William Robert Holden 1936-2010

Robert was a former member of the Whitby-Oshawa branch of the OGS who explored his Holden-Luke ancestry, preserved old fire trucks and Muskoka boats, and, as an adult, returned to his boyhood love of Scouting and the outdoors, after some years in retail, on the staff at Camp Samac. On Feb 25, at Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg, he went on to a better place. 

His funeral has been arranged at the McIntosh Funeral Home at 152 King Street, East,  Oshawa which is built around the former Luke, then Holden, family home where he grew up.  Visitation will be Monday, March 1 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.  Funeral will be held on Tuesday March 2 at 11:00 a.m.  

Durham Branch MeetingTuesday, March 2, (7:30 p.m.)

THE HIDDEN GENEALOGICAL TREASURES IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM  

presented by Don Hinchley

The Ontario Government enacted legislation in 1874 requiring compulsory education to age sixteen. As a genealogist, examining the education system will reveal much information to broaden the scope of your research.
This presentation is intended to assist you in your research by revealing some of the sources not readily apparent to those whose exposure to the educational system did not extend past being a student.

The Oshawa Public Library Main Branch, also called the "McLaughlin Branch", is at:
65 Bagot Street, just south of City Hall. Google Map Location of the Oshawa Public Library.

ONTARIO FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

Searching for ancestors in Ontario ? This course will provide a brief historical background and introduce records essential to Ontario research including land and property records, vital statistics (pre- and post- 1869), estate records, census, directories and maps – with emphasis on 19th century sources.

Course: 4 sessions, Tuesdays  7–9 PM, March 9–March 30

Location:  North York Central Library, Meeting Room 2

Instructor:  Jane MacNamara

Fee: $60 ($66 for non-OGS members).

            Program and registration details can be found on the
            Toronto Branch website at
            www.torontofamilyhistory.org/courses.html.

Family Day Open House a Success!!

 On Monday, 15 February O.G.S. Durham Region Branch held it's first ever Family Day Open House.  The turnout was wonderful.  More than thirty people visited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.  Some visitors stayed for an hour and some for a few hours.  Twelve Durham member volunteers welcomed our guests and worked very hard throughout the day assisting them with their genealogy questions.  The office was filled with energy all day.  Frequently there were as many as twenty people discussing, working on the Web, reading reference materials or for some filling out an ancestor chart for the first time.  During the day people crowded around nine computers locating their genealogical information on the Internet.  It was an enjoyable day for all participants.
Congratulations to Bill and Loraine Hall of Ajax who won a 2010 Ontario Genealogical Society and Durham Region Branch memberships.

Thank you volunteers* for helping create the exciting day!!
*(Andy, Anne, Dan, Guy, Joyce, Kim, Lillian, Robbie, Ruth, Stephe, Tony, Wayne)

FAMILY DAY - 15 Feb. 2010

We invite you (individuals and families) to visit us at our office to begin tracing your Family History.

Durham Region Branch Ontario Genealogical Society member volunteers will be available to discuss with and demonstrate to visitors why and how to begin the exciting journey discovering their ancestors - the stories and the genealogy.

Sample Activities:

• Creating ANCESTOR CHARTS and / or family summary sheets sheets
• Demonstration of POPULAR GENEALOGICAL WEBSITES: Library Archives Canada, Archives of Ontario, Our Ontario, Cyndi’s List, Ancestry and much more
• ANCESTORS IN THE ATTIC reruns from History Television’s web site
• Overview of the our resources at our Office and Whitby Public Library
• Answer YOUR questions

Materials: - Literature to assist one to begin researching their family history. - Recent Society Newsletters (free) - OGS pamphlets and membership literature - 2010 OGS Provincial Conference information

Free Draw for one 2010 OGS membership (including 2010 Durham Region Branch membership) - must be a current NON-member.

All activities will be at our branch office - 1000 Stevenson Rd. N. in Oshawa. The office is located in the building at the base of the control tower of the Oshawa Airport. Enter the airport grounds from the south via Rossland Road - lots of free parking on site.

A Certain Groundhog Couldn't Have Predicted This...

Registrations for the Ontario Genealogical Society’s Conference 2010 have been “heating” up. Early registrations have been coming in from far and wide. We already have intrepid family historians travelling from four states: Wisconsin, New York, Michigan, and Colorado; three provinces: BC, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, and, remarkably, Scotland and Italy. And of course, from many parts of Ontario.
Most of these folks have registered online at: http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference2010 (or printed a pdf from the website), but the February issue of Families will contain a paper brochure and will arrive very soon in the hands of some 4,000 members of the Ontario Genealogical Society.
Now’s the time to register for the most action-packed, star-studded OGS Conference ever!
To avoid disappointment and get the best selection, quick, go to the conference website and check out the program pages! You’ll find more details then ever before about lectures, tours, and our special Dutch and Italian streams. Check out the brand new “Lecture Streams at a Glance” page with printable schedules for each day.
Once you’ve made your choices, click on “How do I register?” and select the registration package that suits you best. Then let the secure online registration form guide you through the process.
There may be only 6 weeks until Spring, but take the opportunity to jump in ahead of the pack. Register today.

OGS Conference 2010
Essentials, Innovations & Delights
May 14-16, 2010
Doubletree by
Hilton–Toronto Airport www.ogs.on.ca/conference2010 or
e-mail