December 2020 Meeting – Online

On Monday, December 14th please join us at 7:00 pm via Zoom for our first ever Virtual Genealogy Show & Tell.  If you have a family history story to tell, a family heirloom you would like to show off, or just a great genealogy adventure to talk about, we would love to have you be part of our show.  You can participate with either live oral storytelling (microphone only), or with a video clip you submit in advance, or by sending us a photo or photos of your heirloom which we will display while you talk about them.  This will require some advance planning, so if you are interested please contact us at [email protected] to work out the details.  Then on December 14th, grab your favourite winter beverage, and maybe a Christmas cookie or two, and we’ll share stories.

To register for this free online presentation, click on this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcod-GtqjwrGtHNNTdx9fDc3SC2CVqbe9_D

November 2020 Meeting – Online

Please join us on Monday, November 9th at 7:00 pm via Zoom to enjoy a presentation by Brockville Museum Public Program Coordinator Peggy Hause.  In keeping with a November Remembrance Day theme, Peggy’s program, On the Homefront, delves into what was happening on the local homefront when the soldiers were overseas. This talk will explore the hardships, changes, and sacrifices that the citizens of Brockville faced with a focus on World War Two.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Peggy joined the Brockville Museum in early 2018 as the Interpretation and Public Program Coordinator, having gained her museum experience from working at a number of museums from large provincial museums to small rural museums.  She believes that museum programs allow visitors to engage in ways that help them gain a deeper connection to history.

October 2020 Meeting – Online

Online Presentation to the Leeds & Grenville Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 pm.

Please note that this presentation will take place on a Friday rather than a Monday, our traditional meeting day. 

Join the Leeds & Grenville Branch as they hear from Susan Warren about “The Irish and the Rideau Canal”.  The Irish not only helped build the Rideau Canal but contributed significantly to the development of Leeds and Grenville. Using original paintings and original documents this presentation will explore those themes.

September 2020 Meeting – Online

Online Presentation to the Leeds & Grenville Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, on Monday, September 14th at 7:00 pm

The oldest house in Perth, the Old Red House, is undergoing a metamorphosis, thanks to its owner, James Forrester.  The building has been in James’ family since 1923, and has served a number of different functions over its 200+ years – military building, Officer’s Quarters, inn, tavern, church, school, meeting place, printing office and dwelling.

James will share the story of the Old Red House Project, with its link to Brockville, and a focus on the relationship between architecture and family history, in an online presentation to the Leeds & Grenville Branch of Ontario Ancestors on Monday, September 14th at 7:00 pm.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

James Forrester worked as a systems administrator at OCAD University, before returning to graduate school from 2014 to 2016 in the Public Texts MA program, of the Trent University English Department. He previously graduated in History from the University of Ottawa, Film Studies at Queen’s University and Library Information Science from Western University.

James grew up in Westport and attended both Rideau District High School, as well as Perth & District Collegiate Institute. He and his wife, Stephanie Ford Forrester, undertook a number of log and timber frame reconstructions. His training in archival documentation has been useful in undertaking the Old Red House Project.

What’s in the Leeds & Grenville Branch Archives?

The June 2020 Branch meeting featured a presentation about the Leeds & Grenville Branch Archives, with lots of information about what you’ll find there when you visit.

Leeds & Grenville Branch June 2020 Meeting – Presentation: What’s IN the Leeds & Grenville Branch Archives – With Patti Mordasewicz

June 2020 Meeting: What’s in the Leeds & Grenville Branch Archives?

Leeds & Grenville Branch ArchivesOur next Leeds & Grenville Branch online meeting will take place on Monday, June 8th at 7:00 pm, using Zoom technology (see invitation below).

With the success of our May meeting, we have decided to close out our spring season with a presentation about us!

What’s in the Leeds & Grenville Archives? will walk you through our space and tell you what resources we have for discovering more of your family history. We will also tell you about our digitization project, and let you know what we’re planning for our Branch website (leedsandgrenville.ogs.on.ca) in the coming months.

We hope you will join us and learn about the amazing collections we have in our Archives – land record books, family histories, local newspapers, obituaries, local history books, church records – and so much more! And we hope that we will be able to return to our Archives in the not-too-distant future!

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Jun 8, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Thank you! Hope to ‘see’ you on June 8th!

Book: Tales from the General Store, The Untold History of Bishop’s Mills

On May 11th the Leeds & Grenville Branch held its first ever online meeting, with presenter Tom Graham telling us stories from “Tales from the General Store, The Untold History of Bishop’s Mills.” The presentation was very popular, with many attendees asking where they could purchase a copy of the book. The following link will take you to the ordering page for the book: https://www.tdgraham.com/books. We thank Tom for a wonderful presentation.

“Tales from the General Store – the Untold History of Bishop’s Mills”

Leeds & Grenville Branch – Online Presentation May 11

“Tales from the General Store – the Untold History of Bishop’s Mills”
Tom Graham UE

Leeds & Grenville Branch of Ontario Ancestors is excited to offer all of our members and friends, both near and far, the opportunity to attend our May presentation ONLINE, Monday, May 11th at 7:00 pm. Our presenter, Tom Graham, will give us “Tales from the General Store – the Untold History of Bishop’s Mills”. His presentation will share some of the stories captured in his book of the same name, of the development of the community, the families who settled there, and major events which took place in the village.

You need to register in advance for this meeting – to register.  If you’ve never used Zoom before, you will be prompted to download the software, which can be downloaded in advance HERE. Be sure to download the correct app for your device or browser.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  You are encouraged to sign in early to ensure that your speakers are working.  All attendee video cameras and microphones are turned off for this presentation.

As always, our meetings are open to everyone, so please encourage friends who may be interested to register too!