Welcome to the Ontario County page of the Ontario GenWeb

Have you hit a brick wall with your Ontario County ancestors? Search for your family origins on Ontario County GenWeb. I hope this site will help you find that brick-wall ancestor.

Read about COMPLETE Canadian Census 1851-1916 Coming Online in June!

 

2 Thumbs Up To Library & Archives Canada for putting digitized images and an index online for Soldiers of the South African War 1899 - 1902 Tip of the Month Ontario County Records * Archives, libraries, museums, etc. * Baptism, birth, marriage, and death * Land Records * Court Records * Church Records * Lovell's 1871 Directory * Newspapers * Municipal/Administrative History * Queries * Ontario County Genealogy Links * Ajax Photos of Ajax in the early days Featured Database Death Records Ontario County Death Records 1870 to 1879 [AncestorsAtRest] Quick Links Census Records Canada Naturalization Records Canada Ancestors At Rest Death Records Past Voices: Letters Home Olive Tree Genealogy Brick Wall Help Search Ontario County 1911 Census Indexes [AllCensusRecords.com] Blog Feeds Genealogy Blogs Olive Tree Genealogy Genealogy updates of free records online and tips for finding those elusive brick-wall ancestors The Paper Trail Eclectic mix of old documents - you may just find an ancestor's will, land record or general store receipt here! Past Voices Letters, letters and more letters! Letters from Civil War soldiers, from wives to husbands, sons to mothers, sisters to sisters... Ancestors at Rest - The blog for AncestorsAtRest.com website. Contains death records of all kinds - funeral cards, death notices, cemetery receipts, obits...and more Family Bibles - Another AncestorsAtRest.com blog of Family Bible entries and pictures of the births, marriages and death pages Antique Hunter - If you like antiques or collectibles, this brand-new blog will be one you don't want to miss!

Ontario County GenWeb Civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths began in 1869 in Ontario. For baptisms and burials prior to that, one must consult the parish registers for the church and denomination in question. Marriages began to be recorded earlier in the District Registers and County Registers but only until civil registration was instituted. Abbreviations AO = Archives of Ontario GSU = Genealogical Society of Utah OFHC = Ottawa Family History Centre MS = manuscript R = reel Hot Tip #1 Can't find your ancestor in Vital Statistics records? Most genealogists search Birth, Marriage or Death records in Church records and Vital Stats ( Registrations or Certificates). If we don't find our ancestor in one of those vital statistic records, we're stuck! Where to search next? The ABF (Ancestor Birth Finder), AMF (Ancestor Marriage Finder) and ADF (Ancestor Death Finder) can help. Hot Tip #2 How to access the online ONTARIO Vital Stats indexes and images Search the Canadian BDM (Births, Deaths, Marriages) Exchange Search the online Ontario Vital Stats Registration (OVSR) Project Baptisms Wesleyan Methodist baptismal register: Ontario County, 1841-1905 : a transcription (2001) transcribed by Whitby-Oshawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society Whitby-Oshawa Branch, OGS, Windsor, Ontario Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7779-2036-0 Wesleyan Methodist baptismal register: Durham County, 1826-1899 : a transcription (2001) transcribed by Whitby-Oshawa Branch, OGS Whitby-Oshawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, Windsor, Ontario Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7779-2034-4 Wesleyan Methodist baptismal register: Simcoe County 1836-1899: a transcription: a genealogical reference (2001) Simcoe County Branch, OGS, Barrie, Ontario Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7779-2048-4 Wesleyan Methodist baptismal register: Victoria County, 1832-1900 : a transcription (2002) [transcribed by] Kawartha Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto Co-published by Kawartha Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7779-2045-X Births Birth Records: How to use, where to find Birth registrations are available on microfilm at your local Family History Centre and at the Archives of Ontario. You can order the microfilms at your local FHC - if they are not already in the collection. The Archives of Ontario has a microfilm interloan system that allows certain institutions (usually libraries) to borrow the microfilm for a certain period of time. Ask your librarian if your library has this arrangement. If so, the library will have the catalogue of microfilms available for borrowing. The FHC will charge a modest fee to order the microfilm if it is not in the local collection. The institution borrowing from the Archives of Ontario may charge a small fee for the service. To find a birth registration, use the birth indexes (on 16 mm film). The first indexes that were microfilmed had several years of information all together. These indexes are set up so that all the registrations for one year are together. Within each year, the registrations are listed by surname in alphabetical order. The newer microfilm indexes have one year on them and are arranged alphabetically within that year. Birth Indexes Year(s) Letters Locations and Microfilms --- --- GSU 1819389; AO MS 931, R 1; OFHC 1 --- --- GSU 1819390; AO MS 931, R 2; OFHC 2 --- --- GSU 1819391; AO MS 931, R 3; OFHC 3 --- --- GSU 1819392; AO MS 931, R 4; OFHC 4 --- --- GSU 1819475; AO MS 931, R 5; OFHC 5 --- --- GSU 1819476; AO MS 931, R 6; OFHC 6 --- --- GSU 1819477; AO MS 931, R 7; OFHC 7 1896 all GSU 1462271; AO MS 931, R 8; OFHC 8 1897 all GSU 1908062; AO MS 931, R 9; OFHC 9 1898 all GSU 1983413; AO MS 931, R 10; OFHC 10 1899 all GSU 2023011; AO MS 931, R 11; OFHC 11 1900 all GSU 2034229; AO MS 931, R 12; OFHC 12 1901 all GSU 2073810; AO MS 931, R 13; OFHC 13 1902 all GSU 2135468; AO MS 931, R 14; OFHC 14 Some birth records for the early years - between 1869 and 1872 - do not have registration numbers. To find the records for these years, you will need to take note of the Volume and Page numbers. For the following years, note the Registration number and year in the last two columns on the right. Once you have the registration number and year, you can then go to the films with the records (on 35 mm film). Marriages Marriage Records: How to use, where to find Marriage Registers of Upper Canada / Canada West, Vol. 11, Part 1 - Home District, 1808 - 1836 Note: There are no Roman Catholic or Anglican marriages recorded here. The register probably records about 25% of the marriages that took plce between 1808 and 1836. The marriage registers of Upper Canada/Canada West (2000; rev. & enl. ed.) Dan Walker and Fawne Stratford-Devai Milton, Ont., Global Heritage Press Includes indexes. Includes 17 volumes in 24 parts. ISBN 1-894571-99-1 (set) Marriage registrations are available on microfilm at your local Family History Centre and at the Archives of Ontario. You can order the microfilms at your local FHC - if they are not already in the collection. The Archives of Ontario has a microfilm interloan system that allows certain institutions (usually libraries) to borrow the microfilm for a certain period of time. Ask your librarian if your library has this arrangement. If so, the library will have the catalogue of microfilms available for borrowing. The FHC will charge a modest fee to order the microfilm if it is not in the local collection. The institution borrowing from the Archives of Ontario may charge a small fee for the service. To find a marriage registration, use the marriage indexes (on 16 mm film). The first indexes that were microfilmed had several years of information all together. These indexes are arranged by letter of the alphabet. Within each letter group, the names are organized so that all registrations for one year are in alphabetical order, followed by the next year in alphabetical order. These indexes are set up so that all the registrations for one year are together. Within each year, the registrations are listed by surname in alphabetical order. The newer microfilm indexes have one year on them and are arranged alphabetically within that year. Marriage Indexes The microfilm numbers listed below also indicate the institution where they can be found. However, it is highly recommended that you begin your vital statistics research with the indexes and individual records before you begin the secondary search (the trawl). - Year(s) Letters Locations and Microfilms 1869-1895 A-B 1869–1895 C 1869-1882 GSU 1819478; AO MS934, R1; OFHC 1 1869-1895 C 1882 – 1890 D-F 1869-1895 GSU 1819479; AO MS934, R2; OFHC 2 1869-1895 G-J 1869-1895 K 1869-1883 GSU 1819489; AO MS934, R3; OFHC 3 1869-1895 K 1883-1895 L 1869-1895 M 1869-1889 GSU 1819490; AO MS934, R4; OFHC 4 1869-1895 McQ 1889-1895 N-S 1869-1895 GSU 1819491; AO MS934, R5; OFHC 5 1869-1895 St 1869-1881, 1881-1890 T-V 1869-1895 W 1869-1883 GSU 1819610; AO MS934, R6; OFHC 6 1869-1895 W 1883-1895 Y-Z 1869-1895 GSU 1818611; AO MS934, R7; OFHC 7 1896-1910 all GSU 1819612; AO MS934, R8; OFHC 8 1911 all GSU 1432272; AO MS934, R9; OFHC 9 1912 all GSU 1908063; AO MS934, R10; OFHC 10 1913 all GSU 1983414; AO MS934, R11; OFHC 11 1914 all GSU 2023012; AO MS934, R12; OFHC 12 1915 all GSU 2034230; AO MS934, R13; OFHC 13 1916 all GSU 2073812; AO MS934, R14; OFHC 14 1917 all GSU 2135469; AO MS934, R15; OFHC 15 1918 all GSU 2118423; AO MS934, R16; OFHC 16 1919 all GSU 2223688; AO MS934, R17; OFHC 17 Once you have the registration number and year, you can then go to the films with the records (on 35 mm film). Some marriage records for the early years-between 1869 and 1872-do not have registration numbers. To find the records for these years, you will need to take note of the Volume and Page numbers. Numbers to trawl through After you have found the records for the relatives you are seeking, go back and "trawl" through the county or district to find related entries. This is particularly useful when you have become familiar with family names and the names of related families. District and County marriage registers District and County Marriage Registers The microfilm numbers listed below also indicate the institution where they can be found. However, it is highly recommended that you begin your vital statistics research with the indexes and individual records before you begin the secondary search (the trawl). District marriage registers Place Microfilms and Locations Bathurst, Brock, Gore, Home, Index GSU 1030051; AO MS248, R1; OFHC 513 Home (1816 - 1849) GSU 1030052; AO MS248, R2; OFHC 514 Huron, Johnstown, London, Newcastle, Ottawa GSU 1030053; AO MS248, R3; OFHC 515 Prince Edward, Talbot, Indexes GSU 1030054; AO MS248, R4; OFHC 516 County marriage registers Place Microfilms and Locations Brant, Bruce, Carleton, Dundas, Huron, Elgin GSU 1030055; AO MS248, R5; OFHC 517 Elgin, Essex, Frontenac, Grey, Lennox, Addington GSU 1030056; AO MS248, R6; OFHC 518 Hastings, Huron, Kent, Lambton, Lanark, Osborne GSU 1030057; AO MS248, R7; OFHC 519 Hastings, huron, Kent, Lambton, Lanark, Usborne GSU 1030058; AO MS248, R8; OFHC 520 Lanark, Leeds, Grenville GSU 1030059; AO MS248, R9; OFHC 521 Lennox & Addington, Limcoln, Middlesex GSU 1030060; AO MS248, R10; OFHC 522 Middlesex, Northumberland, Norfolk, Ontario; index GSU 1030061; AO MS248, R11; OFHC 523 Ottawa, Oxford GSU 1030062; AO MS248, R12; OFHC 524 Peel, Perth, Oxford GSU 1030063; AO MS248, R13; OFHC 525 Ontario, Prescott, Prince Edward, Renfrew, Russell, Simcoe GSU 1030064; AO MS248, R14; OFHC 526 Simcoe, Stormont, Toronto (city) GSU 1030065; AO MS248, R15; OFHC 527 Toronto (city), Victoria, Waterloo; index GSU 1030066; AO MS248, R16; OFHC 528 Wentworth, Waterloo, Wellington, Orangeville; index GSU 1030067; AO MS248, R17; OFHC 529 York, Brampton, Hamilton GSU 1030068; AO MS248, R18; OFHC 530 Deaths Deaths in Ontario County, Ontario 1870 ~ 1879 Deaths in Ontario County, Ontario 1880 ~ 1889 Death Records: How to use, where to find Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid Death registrations are available on microfilm at your local Family History Centre and at the Archives of Ontario. You can order the microfilms at your local FHC - if they are not already in the collection. The Archives of Ontario has a microfilm interloan system that allows certain institutions (usually libraries) to borrow the microfilm for a certain period of time. Ask your librarian if your library has this arrangement. If so, the library will have the catalogue of microfilms available for borrowing. The FHC will charge a modest fee to order the microfilm if it is not in the local collection. The institution borrowing from the Archives of Ontario may charge a small fee for the service. To find a death registration, use the death indexes (on 16 mm film). The first indexes that were microfilmed had several years of information all together. These indexes are set up so that all the registrations for one year are together. Within each year, the registrations are listed by surname in alphabetical order. The newer microfilm indexes have one year on them and are arranged alphabetically within that year. Death Indexes Year(s) Letters Locations and Microfilms 1869 - 1922 GSU 1765849; AO MS937, R1; OFHC 1 1869 - 1922 GSU 1411568; AO MS937, R2; OFHC 2 1869 - 1922 GSU 1411569; AO MS937, R3; OFHC 3 1869 - 1922 GSU 1819276; AO MS937, R4; OFHC 4 1869 - 1922 GSU 1819277; AO MS937, R5; OFHC 5 1869 - 1922 GSU 1819278; AO MS937, R6; OFHC 6 1869 - 1922 GSU 1818302; AO MS937, R7; OFHC 7 1869 - 1922 GSU 1819303; AO MS937, R8; OFHC 8 1869 - 1922 GSU 1432270; AO MS937, R9; OFHC 9 1869 - 1922 GSU 1908061; AO MS937, R10; OFHC 10 1923 all GSU 1983412; AO MS937, R11; OFHC 11 1924 all GSU 2023013; AO MS937, R12; OFHC 12 1925 all GSU 2034228; AO MS937, R13; OFHC 13 1926 all GSU 2073813; AO MS937, R14; OFHC 14 1927 all GSU 2135467; AO MS937, R15; OFHC 15 1928 all GSU 2118422; AO MS937, R16; OFHC 16 Once you have the registration number and year, you can then go to the films with the records (on 35 mm film). Some records for the early years - between 1869 and 1872 - may not have registration numbers. To find the records for these years, you will need to take note of the Volume and Page numbers. Coroners Inquest Series and Inquest Database The City Archives of the Ontario Centennial Museum and Archives has created an Inquest Database as a finding aid for the Coroners Inquest Series. It contains name of deceased, cause of death as established by inquest, year of death and the geographic location of death, sorted alphabetically by surname. Miscellaneous An index to Canadian Parliamentary divorces, 1867-1930 (2001) J. Brian Gilchrist and Nancy J. Duffy, compilers and editors Audrey Gilchrist, Toronto Includes index ISBN 0-9698399-4-4 Important Note: Ontario GenWeb operates as a free service, but you may find links to websites or organizations which charge a fee. These organizations are not financially associated with the GenWeb project, and I have marked them with a $

Ontario County GenWeb is hosted by RootsWeb.com          All rights reserved          I can't answer queries as I don't live in Ontario County but a great place to start is the AskOliveTree blog where you can submit your genealogy challenges and brickwalls to Lorine for help.