Q: Does anyone have info on where were the passenger ports in southwest Ontario that took immigrants/emigrants (who had taken a train from Toronto, instead of going through Lake Erie) from Lake Huron to Chicago in the 1880's? For example, were cities like Kincardine, Goderich, or Southhampton passenger ports? What passenger ships departed from these Ontario ports and how long did it take to get to Chicago.
A:
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Q: I am in Romania. I know that my father emigrated in Canada, Ontario, Copetown in 1977. I want to find him but I don't know how to begin. I don't know if he leaves or not anymore.
A: Start where you are. Are there any relatives who might have an address for your father? Have you contacted the emigration officials in Romania? They should have record of his departure from Romania and where he first went to in Canada. Have you contacted the Canadian Embassy in Romania?
Copetown is part of the City of Hamilton. You can use Canada411 (http://www.canada411.com) to see if he has a phone number or address.
If all the above fail, try hiring a "private detective" or research service like National Locator (OntarioGenWeb does not endorse this service, this link is merely provided for your information)
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Q: Is there a source for famine orphans, specifically those in indentured servitude where after a period of time (7Years?) the individual was given land? Famine victim from Ireland o/a 1841-1846?
A: During that time period (actually from the last 1830's to the early 1900's) most immigrants were required to stop at an island in the St Lawrence river called Grosse Ile (part of the province of Quebec). During the famine period this quarantine island was their final resting place. Records of children orphaned on this island were well kept and can be found in several publications about this island. But being given land for indentured servitude is questionable. If the land was given by the person they were indentured to you may wish to check land records for transfer documents. I'm not aware of any program to provide famine orphans with free land. After 1826 Ontario limited free grants of land to Loyalist or Military/Militia claimants. Could try the petitions to Commissioner of Crown Lands of Ontario 1827-1756 [RG 1, Series C-I-1 at Archives of Ontario, MS 691.
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Q: My grandfather immigrated to the US shortly before 1900. What was required to leave Canada at this time? How can I find out exactly when he did come to the US? I have found him in a city directory for the year 1900 but have not been able to find out if he ever became a citizen.
A: See Immigration Records for information on what was required to leave Canada. US census records should indicate whether or not he became a US citizen (at least prior to 1930), or you search Naturalization Records
From Jo Ann - You didn't need anything to leave except for the means to do so. I have a number of ancestors who left Ontario and Quebec (mostly for economic reasons) 1870 through about 1910 and came earliest via horse and wagon. Later, they came by train. My mother said that her grandparents came in a group and people would put their possessions in open boxcars. These were the French-Canadians. Nearly all of my ancestors were farmers or farming connected. Later it depended upon where you left from. Easiest from Sask. Ont. and harder without ID papers from Que. through NY, Vt or Maine. Need to check US Archives and need to know where they came into States.
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Q: My great-grandfather came from Scotland with the army sometime during the mid 1800's and I would like to find the date.
A: If you know the regiment you can search British Soldiers' Documents, War Office 97, or search Pension records. Suggested reading: Simon Fowler, Army Records for Family Historians, PRO Publications.
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Q: My maternal grandfather came to Toronto in 1927 by boat from either Hamburg,Germany or Marseilles,France. Where would he have landed? How would he get to Toronto?
A: If the ship was cleared at Grosse Ile he would have likely landed in Toronto if that was his destination. But he could have just as easily debarked in other port cities (Quebec City or Montreal) and taken a train to Toronto. There was also an immigration station in Halifax (Pier 21).
From Anonymous -- Assuming that he entered Canada through a Canadian port, it would have been Halifax during the winter months, or Quebec City during the rest of the year. Passengers rarely stayed on the boat beyond Quebec City - it was far faster to go the rest of the way by train. If you can find the passenger list, the railway would likely be identified, as tickets were to the final destination. If he was not from the UK, his port of entry might be shown on his citizenship record, if it still survives. (Some still do, while for others only an index card remains. You can request a copy of the file through Access to Information from Citizenship and Immigration). As well, if he ever entered the US through the Niagara Region at any point up until the late 1940s, there may be clues on the US Border Crossing records, which you can access through Ancestry.ca.
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Q: My mothers uncle went to Canada with the Salvation Army when he was about 14yrs old. He was born in 1879 in Marylebone, London. How can I find when he arrived in Canada. He lived in Ontario and Winnipeg to my knowledge.
A: The Salvation Army has records and they will assist with the search. You can contact them at:
Salvation Army
The Director, Family Tracing Services
105 - 109 Judd Street, Kings Cross
London, WC1H 9TS
England
0171-387-2772
(From Marj Kohli)
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Q: My wifes father was sent to Canada, under the "HOME CHILDREN", banner it appears.that was in 1921-22 when he was 14-15. My wife said he never talked of his parents. We have no idea who sent him to Canada and why. He ended up at the LALLY farm in Perth. Is there a way of tracking his arrival and other details. The national archives have only completed their work up to 1916.
A: The National Archives offers an online database of home children who arrived in Canada between 1869-1930.
The Young Immigrants To Canada website should provide more guidance. Good luck!
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Q: Reading excerpts from the book 'Assisting Emigration to Upper Canada by Wendy Cameron gave me a clue that maybe my husband's ancestor Richard Adams - born 9 Apr 1814 - immigrated 1832 from Chulmleigh in Devon UK - died 26 Nov 1878 Woodstock Ontario & buried at the Anglican Cemetary Woodstock Ont - was part of the Petworth Immigration Scheme. How would I be able to prove this?
A: [From Wendy Cameron, Petworth Emigrations] -- It's safe to say that it is unlikely that this ancestor was a Petworth emigrant. Devon is well outside the catchment area. In Assisting Emigration p 207-9, Table P-2.1, a table listing known Petworth emigrants by county, the closest county listed is Somerset. The 11 Somerset emigrants were sent in 1835 -- from Bath where the wealthy circulated in and out and where they may well have had a single sponsor. You can never say never, we were unable to account for the origins of a significant number of emigrants, and we had a few late additions not included in this table, but the odds are not good. On a positive note, you can suggest that if a connection is found we would be interested in receiving a form through the website. If found, I think it will be through tracing the family and any local sponsorship they enjoyed rather by searching the sources we examined for our books.
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Q: Regarding the answer to the "immigrant trains" railway records being in Archives of Ontario, RG11, Series N, how do I go about requesting info on that?
A: The AO website has extensive information, instructions and guides on how to access their holdings, not just railway records, but every record they have archived. See: The Collections at Archives of Ontario and Customer Service & Research Guides
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Q: Where can i find information about a gt.uncle who emigrated to canada in the 1920's. He lived in Toronto and worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
A: The Canadian Pacific Railway has an archives in Montreal and they will send you records for employees. I received my grandfathers records from them.
Canadian Pacific Limited
Windsor Station
P.O. Box 6042, Station A
Montreal, PQ H3C 3E4
Archivist is Stephen Lyons [514-395-6962]
(From Marj Kohli)
Passenger lists at the National Archives are now indexed between 1925-1935. The database is is now available online at the National Archives site. Follow this link or go to www.archives.ca and click on ArchiviaNet, and look for it on the list of databases. Earlier records are in the process of being indexed, but it may be some time before they're ready. Also there is info available on railway employees - Althea Douglas has a guide book entitled "Canadian Railway Records: A Guide for Genealogists". (From Suzanne Schaller)
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