Vital Statistics- Part 3 - Ontario and Quebec

In the first two parts of this series we looked at the Maritime Provinces. Now let's look at Ontario and Quebec.

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/quebec/quebec-road-map.html

Quebec
One of the oldest settled areas of Canada, Quebec has BMD records that go back as far as 1621. Records up to as late as 1993 were mainly just copies of church entries. By law, churches were required to send copies to government archives. In 1994, the government started keeping their own vital records sets. From about 1926, you did not need a church record to register a life event. As of the 1960's, some births and marriages were being registered only in the civil registers.

Records before up to 1915 are held by the Bibliotheque et Archives nationale du Quebec (BANQ).
My own Quebec ancestry is before 1800. My own needs on vital statistics in Quebec has been serviced by the Drouin, so I do not have experience myself in using BANQ. The majority of it is in French, but with the "Franglais" I heard as a child and my French classes through school, I was able to navigate it fairly easily. I use Chrome as a browser, and was able to translate some of the pages as well.

After 1915, you must go through the Directeur de l'etat civil. Here are their guidelines on certificates, or "acts":

Birth certificates:

• If living, you must be one of the people named on the certificate, or someone representing them. You will need to submit an explanation if you are not the named person, and a copy of a document showing you are acting on their behalf.
• If deceased, you can apply if you are the spouse, child, or sibling. However, you will have to show proof of relationship.
• As the applicant, you will also have to verify your own identity with a photocopy of two documents. One must be photo ID and one must show your address. Their website lists all recognized forms of ID.

Marriages Certificates:

The requirements are the same as birth certificates.

Death Certificates:

Requirements are the same as birth certificates.

Unlike some provinces, I did not find anything on their website about doing genealogical searches for a life event. I am assuming they will not conduct searches. If I am wrong, then by all means let me know and I will update.

The FamilySearch wiki on Quebec is here

Ancestry's Quebec BMD collection is here

Cyndi's List of Quebec BMD links is here

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/ontario/large-detailed-map-of-southern-ontario.html

Ontario

In Ontario, mandatory civil registration began on 1 July, 1869. Records are routinely transferred to the Archives of Ontario for indexing.  As of writing this, they have births 1869-1917, marriages 1801-1934, and deaths 1869-1944 on microfilm. There is also a collection of deaths overseas 1939-1942. Take note though that marriages before 1869 are rather sporadic and incomplete. Due to recent changes in legislation, birth registrations will now not be transferred to the archives until 104 years have passed. This means that we will not see 1918 births transferred until the year 2023. I know, I let out a groan for this too, because the births I'm interested in happened in the 1920s. Marriages for 1935 and deaths for 1945 have been transferred over, but are currently closed for indexing. Microfilms can be accessed through inter library loan.

Anything after these years are in the custody of the Office of the Registrar General. I've used their service, and it's a fairly simple process. Here are their guidelines:

Birth Certificates:

• If living, only the person named on the certificate, their parents or the guardians can apply. Guardianship must be proved.
• If deceased, then you must be next of kin, or the administrator of the estate, You will have to provide proof of death.

Marriage certificates:

• The parties to the marriage, the parents or children of the marriage, or their legal representatives can apply. Proof of legal representation is required.
• If one or both parties are deceased then next of kin can apply. Next of kin are parents, children and siblings. If they are all deceased then extended next of kin can apply. They are classified as aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, grandchildren and grandparents.

Death Certificates:

There are no restrictions on death certificates. However, only next of kin or extended next of kin can apply for a certified statement of death.

The Registrar General will also do birth, marriage and death searches for a fee. This was a handy tool for me. My aunt and I had thought that my great grandparents had never married (long story). However, talking to my dad, I found out they actually had, but not until my aunt was a very young child. Using my aunts's year of birth and my great grandfather's year of death I was able to ask for a search of the intervening years. I received a letter stating that a marriage had indeed taken place, with the date of the marriage. We were then able to apply for the marriage certificate. Searches cost $15.00 for every 5 year period. 

The FamilySearch wiki on Ontario BMD's is here

Ancestrys' BMD collection is here

Cyndi's List BMD links for Ontario are here

In Part 4 we will continue westwards and look at Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The Pig War

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War_(1859)

One of the more amusing stories I've come across recently in Canada/US relations has been given the rather interesting label "The Pig War". What started as a dispute over a slain pig turned into an international incident in the mid 1800s on San Juan Island.

In June 1846, the Treaty of Oregon was signed in London. This treaty established the 49th parallel as the border between the United States and what would later become Canada. The problem came from some wording that said that the US owned "...to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver Island...". There are actually two channels, of which San Juan Island lies in the middle of; the Haro Strait, and the Rosario Strait. Depending on which side you were on, the island belonged either to the US, or to Britain.

In 1851, the Hudson's Bay Company established salmon curing stations along the coast of the island. In 1853, the island was claimed as part of the new US Washington territory. Not to be outdone, the HBC then established sheep farms. By 1859, Americans had started staking claims to the land. While they viewed it as their right, seeing as how the Americans had claimed San Juan Island, the British on the other hand viewed them as squatters.

It all came to a head on 15 June 1859. A pig owned by the HBC was shot and killed by an American man by the name of Lyman Cutlar. The pig had been rooting around in his garden. The British threatened to arrest Cutler and evict the other Americans off the island as trespassers. In response, the Americans request the help of the army. Brigadier General William S Harney was in charge of the Department of Oregan. Fiercely anti-British, he dispatched a company of the 9th US Infantry to San Juan Island. The company was under the command of Captain George E Pickett. They landed on 27 July 1859, and set up camp right near the HBC's wharf on Griffin Bay.

The actions of the Americans incensed James Douglas, the Governor of The Crown Colony of British Columbia. he responded by sending three warships. The HMS Tribune, HMS Satellite, and HMS Plumper had between them 62 guns. The instructions were to dislodge the American troops, but to avoid clashes if possible. Pickett refused to withdraw. The situation kept escalating until President James Buchanan sent General Wilfred Scott to diffuse the situation. Neither the British government nor the American government could believe that a farmer shooting a pig could have turned into almost all out war. 

By mutual agreement between Douglas and Scott, the island remained under joint military occupation for 12 years. In 1871, the two governments signed the Treaty of Washington. They referred the question of ownership of San Juan Island to Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany. On 21 October 1872, he ruled in favor of the Americans. San Juan Island became part of Washington. It also completed the final boundary between what is now Canada, and the United States.

You can read more about the war where the only casualty was an HBC pig at:

San Juan Island National Park

Historylink.org

Canada's History Magazine

Historic UK

Vital Statistics Part 2- Nova Scotia and New Brunswick

Last week we looked at Newfound and Labrador, and Price Edward Island. Now let's look at Nova Scotia and New Brunswick:

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-road-map.html

Nova Scotia
Civil registration in Nova Scotia is rather convoluted. Marriages began as early as 1763. However, it was optional, and the surviving records are incomplete. Births and deaths didn't start until 1864, and these along with marriages continued until 1877. From 1877 to 1908 there is a noted lapse on births and deaths. Compliance was not enforced during this time period, so the records are hit and miss. From 1908 on wards, the records have been maintained continuously. But just because your ancestor falls into the "black hole" time periods, don't give up hope. For many years after 1908, the Vital Statistics Office offered a voluntary delayed birth registration process. This was so those people born before 1908 could have their birth officially recorded. This was especially helpful when applying for pensions and passports. Some of these delayed registrations go back to the mid 1800's.

Nova Scotia is one of the more "genealogist-friendly" provinces on access to BMD's. Once a specific time period is reached, records are transferred from the Vital Statistics Office, Service NS to the Nova Scotia Archives. The policy is 100 years for births, 75 years for marriages, and 50 years for deaths. The records are transferred at the end of the calendar year that the event occurred.

At the Archives, you can access the records by going to novascotiagenealogy.com. This site has been a huge part of my own research. Use the quick search to start. For instance, I typed in "Johnson, Freeman", my 2x great uncle. I got 4 possible marriages, and 3 possible deaths. His name isn't that common though, so there weren't that many hits. His father James Johnson is a much more common name. I got 22 births, 69 marriages, and 67 deaths. Now keep in mind they list results chronologically, not alphabetically, so you'll have to flip through no matter if they are James A Johnson or James R Johnson. Under the results is an advanced search option if you need to narrow things down a bit. By clicking on "view" next to the entry, you can see a digital image of the original record. What I love is that you have the option to buy a copy of the record as well right on the site. A digital copy costs $11.17, and a paper copy $22.39.

If you're looking for a record that hasn't been transferred to the Archives, then you will have to go through Vital Statistics. These are their guidelines:

Birth Certificates:

• They will not issue birth certificates less than 100 years ago for genealogy.

Marriage Certificates

• Short form certificates do not seem to have a restriction.
• Long form certificates are restricted. 

Death Certificates

• They will only issue death certificates after 20 years and if the person would be 75 years old or older.

Now, one of the great things about Service NS is that they have a link for genealogists. It explains in detail what you can and cannot apply for. They also offer limited searches for a fee. You can take a look at the fee structure and helpful hints here.

The FamilySearch wiki for Nova Scotia vital records is here.

Ancestry's collection of Nova Scotia vital statistics can be viewed here.

Cyndi's List's collection of links can be viewed here.

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-road-map.html

New Brunswick
Marriages in New Brunswick began registration in 1812, but births and deaths were not required to be registered until 1888. Originally it was done at the county level. It wasn't until 1920 that all registrations were to be forwarded onto the Registrar General. Not all of the original county books from 1888 to 1919 have survived. Missing are the counties of Westmorland, Sunbury, and Madawaska.

The Registrar General annually transfers records to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (PANB). The policy seems to be 95 years for births, and about 50 years for marriages and deaths. Right now on their website, you can access births to 1921, and marriages and deaths to 1965.

Now the PANB is one of my favourite sites. They are one of the most "genealogist-friendly" sites out there, As an added bonus, their site is geared to those of us researching from a distance.  Most of the BMD entries are accompanied by a digital image. The absolute best thing is that they can be downloaded to your computer FOR FREE! One thing to keep in mind is that PANB indexes the records with the exact spelling that is on the document. So be prepared to use soundex and name variations. The other good thing is that they've indexed birth records not only by the child's name but by the parents' names as well. For instance, I typed in Anne MCLAUGHLIN, my great grandmother. In the search results, along with her marriage to my great grandfather Patrice MALLAIS, there were registrations for 3 of their children.

For more recent BMDs, you must go through Service New Brunswick. These are their guidelines on access:

Birth certificates:

• If it is not for yourself, then you must have written permission from that person, or proof of death.
• If you are the parent of the person whose certificate you are applying for, you don't need permission if they are under 19 years old.

Marriage Certificates:

• If you are not one of the parties listed on the certificate, then you need written permission from them, or proof of death

Death Certificates:

There does not seem to be a restriction on who can apply for a death certificate. 

Service New Brunswick will do searches for more recent records. There is a fee of $15 for a three year search, and $10 for each subsequent three year search. They will not issue a certificate, but will give you a "statement of facts" if a record is located. 

FamilySearch's wiki of New Brunswick vital statistics is here.

Ancestry's New Brunswick vital statistics are here.

Cyndi's List of New Brunswick links is here.

In Part 3 we will look at Quebec and Ontario.

Railway Schoolhouses

In a recent Facebook post by the Archives of Ontario, they had posted pictures of railway schoolhouses. I had never heard about these, so I decided to find out more.

In remote communities the only way some children got their schooling was by a school house that traveled the rails. In Ontario, they were used from the late 1920's to the late 1960's. In Newfoundland, railway schools were in existence during the mid 1930's to the early 1940's.

The school car would pull into town for a week or so, and all school age children would be taught all the normal subjects you would see in a traditional school. At the end of the time period, the kids would be given homework to be completed by the time the train came back. In the evenings, adults could receive schooling themselves, or take advantage of the music and books there. They would even host movie and bingo nights! The teacher and their family also helped those with literacy problems fill out forms, as well as those new immigrants who had little or no English.

The school cars were operated jointly by the government and the rail companies, There were desks, blackboards, and pull down maps. It didn't look much different than a regular schoolroom in a bricks and mortar school.The school car also had an apartment set up for the teacher and their family. Fred Sloman was a rail car teacher for over 30 years, and raised his family travelling the rails from settlement to settlement.

Aboriginal, Finnish, Norwegian, French and British children inside a school train at Nemigos, near Chapleau, Ontario, around 1950
Source: Library and Archives Canada/National Film Board of Canada/Photothèque collection/PA-111570
© Public Domain. Credit: H. Wright Corp.
nlc-4723

You can find out more about railway schools here:

histoiredurailhistory.ca

saltscapes

The Whig

Collections Canada

National Film Board

Galt Railway Historic Park

Vital Statistics- Part 1 Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island

The three main records all genealogists look for are birth, marriage, and death. We refer to these as the BMD's. It's from these three events that we build the rest of our records around. So where do we find them?

Registrations for the BMD's is handled by provincial and territorial governments. Each has started registration at different times, and have different regulations on public access. So, lets take a look at each province and territory.

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/newfoundland-and-labrador/newfoundland-and-labrador-road-map.html

Newfoundland and Labrador 

Civil registration began in 1891. Before this, the only records available are church records. The only way to obtain a copy is through Service NL. However, at the provincial archives (The Rooms), you can look at microfilms of some records. According to their website, they have on microfilm births 1891-1899, marriages 1891-1922, and deaths 1891-1949.

According to Service NL, you can get a copies with the following conditions:

Birth Certificate:

• If it is for yourself (you must be at least 16 years old)
• You are the parent or guardian (with proof of guardianship)
• Have written authorization from one of the above
• A court order or if it is to comply with a specific Act or regulation (proof is required)
• If the person is deceased you need proof of death. As well you need to be next of kin, or the executor, trustee or administrator of the estate. If not, you need written authorization from one of these people

Marriage Certificate:

• Either party of the marriage
• Written authorization from either party
• A court order
• If both parties are deceased, then proof of death is required. You would still need to be the child or parent of one of the parties, or the executor, trustee, or administrator of the estate. If not, you will need written authorization of one of these people

Death Certificates

There are no restrictions on who can apply for a death certificate.

The FamilySearch wiki on Newfoundland and Labrador has details of FamilySearch's holdings. You can access their page here.

Ancestry does not have a lot of Newfoundland and Labrador records. Click here to see the list.

Cyndi's List has a collection of links for vital statistics here.

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/prince-edward-island/large-detailed-map-of-pei-with-cities-and-towns.html

Prince Edward Island

Though marriage licenses were issued as far back as 1787, government birth and death registrations did not start until 1906. At their provincial archives online section (PARO), they have baptisms 1777-1923, marriage licenses 1827-1919, and deaths pre 1906. They also have deaths 1906-1916. Deaths from 1917-1919 are in the process of data entry. Deaths from 1920-1960 are also available. To obtain copies you must go through the government. On their website the following rules of access apply:

Birth Certificate:

• you or a parent can apply, as long as the parent's name is on the registration
• written authorization from the person or the person's parents
• a lawyer acting on your or your parents' behalf
• a court order

Marriage certificate:

It does not say on their website who can apply if you are not either one of the parties involved

Death Certificates:

It does not say on their website who can apply.

Now that being said, I did find this website called PEI Island Information. On it's website it says the following about the vital statistics office:

"This office holds an index of baptisms for the period from 1886-1919, and official birth records from 1840-present, marriage records from 1886-present, and death records from 1906-present. This information is not open to the public, however, a staff member will check the records and issue a certificate if the record is 100 years old or older for a fee if you are a direct descendent of the person whose record you wish to obtain."

 The last update to this website was in 2014. My suggestion would be to contact the government to find out exactly what the restrictions are.

FamilySearch's wiki on PEI is here.

A list of Ancestry's PEI records can be accessed here.

Cyndi's List for Vital Statistics can be accessed here.

In Part 2 we'll look at Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Charles Vance Millar and the Great Stork Derby

Charles Vance Millar is definitely one of the more colourful characters in Canada's history. Born in Alymer, Ontario 28 June 1854, he was the son of Simon Millar and Sarah Vance. A Toronto lawyer and businessman, he amassed himself a sizable fortune for the time period. Among his smart business decisions was acquiring BC Express Company and gaining the government mail delivery contracts in Northern British Columbia. Upon finding out that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway would be going through Fort George (now Prince George, BC) he immediately expanded his business to include Fort George. He also managed to buy 200 acres around the area, foreseeing how important the future city would become in northern British Columbia.

He was known for his practical jokes and his belief that everyone had a price to their ethics. A life long bachelor, he died of cerebral hemorrhage in his office at 59 Yonge Street in Toronto on 31 October 1926. It was after his death that Charles Millar became truly famous. Or infamous, depending on how you look at it.

The will that Charles left has become the stuff of legend. Among the unusual bequests he made:

1. He left a property he owned on Jamaica Island to three men he knew despised each other. He also stated that after the last survivor died, the proceeds from the sale of the property should go to the poor of Kingston, Jamaica.
2. That every Protestant minister and every Orange Lodge member in Ontario should get a share in O'Keefe's Brewing Company, Limited of Toronto. The joke is not only were the Protestant ministers leading the charge for the Temperance movement, but O'Keefe's was a Catholic brewery.
3. He gave shares of the Ontario Jockey Club to to two very vocal opponents of gambling, and to the owner of a rival horse racing track.

The final clause of the will initiated "The Great Stork Derby". In the will he stated that the bulk of his estate after the other bequests would be awarded to the Toronto woman who had given birth to the most children in the ten years following his death. By the time the ten year anniversary had passed, this amounted to half a million dollars. That would be a life changing windfall in today's time period, let along in 1936, smack in the middle of The Depression. The race to make babies made headlines around the world. At the end of the ten years, and after a prolonged court battle, four women were declared the winners. Each woman had given birth to nine babies, all of which could be proven with government birth registrations. Two other women were each awarded $12,500, because of the murkiness of their claims. One woman had 10 babies, but not all of them were fathered by her husband. The other woman also had 10 children, but 4 were stillborn.

Visit the following links for more details:
Estate Law Canada

Torontoist.com

Duhaime.org

BlogTO

Who's Victorine's mother? Using Siblings to Solve a Problem

Some of us research every person in a family tree. Some of us concentrate more on our direct line. Unless you're doing a One Name or One Place study, it really just comes down to personal preference.  But even if you're concentrating on your direct line, make sure you are making note of your ancestor's siblings as well. Having those names will eventually come in handy.

The first obvious reason to record sibling names is to help find the family in census records. This is especially helpful when your ancestor has a common name, but their sibling doesn't. It's much easier to search for records for "Beulah" than "Anne". But here is a more unusual problem where siblings came in handy.

Mt 2x great grandmother is Marie Victorine FERGUSON. On 24 November 1874 she marries Jean MALLAIS. In the Drouin Collection on Ancestry for the area of Tracadie, New Brunswick it has their marriage. The entry is written in French, but it states that "...Marie Victorine Ferguson, fille majeur de David Ferguson et de defunte Charlotte Savoie...". This translates to Victorine is the daughter of David FERGUSON and the deceased Charlotte SAVOIE, and that she is at least 18 years old (the age of majority to marry). So what's the problem you ask? Seems pretty straight forward.

Well, the only marriage I can find for David is to a Julienne GAUTRAULT. This marriage takes place in the register for Caraquet in 1836. There is only one David Ferguson in the area at the time, so I know I have at least the right man. I cannot find a death for Julienne. I find a transcription for David's headstone on the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (PANB). It says that he is the husband of Julienne GAUTREAU. I find David's burial in the Drouin. It states that he is the widower of Julienne GOTREAU. I look at a death certificate for Victorine and it states that the informant did not know who her parents were:

source: http://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141C5.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=8bac2d80-eb08-4886-a5f5-010e1a885bb1

Next I take a look at census records for Victorine before she marries in 1874. In the 1871 census for Suamarez, Gloucester County, New Brunswick she is living with her widowed father and her younger brother Bernard. It states that she is born about 1851:

Source: http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4396659_00547.jpg

In 1861 she is living with father David and brother Bernard, as well as older siblings Esther, William, and Christina. It also says that her birth year is about 1847:

Source: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4108514_00505.jpg

Unfortunately, the 1851 census records for Gloucester County have not survived, so that's the end of the trail by this route. But we now have the names of four siblings for Victorine. So I start to look at baptisms for the children in the Tracadie registers of the Drouin:

1. Esther: baptized 5 December 1842 "...of the lawful marriage (of) David Ferguson and Julienne Gotreau..."
2. William: "Guillaume" baptized 14 August 1843 "...de legitime marriage de David Ferguson, et de Julienne Gotreau..."
3. Christina: none found
4. Marie Victorine: none found
5. Bernard: baptized 15 December 1850 "...de legitime marriage de David Ferguson et de Julienne Gotreau..."  

In the process I also find baptisms for three more siblings that are older than Esther:

1. Anne: baptized 17 March 1838 "...fille legitime de David Ferguson et de Julienne Gaudrot..."
2. Charlotte: baptized 11 January 1840 "...ne le 24 novembre de David Fergusson et de Julienne Gautrault..."
3. Guillaume: baptized 7 March 1839 "...ne le 20 novembre de David Fergusson et de Julienne Gautrault..."

Ok. So all of Victorine's older siblings baptisms' that we could find say that Julienne is their mother. That doesn't really answer the question for us though, because Julienne we know has passed away. Charlotte Savoie could have entered the picture afterward, and very well be Victorine's mother. The one that we have to look at it is Bernard, Victorine's only younger sibling. According to his baptism, Julienne is his mother too. Add that to the information we also have about David, Victorine's father:

1. His burial in 1877 says that he is the widower of Julienne.
2. His headstone reads "husband of Julienne Gautreau".
3. David is listed as a widower in the 1861 and 1871 censuses.
4. We have found no corroborating marriage record between David and a Charlotte SAVOIE. 

So based on all these facts, I would say that the priest in Victorine's marriage put Charlotte Savoie down in error. Julienne is actually Victorine's mother. How could that happen? Any number of reasons. We don't know if the priest wrote the entry in his book the day it happened, or a month later. He could have easily mixed up the names. I do know that the priest who baptized Bernard in 1850 was not the same one who married Victorine and Jean MALLAIS in 1874. The one who performed the marriage in 1874 probably wouldn't have known Julienne at all, as we know Julienne died sometime between 1850 (Bernard's baptism) and the 1861 census. 

If I hadn't looked at the siblings of Victorine, I would not have realized what has likely happened with the mixing up of names. I would have spent countless hours trying to find a marriage between David and Charlotte that didn't exist. Now a baptism for Victorine may turn up. I hope it does, because this would either confirm or disprove my theory as it now stands. 

This Week in Canadian History January 1-7, 2017: Georgina Pope

Georgina Fane Pope, Canadian nursing sister in South Africa, November 1899 - December 1900; January - June 1902.
Source: http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/boer/georginapope_e.shtml

On 1 January 1862 Georgina Fane Pope was born in Prince Edward Island. Her father, William Pope, is one of the fathers of Confederation. Being born into a wealthy family, you would imagine that a woman of this time period would be satisfied with a marriage fitting her station and living as a socialite. But Georgina decided to go another route.

Instead she went to New York to study nursing at Bellevue Hospital. She remained there until 1899, when she volunteered for nursing duties in the Second Boer War. With the rank of lieutenant, she was senior sister of three other nurses in Cape Town for five months. After that, she and another nursing sister went to Kroonstadt and took over running a military hospital there. With severe shortages of food and supplies, they cared for 230 patients suffering from entric fever.

In 1901, she received with two other nurses war service medals from the Duke of York, later King George V.

In 1902 she returned to South Africa, this time stationed at Natal. She was senior sister of  8 nurses. She returned back to Canada that same year.

In 1903 she was the first Canadian to receive the Royal Red Cross.

In 1906 she began working at the Garrison Hospital in Halifax as a permanent member of the Canadian Army Medical Corps. In 1908 she was made the first Matron in the CAMC's history. She designed and oversaw the training programs for army nurses.

At the age of 55 and in poor health, she went to Ypres in 1917 and was in Europe until 1918.

Georgina died 6 June 1938. She was granted a full military funeral. She is buried in the People's Roman Catholic Cemetery in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Headstone of Georgina Pope. Source: https://billiongraves.com/grave/Georgina-F-Pope/9708383#/

You can read about Georgina here:

Canadian War Museum

Collections Canada

Canadian Encyclopedia

Free Online Genealogy Course

On January 16th, the online learning site FutureLearn will be running their hugely popular genealogy course "Genealogy:Researching your Family Tree". Taught through the University of Strathclyde, this is a FREE 6 week course. Each week's module takes only a couple of hours at most to complete. You as one of the students will have a chance to comment and share ideas in open discussions.

This course is mostly geared to new genealogists, and those with not a lot of experience. But as a more experienced researcher, I still enjoyed the course. The examples of records used when I took the course on a previous run were UK based. However, methodology is methodology and the techniques can be applied to any country's records. The genealogy journey of "Chris" that the course follows is entertaining no matter what your research level is.

All you need to register is an email to set up a student account. While you're there, take a look at the huge variety of free courses available. My favourite are the history courses of course. None are being offered on Canadian history as of yet, but I'm still hopeful.

As for the University of Strathclyde, they offer degree programs on genealogy besides the free one through FutureLearn. They also offer some courses online, and some in class. I'm intrigued by what they call the "Summer Institute of Genealogical Studies". That will probably go on the "if all the stars aligned" list for me though.

You can register for the FutureLearn course here

The University of Strathclyde's Genealogy Studies page is here