THE SPANISH FLU, TORONTO’S – CANADA’S FORGOTTEN PANDEMIC
Speaker: Mike Clare
The story of the Spanish Flu epidemic in Canada and Toronto is a forgotten one. Why? It has been called the most documented epidemic and the least known; The Spanish Flu, a global epidemic that killed 50,000 Canadians in just over eighteen months and well over 50 million people globally. As we mark the 100th Anniversary of the Spanish Flu, the flu is like a peculiar, shunned old uncle, “we don’t talk about him”. This lecture will talk about him (The Spanish Flu) by looking at the impact of the Spanish Flu on Canada and Toronto. The lecture will look at where the Spanish Flu originated, how it spread across Canada, and how both Canada and Toronto responded. One in six Canadian households were impacted by the flu yet we have heard very little about their stories; why?
In the last 10 minutes of the lecture, attendees will be familiarized with The Defining Moments Canada national digital memorial website. The Spanish Flu memorial, sponsored by Heritage Canada, is a unique opportunity to crowd source history and to influence and share the narrative.
Mike Clare M. ED. is a well respected, innovative educator who has taught with the York Region District School Board, was seconded to Historica for five years, and trained teachers at The University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Mike has presented to teachers from coast to coast across Canada and in the United States. As the author of numerous conventional textbooks, Mike has also created a series of interactive textbooks on both American and Canadian History. The most recent interactive textbook The Spanish Flu Epidemic 1918 – 1919: “Stepping Out With the Spanish Lady” is an aggregator of information about the Flu and asks readers to determine why the Spanish Flu is virtually forgotten.
Mini-Presentation: “Finding Mr. Smith—The Search for Toronto’s Mr. Baseball” by speaker David Fuller
TUESDAY, September 24
Co-sponsored with the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at the Toronto Reference Library
The Toronto Reference Library contains many excellent genealogy resources. This hands-on class will demonstrate how to use the Toronto Public Library’s online catalog to find items on the open shelves such as how-to guides, directories, and maps as well as “hidden” collections in the closed stacks. Discover what treasures may be available for your specific region of interest by country, province, state or county.
Level: Intermediate
This Course is now full. Please contact torontocourses@ogs.on.ca to be put on the waiting list.
Course Instructor: Librarian
HOW TO GET TO THE COURSE LOCATION
The Toronto Reference Library building is on the east side of Yonge Street, one block north of Bloor Street.
By public transit:
The closest TTC subway station is Bloor/Yonge.
Driving to the Library is not recommended. Parking in the immediate area is limited.
Accessibility:
The Toronto Reference Library building is wheelchair accessible. For more information about our policies on accessibility, visit our policies page.
For assistance with a specific accommodation request, please send an email message to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca.
Hands-On Criminal Justice Records of 19th Century Ontario
Family historians are always seeking records that will help us tell the story of our ancestors’ lives. We want more than just names, dates and places. But few of us make use of the rich trove of stories found in justice system records. Were your ancestors criminals? Were they victims of crime? Did they sit on a jury or testify at a trial? Maybe they couldn’t pay their debts and got sent to debtors’ prison. Come learn about the criminal justice system in 19th Century Ontario and how to identify, locate and interpret criminal justice records in this three-week hands-on course. Participants will work through a series of assigned case studies in small groups on-site at the Archives of Ontario.
Course runs on three Thursdays: September 26, October 3 and 10, 2019
This course is offered in partnership with the Archives of Ontario.
Course Instructor: Janice Nickerson
Janice Nickerson is a professional genealogist with over 30 years of genealogical research experience. Her expertise includes Upper Canadian history, criminal justice records, fur trade history, turning bare bones genealogies into full-fledged family histories, and finding fun ways to share family history finds. Her book, Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada: A Researcher’s Guide was published by the joint imprint of the Ontario Genealogical Society and Dundurn Press in 2010.
HOW TO GET TO THE COURSE LOCATION
The Archives of Ontario is on the Keele campus of York University.
By public transit: The Archives of Ontario is just steps from the new York University subway station. A number of regional bus services link to the Hwy 407 subway station. For information on transit options and directions, see the University’s webpage.
By car: The York University campus has some visitor parking. To see travel directions for drivers, go to this webpage.
Accessibility:
The Archives of Ontario building is wheelchair accessible. For more information about our policies on accessibility, visit our policies page. For assistance with a specific accommodation request, please send an email message to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca.
A GOLDMINE for FAMILY RESEARCHERS: LIBRARY & ARCHIVES CANADA
Wednesdays, October 9, 16 and 23 (3 week course)
Co-sponsored with the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at the Toronto Reference Library.
Registration is required. Registration is now open.
Library & Archives Canada (LAC) holds multiple millions of highly prized national records. The LAC has curated two repositories of special interest to genealogists and historians, Canadiana and more recently Héritage. This 3-week course will show you how to think like an archivist by searching the LAC website to your best advantage and then applying your results to further your research in Canadiana and Héritage. This hands-on class will be using early 19th century Ontario records as examples. The skills learned can then be applied to your own research.
Course Instructor: Guylaine Pétrin
Guylaine Pétrin, BA, MLS has worked in bank, public and academic libraries. She is an avid genealogist and family historian, and an active member of OGS. She enjoys visiting local archives and discovering the stories hidden in petitions and letters to the governments. She has written stories and presented workshops based on these petitions.
By public transit:
The closest TTC subway station is Bloor/Yonge.
Driving to the Library is not recommended. Parking in the immediate area is extremely limited.
The Toronto Reference Library is wheelchair accessible. For more information about our policies on accessibility, visit our policies page.
For assistance with a specific accommodation request, please send an email message to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca
For our policies regarding registration and refunds, please see our policies page.
Intensive Hands-on Session: Try Your Hand at Genetic Genealogy with Diahan Southard
Working in pairs or small groups you will get a chance to take a DNA case step-by-step to learn how to explore your autosomal DNA match list and make family connections. No computer required. With registration limited to 30 people you will have a chance to interact personally with Diahan. You will work through your own workbook which will be provided to session participants, and take away great ideas on pursuing your DNA matches.
Level: Intermediate
Registration is required. Register now.
Speaker: Diahan Southard
After getting bitten by the DNA bug as a high school student, Diahan went on to study at Brigham Young University where she earned a bachelors degree in microbiology. She worked before and after graduation for the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, one of the first efforts to create a correlated genetic and genealogical database.
Growing up with the budding genetic genealogy industry led her to her current position at Your DNA Guide, where she provides personalized, interactive experiences to assist individuals and families in interpreting their genetic results in the context of their genealogical information. That means she can take you step by step through any kind of DNA test in a way that you will understand, and even enjoy!
Diahan has been pleased to lecture in many areas including both national and local conferences, from hundreds to handfuls. You will walk away from an interaction with her feeling like she is fun, upbeat, and full of energy. You might also be surprised to leave feeling that you really can do this DNA thing! This is because she has a passion for genetic genealogy, a genuine love for people, and a gift for making the technical understandable.
Diahan is the author of several quick guides on genetic genealogy, featured writer for Family Tree Magazine, regular contributor to Genealogy Today, as well as many other small writing engagements. Diahan is fresh off the speaker’s podium from RootsTech 2019.
HOW TO GET TO THE SESSION:
Lansing United Church is located at the corner of Poyntz Avenue and Beecroft Road, near Yonge and Sheppard in Toronto.
By subway: Take the Line 1 (Yonge-University) or Line 4 (Sheppard) and exit at Sheppard-Yonge Station. Walk one block west on Sheppard Avenue to Beecroft Road and two blocks south to Poyntz Avenue.
By car: Poyntz Avenue is two blocks south of Sheppard Avenue, north of the 401. Lansing United Church is one block west of Yonge Street. There are three parking lots close by.
Accessibility:
Lansing United Church is wheelchair accessible. For more information about our policies on accessibility, visit our policies page.
For assistance with a specific accommodation request, please send an email message to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca .
Workshop: Grow & Organize Your DNA Network with Diahan Southard – Your DNA Guide
Join us for a full day with Diahan Southard “Your DNA Guide” the internationally known speaker who can help you organize your DNA results & contacts, give you an overview of the third party tools you need, and leave you thinking about strategies for using mtDNA and YDNA.
Registration is required. Register now.
Program:
(Subject to change without notice)
8:30-9:00 am – Registration
Session 1: 9:15 – 10:15 am:
DNA and Jack Sprat’s Wife (Who Couldn’t Eat Any Lean)
With the advent of autosomal DNA testing, women were catapulted into the limelight, no longer needing to rely so heavily on the men in their life to spit or swab. This lecture will focus on all things female from mtDNA, XDNA, and especially how to use the wives of your ancestors to help identify your autosomal DNA matches.
Session 2: 10:30 – 11:30 am:
Organizing Your DNA Results
Now that you have pages of matches and gobs of new information, how do you keep track of it all? We will spend time going over how to create and track correspondence, organization tools within each testing company, as well as strategies for tracking the genealogy information of your matches, including surnames, locations, and genetic relationships. You are bound to walk out of this lecture with a game plan that you can implement right away.
Session 3: 1:00 – 2:00 pm:
The YDNA Test Should Be Your Favorite
Come learn basic and intermediate principles of using YDNA verify and extend your pedigree chart, including how to make the most of your YDNA family project.
Session 4: 2:15 – 3:15 pm:
DNA Third Party Tools You Actually Need
When your list of needs for genetic genealogy analysis are not met at your DNA testing company, you may find yourself adrift in the world of Third-Party Tools. All of them are created by innovated, talented genetic genealogists trying to provide better solutions to the problem of analyzing and using your data.
Speaker: Diahan Southard
After getting bitten by the DNA bug as a high school student, Diahan went on to study at Brigham Young University where she earned a bachelors degree in microbiology. she worked before and after graduation for the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, one of the first efforts to create a correlated genetic and genealogical database.
Growing up with the budding genetic genealogy industry lead her to her current position at Your DNA Guide, where she provides personalized, interactive experiences to assist individuals and families in interpreting their genetic results in the context of their genealogical information. That means she can take you step by step through any kind of DNA test in a way that you will understand, and even enjoy!
Diahan has been pleased to lecture in many areas including both national and local conferences, from hundreds to handfuls. You will walk away from an interaction with her feeling like she is fun, upbeat, and full of energy. You might also be surprised to leave feeling that you really can do this DNA thing! This is because she has a passion for genetic genealogy, a genuine love for people, and a gift for making the technical understandable.
Diahan is the author of several quick guides on genetic genealogy, featured writer for Family Tree Magazine, regular contributor to Genealogy Today, as well as many other small writing engagements. Diahan is fresh off the speaker’s podium from RootsTech 2019.
HOW TO GET TO THE WORKSHOP:
Lansing United Church is located at the corner of Poyntz Avenue and Beecroft Road, near Yonge and Sheppard in Toronto.
By subway: Take the Line 1 (Yonge-University) or Line 4 (Sheppard) and exit at Sheppard-Yonge Station. Walk one block west on Sheppard Avenue to Beecroft Road and two blocks south to Poyntz Avenue.
By car: Poyntz Avenue is two blocks south of Sheppard Avenue, north of the 401. Lansing United Church is one block west of Yonge Street. On weekends there is some street parking available, and there are three parking lots close by.
Accessibility:
Lansing United Church is wheelchair accessible. For more information about our policies on accessibility, visit our policies page.
For assistance with a specific accommodation request, please send an email message to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca .
SEARCHING FOR BENEDICT ARNOLD AND FINDING A DIFFERENT LOYALIST ARNOLD SPY
Speaker: Beth Adams
Wouldn’t it be great to prove Grover Cleveland was related to Benedict Arnold? Sadly, Beth has yet to make that magical connection, but with the help of her Mother and some cousins, she is now a bona fide United Empire Loyalist descendant through her Cleveland and Arnold lines.
Many families have family lore about their United Empire Loyalist ancestors that is found to be more lore than fact when the search for those elusive “proofs” is begun. Finding all the proven links between Beth and her Loyalist 5 times great-grandfather took many, many years of searching censuses, land records, wills and tax records everywhere from southwestern Ontario to Digby Nova Scotia to the coast of New Jersey and Long Island, NY. There were many interesting road trips, new cousins to meet, and in the end—another Loyalist to start all over with! Beth will outline the processes and her discoveries along the way to UEL status, with lots of pictures and stories to go with them.
Beth Adams has been a Toronto Branch member since 1990 and has, over that time, volunteered in many ways. She is also a member of the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada. She retired from teaching middle school after 30 years last winter and moved to Pembroke last spring, where she joined the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group, volunteers with the Ottawa Valley Historical Society and helps with the Pembroke Legion’s museum. Beth has been deeply involved in the Scouting in the past and has three sons who apparently will give her a “cool” when she finds something interesting about their ancestors.
Mini Presentation:
Members of the Toronto and Governor Simcoe Branches of the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada will join us during and after the break. There will be a short presentation on the Association, after which OGS Toronto Branch members will be invited to visit various displays and speak with UEL members about their activities and work. Displays will include forms for “proving” UEL status, books and maps from the UEL Toronto Branch’s library, period costumes, re-enacting opportunities, etc. Refreshments will also be available.
TORONTO REFERENCE LIBRARY MAP COLLECTIONS TOUR
Map of London, ON 1856 Samuel Peters (Toronto Public Library Digital Archives)
This tour is co-sponsored with the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at the Toronto Reference Library.
The tour will highlight the various types of maps available for research: from current local, regional, national and international, to topographical and nautical. Not to be missed are fire insurance plans, county atlases, British Isles historic ordnance surveys and so much more that can be explored.
Registration is now open. Register now.
HOW TO GET TO THE COURSE LOCATION
The Toronto Reference Library building is on the east side of Yonge Street, one block north of Bloor Street.
The closest TTC subway station is Bloor/Yonge.
Driving to the Library is not recommended as parking in the immediate area is limited.
Accessibility:
The Toronto Reference Library building is wheelchair accessible. For more information about our policies on accessibility, visit our policies page. For assistance with a specific accommodation request, please send an email message to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca
COURSE RUNS ON THREE WEDNESDAY EVENINGS, NOVEMBER 6, 13 AND 20
Co-sponsored with the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at the Toronto Reference Library.
This course will teach you how to do online research like a pro. Learn how databases and search engines are constructed. Understand how information is stored and retrieved, so that you can increase your odds of finding that elusive record or ancestor. Get tips for using internet search engines and major genealogical databases such as Ancestry, FindMyPast and FamilySearch more effectively. Be introduced to a host of databases that are not aimed at family historians but are full of relevant information and readily available through public and academic libraries. The overarching theme is that the techniques you learn will help you better search all of the many, many online databases available to genealogists.
Level: Intermediate
Registration is required. Register now.
Course Instructor: Marian Press
Marian Press, MLS, MA, is a retired academic librarian, her work life being directly involved with the use of digital resources and the instruction of graduate students on research methodology. She is a frequent speaker at genealogical workshops and conferences and teaches courses for the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society. She has been doing her own family history for 30+ years and has 99% Scottish ancestry with one Irish and one Scottish line. She shares her research on two family blogs, through writing for genealogy journals and is working on her second family history book.
HOW TO GET TO THE COURSE LOCATION
The Toronto Reference Library building is on the east side of Yonge Street, one block north of Bloor Street.
By public transit:
The closest TTC subway station is Bloor/Yonge.
Driving to the Library is not recommended. Parking in the immediate area is extremely limited.
Accessibility:
The Toronto Reference Library building is wheelchair accessible. For more information about our policies on accessibility, visit our policies page.
For assistance with a specific accommodation request, please send an email message to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca.
