Q: I know my ancestors lived in Toronto. What I didn't know was how large it was! How do I begin my search ? I do have a old address but I have been told there is no city directory for the year 1854.
A: If your ancestors lived in Toronto longer than one year check the city directories for other years. City of Toronto Archives has a nearly continuous run of City directories from 1834 to 1940. Directories were not published for years 1835-36, 1838-42, 1845, 1848-49, 1852-55, 1857-58 and 1864-65. Also available are assessment rolls from 1834 on. It should be noted that information published in a directory for a given year was probably collected the previous year. To locate a person in the Toronto census it is necessary to locate their address in the census year (i.e. for 1861 census, check 1861 and 1862 directories. Suggested reading: Doris Bourrie, CGRS, Researching Canadian Census Records, Heritage Productions, Toronto or www.genealogystore.com . The GenWeb site dedicated to York County & Toronto will also be of help
The Toronto Public Library has a page called Historicity through which you can search old directories with keywords.
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Q: My fathers grandfather came from Sweden to Canada 1911, how can I find his now living relatives? (Per Lindberg was born 1853, he died 1913 in Fort William, Ont, Canada).
A: Through obituaries (they list who's still living & where - follow the obits from old to new), city directories, phone books, funeral records. See our Check List and try any resource that would apply to those still living.
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