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Vivid-Pix has a fun new Genealogy Whodunit Mystery Game
that is free to play!
Help Find Great-Uncle George!
Learn genealogy research and Vivid-Pix tips & tricks!
Those who successfully complete the challenge can enter to win great prizes, including a weekend in New York City, London or $1,000 USD, and photo gifts!
SOLVE THE MYSTERY!
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 TONI Update July 2021
Mike More, TONI Co-ordinator
Since the beginning of 2021, TONI, The Ontario Name Index, has added 380,539 new names and updated another 246,667 existing entries.
The additions come from 1,748 London Obituaries, 111 Huron County cemeteries, 99 Family Histories in the OGS Library, 35 Ottawa Branch cemeteries and family histories, 26 Kingston Branch publications and three Sudbury transcriptions of funeral home records. The updated files include 122 cemeteries from Waterloo Branch, 27 from Halton-Peel Branch and four from Toronto Branch.
TONI was launched in 2011 as a 50th Anniversary project of The Society and has steadily grown since. We still have hundreds of family histories as well as countless other records to index. Check TONI out at https://ogs.on.ca/toni/.
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WW1 Elgin Watch of Thomas Henry Pannell
Tony Barker
 My name is Tony Barker, from England, and my father was a watch repairer. Going through my late father’s watches, I found a First World War watch engraved with the name Pannell.
I have found out quite a bit of information on the owner (mainly from the Library and Archives Canada website), and on the watch.
About the soldier, Thomas Henry Pannell (1894-1966)
- Born October 1894 in Godalming, Surrey to Elizabeth & James Pannell
- Moved to Canada before December 1915
- WW1 address of 892 St. Valier, Montreal
- Enlisted December 7th, 1915 in the 128th Canadian (Moose Jaw) Infantry Battalion
- Sailed to England in August 1916, and on to France December 1916
- Saw action at Vimy Ridge, Lens (Hill 70), Passchendaele, and Amiens
- Severely wounded at Amiens in August 1918, resulting in amputation of right arm
- Returned to Canada November 1918
- Discharged January 1919
- Thomas died on August 9th 1966 which was reported by Marian Pannell of Scorboro (Scarborough?) Ontario.
 About the watch:
Manufactured by Elgin National Watch Company USA; movement serial number 1856381; Fortune case serial number 1191258 – back of case engraved “H Pannell – 781352 – 128th Batt”.
Watch Condition: watch dial and movement are in pristine condition bearing in mind this watch has been in action during several major WW1 battles. However, the watch is missing a strap, winder, glass, minute hand and subsidiary second hand. The hinge on the back of the case is broken and requires repairing and the inside of back case has some tarnishing.
Wristwatches in WW1: Prior to WW1 wristwatches were chiefly worn by women as decorative pieces and men had pocket watches. The Great War was a turning point moving timekeeping to the wrist. Crouching in a trench or exchanging gunfire with the enemy, soldiers hardly had the time to grab a watch from their pocket, open the case and check the time!
I would like to know if Thomas has any surviving relatives, to see if they would like the watch repatriated. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
If you have information on the descendants of this family, and would like to get in touch with Mr. Barker, please email eweekly@ogs.on.ca and we will facilitate the connection.
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Toronto Branch Webinar about Family Tree Maker
Gwyneth Pearce, Publicity, Toronto Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society
 On Thursday, July 15th at 4:00 pm, join Toronto Branch Members for a presentation by Mark Olsen on Family Tree Maker software.
Family Tree Maker has been one of the most popular genealogy software programs for over 30 years. Bring your questions to ask the expert. Learn how to get the most out of the software and hear about the specialized features that you may not be using yet.
To ensure your specific questions get answered, feel free to send them in advance to torontocourses@ogs.on.ca. There will also be ample opportunity to ask during the live webinar.
Mark Olsen is the Family Tree Maker Ambassador to historical and genealogical societies around the world, working to support their members. Mark is a graduate of Brigham Young University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Family History with a Spanish records emphasis. He has been working in the genealogy industry since 2007.
To register for this event, click here. It is free for Toronto Branch members; there is a $5 fee for non-members.
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 Aurora Historical Society Speaker Series
Kathleen Vahey, Curator, Hillary House National Historic Site
The community of Aurora has a long and storied history of railways dating back before Canada’s confederation, and it inarguably owes its existence today to the prosperity brought by railways all those years ago. This presentation will offer a comprehensive history of the railways of Aurora and its surroundings from 1853 to the present day, while also touching upon the historical context these railways existed in. Join us on Wednesday, July 21st at 7:00 pm for Rails Through Aurora with Adam Peltenburg. Presentation in partnership with the Toronto Railway Museum.
Tickets are $10.50 – https://aurorahs.com/adam-peltenburg-rails-through-aurora-1
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Kawartha Branch Online Summer Sessions
Alvina Seawright, Chair, Kawartha Branch
Join us on Zoom, hosted by Selwyn Public Library, to learn about a variety of tools to assist you in your genealogical research. Our presenter, Dr. Fraser Dunford, has been involved in genealogy for over 35 years, has written six books and many articles on Genealogy.
We have scheduled two Focused Q&A zoom meetings to address genealogy questions previously submitted by attendees of past meetings. All registrants are also welcome to pose a question in advance or just listen.
Genealogy Q&A - Canada and England - This session will answer questions about genealogical research focusing on Canada and England. It will take place on Wednesday, July 21st at 1:00 pm.
Genealogy Q&A - Peterborough County - This session will answer questions about genealogical research focusing on Peterborough County. Our genealogists can also field questions about the surrounding counties of Haliburton, Northumberland and The City of Kawartha Lakes (formerly called Victoria County), all of which are covered within Kawartha Branch. This session takes place on Wednesday, September 1st at 1:00 pm.
To register for these sessions please visit the Selwyn Public Library website here.
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RootsTech Connect 2022 Aims to Repeat Success
FamilySearch.org
FamilySearch has announced that RootsTech Connect 2022 will take place on March 3–5, 2022, as a fully virtual family history event. After welcoming over one million visitors from over 240 countries to its 2021 online event, RootsTech Connect 2021 was the largest in the history of RootsTech, and spectacular proof of humanity’s interest globally in discovering our roots and connecting to each other. Building on its success, RootsTech Connect 2022 will remain completely virtual and free. Registration will open in September 2021.
“We were humbled with the response to an all-virtual RootsTech, and so grateful to all of our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and attendees who participated,” said Steve Rockwood, FamilySearch International CEO. “We heard from thousands of people from all over the globe that the 2021 online experience allowed them to participate for the first time and enjoy the power of learning and connecting virtually. And it created an expansive online archive for learning that is now available for free all year long. It’s an incredible resource, and we are excited about what we’re planning for 2022.”
Registration for RootsTech 2022 will open in September 2021. To learn more about this event, click here!
Editor’s Note: Don’t forget that you can still access Roots Tech Connect 2021 with over 1,500 free, on-demand sessions available at RootsTech.org.
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Updates from our Favourite Bloggers
At Finding Your Canadian Story Candice McDonald wrote about Alberta Homestead Records.
Gail Dever at Genealogy à la carte posted Seeking the families of Canadian Army soldiers missing in Korea. She also posted This year’s British Columbia vital statistics records release moved to mid-July. And Gail told us about the New head at Quebec Archives.
At Fortify Your Family Tree DiAnn Iamarino helps us Prepare to Walk Along Your Ancestors’ Streets.
Kenneth Marks at The Ancestor Hunt has updated the links to his Ontario Online Historical Newspapers. Also check out his post Newspaper Research Tip – 12 Keys to Properly Analyzing the Vitals Section of Historical Newspapers.
At The Occasional Genealogist Jennifer Dondero wrote about correlation. The post is Evernote Form for Census Correlation but you don’t need Evernote to benefit from this ‘beginner’s guide to correlation’.
The Drouin Team at Genealogy Quebec posted Our slave-owning ancestors, part 1, demonstrating that slavery was omnipresent in French Canadian society, mostly during the 18th century.
Dick Eastman at Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter posted Chinese History Museum Amongst Buildings Destroyed by British Columbia Wildfire – yes, that’s the Lytton fire! He also wrote Australians Are Encouraged to Opt Into the Census Time Capsule. What a great idea!
At Irish Family Roots Donna Moughty posted Researching in Newspapers.
Wayne Shepheard at Discover Genealogy posted Finding the History of Some Ladies.
John D. Reid at Anglo-Celtic Connections gave us Canadiana.ca Serials Update. He also told us about a podcast about Pier 21. And he pondered Ancestry Games.
Jenny Joyce at Jennyalogy wrote about the Registry of Deeds in Ireland, an updated post from one in 2018.
At The Hidden Branch, Tuesday’s Tip is about getting around using an ancestor’s surname.
Lorine McGinnis Schulze at Olive Tree Genealogy posted Clues You Can Find in a Census Record.
At Family Tree (U.K) magazine, learn about Unusual occupations of the last 150 years. There is also an article entitled How to find your Canada ancestors.
And finally, the Summer 2021 edition of Irish Lives Remembered magazine is available for reading here. Enjoy!
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Rods, Poles, and Chains
David A. Norris, Internet Genealogy/Your Genealogy Today Research Tips & More
Surveyors in the U.S. used a unique set of English-based measurements. A basic unit, of 16 ½ feet, was variously called a rod, pole, or perch. Four rods, or 66 feet, made one chain. This unit was measured with a device called a Gunter’s chain, consisting of 100 interlocking metal links.
There was clever logic in choosing a 16 ½ foot length as the basis of a system of measurement. Ten chains, or 660 feet, was one furlong. Ten furlongs or 80 chains comes to 5,280 feet, or one mile. That figure is also divisible by three (1,760 yards). One acre is ten square chains.
Rods and poles left many traces in U.S. history. Strong whiskey was called “forty rod”, because it was said opening a jug of it could knock down a man forty rods away!
Duke of Gloucester Street, the famous broad thoroughfare of Williamsburg, Virginia, is 99 feet wide. Why didn’t colonial surveyors round it up to 100 feet? Because it was surveyed as six poles in width, which came to 99 feet.
Editor’s Note: For more of these tips, sign up for the free e-mail newsletter from Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today.
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What’s New at The Big 4?
 Ancestry has updated its collection of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, U.S., Birth Records, U.S., National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, and U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index. Click here for a complete list of Recently Added and Updated Collections on Ancestry.
 Elsewhere in this newsletter you will have learned that RootsTech Connect will again be virtual in 2022. Save the dates – March 3-5, 2022! Have you checked out the FamilySearch blog? This week’s post is 5 Ways to Tell If Your Genealogy Research is Accurate.
 We are happy to introduce the ability to confirm or reject a Theory of Family Relativity™ on MyHeritage. This functionality has been widely requested by our DNA Users, and we are delighted to deliver it.
 Immerse yourself in family history research this weekend with thousands of new records to explore. This week’s additions include British Army Embarkation Lists, 1871-1889 and St. Kitts & Nevis Baptisms 1716-1881.
It’s a bumper week of releases with thirteen new papers and updates to six others. New additions include Aberystwyth Observer, Censor or Satirical Times, Dissenter, Douglas Jerrold’s Weekly Newspaper, Emigrant and the Colonial Advocate, English Mail, Evening Star (London), Fleetwood Express, Jewish Record, London Free Press, London Mercury 1836, Monthly Times, National Standard. To see the entire list of updates, click here.
You can also help determine what gets released next. The choices for this week are Australian passenger lists, Irish poor law records, and Welsh county parish registers. Vote at the link given above.
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The Spring/Summer 2021 Issue of Signatures is here!
As a guardian of the past in a new era, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is committed to fostering practices that preserve and highlight Canada’s rich documentary heritage through innovative methods for present and future generations. In this issue of Signatures, learn more about:
- the meaningful world of reappraisal work, and the multifaceted realm of intellectual property
- LAC’s contributions to practical archival training offered to regional Indigenous organizations and remote communities in northern Manitoba
- our latest Signatures Interviews with the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson and acclaimed author Arlette Cousture
- the Dominion Bridge Company, whose vast projects helped to make Canada a modern, industrial nation
- LAC’s Vision 2030 project, which will guide our work with regard to digital optimization and service transformation to reach new audiences and improve the user experience
- and more!
Signatures seeks to make known and interpret the living cultural, civic and historical record of Canada, as reflected in its documentary heritage. We hope that you find this latest issue both enlightening and entertaining!
Reopening LAC in Ottawa—Make reservations as of July 12th at 10:00 am
Following the easing of public health measures in Ontario, we will be reopening our Ottawa public service point at 395 Wellington Street on July 13, 2021, in a limited capacity.
On Monday, July 12 at 10:00 am EST, you will be able to access the online booking system to make new reservations for the week of July 26. Researchers who had reservations in April that were cancelled due to our closure will be contacted shortly to reschedule between July 13th and July 23rd.
For all of the latest news, and information on how to book your visit, consult the Reopening Library and Archives Canada web page.
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FREE WEBINAR: Lianne Kruger
DATE: Thursday, August 5th at 7:00 pm EDT
Google Maps for Migration, Brick Walls and Organizing a Trip to Your Ancestor’s Home
We will use Google Maps to see where your ancestors walked, plot the migration of your ancestors, plot where your earliest known ancestor was located and organize a trip. This session will explain how to use Google Maps to:
- see what is now in the location of an ancestor’s home
- add these locations with stars and labels under your Google account share these with other family members
- plot the migration of ancestral families
- mark the locate of your Earliest Known Ancestors to organize where your research
- layout an ancestral trip by locating places to visit and the order to visit them such as homes and graveyards.
Lianne Kruger, is a professional genealogist and speaker specializing in Canada, homesteading for U.S. and Canada, video recording family history, and using technology in all aspects of genealogy.
For more information and to register, click here!
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Check out our Global Events Calendar on the our website to see the meetings and events coming up soon. During the pandemic all of the events listed will take place in an online environment.
Branch or SIG events will appear in the Calendar on the Ontario Ancestors website if it is included on the events calendar of the Branch/SIG website.
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Missed an issue of eWeekly? Click here to read previous editions of eWeekly.
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