I have a membership with Ancestry and they have offered me DNA kits for $69.00 US plus shipping and taxes. It looks like a great price but I am not sure if it is available for non-subscribers. The offer is good until August 15.
While preparing for a presentation I rediscovered agricultural census records. Not only is there one for 1861 but I was reminded an agricultural census record exists for 1851 too. The 1871 census, as well as the nominal census that lists the household members, there is a schedule for
1. return of deaths in 1870
2. return of public institutions, real and personal property
3. return of cultivated lands
4. livestock, animal products, homemade fabrics and fur,
5. return of industrial establishments
6. return of forest products
7. return of shipping and fishing
8. return of mineral products
You won’t find personal information on these other schedules but they are packed with information on how your family lived. My 3 great grandfather, William Jerry, came to Canada from Norfolk, England between 1834 and 1837. He lived in Pickering Township, Ontario County, but between 1861 and 1871 moved to St. Vincent Township, Grey County, Ontario.
The information on the other census schedules reveals how he lived his life. The 1871 census schedules tell me he owned 2 oxen, 1 milk cow, one horned cow, and 8 sheep. I wondered what he did with all those sheep and discovered he also had 24 pounds of wool; his wife made wool. The milk cow provided milk and 70 pounds of butter. He also had 50 bushels of peas, and 80 bushels of turnips, as well as wheat, barley, and oats. He had 20 cords of wood. This tells me he, his wife, and children worked really hard. Can you imagine picking 50 bushels of peas or chopping 20 cords of wood? That’s a lot of work. My ancestor couldn’t go to the grocery store instead he worked hard to be able to survive.
This is a picture of William’s son Robert in 1903. Robert and his wife Harriet (sitting beside each other in the centre of the picture) moved to Crozier, Rainy River District, Ontario.
You can find digitized images of the 1851, 1861, and 1871 agricultural and other census records at Library and Archives Canada. Just look under the Schedules heading. The 1861 agricultural census is indexed at Ancestry but when you search you must put “Agricultural” in the keyword box.
Sources
Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1059; Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1861 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.
1871 Canada Census; Grey North, St Vincent, Division 1, page 86; line 12; database online; Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
The Women’s Institute of Ontario is digitizing their community history collections thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. You can find the collection here.
AFHS FamilyRoots 2017; Our Canada Our Stories
The Alberta Family Histories Society is hosting a FamilyRoots Conference featuring Dave Obee, Lesley Anderson from Ancestry, and local speakers. There are sessions for beginners and advanced family historians.
Date: Saturday, September 23
Place: SAIT, Calgary Alberta
Time 8:30 – 5:00 p.m.
For information and to register go to FamilyRoots; Our Canada Our Stories
Here is a great website with information on newspapers in Ontario and more. Check it out!
Ancestry is offering free access to it’s Commonwealth record Easter Weekend
Celebrating its 150th birthday this year, Canada is a country built by immigrants. Amongst the first wave of new Canadians, from the 1800s well into the 20th century, were people from the British Commonwealth, including England, Ireland, and Scotland. And although we are proudly independent today, it still has a special place in the hearts of Canadians.
This Easter weekend, explore your family’s history with our Commonwealth Records Collection. From the 1500s to the 1900s, the collection includes 16th‑century Caribbean burial records to accounts of French high seas voyages to records from British boarding schools.
To celebrate it’s 500th webinar, Legacy FamilyTree is allowing free access to anyone who wants to view them. It starts Friday and ends Sunday evening.
