DNA -SIG January Meeting

Durham Region Branch DNA-SIG meets Jan. 17
Nancy Trimble, Chair, Durham Region Branch OGS
 
The DNA Special Interest Group of the Durham Region Branch will be meeting at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, January 17^th at their Branch Office at the Oshawa Airport.(see our website for a map)
 

Basic questions will be answered in the first half hour of the meeting and then more advanced questions will be addressed.

All are welcome!

Call for Speakers for the June 23rd, 2018 "Day of Learning"

Call for Papers – Durham Region Branch Day of Learning
Nancy Trimble, Chair, Durham Region Branch

Durham Region Branch will be holding their annual Day of Learning from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at Faith United Church, Courtice.

The theme will be “Microcosm to Macrocosm”.

The call for proposals is now open, under the following sub-themes:

• Beginner’s DNA
• Intermediate DNA
• Using the FamilySearch Website: What You Didn’t Know
• Maximizing the Use of FindMyPast and MyHeritage Websites

Speakers who wish to submit lecture proposals may submit up to three proposals electronically at the e-mail address below.  Please include the following information for each submitted proposal: speaker's full name, address, telephone, and e-mail address; presentation title; and a brief, but comprehensive outline. The speaker compensation is at the usual OGS conference rate, but travel compensation is minimal.

The deadline is February 15^th. Please send your submissions to:  durhamevents@ogs.on.ca.

Ontario Land Registry (OnLand) - New Website! (First Phase)

From the OGS e-Weekly of Jan. 13, 2018 comes some exciting news:

"Ontario Land Registry Access (OnLand) is Here!
The Ontario Genealogical Society
 
Our Facebook Groups lit up this week with the announcement that access to the Ontario Land Registry information was now available online!  The announcement, sent out from the new service, reads:  Teranet, in partnership with ServiceOntario, has built this web portal to deliver key statutory services relating to land and property ownership in Ontario to land registry professionals and the public.

The first phase of the web portal offers customers the opportunity to test out the historical land registration book search and view option only. Customers will still be required to visit a land registry office to print any records. For more information on Historical Books, please click here.

They went on to say that the organization would provide an update when full search capabilities are available on OnLand in late 2018.  When fully implemented, OnLand will allow users to search historical and current property records, anywhere in the province, from the convenience of their home or office, instead of visiting a land registry office."

I couldn't resist playing with the new site for a few minutes and very quickly was able to browse to my 2x gt-grandfather's land Lot 13, Concession 9 in Clarke Township. Here's a screenshot:

I don't think that I am exaggerating when I say that this access will revolutionize the way we do research in Ontario! May this site progress to it's full capability quickly!

The Census War is now over!

Check out John D. Reid's information and comments at:

Canada's Anglo-Celtic Connections: The Census War is now over!

So relieved that future censuses will NOT have the dreadful question of whether to permit access after 92 years! Genealogists and historians must celebrate.

Breaking Down Brick Walls - January Meeting

January meeting is tonight, January 2nd, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.

Our NEW general meeting location has changed, to the Bobby Orr Room of the Oshawa Civic Centre (99 Thornton Road South). Parking is free.

Overcoming Brick Walls  
We will be exploring strategies and anecdotes for overcoming research dead-ends.
DON'T GIVE UP!! Join us tonight as we brainstorm solutions or at least make suggestions on how to overcome those blocked avenues of research.

Our meetings are often streamed on YouTube starting at 7:30. Our channel for streaming is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiHiKL0pfzXzG-G9YARS8Sg . 

All are WELCOME! See you there!