Arlene Stafford-Wilson's Blog, page 56
March 15, 2014
You May be Irish if…
The Top Ten Ways to tell if you’re Irish:
1. You have the ‘gift of gab’. There is an ancient rock near Cork, Ireland at Blarney Castle and they say that anyone who kisses the stone will have the gift of gab. If you are truly of Irish descent, then there’s likely no pressing need to make the journey, as you likely already possess the talent of talking rings around most other people.
2. You are musical. Maybe you play an instrument or perhaps you just sing in the shower, but the gift of music is in your Irish blood and you will not be able to resist tapping your toe or strumming your fingers on the table when someone gets their fiddle out and plays a tune.
3. You have strong convictions. Whether the topic is religion, politics or your favourite sports team there will be no point in challenging your beliefs which you hold dearly, and you will argue about these beliefs passionately and convincingly.
4. You have a gift for writing and story-telling. You will be the one at the pub or social gathering that will keep the crowd entertained with your vivid and colourful tales. There may even be a bit of exaggeration thrown in for good measure, but it just makes your story all the more interesting.
5. You’ve got lovely skin and pleasing features. You may have porcelain, pale skin, or you may have freckles that outnumber the days of the year, but your features will be pleasantly proportioned and your eyes bright, with a genuine smile that lights up your face.
6. Your dinner is not complete without some spuds at the table. Whether it’s home-fries for breakfast, French fries for lunch, or baked, mashed or boiled for supper, the humble potato is a regular, healthy staple in your diet and you wouldn’t think of going a day without it.
7. You will likely have a few Irish names in your family tree because people of Irish descent are proud of their heritage and often pass down the names of their ancestors: Sean, Shane, Annie, Maggie, Michael, Patrick, Francis, Kelly, Bridget, Daniel, Aiden, Liam, Eileen, Irene, Brian, Barry, Collin, Ryan, Katie, Thomas, Matthew, Molly, William, Robert, Mark, Elizabeth, Peter, Sinead, Eva, Fay, Julia and so on…
8. You are better at swearing than most people. Partly because of your natural gift of gab and partly because of your quick wit, the swear-words seem to roll freely off of your tongue. You have even been known to make up your own, or stick a word in the middle for good measure, like “abso-bleedin’-lutely”.
9. Nothing brings out your poetic nature, natural ability to talk non-stop, or your talent for swearing like a few pints at the pub. A drink or two or three tends to make your exaggerations a bit more colourful, your storytelling even more fascinating, and your talent for music and dancing shines even brighter.
10. You are loyal. Your strong convictions and unshakeable beliefs are the most visible when it comes to your family and friends. If someone insults your friend then they’ve likely got a fight on their hands that they won’t win. If someone says something unkind about your family then they will have a nasty surprise coming to them that they didn’t bargain for. You are fiercely loyal to all you hold dear.
So, what are the Irish really like? Perhaps the best description comes from the popular historian, Carl Wittke:
“The so-called Irish temperament is a mixture of flaming ego, hot temper, stubbornness, great personal charm and warmth, and a wit that shines through adversity. An irrepressible buoyancy, a vivacious spirit, a kindliness and tolerance for the common frailties of man and a feeling that ‘it is time enough to bid the devil good morning when you meet him’ are character traits which Americans have associated with their Irish neighbors for more than a century.”
Whether you are of Irish descent or merely admire this nation known for its great writers, poets and story-tellers, I will leave you with a traditional Irish blessing and hope that you have the ‘luck o’ the Irish’ wherever life takes you! Sláinte (cheers!)
An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
February 24, 2014
Maple Syrup: 10 Things You May Not Know
1. It is not a coincidence that Canada has a maple leaf on the nation’s flag. Canadians produce 85% of the world’s maple syrup.
2. The highest quality maple syrup is found in Lanark County, also known as the “Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario”. Lanark County is located in Eastern Ontario, Canada between the cities of Kingston and Ottawa. The historic town of Perth is the county seat, and hosts an annual maple festival each year featuring award-winning maple vendors.
3. Maple syrup is naturally ‘Organic’, because it is produced from natural trees in a wild environment.
4. Maple syrup has tremendous health benefits. This natural sweetener contains over 54 antioxidants that may help delay or prevent diseases caused by free radicals such as cancer or diabetes. Pure maple syrup has the same beneficial antioxidants found in berries, tomatoes, green tea, red wine and flax seeds.
5. A tablespoon of maple syrup has only 40 calories, versus honey with 64 or corn syrup with 60. Maple syrup contains more calcium than milk and more potassium than bananas.
6. Long before the Europeans arrived in North America, the native peoples were collecting sap from maple trees, heating it in hollow logs until it was syrupy and called it ‘sweet water’.
7. The sap which runs from the ‘tapped’ maple tree is 97 percent water and forty gallons are evaporated to make one gallon of syrup.
8. A maple tree is normally 30 years old and 12 inches in diameter before it is tapped. As the tree increases in diameter a maximum of four taps can be put into the tree. The tree is not damaged from the tapping process.
9. Maple syrup is graded according to colour and flavour: Canada # 1 Extra Light, Light, Medium, Canada # 2 – cooking grade and Canada # 3 darker in colour with a stronger flavour and used commercially. Lighter syrup is produced earlier in the season when it is colder. As the weather warms up the syrup becomes darker with a more robust flavour.
10. Warm spring days with temperatures above freezing and cold nights below freezing is ideal weather for maple syrup production. The season varies, but normally lasts four to eight weeks depending on the weather.
For more information on the 38th Annual Festival of the Maples in Perth:
http://perthchamber.com/chamber-events/festival-of-the-maples/
For details on the nutritional benefits of pure maple syrup: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20110401/Maple-syrup-contains-a-range-of-antioxidant-compounds-not-found-in-other-sweeteners.aspx
To discover more about the history and local maple producers in Lanark County, “Lanark County Chronicle” features a chapter ‘Taffy on the Tay’, recalling the ‘good old days’ of maple syrup production. http://www.staffordwilson.com/Order_Books.php
Easy, mouth-watering recipes for Maple Butter and Maple Fudge at the conclusion of this article.
Contact information listing vendors known for their premium quality maple syrup; many are award winners:
Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush
Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush
Address: 291 6th Conc Rd., Pakenham, On
Phone: 613-256-3867 Email: info@fultons.ca Website: http://www.fultons.ca
McFarlane’s Maple Syrup
Grant & Gail McFarlane
1550 Prestonvale Rd
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-259-5410
Email – grantandgail@storm.ca
Paul’s Maple Products
Brien Paul
267 Sugar Bush Way,
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-259-5276
Email – dpaul@storm.ca
Coutts Country Flavours
Address: 1230 Port Elmsley Rd. RR5 Perth, Ontario K7H 3C7 Phone:
613-267-0277 Email: couttscountryflavours@live.ca
Website: couttscountryflavours.ca/
Jameswood Maple
3231 Wolf Grove Road.
Dwight James
249 Purdy Rd,
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-256-4466
Email – jameswood@storm.ca
Temple’s Sugar Camp
Temple’s Sugar Camp Address: 1700 Ferguson’s Falls Rd. (CR#15) Lanark, On Phone: 613-253-7000 Email: TemplesInfo@xplornet.com
Website: http://www.templessugarcamp.ca
Dorian Heights Maple Products
Located just north of McDonalds Corners.
Ian & Doris Gemmill
3631 Watsons Corners Rd, RR 1
McDonalds Corners, ON K0G 1M0
Phone – 613-278-2177
Email – dorian75@live.ca
Springdale Farm
Don & Marion Dodds
Home – 1790 Galbraith Rd, RR 2
Clayton, ON K0A 1P0
Sugar Shack – 1699 Galbraith Rd.
Clayton, ON K0A 1P0
Phone – 613-256-4045
Email – info@springdale@.ca
Web site – http://www.springdalemaple.ca
Fairbairn Farm
1827 Wolf Grove Rd,
Almonte, ON K0A 1A0
Phone – 613-256-5047
Email – dfairbairn@hughes.net
Web site – http://www.fairbairnmaple.com
Wheeler’s Pancake House & Sugar Camp
Wheeler’s Pancake House And Sugar Camp Address: 1001 Highland Line Lanark Highlands (McDonalds Corners), On Phone: 613-278-2090 Email:webinfo@wheelersmaple.com Website: http://www.wheelersmaple.com
Ennis Maple Products Ltd
848 Ennis Rd,
Balderson, ON K0G 1A0
Phone – 613-267-3491
Email – ennismaple@yahoo.com
Web site – http://www.ennismaple.com
Ryan & Glenn Stead
5692 Hwy 511,
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-259-2578
Email – steadmaplesyrup@gmail.com
Two of our favourite Maple Recipes:
Maple Butter
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
Preparation Time 5 minutes:
Mix butter and maple syrup with electric mixer until blended. Serve on toast, cracker or warm muffins. This is so tasty and could not be easier to make. Use this creamy maple butter spread on bread, pancakes, muffins, toast, and biscuits.
Yield: about 3/4 cup
Maple Cream Fudge
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream (I use Heavy cream/whipping cream)
1/3 cup of butter
1/4 cup of maple syrup
pinch of salt
vanilla
Add the two sugars, butter and cream, maple syrup and salt into a sauce pan. Place over medium heat. Stir while bringing to a boil. Lower the heat and continue to stir slowly while the mixture cooks. After about 7 minutes, test by pouring a small amount into some cold water. You want it to form a soft ball. You might need to cook it for another minute or two. Remove from the heat, add a couple of teaspoons of vanilla and start stirring. It takes about 14 or 15 minutes for the fudge to cool and thicken. Pour into buttered dish. TIP: If you let the fudge sit for 10 minutes after removing from the heat and allow it to cool slightly this will reduce the stirring time. Option: Replace the cream and cup of white sugar with one can of Sweetened Condensed Milk and increase the maple syrup to 1 cup
Arlene Stafford-Wilson http://www.staffordwilson.com
February 2, 2014
Groundhog Blues in Lanark County
Even though the winter solstice had passed months before, the days in Lanark County were still short and dark and lifeless for the most part. It seemed as though the cold months ahead stretched out with no end in sight, like the long, heavy trains that thundered and chugged down the tracks, back the side road.
Frigid, grey mornings were spent shivering at the end of the long lane, waiting for the big orange school bus to come rattling up the Third Line.
Winter in the country looked barren and lifeless. The soft green grass and fragrant flowers were dormant, as they lay forgotten under the heavy blanket of snow. The massive, frozen, white shroud seemed to conceal every trace of life that had ever existed in our yard.
Evenings after school were spent shoveling, pushing and lifting the snow, from one pile to another. Week after week, more snow fell, and it blew and drifted back into the paths that we’d made.
I was always cold, always shivering, cold face, cold hands, cold feet on the floors of the old house. Even with layers of tattered, wool blankets on the bed, the icy drafts snuck into my room and the windows were coated in a heavy layer of frost and ice. When the wood stove in the kitchen died out overnight, yesterday’s glass of water would be frozen like a miniature hockey rink by morning.
Groundhog Day was finally here. Would he see his shadow? Would there be an early spring or would there be another two months at least of these cold, grey days? Punxsutawney Phil had been predicting the onset of spring since 1890 in Pennsylvania, and his Canadian counterpart Wiarton Willie had begun his annual forecast in the 1950s. At our house we listened closely to both forecasts, hoping that at least one of these rodents would offer some hope of an early spring.
So, we had two possible groundhog predictions and two different radio stations. There was CJET in Smiths Falls, and Mother would often tune in and listen to Hal Botham after we left for school, while she did her ironing. CFRA was her usual early morning station and we’d often hear Ken ‘General’ Grant shouting, “Forward Ho!” as we ate our puffed wheat in the mornings, before walking down the lane to wait for the school bus.
I could tell that Mother was also growing weary of the long, cold days of winter and if the ‘General’ didn’t report the prediction she wanted to hear then she’d likely turn the dial to CJET hoping that Hal Botham would have another version of the groundhog’s forecast. If it was cloudy, and the groundhog didn’t see his shadow, we’d have an early spring – just six more weeks of winter. By the first week of February we didn’t want to hear any other forecast. Six more weeks of winter would be enough to bear without the possibility of the season being any longer.
When I came downstairs for breakfast that Groundhog Day morning, so long ago, Mother had already set up the old ironing board and was busy ironing a linen tea-towel. I asked her if she’d heard the groundhog’s prediction yet, and she didn’t look up, but continued to iron. “It’s just a myth, just folklore”, she said and she folded the tea towel neatly and started on the next one.
“So, he saw his shadow?” I asked. “Yes they both did.” she responded somberly, still not looking up from her work, and folded up the next tea-towel.
I sat quietly at the old kitchen table and ate my bowl of puffed wheat, drank my orange juice, and took my cod liver oil capsule without even being asked. Six more weeks would put spring sometime into the middle of March, but now it would be even longer. I finished my breakfast, put my dishes in the old porcelain sink, pulled on my boots and coat, grabbed my wool hat, mitts and lunch pail, and headed out the door.
As I trudged down the long, snowy laneway to the Third Line, I felt defeated. It was sad how a couple of groundhogs that we didn’t even know could make Mother and I feel so depressed. I didn’t even understand how they could have seen their shadows that morning, because it wasn’t sunny outside at all. I couldn’t see my own shadow and that meant that our local groundhogs wouldn’t be able to see theirs either.
I didn’t really know where Wiarton was located in Ontario, and didn’t have a clue about Pennsylvania, but I was sure that none of the groundhogs in Lanark County saw their shadows on that cloudy, grey morning in February. Maybe the other groundhogs were wrong. Maybe there would be an early spring after all. Maybe the snow would be gone soon, and I could ride my bike up to Christie Lake again. I had to stay positive. I had to keep hoping. I had to……..
(an excerpt from ‘Lanark County Calendar: Four Seasons on the Third Line”
ISBN 978-0-9877026-3-0)
January 26, 2014
Celebrating 200 Years of History
The Perth, Ontario Military Settlement was founded in 1816, and as part of the local celebrations for the 200th anniversary in 2016, many of the nearby communities will be collecting local stories for publication in commemorative books.
Both Tay Valley Township and Drummond-North Elmsley Township are producing commemorative books and are looking for submissions from former and current residents.
Please send your family stories, special memories and recollections to be included in these legacy publications. Family life, stories about farming, anecdotes about attending local schools, memories of churches and local businesses are all welcome. They are also interested in stories of special events or stories that ‘made the news’ during your lifetime.
For those who have stories about life in Tay Valley, (formerly Bathurst, North Burgess & South Sherbrooke), please contact Kay Rogers at 613 326-0363 or email to: cameronrogers(at)xplornet.ca.
If you have submissions of stories for Drummond-North Elmsley Township please contact Karl Grenke kgrenke(at)dnetownship.ca.
“..what the next generation will value most is not what we owned,
but the evidence of who we were and the tales of how we lived”
― Ellen Goodman
January 12, 2014
Free Online Searchable Family History Forums
A genealogy ‘forum’ is a website where you can research in a safe, friendly and helpful environment. On most of these sites registration is free, and there are members who are dedicated to assisting all genealogists, whether they are beginners or experienced researchers.
On genealogy forums members may ask for advice or offer helpful tips to other researchers. To post your query on forums you have to be a registered member, although the questions and answers posted by others can be read by non members.
You will have access to the surnames database and most searches are possible using any combination of First Name, Surname, Place of Birth or Year of Birth. Some forums are even specific to regions and surnames.
Many family history forums have very active online communities where members can share research tips, show off family photographs or discuss new methods for working on their family trees.
In my own research, I have found that genealogy forums are a great resource when I’ve hit the ‘brick wall’. While working on my maternal grandmother’s tree I was trying to determine the location of a butcher shop that my great-grandfather had owned and operated in the city of Huddersfield, England. Through a genealogy forum with researchers in the U.K., I connected with ‘Pete’ who lived in Huddersfield and he kindly volunteered to stop by the local library and have a look in the city directories from the turn of the century. True to his word, Pete was able to find the listing for the Canterbury Meat Company at 34 Market Street, William Woolsey, proprietor. This is just one example of how forums can connect us with our past and help us to overcome obstacles in expanding our family trees.
I invite you to share the genealogy forums that you have found helpful in your family history research.
As always, good luck with your search!
RootsChat
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,287.0.html
Genealogy Specialists
http://www.genealogy-specialists.com/
Rootsweb
Genforum
http://genforum.genealogy.com/my/
My Heritage
http://www.myheritage.com/page/genealogy-message-boards
Surnames from Around the World
Family Workings
http://www.familyworkings.com/Chat/start.html
Family Tree Circles
http://www.familytreecircles.com/
Looking for Kin
http://www.looking4kin.com/groups
Ancestor Explorer
http://ancestorexplorer.proboards.com/
January 4, 2014
Free Online Searchable World Census Records – Find Your Ancestor
Census records give a snapshot of who your ancestors were and how your ancestor lived. Census records are a government sponsored enumeration or counting of the population of a given area. These records will contain names of the heads of household or often all household members, their ages, citizenship status, and ethnic background. Some census records will state the religion of the individual and may also list their country of origin. In some countries a census will also contain agricultural records, so if your ancestor was a farmer it may list the type and number of farm animals as well as the type and number of bushels of crops produced on their farm during the year.
There are a vast number of online records available from around the world. Many are free, some offer free searches with the option to pay a small fee to view and download the original record. If you are confident that the person in the record is your ancestor, it may be worth the small fee to see the entire record. It will certainly cost less than a trip back to your ancestor’s homeland! Regardless of whether you choose the free census websites, or choose the pay-per-download, you can still gather a wealth of information from around the world with the records available today online.
Shown, in the images above this article are partial census listings from the 1940 U.S. census. In the first image is Mary Rutherford, my great-grandmother, born in 1853, age 87 in 1940 living in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County, New York. Mary’s listing was at the bottom of the page. At the top of the next page, the next image above shows her youngest daughter, Nellie Rutherford, age 42, born 1898, and on the line below Avis Exelby, age 21, their servant.
I invite you to click on the ‘Comment’ field at the end of the article and share your successes and online census records not listed that you have found helpful.
As always, good luck with your search!
Arlene Stafford-Wilson
http://www.staffordwilson.com
Canada
http://automatedgenealogy.com/census/
This 1901 Census of Canada features over 5,000,000 lines transcribed by volunteers.
This contains an index to every name in the 1901 Census of Canada including personal data , links to images of the original census pages, and other links including census records from other years, birth, marriage, death, and other related records.
1911 Census of Canada
Includes over 7,000,000 lines transcribed of every member of the household with links to images of original records.
http://automatedgenealogy.com/census11/
United States
U.S. searchable census records – 1790-1940
http://www.censusrecords.com/content/1910_Census
U.S. census tips and records:
http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1850-1930.html
Online, searchable – 1940 Census U.S
http://1940census.archives.gov/
African Americans census tips and records:
http://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/
Native Americans census tips and records:
http://www.archives.gov/research/census/native-americans/1885-1940.html
Scotland
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
Ireland
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/search-the-archives/
Another excellent Irish database website, however there are fees to view records: https://rootsireland.ie/
England and Wales 1841 – 1911
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/census-records.htm
and
http://www.ukcensusonline.com/
Holland/Netherlands
http://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/population-registers/
Italy
http://www.italygen.com/italiangenealogicalrecords/censuses.php
Germany
http://www.germanroots.com/germandata.html
Poland
http://search.ancestry.com/oldsearch/locality/dbpage.aspx?tp=1652381&p=5183
Australia
http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/
South Africa
http://www.southafricanfamilyhistory.com/birth-marriage-and-death-records/
Caribbean
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1804229
New Zealand
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/search/site/census
Bulgaria
http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Bulgaria_Census
Austria
http://www.feefhs.org/links/austria.html
Russia
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ruswgw/links.html
Croatia
http://www.feefhs.org/links/croatia.html
Denmark
http://www.sa.dk/content/us/genealogy/basic_records/census_lists
Sweden
South America
Africa
http://ecastats.uneca.org/aicmd/
Spain
http://www.ine.es/welcoing.htm
Greece
http://www.statistics.gr/portal/page/portal/ESYE
For more Genealogy tips and tricks:
http://arlenestaffordwilson.wordpress.com/category/genealogy-tips-help-links/
December 15, 2013
Genealogy Tip: Christmas Traditions of Our Ancestors
Ever wonder why we bring a tree into our homes or why we adorn it with lights and tinsel? Why do we hang a stocking? How did egg nog become a beverage associated with the festive season? When did a white haired man in a red suit begin to deliver gifts to children? Why do we eat turkey and stuffing? Why do we buy gifts for each other?
There are countless traditions and customs practised throughout the world at this time of year. Most of these rituals have been passed down to us from our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. We do these things each year without thinking. Our ancestors brought their traditions with them to the new world and their annual rites of the Christmas season became entrenched in North American culture.
What about our ancestors who did not leave their homelands, but remained in their countries of origin? How are their traditions different than the ones who came to the new world? Below, are some links to Christmas traditions throughout the world. Click on the links to discover where these customs originated and how they are still practised today in your ancestral homelands and in your own home today:
I invite you to comment on the origins of your family’s Christmas traditions and share your ancestral customs with our readers. (To share your traditions – click on ‘comment’ at the end of this article) Merry Christmas!
http://familytreemagazine.com/article/Holy-Nights
http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/holidays/a/christmas.htm
http://genealogyrevelations.com/2013/12/06/christmas-traditions-around-world-part-heritage/
Scotland: http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow11.htm
England: http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/dec12_xmas.php
Italy: http://italianfamilygenealogy.com/?p=124
Holland: http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/holland.shtml
Germany: http://www.germany.travel/en/ms/german-originality/heritage/german-traditions/german-traditions.html
Poland: http://www.pgsa.org/traditions.php
Australia: http://www.wilsons.id.au/wp-content/uploads/Australian_Christmas.pdf
Greece: http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2013/12/01/christmas-season-officially-open/
Arlene Stafford-Wilson, Genealogist, Historian, Author – http://www.staffordwilson.com
I invite you to comment on your family’s Christmas traditions below and share with our readers:
December 8, 2013
Perth Library Book Signing Dec 7 2013
Along the shores of the picturesque Tay River, in the historic town of Perth, Ontario, the Perth and District Union Public Library was a lovely setting for an early December book signing.
As you can see from the photos, it has been a mild winter so far in the Perth area, and there is very little snow compared to years gone by, in this particular region of Eastern Ontario.
We would like to thank Marina Ramsden of the Perth Library for her warm welcome and hospitality and for hosting the event. Marina had set up a large table complete with a festive table cloth and cheery seasonal plant for the book signing and throughout the afternoon a steady stream of folks young and old stopped by to say hello and chat about the books.
We were delighted to have a special visitor Heather Kitching. Heather, who hails from British Columbia, is currently working on an historical documentary project with Carleton University in Ottawa. Her research team is producing a film involving Ottawa Valley history from the perspective of the old timber camp songs. One of the stories in the documentary will feature the tale of James Phelan, son of an early pioneer settler, who drowned in a raft accident, while breaking a log jam on the Mississippi River in 1876.
The Phelan family was among the earliest settlers to Drummond Township and their ancestral farm was located directly across the Mississippi River from the Stafford family homestead. Being one of the Irish Catholic immigrant families they attended St. Patrick’s near Ferguson Falls and the graves of some of the early Phelan family members still stand today as a tribute to this early family.
The tragic story of James Phelan who drowned at the age of 36 was documented in a song written by Timothy Doyle, and is a story that was passed down through the generations. We wish Heather the best of luck in her research and if anyone has researched the Phelan family as part of their family history, we invite you to contact us. No detail is too small as often these are the gems that lead to some of the most interesting genealogical finds. http://www.staffordwilson.com/Contact_Us.php
In conclusion, our day at the Perth Library was really enjoyable. Marina was a gracious host and we met some new folks and chatted with some people who had read previous books like ‘Lanark County Kid’ and ‘Lanark County Chronicle’. It’s always nice to be back in Perth, and even better still to be there on such a mild, sunny December day.
Genealogy Tip: Free Online Searchable Surname Origins & Meanings
Have you ever wondered about the origin and meaning of your surname? Would you like to know the location in the world where your surname was first used?
Today, there are many free online searchable databases where you can find out more about your surname. With these helpful links below, you will find that family names may be derived from: nicknames, physical attributes, counties, trades, heraldic charges and many other sources.
Please note that some individuals and families have changed their names at some time in the past, so the surname that you use today, may be a variation of the original that was possibly written in another language.
I invite you to leave a comment about your particular searches and successes in researching your family’s surname.
Good luck with your search!
http://www.staffordwilson.com
History of Surnames:
Meaning and History of your Surname: http://www.ancestry.ca/learn/facts
Surname Database: over 49,500 names:
(While this database offers products for sale, it’s still worth a look, as it provides a good description of the surname origin)
Origin and Meaning thousands of Surnames:
For more free Genealogy Tips and Links:
http://arlenestaffordwilson.wordpress.com/category/genealogy-tips-help-links/
December 1, 2013
Perth Library – A Brief History
Although there was a reading room established on the main street of Perth in the 1800s which featured current newspapers, books and periodicals, it wasn’t until the beginning of the twentieth century that a formal library building was constructed.
With the help of a large donation from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, public, along with municipal and private funds, a library was built and opened to the public in 1907. The Perth Library was one of five libraries in Ontario that was built using grants from American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Constructed from local rock and brick, the library was an impressive three story building gracing Gore Street near the Tay River canal.
On January 3rd, 1980, flames tore through the building. It was said at the time that the fire likely began in the basement. Water soaked books smoldered in the gutted building and nothing could be saved. Over 62,000 books along with maps and historical documents were lost. I recall the eerie sight of the building, familiar to so many of us, appeared like an ice castle because of the frigid temperatures, and the tremendous amount of water used to fight the fire. It was a devastating loss to the town of Perth having been one of the loveliest buildings on the main street for so many decades.
Other local libraries donated books and these were housed temporarily in the basement of McMartin House and plans were quickly put into place to establish a new library. The present library, on the corner of Herriott and Drummond Streets, was opened in late 1981.
Join us, Saturday, December 7th from 12 noon until 3 p.m. for a book signing of “Lanark County Calendar” at the Perth and District Union Public Library, 33 Herriott Street, Perth, Ontario, Canada. I will be signing copies of my new release and copies of my other books will also be available. For more information call: 613-267-1224, http://www.staffordwilson.com
