland, not too far away in Logan Township. I assume your questioner has documented John Layburn in all English census returns.

We also don't know what the ancestor's occupation was. The Perth County Atlas might indicate what kind of business interests were going on in and around Millbank in mid-nineteenth century: http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/. Unfortunately I don't find anyone of this name in the 1857 Directory of Ontario (largely business, commercial, and prominent people). But John Nicklin was noted as a miller at Morningdale, also postmaster and general dealer, a leading citizen it seems. So I'd be trying to find any and all local histories, looking for Nicklin and Swain as well as Layburn. There may be a mid-1850s directory available for Perth County. I can't escape the feeling that there's more of a family (or business) connection somehow. It would be good to thoroughly investigate the man's life in England if not already done, e.g. did he leave a will?

My uncle was taken to Canada in 1914 as a Barnardo boy. He died in 1931 in a road accident. What records would have been kept about him during his life (he always worked on a farm) and where can I find them.

2012-02-14T16:54:00.000-05:00

Beyond the usual records that would apply to any person who lived in England & Ontario (birth, marriage, death, newspaper, etc), there might be a passenger list showing when he emigrated to Canada as well as records kept by Barnardo's. Besides caring for the children in England, Barnardo's may have kept record of their time in Canada until they reached legal age.

Barnardo's Family History Service

Library & Archives Canada Home Children Database

Thanks to Marj Kohli for her assistance.

How can I find someone in Ontario who may, or may not be deceased?

2012-01-22T19:10:00.001-05:00

If presumed living...

Social Media: Regardless of age people are flocking to social media to stay in touch with far-flung relations. Don't restrict your search to just the person you seek. If you know of any relations, spouse, children, etc. try them all!

Search Engines: Try Google and the new genealogy-focused site Mocavo.

Telephone Listings: Canada 411, if they have a publically listed phone number it'll be here. There is also an option to do a reverse address search. Some phone providers (like Telus) also offer their own phone listings that may not be available on Canada 411.

If presumed deceased...

Death Records: Are only available to next-of-kin or a legal representative until 72 years have passed. After 72 years death registrations are released to Archives of Ontario and can be publically viewed.

Cemetery Records: Search OCFA, OGS, CanadaGenWeb's Cemetery Project and other websites that offer Ontario cemetery recordings.

Obituaries: Obituary Daily Times offers an index of some Ontario obituaries, mostly from the past decade. If you know the last known residence of the person you're seeking check local newspapers, many Ontario newspapers now offer an online index of obituaries from 2002 onward.

If you are unable to locate the person in question broaden your search to include their family. A parent, sibling, or child's obituary might yield new clues. Don't forget to browse some online trees to see if someone else is researching the same family.

Where would I find an obituary from 1908?

2012-01-20T01:30:00.000-05:00

Archives of Ontario (Toronto) offers a newspaper research guide. The guide includes a list of microfilmed newspapers that are available in their holdings. Note that most of these newspapers can only be viewed at the Archives.

Library & Archives Canada (Ottawa) has a list of newspapers at Library & Archives Canada. Some of these newspapers may be available through inter-library loan.

Many local archives (such as Norwich & District Archives, Stratford-Perth & Dufferin County Museum & Archives to name just a few) have archived copies of local newspapers available for research. Many of these archives require a visit in person but some offer research services.

There are also some Ontario newspapers that have been digitized and are available through subscription services such as Paper of Record and Newspaper Archive. You can view a list of newspaper titles to see if the newspaper you seek is available before subscribing.

In 1940, how do I find out the area that a particular Rural Route Number covered? Example: RR1 Cloyne Ontario

2011-12-16T19:34:00.002-05:00

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Are there online, directories for trades & professions for the period 1920-1944 for Ontario?

2011-12-15T06:44:00.001-05:00

Directories known to be online are linked from our links page (if readers know of any others please leave a comment).

Some directories are available to search in person at Library & Archives Canada but for most you will have to visit a library in the area of research or have someone visit on your behalf.

The Toronto Public Library's Ask A Librarian service will search three years of Toronto directories per request.

Do you have information available on your website for the Agricultural Component of the 1851,1861 and 1871 censuses?

2011-12-13T14:26:00.001-05:00

Several agricultural census transcripts are available at our Census Project.

The 1851 agricultural census is also available at Library & Archives Canada. Choose Schedule B.

I would like to find a sibling placed for adoption. How would I go about locating this individual?

2011-12-12T23:08:00.001-05:00

The first step for anyone seeking a sibling or child placed for adoption in Ontario is the website Access to Adoption Records Act maintained by the government. From there you can apply to the Adoption Disclosure Registry. This registry exists to bring together adoptees and birth relations and is free to use.

While awaiting a match, if the adoptee was placed through the Children's Aid Society you can apply for non-identifying information. There are also numerous internet sites set up for this type of search where you can post your information and hope the adoptee sees it and gets in touch. Be sure to also seek out local adoption groups (such as Parent Finders) for advice and support.