Resources for Certificates – London and Western Ontario Branch

Compiled by Kathie Orr UE Updated by Brenda Dougall Merriman 2013
Modified for the London and Western Ontario Branch of the United Empire Loyalists’ of Canada Association by Marvin Recker U.E. 2017

Here are some useful URL’s to help you prepare for your research in Toronto.

Archives of Ontario
134 Ian Macdonald Blvd
Toronto, ON, Canada
M7A 2C5

Visit the website to see hours of operation, location, a guide to preparing yourself for a visit, customer service and research guides to help you plan your visit. Using the Archival Descriptive Database you can search the online guide to the archival holdings of the Archives of Ontario. http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/

Holdings include the records of the Government of Ontario plus private sector records of interest to genealogical researchers.

Government records – examples
• Vital Statistics – registration of births (1869-1915), marriages (1869-1930) but some as early as 1780 and deaths (1869-1940)
• Land records documenting settlement and the ownership of land, including patent plans – includes Crown land (pre patent records) & land Registry Office records (post patent)
• Court records, including court proceedings, criminal indictment files, and wills and divorces.
• Loyalists Registers
• 2nd Heir and Devisee Commission (1805-1911)

Private Sector Records – examples
• Records of provincial politicians from John Graves Simcoe
• Microfilm of older Ontario newspapers
• Directories

Other sources – examples
• Church records collection 1749-1981
• Cartographic records – county atlases, township plans

Diffusion Material – examples
• Upper Canada Land Petitions and Land Books
• Upper Canada marriage bonds
• Ontario Census records
• 1st Heir and Devisee Commission (1797-1805)

City of Toronto Archives
255 Spadina Rd
Toronto, ON M5R 2V3
Public Information 416-397-5000
Research Hall 416-397-0778
Hours: Monday to Friday – 9:00 to 4:30
Most Saturdays – 10:00 to 4:30 (closed on summer Saturdays)
http://www.toronto.ca/archives/

The Archives collects documents created by the City of Toronto municipal government and by its predecessor municipalities (municipal governments that existed between 1792 and 1998 such as assessment rolls from 1834, maps from 1792. It also has non-government records that complement the government records including directories and diaries.

Description of their holdings http://www.toronto.ca/archives/description.htm

Research Guides to holdings http://www.toronto.ca/archives/research_guides.htm

Toronto Branch OGS has produced an indexed transcription of the Toronto tax assessment rolls for 1853. The original assessment rolls for 1853 are at the City of Toronto Archives and they gave their full support for the project. It can be searched at http://torontofamilyhistory.org/taxrolls.html

Church Archives

The Anglican Church has 9 Diocese in Ontario, each with their own archives. Each Diocesans archives is responsible for retaining records created by the respective diocese and they also hold the historical parish records for each diocese which includes the parish birth, marriage and death records.

Anglican Diocese of Toronto Synod Archives
135 Adelaide St E
Toronto, ON M5C 1L8

The Diocese of Toronto, founded in 1839, is the most populous of the 30 dioceses in the Anglican Church of Canada. Its geographical area extends over 26,000 square kilometres, stretching from Mississauga to Brighton and north to Haliburton.

The archives is open to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in July and August) for people to conduct their own research. It is good to call ahead to confirm times. http://www.toronto.anglican.ca/index.asp?navid=95

Diocese Of Huron (anglican)
The Verschoyle Phillip Cronyn Memorial Archives
Address:
1349 Western Road, London (below the Chapel of St John the Evangelist, Huron University College)

Hours:
Tuesday 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Monday, Wednesday or Friday by appointment

Mailing Address:
Diocese of Huron Archives
Huron University College
1349 Western Road
London, ON
N6G 1H3

Telephone: 519-645-3217

Email: archives@huron.anglican.ca

Fax: 519-645-8669

Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives
50 Wynford Dr
Toronto, ON M3C 1J7
The Archives is open from Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:45pm. During the months of July and August the Archives closes at 4:00pm. An appointment is recommended.
http://www.presbyterian.ca/archives/

Their holdings date from 1775 with a large number of resources for genealogists. They have local church records and microfilm of registers from across the country. Also of interest are the private papers of ministers and missionaries. As many Presbyterian congregations joined in the Church Union in 1925 to form the United Church of Canada you will need to look for many pre 1925 Presbyterian records at the United Church Archives. Check out their online Finding Aids at http://www.presbyterian.ca/archives/finding%20aids.html

United Church of Canada
40 Oak St.
Toronto, ON M5A 2C6 Canada
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
http://www.united-church.ca/local/archives

The Archives houses the records of The United Church of Canada and its antecedent denominations (Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational and Evangelical United Brethren), as well as the records of the five central Ontario Conferences of the United Church (Bay of Quinte, Toronto, Hamilton, London and Manitou).

Please note: The Archives of the Presbyterian Church and the United Church Archives holdings can be searched online through ARCHEION http://archeion-aao.fis.utoronto.ca/

Archeion is Ontario’s Archival Information Network, providing a gateway to descriptions of archival fonds and collections held by members of the Archives Association of Ontario. The descriptions are maintained by the members and institutions and presented through this archival database by the Archives Association of Ontario.

Roman Catholic Church has 14 separate dioceses in Ontario each with their own archives.

Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto
Catholic Pastoral Centre
1155 Yonge St, Suite 505 Toronto, ON M4T 1W2
Tel. (416) 934-0606, ext. 501; Fax (416) 934-3444
Research by appointment only

They hold microfilm copies of sacramental records (1830-1910) created by parishes currently within the boundaries of the Archdiocese. Microfilms are also available through the Mormon Family History Centres. http://www.archtoronto.org/sec/map.htm

Map of the area covered by the archives http://www.archtoronto.org/sec/parishes.htm

Diocese of London (Roman Catholic)
Accessing Archives

The Archivist will provide assistance to diocesan and other organizations seeking information of an historical nature; respond to requests of a historical nature from clergy, secretaries, religious orders or lay people; respond to historical requests from other dioceses; and cooperate with academic researchers. The Archivist will not complete family history research of any kind under any circumstances.

Upon requests, detailed finding aids to archival holdings will be made available to authorized researchers. Under special circumstances, at the discretion of the Archivist, these finding aids can be copied or emailed to a researcher.

Academic and family history researchers are welcome to visit the Archives by appointment only. Please contact the Archives to schedule an appointment.

Academic Research

The following guidelines are to be observed by academic researchers:

The use of certain documents may be restricted by statute, office or origin; the researcher may quote from these documents only with permission of the Diocesan Archivist, the Chancellor or the Bishop;
Exemptions to the use of “restricted material” may be granted to serious scholars at the Masters or Doctoral level at the discretion of the Diocesan Archivist. Appeal from the Diocesan Archivist’s rule may be made to the Chancellor;
As a general rule, no letter, memorandum or document written by a person still living may be quoted, paraphrased or used in any way without the consent of the author;
The researcher must assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, copyright and property rights, which may be involved in the use of manuscripts and other archival materials, as stated in the research agreement form;
Researchers will be charged $0.25 a page for photocopies;
If permission is given for the use of material for publication, a copy of the publication may be requested by the Diocesan Archivist. A thesis or dissertation is considered a publication.

Family History Research

Family history researchers are welcome to visit the Archives and research through sacramental registers by appointment only. Not all records will be available for research though as many of the historic registers are in grave state or the date ranges fall out of range for public access.

Contact

Debra Majer
dmajer@dol.ca
519-433-0658, ext. 242.

Genealogy and Cemetery Resources

Family History Resources and Research at the Archives

The Diocese of London’s Archive staff does not complete individual genealogical research. Interested researchers can obtain sacramental registers on microfilm up until 1910 through the Mormon Family History Centres as these centres are located throughout North America. The Church of Latter Day Saints has digitized these registers and are available via Familysearch.org.

Sacramental Registers

Information contained in sacramental registers consists of:

Baptism: date of birth; date of baptism; name of child; names of parents (including mother’s maiden name); names of sponsors (godparents); name of the officiating priest; and may contain location of birth.

Marriage: date of marriage; name of bride, her place and date of baptism, the names of her parents and may contain the bride’s place of residence; name of bridegroom, his place and date of baptism, the names of his parents and may contain the bridegroom’s place of residence; names of two official witnesses; and the name of the officiating priest.

Confirmation: name of child/adult; place and date of baptism; names of parents (including mother’s maiden name); name of sponsor; and name of officiating cleric.

In keeping with the guidelines of the Archives of Ontario information can be disseminated from sacramental registers as follows: ninety-five years after baptisms, eighty-two years after the marriage ceremony, and seventy-two years after the interment.

Adoption information listed within the sacramental notation relating to the identity of an adopted child and the biological parents of the child remains confidential under all circumstances.

Adoption Records

The Archives does not house any catholic adoption records.

Cemetery Records

The Archives does not house cemetery records or cemetery plot information. For cemetery information in Ontario access Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid. Various branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) have completed comprehensive cemetery lists. Contact the OGS for additional branch and location information.

Online Resources

Ancestry.ca
http://www.ancestry.ca/

Archives of Ontario
http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/index.aspx

Canadian Genealogy and History Links
http://www.islandnet.com/~cghl/

Cindi’s List
http://www.cyndislist.com/canada

C-K (Chatham – Kent) Cemeteries Preservation and Documentation Project
http://ckcemeteries.ca/pmwiki/index.php

Familysearch.org – Church of Latter Day Saints
https://familysearch.org/

Geneaology.com
http://www.genealogy.com/index_n.html

Library and Archives Canada
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html

Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid
http://ocfa.islandnet.com/

Ontario Genealogical Society
http://www.ogs.on.ca/

World Gen Web Project
http://www.worldgenweb.org/

Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada fonds
Date range

1770 – 2015
Statement of extent

79.56 m of textual records and other material
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Admin history or bio sketch

Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is one of five synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, consisting of more than 200 member congregations and 78,000 baptized members. The territory of the Eastern Synod runs from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia. In July 1861 the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Canada (Canada Synod) was organized by the former Canadian Conference of the Pittsburgh Synod. In 1867 the Canada Synod helped organize the General Council. In 1908 the Central Canada Synod organized as a result of English activity of the General Council. In 1918 both synods became part of the United Lutheran Church in America. In 1925 the Canada Synod and the Central Canada Synod merged, retaining the name Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Canada (Canada Synod). In 1962 the Canada Synod reorganized as the Eastern Canada Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, comprised of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and most of Ontario. In 1985 the Eastern Canada Synod withdrew from the Lutheran Church in America to join with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. In 1986 the new church began to function officially, retaining its membership in the Lutheran Council in Canada.

Scope and contents

The fonds consists of historical documents, publications, correspondence, church records, minutes, sermons and addresses, reports, photographs, and other material produced and accumulated by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and its predecessors. It is arranged in the following series: Historical documents; Publications; Church records; Churches/Congregations; Pastors; Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Canada, 1861-1962; Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Central Canada; Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Nova Scotia; Lutheran Church in America. Canada Section; Lutheran Church in America. Eastern Canada Synod; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. Eastern Synod; Women in the Lutheran Church; Lutheran Youth; Sunday School Convention minutes; Canadian Lutheran Council; Lutheran Council in Canada; Joint Commission on Inter-Lutheran Relationships; Canadian Lutheran World Relief; Lutheran Student Foundation/Lutheran Campus Foundation; 2011 anniversary; Non print material; Graphic material and artifacts; Photographs.
Call number
S100
Subject category

History of Kitchener-Waterloo
Lutheranism in Canada
WLU History / University Archives
Women’s History

File list PDF
Eastern Synod, ELCIC inventory list (PDF)
File list plain text

Eastern Synod, ELCIC inventory list (TXT)

Canadian Baptist Archives
Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version

Director: Gordon Heath, B.Th., M.Div. (Honours), Ph.D.
Archivist: Adam McCulloch, B.Th., M.A., M.LIS.
Hours of Operation:
The Canadian Baptist Archives is open to visiting researchers:
Mondays: 9:00 – 4:00
Tuesdays: 9:00 – 4:00

Researchers are asked to make an appointment in advance with the archivist.
Please email the archivist with the nature of your request and the dates that you would like to visit at cbarch@mcmaster.ca.
The archives is closed all statutory holidays.

Genealogical Research Policy:

Genealogical researchers have found the Canadian Baptist Archives (CBA) to be of assistance in accessing important information about family members. Genealogical researchers are always welcome to come and use the archives in person at no cost. Before researchers arrive at the archives, the archivist can provide upon request a list of material that may be relevant to their research. All other information relating to fees and services can be found on the Fees Information web page. Starting September 1, 2011, due to our limited hours of operation, the CBA will no longer perform genealogical research for patrons. Patrons that cannot come to the archives in person will need to hire a professional researcher to do this work for them.

Canadian Baptist Historical Society

McMaster Divinity College provides space for the Canadian Baptist Archives and administers the collection. These archives are now the largest collection of their kind in Canada. The archives and library include records of local churches, organizations and institutions, plus personal papers of prominent Baptists. A library of Baptistiana totaling 3000 volumes is maintained in support of the primary documentation.
An Overview of the Archive’s Contents

Several hundred Baptist congregations have deposited their original records in the Archives, which also contains the official records of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, Union d’Eglises Baptist Francaises au Canada, and other organizations. Special collections include documents for the Plymouth Brethren, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and British Christianity. Additional materials include theses, dissertations, pamphlets, periodicals, and personal papers and biographical material of pastors, missionaries and educators.
A Brief History

Baptists in Ontario and Quebec established an historical collection in 1865 when the Canadian Baptist Historical Society was founded. This early society actively solicited memoirs and church records for the next five years before it appears to have ceased its efforts. The mandate for the present collection of the Canadian Baptist Archives is derived directly from the constitution of that early attempt to preserve the history and the records of Canadian Baptists.

By 1912, an Historical Committee was once again seeking records of churches, associations and the BCOQ. Books and pamphlets by Baptists and or, or against, Baptists were sought for the Convention Historical Collection. After World War 2, the Historical Committee saw a need for more deliberate cataloguing of material received. Professor Gaylord P. Albaugh served as curator of the collection from 1947 to 1958. In 1961, the name of the Collection was changed to the Canadian Baptist Historical Collections, and in 1971, it acquired the current designation, Canadian Baptist Archives. Currently, the collection is supervised by the Director of the Canadian Baptist Archives as an employee of the Divinity College, and staffed with a part-time archivist and student assistants.
For More Information

Visiting scholars from Canada and beyond are encouraged to utilize the Archives for conducting research on a wide variety of topics. Those with particular research questions should contact the Archives at 905.525.9140 x23511 or cbarch@mcmaster.ca. Visiting hours at the Archives are from 9:00am to 4:00pm on Mondays and Tuesdays (by appointment only).

For information concerning donations of materials to the archives please contact Adam McCulloch at 905.525.9140 x23511 or amccull@mcmaster.ca.
Mennonite Archives of Ontario
Welcome!

The Mennonite Archives of Ontario collects and preserves archival materials that reflect the religious, cultural and organizational life of Mennonite, Amish and other related groups in Ontario and makes them available to anyone with a legitimate research interest. The Archives strives to be community-oriented, making Mennonite history and culture accessible to all, while also offering the benefits of doing research within a university setting.

The Archives serves as the official repository for Conrad Grebel University College, Mennonite Central Committee (Ontario) and Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. Other Mennonite institutions, organizations, congregations and individuals also have collections here.

These collections come in many forms including letters, diaries, meeting minutes, photographs, films, audiotapes, artwork and clothing. Our growing collection currently consists of 780 linear meters of personal, congregational, and institutional records in a multitude of formats.

The Archives also houses the Mennonite Historical Library (catalogued through the Milton Good Library), which is the largest Canadian collection of Anabaptist/Mennonite published materials, dating from the 16th century to the present.
Mennonite Archives of Ontario
Conrad Grebel University College
140 Westmount Road North
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6

Phone: 519-885-0220 x24238

Email: marchive@uwaterloo.ca
Ontario Genealogical Society
OGS Provincial Office
40 Orchard View Blvd., Suite 102
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4R 1B9
http://www.ogs.on.ca/

Ontario Cemetery Ancestor Index and Locator
In 1973 the Ontario Genealogical Society initiated its Cemetery Project. Its goal was to identify all cemeteries in Ontario and to record all the monumental inscriptions within each cemetery. Currently, 96% of Ontario Cemeteries have been successfully transcribed by OGS and its 30 branches. To make this information accessible to the public, the OGS has launched its Cemetery Ancestor Name Index and the Ontario Cemetery Locator.

OGS Library
The OGS Library is one of several collections housed at this same facility. The collections of the Toronto Division of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada, the Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants, la Société franco-ontarienne d’histoire et de généalogie de Toronto, and others. The OGS is housed at the North York Central Library Canadiana Department, Sixth Floor, 5120 Yonge St, North York, ON, M2N 5N9

Search the collection at http://ogs.andornot.com/CatMenu.htm

Toronto Public Library has two excellent facilities for doing your genealogical research.

North York Central Library – Canadiana Collection Sixth Floor,
5120 Yonge St North York, ON
M2N 5N9
(416) 395-5623

To check hours of operation http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/hou_loc_northr.jsp#cl
Houses the Ontario Genealogical Society Library plus other collections. It has a large and extensive collection of research material. Their focus is Ontario but has resources for all of Canada such as microfilm and fiche of material for Library and Archives Canada and the Archives of Ontario such as Canada census records, directories, the Vital Stats indexes for Ontario, and genealogical indexes.

Toronto Reference Library – The Special Collections, Genealogy and Maps Centre
Toronto Reference Library – Genealogy
Fourth floor
789 Yonge St., Toronto, ON
M4W 2G8
416 393-7062

To check hours of operation http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/hou_az_index.jsp#trl

It has an excellent collection of genealogical reference material, the Baldwin Room, and is a leading library of the LDS

HisTORicity – Toronto Then and Now http://historicity.tpl.toronto.on.ca/ To search online Atlases & Maps, Books, Pictures, Toronto Neighbourhoods, Toronto City Directories (1797-1889)

Virtual Reference Library – For access to additional Toronto Public Library resources (like the catalogue, magazines, newspapers and more…). For some resources, a Toronto Public Library card is required.

For Ontario Residents (outside of Toronto) http://www.virtualreferencelibrary.ca

For Toronto residents http://vrl.torontopubliclibrary.ca

Toronto Local History Resources http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/localhistory/index.html

Genealogy & Local History Collection http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/uni_spe_genealogy.jsp

Toronto Branch of the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada
300 – 40 Scollard St,
Toronto, ON M5R 3S1
Telephone 416-489-1783
Email

The Toronto Branch Reference library is the accumulation of many years of collecting and donations by our members, which has resulted in one of the best Loyalist resources.

The focus is on the American colonies, late 1600’s-1800 and the Maritimes, Quebec and Upper Canada to 1840. Military histories, biographies, social attitudes and styles round out the core collection of genealogical material.

The Library is located within walking distance of the major repositories of the Toronto Reference Library and the Archives Of Ontario , and is on the TTC routes. Research hours coincide with the Toronto Branch hours: We ask that you call ahead to make an appointment. We will endeavour to make special arrangements for out of town researchers.

CANADIAN NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES “(1872 – 2016)”

Explore Canada History and Genealogy among 6,826,733 pages,

in the World’s Leading Online Newspaper Resource!
www.newspaperarchive.com/ca/