An organization of family historians, some with Toronto roots, others who live in Toronto, we have ancestors around the world.

Ten great moments in genealogy

two soldiers in uniform sitting side by side
Photograph courtesy of Ann Brown.

We’re delighted to announce that all ten of our terrific 2021 Great Moments in Genealogy presentations are now available for you to enjoy at your leisure over the holiday season and right through until the last week of January 2022:

You Can’t Just Ignore Something Like That!—Paul Jones takes up the challenge of researching the elusive date of birth of architect Eden Smith, the subject of the 2021 Toronto History Lecture.

Edward Francis Kelly and the Champagne of Ginger Ales—Dawn Kelly uses a variety of records to trace the ups and downs of her great grandfather’s beverage business, from Renfrew to Montreal and beyond.

Four Sisters of Cork—Greg Marlatt combines DNA and traditional research to connect the Bennett sisters Mary, Elizabeth, Ann and Amelia, who migrated from Ireland to Ontario in 1847.

Cooke Family Revelations—Diana Thomson explores the legacy of the Cooke family in the Yorkshire village of Arksey, and discovers stories of good works and tragic ends back to the time of Henry VIII.

Thomas Urquhart, Former Mayor of Toronto—Melanie Parker traces the history of Toronto Mayor Thomas Urquhart, his two wives (Margaret McDonald and Mary Ellen Hall) and his home on Hillsdale Avenue.

A Colossal Collection of Coincidences—Beth Adams uses DNA, her genealogical expertise and a trail of coincidences to help a friend’s daughter discover her father and his family.

Francis Robert Aloysius Conway—A message on Ancestry from an Irish cousin leads Ann Brown to valuable information about her Tyrone County relatives, a branch of the family she thought she would never know.

A Remarkable Story Connecting 5 Generations of my Maternal Line—Debbie Hewitt explains how she added context and meaning to her mother’s tree with a little help from Toronto Branch resources.

Proving and Disproving Family Stories—Linda Reid uses a combination of documentary evidence and DNA to examine three Revie family stories and determine “true or false”.

The Most Respectable Ladies in this Land—Janice Nickerson draws on timelines and maps to get to the bottom of a family mystery: why did her 4x great-grandmothers live together?

Visit our Webinars page for the full recording of our Great Moments in Genealogy evening, together with a time-coded “table of contents” to make it easier for you to navigate to individual presentations. It’s a pretty safe bet, though, that you won’t be able to stop at just one or two!

Our regular Branch meetings resume in January 2021—we look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year!