Best wishes for a happy New Year from all of us at Toronto Branch. Welcome to new members and a special thank-you to all returning members!
We’ve got a lot in store for you in 2025.
Toronto Branch holds regular meetings open to all, normally on the fourth Monday of each month, featuring valuable presentations. Our first meeting of the year will take place online on January 27, with tips from Michael Nettleton on Taming the Digital Tiger—how to successfully manage our electronic research. In February, Marian Press will explore some digital humanities databases that can be wonderfully helpful for family historians.
Our education committee has some interesting new online learning opportunities planned for 2025 too, including an advanced-level workshop on Y-DNA and how it can help to break down brick walls. Members of the Ontario Genealogical Society enjoy discounts on the cost of registration. Watch for announcements coming soon.
Over the years, Toronto Branch has taken on many projects to make Toronto (and Ontario) records more accessible. We’ve transcribed and indexed records from cemeteries and places of worship, manuscripts from the Toronto House of Industry, and more. In fact, at the close of 2024, we added about 900 new names to our extensive For King and Country database of war memorials in local schools and institutions—these from the Academy of Medicine in Toronto. And a team of dedicated volunteers are currently working hard on an exciting new project to make a massive index to early Ontario land records freely searchable online. That’s coming your way very soon.
Looking for help with your Toronto research? A great place to start is the Research Guide on the Branch website. Learn how the city has grown and changed over the years, what resources are available to trace your Toronto ancestors and how to access them. Visit our Toronto Branch eShop to find compiled indexes, local histories and other essential publications to support your research. We offer both physical books and on-the-spot PDF downloads. If you’d like hands-on assistance, contact our Research Services team for advice and guidance.
Not yet an OGS member? Or not sure if your membership is up to date? Visit the OGS website to join or renew. Add Toronto Branch to your OGS membership for just $15 more, and enjoy all of our Branch benefits. Toronto Branch members receive our information-packed monthly update Toronto Twig and bi-monthly newsletter Toronto Tree, and access to our Branch Members-Only pages and Special Interest Groups. We also host some exclusive members-only events, beginning with a January writing session. Feel free to reach out to our Membership Services team at any time to find out more.
Here’s to making new family history discoveries and connections in 2025!
