A Trip Across the County: Accessing Regional Records

Transcription

1 A Trip Across the County: Accessing Regional Records

2 Talk Outline a) Highlight records of interest to family historians and genealogists b) Outline our services c) Endeavour to answer any questions

3 Records of interest

4 Region of Waterloo Archives Overview Official archives of the: government of the Region of Waterloo

5 Official archives of the: former government of the County of Waterloo

6 Official archives of the: government of the Township of Woolwich

7 Official archives of the: former government of the Town of Elmira

8 Other collections of note former government of the Township of Waterloo

9 Other collections of note former government of the Village of Bridgeport

10 Records of Interest: Birth Registers

11 A birth register includes: Birth date Name Sex Parent's names Father's profession Residence Registration and name of attending doctor or midwife

12 Available records Township of Woolwich, , Elmira, , ,

13 Records of Interest: Assessment Rolls

14 What are assessment rolls? used by municipalities to document property value municipal taxes are based on assessed property value assessments are conducted annually in the past the information was recorded in a large book called an "assessment roll"

15 An assessment roll includes: Location of a property Property size Owner and tenant's name, age, occupation and religion Number of residents School board resident supports Number of animals such as dogs on property

16 Available records Ayr, Berlin, Bridgeport, Elmira, Galt, Hespeler, New Hamburg,

17 Available records Township of North Dumfries, Preston, Township of Waterloo, Township of Wellesley, Township of Wilmot, Township of Woolwich, Region of Waterloo, 1973

18 Records of Interest: House of Industry and Refuge

19 What was the House of Industry and Refuge? provided housing for the poor, homeless children, and unwed mothers in exchange for work opened on June 15, 1869 a requirement of section 413 of the Ontario Municipal Act consisted of 141 acres on Frederick Street original building housed 100 operated as an industrial farm, which raised crops and livestock

20 What is the House of Industry and Refuge today? The Homes for the Aged Act required all municipalities to operate homes for the aged in 1947 the House of Industry and Refuge became the Home for the Aged admission was based on the need for personal care rather than financial hardship

21 Sunnyside Home

22 Name Occupation Nationality Register of paupers, vagrants and idiots, Cause of pauperism Number of days that board was provided Home municipality Note: By 1950, cause of pauperism, occupation and nationality were dropped.

23 Commitment certificates, Patient's name Parentage Age Home municipality Occupation Nationality Date of birth Length of residency Date of admission Reason for admission

24 Resident's name Date Time leaving Destination Time returning Sign-out register,

25 Visitor's name Date Address Comments Visitor register,

26 Burial register, Name Date of death Age Cause of death Name of person who picked up the body or place of burial

27 Records of Interest: Marriage Registers

28 A marriage register includes: Groom's name, age, place of birth, occupation Groom's parent's names Bride's name, age, place of birth Bride's parent's names Names of witnesses Date and place of marriage Religion

29 Available records Township of Woolwich, Elmira, , , Marriage Returns County of Waterloo,

30 Records of Interest: LACAC records for Township of Woolwich

31 What was the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee? responsible for researching heritage houses propose properties for heritage designation to council Jacob Dunke residence built in 1891, Elmira

32 Available records Photographic slides of built heritage, Designation information, Minutes,

33 Records of Interest: Voter's Lists

34 Voter's lists Voters lists include: Names of every person entitled to vote in a election Address Owner, tenant or occupant Post office

35 Available records Elmira, 1920 Township of Waterloo, 1855, 1867, 1870 Township of Woolwich,

36 Records of Interest: Women Voter's Rolls

37 Women voter's rolls include: Name Address Age British subject or alien Freeholder, tenant or famer's daughter Occupation Religion School board support

38 Available records Township of Waterloo, Township of Woolwich,

39 Records of Interest: Photographs

40 Photographs of Officials John Meyer, Reeve, Township of Woolwich ca. 1860

41 Photographs of Officials Township of Woolwich County of Waterloo Region of Waterloo

42 Photographs of Police Officers Wayne Burnskill, Township of Waterloo Police, ca. 1960s

43 Photographs of Police Officers Kitchener Police Department, Preston Police Department, Galt Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, New Hamburg Police Department, Township of Waterloo Police Department, Bridgeport Police Department, Elmira Police Department, ca. 1970s Hespeler Police Department, 1972 Waterloo Regional Police Service,

44 Records of Interest: Death Registers

45 Death registers Name Date of death Sex Age Profession Birthplace Cause of death Name of physician Religion

46 Death registers Township of Woolwich, Elmira, , ,

47 Records of Interest: School Census

48 Township of Woolwich school census, Name of child Age School board No. of school section Name of parent

49 What was the purpose of a school census? assess school attendance provide statistics to calculate the taxes levied on landowners to pay teacher salaries and school construction

50 Are there restrictions? Some records are restricted under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Vital Statistics Act.

51 Records of Interest: Other fun records

52 Township of Waterloo dog tax lists,

53 Road petitions, 1848,

54 Lists of Quakers, Tunkers and Mennonites, 1852

55 Tavern Petition for Levi Gaukel, 1854

56 Tavern License for Levi Gaukel, 1854

57 Our services

58 Preservation Preserved according to International Archival Standards Records stored in a special climatecontrolled vault

59

60 Archives Online allows you to: search for archival records by keyword browse holdings search histories of municipalities, agencies, boards and commissions (Record Creators) view popular searches view digital copies of archival documents, photographs, and films view online exhibits make comments or link to related material share records through social media

61 Support for researchers Open weekdays 9-4 Open evenings, by appointment Copying services Research and reference services

62 Come and visit

63 For more information please contact: Lesley Webb Region of Waterloo Archives x 3027 archives@regionofwaterloo.ca

64 Questions