Metis Ancestors: Resources from the Glenbow Museum

If you have Metis ancestors, then you know finding resources for them can be difficult. One of the sites you should be book marking is the online collection at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary. This online collection contains genealogies with source citations.

Metis in Canada are the descendants of marriages between Indigineous and non Indigenous people. For the most part, the marriages were between Indigenous women and the European men employed in the fur trade. The Glenbow's collection deals with Metis in what is now Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Some parts of the Northwest Territories, Ontario and British Columbia are also covered.

https://www.glenbow.org/collections/archives/genealogy/

 In their online collection are several resources. They do warn that the researcher will need to trace the family line back pre 1900 for their collection to be helpful for research. They have included on the site a PDF of a pedigree chart to help in research.

Not everything is digitized. However, these are still important because they give the important file numbers you need. This way you can provide the exact file numbers to staff when you visit in person. Even if you hire a researcher to do the visit for you, giving them this number will save a lot of valuable research time.


Charles Denney fonds and Métis genealogy files
This collection comprises of genealogical files for Prairie Metis as well as those families connected to the Red River Settlement. The collection was compiled between 1967 and 1985. Among the collection is charts, photographs, and correspondence. It also contains indexes and microfilms of census and parish records. There are genealogies of approximately 1200 family lines in the collection. The majority of it has not been digitized, but there are a few. It is divided into 9 subsections:

• Series 1 Scanned Document Family history files : alphabetical list. — 1967-1985
• Series 1-A Family history files : microfilm copies. - Microfilmed 1990 (originally created 1967-1985)
• Series 2 Denney's indexes to family history files. — 1967-1985
• Series 3 Scanned Document Collected reference materials. — 1956-1990 (originally created 1709-1985)
• Series 4 Denney family personal papers. — 1906-2001
• Series 5 Scanned Document Photographs. — [ca. 1855]-2000
• Series 6 Elsie Denney's family genealogy. — [ca. 1900-1996]
• Series 7 Miscellaneous writing. — 1924-2000, predominant 1972-2000
• Series 8 Subject files. — [ca. 1910]-2002
• Series 9 Priscilla Gilmour's papers. — 1927-1945, predominant 1942-1945

Now, if your file of interest is digitized, you will see this:

Just click on the "View now" to see the digitized documents in the file. They are digitized as a PDF, so can be downloaded to your computer. Onsite, the collection has restricted access for conservation reasons. They have microfilms available.



Pat McCloy Genealogical Collection
This collection, compiled from the 1970s to 1996, has a wealth of information. Along with index cards, there is also primary source material. It has wills, certificates, correspondence, newspaper clippings, obituaries, and photographs. There are 8 subsections:

• Series 1 Genealogical research files. - [ca. 1970s-1996]
• Series 2 Alphabetical files. - n.d.
• Series 3 Miscellaneous genealogical files. - n.d.
• Series 4 Thomas Rennie "Pat" McCloy personal papers. - [1900-1970s]
• Series 5 McKay genealogical index cards. - Compiled [ca. 1970s-1996]
• Series 6 Genealogical index cards. - Compiled [ca. 1970s-1996]
• Series 7 Research notes index cards. - Compiled [ca. 1970s-1996]
• Series 8 Scanned Document Photographs. - [ca. 1870s]-1941

Only Series 8, Scanned Document Photographs. - [ca. 1870s]-1941, has digitized images. The 9 images contained people and places in the Prairies and British Columbia. Onsite, there are no restrictions on access.




Warren Sinclair's Metis Genealogy collection
This collection contains 450 Metis biographies and 910 descendancy charts. The collection also includes indexes for both the biographies and charts. As a side note, this collection is also available at the HBC Archives in Winnipeg. The collection appears to be fully digitized, and is divided into two subsections:

• Series 1 Scanned Document Tables of contents, biographies, and indices. - 1997-1999
• Series 2 Scanned Document Descendancy tables. - 1997-1999

Both the biographies and charts have extensive source citations. A real bonus for us, since we can go straight to the horse's mouth so to speak, to verify. If you've never used a descendancy chart before, they are titled with the earliest known ancestor couple, and work down the successive generations that were born pre 1900. Onsite, there are no restrictions on access.



Geoff Burtonshaw's Metis Genealogy Research collection
This is a collection of photocopied material from Library and Archives Canada, churches, and libraries. It also includes correspondence, researcher lists, and the personal memoirs of Geoff Burtonshaw. Not all of the collection is digitized. It is divided into 6 subsections:

• Series 1 Scanned Document Geoff Burtonshaw's writings. -- [ca. 1990s]
• Series 2 Scanned Document Metis genealogy reference files. -- [ca. 1981-2009]
• Series 3 Alphabetical files of Metis researchers. -- [ca. 1981-2009]
• Series 4 Terry Punch correspondence. -- 1989-2003
• Series 5 Personal papers. -- 1881-1980s
• Series 6 Photographs (unprocessed). -- [ca. 1940s-2000s

Those familiar with Maritime research will recognize Terry Punch's name. Very little of the collection has been digitized. Onsite, there are no restrictions to access.

The Glenbow Library Newspaper Clippings files

This last online collection does not have digitized images. It's function is more of a finding aid to prepare for an onsite visit. You can either search or browse by:

• Keywords or Phrases
• People
• Place
• Subject

They have included some instructions to maximize your searches on the collection's main page.

http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/libraryNewspaperSearch.aspx

The results page will tell you what collections to ask to look at when you visit. For instance, when I typed in "Ferguson" as a surname, I received results that looked like this:

http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/libraryNewspaperResults.aspx

The Archives notes on the main page that this section is a work in progress. They will continue to add search terms as the collection gets examined over time. In other words, keep checking back to see what new items turn up.

A Final Note

The Library and Archives reading room at the Glenbow Museum is now closed. They have been moving their collection over to the Glenbow Western Research Centre. The Centre is located on the second floor of the Taylor Family Digital Library on the University of Calgary’s main campus. They have requested that any research inquiries for material access be directed to archives@ucalgary.ca.

52 Ancestors: Week 9 - The Canadian Court System and where to find records

Week 9 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks has the prompt "At the Courthouse". If you're new to Canadian research, it is important to know a little about the Canadian Court System to find the records you need.

There are two main court systems that genealogists concern themselves with. The Provincial/ Territorial Courts, and the Provincial Supreme Court (or Court of the Queen's Bench). The majority of records that genealogists look for will be in one of these two options. Of course, as with anything else, each province does things a little differently. So who covers what?

Newfoundland and Labrador

The Newfoundland Provincial Court handles the following:

• Youth crimes
• Civil Court cases up to $25,000
• Criminal cases except Indictable Offenses (also known as Felonies in the American Court system)
• Inquiries of accidental or mysterious deaths or fires
• Family law  (Adoption, Child Support, Paternity, Marriages not performed in a church, for example)
• Provincial Offenses

The Supreme Court of Newfoundland handles the following:

• Civil Court cases over $25,000
• Wills and Estates
• Divorce
• Guardianship of minors' personal affairs and finances
• Appeals of decisions from the Provincial Courts
• Criminal Cases of Indictable Offenses

Take note that in some areas of Newfoundland, there is no Family Court at the Provincial Court. In these cases, one would look to the Supreme Court for the records pertaining to Family law.

Prince Edward Island

The Provincial Court of Prince Edward Island handles minor criminal cases, Youth Law, and provincial offences

The Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island handles the following:

• Wills and Estates
• All Family Law
• Small Claims Court
• More serious criminal cases
• Appeals from tribunals and the Provincial Court

The Prince Edward Island Court of Appeal handles the appeals from the other two courts.

Nova Scotia

The Provincial Court of Nova Scotia has jurisdiction of the following:

• All criminal cases except Murder
• Inquiries into suspicious deaths
• Youth Justice Act
• Family Court  matters outside the municipalities of Cape Breton and Halifax
• Small Claims Court handles civil cases under $25,000
• Provincial Offenses

The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia presides over:

• Murder cases
• Family law in the municipal districts of Cape Breton and Halifax
• Appeals from the lower Courts
• Divorce
• Bankruptcy
• Civil cases over $25,000

Wills and Estates are handles through the Probate Court of Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Court of Appeal is where final appeals from the Supreme Court are held.

New Brunswick

The Provincial Court of New Brunswick handles:

• Youth Criminal Justice
• Criminal matters except murder
• Provincial offenses

The Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick handles:

• Murder cases
• The Family Law division handles all matters relating to Family Law
• Appeals of the Provincial Court
• All Civil cases

Wills and Estates are handled through the Probate Court of New Brunswick.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal handles appeals from the Court of Queen's Bench.

Quebec

Because of the complex balancing act that Quebec performs between French and English law, the first thing you should do is read the Court of Quebec's webpage of their history. Quebec is unique to the rest of Canada in that it's civil code originated from French law, yet it's criminal code follows English law.

The Court of Quebec is divided into divisions. According to the website, the Civil Division handles 

 "...all plaintiff claims involving monetary value or interest – in relation to the object of the dispute – that are less than $85,000, except claims for alimony, class actions and those reserved for the Federal Court of Canada...".  

If the amount of the claim is less than $15,000, it is handled by the Small Claims Court. 

The Criminal and Penal Division handles any criminal proeedings that are not under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Superior Court.

The Youth Division handles:

• Youth Criminal Justice
• Adoption
• Welfare of Minors

The Superior Court of Quebec has jurisdiction over:

• Appeals of other Courts
• Family Law
• Bankruptcies
• Civil cases over $70,000
• Jury Trials in Criminal matters
• Wills and Estates

The Court of Appeal of Quebec handles appeals from the Superior Court, and also in lower courts in certain circumstances.

Ontario

The Ontario Court of Justice has jurisdiction over:

• Family law is practiced in the Family Court
• Most criminal cases are tried in the Criminal Court
• Provincial offenses
• Child Protection
• Adoptions
• Youth Criminal Justice

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice handles:

• Appeals from lower Courts
• Serious Criminal Matters
• Wills and Estates 
• Bankruptcy
• All civil matters. If under $25,000 it is handled through the Small Claims Court
• All Family Law not covered by the Ontario Court of Justice
• Divorce

Keep in mind matters relating to spousal or child support, and child custody/ access can be handled by either court.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario handles appeals from all lower courts.

Manitoba
The Provincial Court of Manitoba has jurisdiction over almost all criminal matters. Outside of Winnipeg, they also handle a limited amount of Family Law.

The Court of Queen's Bench has 2 divisions:

The General Division deals with criminal and civil litigation matters. The also hear appeals from the Provincial Court.

The Family Division handles all cases pertaining to Family Law and Child Welfare.

The Court of Queen's Bench is also where Wills and Estates are handled.

The Manitoba Court of Appeal handles the appeals from the lower courts.

Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan Provincial Court has jurisdiction over the following:

• Most criminal cases
• Civil cases up to $30,000
• Some Family Law matters, but only those outside Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert
• Traffic and municipal laws

The Court of Queen Bench for Saskatchewan handles:

• The most serious criminal cases
• Civil cases over $30,000
• Divorce and division of assets
• Custody and access to children
• Wills and Estates
• Appeals from the Provincial Court

The Court of Appeal handles appeals from the other courts

Alberta

The Provincial Court of Alberta has jurisdiction over:

• Most of the criminal cases 
• Most civil cases under $50,000
• Child support, custody and access
• Spousal support
• Guardianship

The Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta handles:

• The most serious criminal offenses
• Civil cases over $50,000
• Divorce and division of property
• Wills and Estates
• Appeals from the Provincial Court

The Court of Appeal of Alberta handles appeals from the other courts

British Columbia

The Provincial Court of British Columbia has jurisdiction over:

• Child Welfare
• Child custody and access
• Adult guardianship
• Spousal and child support
• Civil claims $5,001 to $35,000
• Most criminal cases
• Youth Criminal justice
• Provincial and municipal offenses

The Supreme Court of British Columbia handles

• Appeals from the Provincial Court
• Civil claims over $35,000
• Divorce and Division of Property
• Adoptions
• Wills and Estates

The Court of Appeal of British Columbia handles appeals from the lower courts.

Yukon

The Yukon Territorial Court has jurisdiction over:

• Most criminal cases
• Youth Justice cases
• Child protection
• Civil cases under $25,000

The Supreme Court of the Yukon handles:

• Appeals from the Territorial Court
• The most serious criminal cases
• Divorce and division of property
• Custody and Access
• Child and spousal support
• Wills and Estates

The Court of Appeal of Yukon handles appeals from the lower courts. Take note that the BC Court of Appeal also handles cases from the Yukon. If you can't find a record of it in the Yukon, check in Vancouver as well. The judges from this court also sit in the Appeals Courts of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Northwest Territories

The Territorial Court of the Northwest Territories has jurisdiction over:

• Most criminal cases
• Territorial offenses
• Child protection
• Custody and Support
• Civil cases up to $35,000

The Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories handles:

• Appeals from the Provincial Courts
• More serious criminal cases
• Divorce
• Wills and Estates
• Civil cases over $35,000

The Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories handles appeals from the lower courts. The judges also sit in the Appeals Courts of the Yukon and Nunavut. In special cases, they can also deal with cases from Alberta.

Youth Justice cases be heard in either the Territorial Court or the Supreme Court.

Nunavut

The territory of Nunavut is unique in Canada. The Nunavut Court of Justice handles all civil, criminal, Probate, and Family Law matters. There is no division between a Territorial and Supreme Court.

The Nunavut Youth Court handles cases relating to Youth Criminal Justice.

The Nunavut Court of Appeal handles all appeals. The judges also sit for the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alberta Appeals Courts.

A final note, if your ancestor is Indigenous. Many of the Provinces have special courts for cases involving Indigenous or Aboriginal people. These courts work hand in hand with the Native communities. From what I understand, community elders have a say in matters that come before the courts, with a focus on reformation and community involvement.

52 Ancestors: Week 5 - Don't Forget to Check Out Libraries

This week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks prompt is "At the Library". Libraries are such an over looked resource for genealogy. There is so much focus given to Museums, Historical Societies and websites such as Ancestry and Family Search. People seem to forget that libraries can hold wealth of information as well, especially local history. A lot of genealogical and historical societies will provide copies of their work to a local library. If you're lucky enough to come across a library that have genealogy enthusiasts on staff, the amount of local history and information on local families is amazing.

The library systems of major urban centers are great sources for genealogy. They also have well developed websites to help you find out what they have on hand, along with virtual exhibitions. Most of them also provide links to local societies and archives as well. But don't forget about smaller cities and towns. Sometimes you can find better information there, because they have a much more focused area of service. Often they are also the archive of the area.

Another set of libraries to look into are University and College Libraries. Because of their academic nature, they often have copies of out of print books and journals. Photograph collections and research papers can also give you insight into your ancestors' lives. Some campus libraries have very specialized collections geared to their curriculum, so you never know what you might find.

In our digital age, libraries have had to become innovative to keep with the times. Many offer research services. Don't have an Ancestry, FindMyPast, or My Heritage subscription? Check your local library. Many offer free access through their computers on site. Want access to newspaper databases? Many libraries provide access to sites such as ProQuest of major newspapers. Some you can even access through their website from the comfort of your own home with a valid library card.
Provincial Archives such as the Archives of Ontario and the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick have inter library loan with libraries across the country. You can get microfilms sent to your library on loan. Pretty handy for researching from a distance.


I tried to compile a list of library websites for each province and territory. These lists are by no means complete. They are just a starting point.

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries
• Memorial University Libraries
• College of the North Atlantic
• Newfoundland Legislative Library

Prince Edward Island

• Prince Edward Island Public Libraries and Archives
• University of Prince Edward Island Robertson Library
• Holland College Library

Nova Scotia

• Nova Scotia Provincial Library - scroll down to access the links to each regional library system
• Libraries, Archives and Museums Nova Scotia
• Acadia University Vaughan Memorial Library
• Saint Mary's University Patrick Power Library
• Cape Breton University Library
• Dalhousie University Library
• Mount Saint Vincent University Library
• Nova Scotia Community College Libraries
• St. Francis Xavier University Angus L Macdonald Library
• Universite Sainte Anne Louis R Comeau Library
• University of King's College King's Library

New Brunswick

• New Brunswick Public Libraries
• Mount Allison University Library and Archives
• Legislative Library of New Brunswick
• University of New Brunswick Libraries
• University of Moncton Champlain Library
• University of Moncton Anselme-Chaisson Centre for Acadian Studies

Quebec

• Quebec City Public Libraries
• Montreal Public Libraries Network
• BAnQ
• Westmount Public Library
• Longueuil Public Libraries
• Ponte-Claire Public Library
• Bishop's University Library
• McGill University Library
• Concordia University Library
• University of Quebec Chicoutimi Paul Emile Boulet Library
• Universite of Quebec Montreal
• Universite of Quebec Rimouski
• Laval University Library

Ontario

• List of Ontario Public Libraries from the Government of Ontario
• Brock University Library
• Laurentian University Library and Archives
• City of Kawartha Lakes Library - I wrote a blog post of the Lindsay Branch. You can see it here.
• Carleton University MacOdrum Library
• University of Guelph Library
• Trent University Library and Achives
• Redeemer University College Library
• Queen's University Library
• Lakehead University Library
• McMaster University Library
• University of Toronto Library
• University of Waterloo Library
• Wilfred Laurier University Library
• Queen's University Library
• University of Ottawa Library
• York University Libraries

Manitoba

• List of Manitoba Public Libraries from the Manitoba Government
• Manitoba Libraries - scroll to the bottom to use the interactive map of all public and private libraries in the province
• Brandon University John E Robbins Library
• University of Manitoba Library
• University of Winnipeg Library

Saskatchewan

• Regina Public Library
• Saskatchewan Public Libraries Directory
• University of Saskatchewan Library
• University of Regina Dr. John Archer Library
• First Nations University of Canada Library

Alberta

• The Alberta Library
• Alberta Library Systems
• Alberta Public Library Directory
• Athabasca University Library
• University of Lethbridge Library
• University of Alberta Libraries
• University of Calgary Library

British Columbia

• Public Library Interactive map from the BC Government
• Courthouse Libraries BC
• Points to the Past Digital Library Collaboration
• Camosun College Library
• Trinity Western University Norma Marion Alloway Library
• University of British Columbia Library
• Simon Fraser University Library
• University of Victoria Libraries

Yukon

• Points to the Past Digital Library Collaboration
• Yukon Public Libraries
• Yukon College Library

Northwest Territories

• Northwest Public Library Services
• Legislative Library of the Northwest Territories
• Aurora College Libraries

Nunavut

• Nunavut Public Library Services
• Nunavut Arctic College Libraries

When all else fails, use Google and type in your area of research and keyword "library". Also check the local government websites. Small libraries may not have a website. The local government websites will at least have contact information for the libraries in their jurisdiction.

Probate Records Part 7: The Territories and some Final Tips

In this last segment, we're going to take a look at The Canadian Territories.

The Yukon
Probate in the Yukon used to be handled by the Territorial Court. Today it is handled by the Yukon Supreme Court. It sits mainly in Whitehorse, but does travel to other communities if needed. The central registry for Supreme Court proceedings is located in Whitehorse. The contact information is on their website here.

The Yukon Archives has estate files from 1897-1950. They can be be viewed at the Archives. The records held there are mainly from when the Territorial Court handled the records.

The Northwest Territories
Probate is done through the NWT's Supreme Court. Like the Yukon, the Supreme Court sits mainly in Yellowknife, but will travel to other regions as needed. Requests for access to probate files is done through the Court Registry - Office of the Clerk.

The NWT Archives has a collection in their holdings of estate files from 1926 to 1947. However, due to privacy laws, access is restricted. It is part of the RCMP fonds, so I would imagine any permissions for access would have to come through them.

Because the borders of the Northwest Territories changed so drastically through the years, it would be a good idea to check with the Manitoba, Saskatchewan  and Alberta Provincial Archives in your search. I know Manitoba especially has records relating to the Northwest Territories.

Nunavut
This territory is unique in that there is one unified Court in the Territory called the Court of Justice. Like the other territories, the court primarily sits in Iqaluit,but routinely travels around the territory to give it's residence a chance to resolve legal matters locally.

Since Nunavut only came into existence in 1999, you will not find "historic" probate cases. For this you will have to refer to the records of the Northwest Territories.

General Sources and Tips
To finish off this series of posts, here are some general sites and tips for finding wills:

1. CanLII- The Canadian Legal Information Institute is a non-profit site that has court decisions from across Canada. I typed in "estate" in the keyword search, and got over 96,000 decisions from across Canada. You can also first narrow down by the province or territory of your particular interest.

2. Check the Canada Gazette to see if there is mention of your ancestor's probate. This is especially true if your ancestor was part of the government, or had significant assets.

3. Always check in land records for your province of interest. Wills were sometimes registered in Land Registry offices to prove an heir has title to land.

4. Though Provincial Archives are your best source for looking for wills and probate, don't overlook local Archives and Societies. They might have an index, or some might have microfilms or transcriptions of the Provincial Records.

5. Whether in Provincial or local Archives, look beyond the obvious Court fonds. If the Archive has a collection such as "McDonald family fonds", be sure to check that collection out as well. I've seen more than one that have wills or estate papers in the collection.

Exploring Canada: The NWT Legislative Building

On our visit to the Northwest Territories, a lovely lady named Vi at the 60th Parallel Visitor Information Centre told us that the NWT Legislative Building is a must see. It is conveniently located just down the street from the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. As luck would have, we arrived just as they were starting a tour, so we joined in. The tour was led by a summer student by the name of Marlisa. She is fantastic at the job. Very knowledgeable, articulate, and if she was reciting from a script you couldn't tell.

The building is beautiful. Compared to other buildings of it's kind in the country, it's brand spanking new. Built in 1993, it is the first permanent building for the NWT Legislature. Before then, the Legislature traveled around the Territory to perform their duties. One of the advantages of it being so new is that it was designed to incorporate as much of the natural landscape as possible. It was built using Zinc to endure the climate, and also because it is one of the minerals mined in the Territory. The interior was designed to include images and artifacts from all regions of the Northwest Territories. In fact two of the architects were from the Northwest Territories, and worked with an architect firm from Vancouver.

Unlike other areas of Canada, the Northwest Territories do not use the party system for the Territorial Government. Each of the 19 members of the Assembly run as an independent. The Assembly then elects the seven cabinet members and Speaker. The remaining members form the official opposition.
Another unique facet of the government is that they govern by consensus.

The Caucus Room

The Chamber

Pride of place as soon as you walk in the building are the old and new mace. The new mace was made in 1999, when the Northwest Territories was divided into the NWT and Nunavut. The mace is 1.5 meters in length and weighs 12 kilograms. It is filled with relief carvings of symbolic images reflecting the culture of the people. At the top is a diamond mined from Canada's first diamond mine, snowflakes, and an orb representing the "land of the midnight sun". The crosspiece on which the orb and diamond sit is a crosspiece that represents the ulu (a native cutting tool), a teepee, and a house. It is a nod to not only the Inuvialuit and Dene/Metis cultures, but also to the non Aboriginal people who have made the Northwest Territories their home. Written on the mace is the phrase "One land, many voices". It is written in 10 of the 11 official languages: Cree, Chipewyan, French, English, Dogrib, Gwich'in, North Slavey, South Slavey, Inuvialuktun, and Inuinnaqtun. It also has bead work and porcupine quillwork. The shaft is a bronze cast of a narwhal tusk.

Throughout the building is artwork that reflects the culture of the native groups, as well as gifts of artwork from the other provinces and territories. A collection of AY Jackson from the Group of Seven assembled in one place sits in the caucus room. It depicts images of the NWT landscape. Two hallways have painted portraits of the NWT premiers, and the Speakers. What is unique about them is that the sitter chose what kind of portrait they would have and the artist. Some are traditional looking, while others have images of their particular constituency in the background.

This tapestry was a gift from Nova Scotia

To find out more about the NWT Legislature and the Legislative Building, you can look at their website here.

Focus on an Archive: Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, NWT

On my recent trip to the Northwest Territories, I made sure I made a visit to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre (PWNHC). I'm very lucky in that my significant other is a history buff like me. He was all for taking a look with me. We made a point of planning our trip in such a way that we would be able to have lots of time to spend there.

Built in 1979, it is the Territorial Government's archive and museum.Now, unlike some of the Government Archives around the country, the PWNHC does not hold those usual records that we as genealogists crave, such as BMD's and land records. The reason for this is that these records are just too new to be publicly available. They are still held in the custody of the particular government department they belong to. Older records that don't fall under privacy legislation are most likely held in the Archives in the Prairie Provinces, all of which used to be part of the Northwest Territories.

The PWNHC instead focuses on a general history of the Territories. They do have some government records that relate more to the running of the Territory. They also have private collections of records from both individuals and businesses. There's an extensive photo collection, audio and visual files, and maps. You can also take a look at their collection of publications on the history of the Territory. For a more detailed explanation of their holdings, you can check their website here.

The jewel in the crown though is the museum. We spent a long time going through the building. I was very impressed with how interactive all the displays were. They have dioramas of all the various arctic animals. In front of each animal was a information stand, with statistics on the animal's size, habitat, etc. Many of them had pelts attached that you could touch. In a glass case beside each diorama were example of all the products that were made from that animal and tools. At the bottom of each case was the name of the animal in English, French, and several of the indigenous languages. You can also listen to audio files, some with elders talking about their experiences

There are also displays telling the history of the many different Native groups, and a general history of the Northwest Territories. There are displays of clothing, furniture, and an absolutely huge mooseskin boat. I learned a great deal in just a couple of hours.

Along with their permanent displays, the PWNHC have travelling exhibits available for NWT communities to display. They also have virtual exhibits online here.

The museum is open daily from 1030 a.m.-5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. There's a cafe onsite that is open the same hours. The archive is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-12 noon and 1 p.m. to 430 p.m. If you have mobility problems, both levels are designed to accommodate.

Getting Lost in City Directories

This post is a little later in the week than normal. That's because I finally broke a major brick wall in my family history research by using city directories.

I took a day trip to the Archives of Ontario on April 19th with members of the Kawartha Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society. My purpose was to look at the Toronto City Directories on microfilm to track my great grandparents John W McDonald and Edna Johnson. On a whim I decided to try and look for my grandmother Madelynn Douglas' family. I never met my grandmother, and the only information I had on her was that she had a brother Marshall and a sister Irene. I did not know her parents' names, or even a date of birth. Well, by looking at the directory for 1948 I found her! I took note of the address (600 Roselawn Avenue) and then looked through the rest of the Douglas names in the directory. I found the following people also at that address:

Jas H Douglas
Lawrence J Douglas
Marshall Douglas

By looking at other years I was also able to find an Irene Douglas living at this address as well. Using the information I gleaned from the directories, I've managed to find and track the family through the voter's lists on Ancestry back to 1935. I've determined that James H Douglas and his wife Mary are my great grandparents. Lawrence and Irene are of voting age in the early 1940's, which means they are over 21 (the voting age at the time). This means that they were born before 1921. I managed to find a Douglas family in Toronto in the 1921 census that has a Lawrence and Irene listed as children. They are at a different address than 600 Roselawn. Thanks to inter library loan between the AO and my local library, I've been bringing in a few years of city directories microfilms at a time to track the family back from 1935 to 1921, to try and determine if the 1921 family belongs to me.

If you haven't looked at city directories, then you are missing out. I can't believe I didn't think to go this route before for my Douglas family. They contain a wealth of information on an individual:

• occupation
• place of employment
• home address
• whether they owned or rented their home
• others living with them
• In the Toronto directories I looked at for the WWII years, those in active service had "act ser" next to their names. This gives you another avenue of research for your ancestor. 

The directories are usually broken up into 3 sections. There will be a business directory, a surname directory, and the last is a street directory. The street directory is helpful for you to see who your ancestor's neighbours are, and how the neighbourhood looked. Was there a church close by? Perhaps they worshiped there. Who's their next door neighbour? Perhaps that person was a witness to a marriage or baptism.

In the beginning of the directory are all kinds on information about the area. You can see names and addresses of churches, commuity groups, and government institutions. If your ancestor held public office, then they'll be listed in the front pages. You can lose yourself looking at ads for area businesses. There's also usually statistical data about the area. For instance, in the 1926 Toronto directory:

• The population of Toronto proper was 650, 055. The surrounding suburbs' population was 95,181. 
• In 1925 The Toronto Hydro Electric system served 143, 648 customers
• There were 333 churches
• There were 167 schools
• 60% of the population were home owners

I've compiled a list of places to look for city directories:

General Sites

• Internet Archive has many city directories in their database. These are free to view and free to download. You can download either the whole directory, or just a page by right clicking on the image of the page, and saving as a picture. In the search box, use the key words "City directories" and the name of the area you are looking for to see if it has been uploaded to the site.
• Ancestry has a database called Canada, City and Area Directories, 1819-1906. They cover various cities across Canada. 
• Check the local library of the area you are researching. Many libraries have collections of directories, either originals or on microfilm. If you live in a bigger city, check to see if your local library has other cities on microfilm. For instance, the Toronto Public Library system has directories for British Columbia and Quebec as well. 
• Our Roots have digital images of city directories among their many local histories. Use their search function to see what's available. 
• Library and Archives Canada has directories from different parts across the country. They come in print, microfilm , and digital forms.
• FamilySearch has many directories available on microfilm. Check out the wiki for what they have and microfilm numbers.

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Newfoundland's Grand Banks Genealogy Site has transcriptions of directories covering various years between 1864-1936.
• Memorial University of Newfoundland has some early 20th century directories digitized online.
• City of St. John's Archives has city directories covering 1885-2000. Contact them to check on what years are available and how to access.

Prince Edward Island

• The Island Register has a great chart listing various directories and where to find them. Some have been transcribed on their site.
• The University of Prince Edward Island's Robertson Library has some city directories in their holdings. They can only be viewed onsite.

Nova Scotia

• Nova Scotia Archives has the 1907-1908 directory online. Onsite, they have both print and microfilm of various years. Contact the Archives for availability.
• City of Halifax Archives has directories in their holdings for both Halifax and Dartmouth.

New Brunswick

• The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick has a searchable index of the Hutchinson's 1865/1866 and 1867-1868 Directory, and the Lovell Directory 1871. They are also on microfilm.
• The New Brunswick GenWeb has transciptions of the Eastern Division of the 1912 Telephone Directory.

Quebec

• BAnQ has city directories for both Quebec City and Montreal. They cove various years from 1822-2010, and are available online.
• Don's List has various Montreal directories online. You should also take a look at the Ottawa directories they have. The Ottawa directories also include Hull.

Ontario

• The Archives of Ontario has not only Toronto directories on microfilm. They have city and county directories from all over the province, going back to the 1800's. As I mentioned above, they do inter library loan if you aren't able to look at them onsite.
• Queen's University has some directories in their holdings. Contact them for rules of access.

Manitoba

• Peel's Prairie Provinces has the Henderson's Directories for various areas. These have been uploaded and are available to view online.
• Past Forward has Winnipeg directories digitized from 1880-1965.
• The Manitoba Genealogical Society has an extensive collection of Henderson Directories in their resource library.

Saskatchewan

• Peel's Prairie Provinces  has directories for Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, and Regina.
• The Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan has some directories in their holdings. contact them for availability and access.
• City of Saskatoon Archives  have directories in their holdings. Contact them for availability and access.

Alberta

• Peel's Prairie Provinces has directories available online for different areas of the province.
• Provincial Archives of Alberta has directories onsite for various areas of Alberta.
• Alberta Family Histories Society has directories available on site.

British Columbia

• British Columbia Genealogical Society has an extensive collection of directories at their Walter Draycott Library in Surrey.
• viHistory has a database of the Nanaimo and Victoria directories for 1882, 1892, and 1902.
• Vernon and District Family History Society has PDF transcriptions for the Vernon City Directories of 1889, 1898, 1909, 1910, 1919, 1921, and 1924.

The Territories

• Anchorage Borough, Alaska GenWeb has some early 20th century directories available to view online for the Yukon.
• Peel's Prairie Provinces' Manitoba directories also include the Northwest Territories.

A few final reminders when researching city directories:

• Always read the front few pages to see who's been included. For instance, in the 1926 Toronto directory, these people weren't included:

1. Maids, domestic servants, and employed young girls under the age of 18
2. Married women and female relatives over 18 that are unemployed
3. Young girls living at home and not employed
4. Students in all levels of schooling, including colleges and universities
5. Office and messenger boys, and boys working in factories under 18 years of age
6. Children under school age
7. Inmates of hospitals, asylums, convents, orphan's homes, and institutions
8. "Foreigners" from China, Russia, Balkans, and Central Europe. 
9. Transients living in hotels, boarding houses, and rooming houses

• Also check for the index to abbreviations. Checking this can save you a lot of grief trying to figure out what that occupation is supposed to be, or what an asterisk beside their name means.
• Due to printing deadlines, the information may not be the most current. If your ancestor moved to the area in 1921, then they may not show up until 1922.
• A lot of directories have an "Addendum". This is an alphabetical list of people and businesses that were added too late to be inserted into the regular directory. 
• As with census records, check variations for your ancestor's name. In my recent research, Madelynn Douglas was listed as "Madeline". Also check under middle names. Through researching voter's lists later, I realized that though Madelynn's brother was listed as "Marshall Douglas" in city directories, in voter's lists he is "George M Douglas". Even her father switched between "James H" and "Henry J"in the directories.

Well, back down the rabbit hole for me. I have more searching to do in directories.....

Religious Records Part 7 - The Territories

To wrap up the series on religious records, we are in this post looking at the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Yukon
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia entry on the Yukon, 50 percent of the people had no religious affiliation, 46 percent claimed Christian denominations, and 1 percent claimed Native spirituality. There was nothing else listed for the remaining 3 percent. There is a a rather interesting 1990 paper prepared for the Yukon Government on the history of the church in the Yukon. The link to it is here.

The Yukon Archives does have some church records in their holdings. I typed "church records" in the archival descriptions database and got several hits. The collections I clicked on did not have much in the way of actual baptisms, marriages and burials. But, there were photographs, session minutes and journals, among other things in the fonds. They are worth taking a look at too. You never know if your ancestor will be named somewhere, or if you might get lucky and find a photograph.

They have also compiled a pdf of researching genealogy at their Archives. It's 90 pages long but an incredible source of information for them. The link to the pdf is here. The religious records section is on page 25.

The Yukon GenWeb has contact information on their website for Catholic and Anglican church Archives.

The Dawson City Museum does have some church records in their holdings. The link list their collections. Though none state church records specifically, if you click on the each fond, you will find descriptions of each individual collection. I went through and there are three or four collections that include church related records.

Northwest Territories
According to the Wikipedia page, in 2001 most residents identified themselves as Catholic. The protestant sects were the next largest, and 17 percent stated no religious affiliation. The Virtual Museum has a good overview of the missionary work in the North.

Because the Northwest Territories once included parts of many of the provinces, you may have to look at these provinces to find the records you are looking for. As far as the current boundaries of NWT, there is not much available outside of the Church Archives themselves.

The FamilySearch wiki has contact information for the United and Presbyterian Church Archives that pertain to the Northwest Territories.

The Northwest Territories Public Library has some reference guides available to help you search for records for this area. By enetering "church records" into their online search, I got seven hits, all guides and indexes.

The Hudson's Bay Archives (through the Archives of Manitoba) has a couple of collections related to church records here.

Nunavut
According the the New World Encyclopedia, the majority of residents are Anglican, Catholic,  and "Born again Christianity". As with Yukon and the Northwest Territories, there is a history of missionary work here. Click on the link above in the Northwest Territories section for an overview.

Nunavut is a new area, being established in 1999. Before this it was a part of the Northwest Territories, so you will most likely find what you need by looking at NWT genealogy resources.

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Vital Statistics Part 6 - Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut

In the first 5 parts, we've traveled across the Provinces from the Maritimes to British Columbia. In the final installment of the series, we're going to look at the Canadian Territories.

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

Yukon
Yukon was originally part of the Northwest Territories. The first non native person to reach the Yukon was Sir John Franklin in 1825. Though the Hudson's Bay Company kept contacts in the area, we didn't really see a boom in population until the 1890's during the Gold Rush. Some civil registration records go back to this time period, but they are very scarce. Records did not become more complete until the 1930s and 1940s. All records are held by Yukon Health and Social Services. Fees for documents are only $10.00, which is nice to see. These are their guidelines on access:

Birth Certificates:

• The person named on the certificate
• The recorded parents
• Written authorization of one of the above
• Guardian of the person named (proof required)
• Executor of the Estate ( copy of death certificate required)

Marriage Certificates:

• Either party of the marriage
• Written authorization of one of the above

Death Certificates:

• You must show valid reason for obtaining the certificate

This series of articles is about civil registration. However, from the initial research that I've done so far, someone researching here is definitely going to have to think "outside the box". The records are just too new and incomplete to go about it the same way as you would for other areas of Canada. So I'm including links to the Yukon Genealogy website and their PDF download "Genealogical Research at the Yukon Archives". If you have an ancestor that was in the Yukon, you'll need these links.

The FamilySearch wiki on Yukon civil registration is here

Ancestry has a very small Yukon BMD collection here

Cyndi's List has BMD links for all three Territories together here

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/northwest-territories/nwt-road-map.html

Northwest Territories
This area has been a part of Canada since 1870. Before this it was owned by the Hudson's Bay Company and the British Government. At various points it has included parts or all of the Yukon, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut, Ontario, and Quebec. Vital Statistics go back to 1925, but as with Yukon they are incomplete. All records are kept by Health and Social Services. Fees are $20.00. Here are the guidelines for access:

Birth Certificates:

• Person named on the certificate
• Recorded parents
• Written authorization of one of the above
• Legal representative of the child or parents
• Child or grandchild of the person named
• A person who needs it for legal purposes
• An officer of the Crown or government employee who needs it in the official duties

Marriage certificates:

• Either party of the marriage
• Legal representative of either party
• Parents or guardian if the party was under 18 at the time of marriage
• Children of the marriage, for legal purposes
• Written authorization of either party
• A person who needs it for legal purposes
• An officer of the Crown or government employee who needs it in the official duties

Death certificates:

• Member of the immediate family or next of kin
• A person who needs it for legal purposes
• An officer of the Crown or government employee who needs it in the official duties

The Northwest Territories looks to be another area where you will have to be creative for BMDs. I looked, but there does not seem to be any genealogy information or links on any of the government websites. I would suggest looking at GenealogySearch.org for helpful links.

The FamilySearch wiki on civil registration of the NWT is here.

Ancestry has no collection unique to the Northwest Territories. However, they suggest you look at the broader collections that are here.

Cyndi's List's Territorial collection of BMD links is in the above Yukon collection.

Source: http://ontheworldmap.com/canada/province/nunavut/map-of-nunavut-with-cities-and-towns.html

Nunavut
Our newest area of Canada, Nunavut came into existence in 1999. For records before then, researchers will have to look at the Northwest Territories. Nunavut records are held by Registrar General. I went onto the Government of Nunavut website. It is very difficult to navigate. It was only by typing in "Birth Certificates" in the search box was I able to find out information. Here's the guidelines:

Birth Certificates (fee is $10.00):

• Person named on the certificate
• The recorded parents
• Written authorization of one of the above
• Legal representative of the person named
• Spouse of the named person
• A person requiring it for legal purposes
• An officer of the Crown or government employee needing it in their official duties

Marriage certificates (fee is $25.00):

• Either party of the marriage
• Legal representative of either party
• Parent or guardian of either party if they were under 18 at the time of marriage
• Children of the marriage if needed for legal purposes
• Written authorization of either party
• A person needing it for legal purposes
• An officer of the Crown or government employee requiring it in the official duties

Death Certificates (fee is $10.00):

• Immediate family or next of kin
• A person needing it for legal purposes
• An officer of the Crown or government employee needing it in their official duties

A search using the word "genealogy" had no results. Like the NWT, I would look at  GenealogySearch.org for helpful links.

There is no wiki on Nunavut on FamilySearch.

As with the Northwest Territories, there are no unique Nunavut collections on Ancestry. They suggest using the collections listed here

The Cyndi's List links on civil registration in the Territories is in the Yukon section.


As this series of posts has shown, navigating Canadian records depends a great deal on provincial legislation. Some areas are more "genealogist friendly" than others. Happy searching!