22 May 2013

Ottawa Branch Meeting - Saturday, May 25th

13:00 – 15:00
City of Ottawa Archives, 100 Tallwood Drive, Room 115
Arrive by 1:00 p.m. for Coffee, tea, cookies and networking.
Please sign in at the security desk when you arrive.


The life of Jack Couture
Presented by Michael MacDonald, author of "The Eye that Never Closes" (a look at the life of Joseph Roney of Aylmer who worked as a private investigator in the region for over 40 years) and "Poolroom and Politics: Aylmer History through the Lens and Pencil of Jack.

Couture was a journalist, activist, storyteller and poolroom operator. He was a unique mid-twentieth century resident of Aylmer, Quebec who originally hailed from Deseronto, Ontario. Like many such newly sprung industrial towns of the mid to late 1800s, it was populated by an imported French Canadian labour force. Couture was of this stock. The presentation will trace his poverty stricken beginnings and concentrate mostly on his colourful contributions to life in Aylmer, Quebec including his many contributions to the Ottawa daily newspapers in the 1940s to 1950s, most especially in his role as president and founder of the Aylmer Cow Watchers' Society. The Cow Watchers was an invention of his which provided a satirical vehicle through which he commented on events of the day.


This meeting will be simulcast for members who can't join us in person. To join the meeting, go to: http://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/ottawaogs/
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12 May 2013

Bicentennial Commemoration Skirmish at Hoople's Creek - June 30, 2013

Here is some info on a great event for people of all ages - The event is free to the public, donations cheerfully and with thanks accepted at the event.  If you are interested in attending the dinner at 4 (which I believe will be a fitting end to an event filled day), please contact me for tickets as we have to let the caterer know the number of attendees.  There is a limited number for sale, so don't delay, get in touch with me today!

On June 30, 2013, the Lost Villages Historical Society is holding a “Bicentennial Commemoration of the Skirmish at Hoople’s Creek” at the Lost Villages Museum on County Road #2 near Long Sault, Ontario at Ault Park.  This event, a fundraiser for the planned Gazebo on the museum grounds, is sure to be a day filled with fun, information and entertainment.  Beginning with a commemorative church service in the Sandtown Advent Christian Church at 10 am, followed by a Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on the museum grounds, there will be pre-Tattoo entertainment featuring local singers, a Settlers Market with a variety of goods available for purchase and displays located in the various buildings on the museum grounds.  The highlight of the day will be a “Tattoo at Two” which will feature local musicians and artists including the SD&G Pipe Band, Cadet Bands, Brockville Pipe Band, the 1st Grenville 1812 militia.  This jam packed day concludes at 4pm with a dinner and show at Ault Park.  The Beef on a bun with all the trimmings is catered by the St. Andrew’s Knights of Columbus #10416 with entertainment provided by Rev & The Choir Boys, all inclusive for $12.00, advance ticket purchase only please.  For more information on this event, please feel free to contact the Lost Villages Historical Society at info@lostvillages.ca or carol.goddard@sympatico.ca.  

A Sincere thank you to all our sponsors including Canadian Heritage, Ontario Power Generation, Township of South Stormont, Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, Parks of the St. Lawrence and David Brown Environmental.  The support shown by performers, volunteers and others is most appreciated.

Carol Goddard 
carolyn goddard <carol.goddard@sympatico.ca>

Feb 22 2013 - Bicentennial of the Battle of Ogdensburg

06 May 2013

Future of Region 8

The recommendations of the OGS Governance Review include doing away with the Regional Directors and replacing them with province-wide directors with certain skills. If this change is made, what happens to regions? Do we need to keep them, perhaps adjusted in size and content? Would this benefit the branches/SIGs by allowing better relationships between them. Or do we just leave it and allow branches/SIGs to "affiliate" with however they like, if any? What's the advantage to keeping the regions or is there a better way to do things?

Here in Region 8, I believe we have a strong organization and we communicate regularly with those other genealogical groups that are interested: LCGS, BIFHSGO and UOVGG. What do you think of the practice of including these groups and should this level of cooperation spread across the province?

Ottawa Genealogy 2013



Thanks to all who came out on a beautiful May day to make the first Ottawa Genealogy Day such a success. We had 58 people register for the sessions along with fifteen groups, including Global Genealogy and Archive CD Books in the Marketplace area.

They heard a series of interesting talks including the latest on what is happeneing at Library and Archives Canada, Family Search and in the world of genetic genealogy.


If anybody would like to subscribe to the new OGS eWeekly update, let me know at conference@ogsottawa.on.ca and I will send you a recent copy for your review.

Thanks for joining us on Saturday and I hope that we will see you out at one of our events soon.