Searching for Later Traces

of a

Boy Born in Brockville, Ont., 1902

The facts as presented:

An Ontario provincial birth registration showed that a boy was born near Brockville, Leeds & Grenville County, in mid-February, 1902. His mother and father were identified by name. But, all traces of the boy and his parents between 1902 and 1921, when the boy was enumerated within an older couple's household many miles away, were hidden. The boy's life after 1921 was well documented. When the boy married in the home of the older couple on Amherst Island, Lennox & Addington County, Ontario, he gave his mother's full name as something different than his birth registration showed.

The challenge:

Could anything more be discovered about the boy's life between 1902 and 1921. And, could any facts be unearthed about either of the boy's natural parents?

British Prime Minister

David Lloyd George

Visits Toronto in 1923

The facts as presented:

The photograph showing below was found in a family photo album from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. On the back of the photo was the caption "Lloyd George's Visit, 1923". The photograph showed a building with bunting and flags across it's face. Some of the lettering on the building's face was obscured by streams of bunting. All that could be discerned were 'CI ...... LL".

The challenge:

Could anything be discovered about this visit? When did it take place? What was it all about? And so on.

McDowall's Marriage Register

at

Queen's University Archives, 2020

The facts as presented:

Some important family history records had been identified in two separate 'transcripts' of Rev'd Robert McDowall's marriage register from the Bay of Quinte area of Ontario (covering roughly 1798 to 1841). Each 'transcript' presented slightly different information. The original register is held at Queen's University Archives in Kingston. One (incomplete) version of a 'transcript' is accessible here.

The challenge:

Could I visit the archives, and obtain digital images of each of the records of interest found in the original registers held at Queen's Universtiy Archives, to help dispel some surname spelling issues?

The results:

A pre-visit consultation with the responsible archivist meant that Rev'd Robert McDowall's Marriage Register was available upon arrival. The register itself is quite worn, and the binding is broken. Entries about various events in the register are not the easiest to read or follow, the record of many events being out of date sequence. Nevertheless, the desired digital images were quickly and efficiently captured using two devices, and were forwarded upon completion.

The response: 

"your photos were fantastic .. no qualitly issues at all .. I really appreciate the quality of your work".

- - - - - - Project #200225   (completed 28 Feb 2020)  

Identification of a

Highway Accident

Victim's Wife

The facts as presented:

A legal Estate case. A man died in a highway accident in Ontario in 1994, leaving a widow surviving. His widow was known to have subsequently remarried, but only the new husband's first and last names (and therefore the widow's new last name) were known.

The challenge: 

Could the woman be located today?

The results: 

Contact information for the woman, and her daughter (by the deceased man) was quickly found, and forwarded to the solicitor.

The response: 

"Thank you very much for your help with this"

 - - - - - - Project #200107    (completed 16 Jan 2020)