The Yorkton branch of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society will be holding their next regular meeting on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Yorkton Public Library. Special guest speaker will be Gerald Moriarty talking about using the Information Services website for genealogy research. Everyone at any stage of research is welcome, no matter if you have been searching for a while or are just thinking about how to get started.
There are interesting educational opportunities to help advance your research, whether for personal family research or for a group or society. The Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists (SCAA) will be holding an “Introduction to Basic Archives” workshop on Wednesday, April 29 in Esterhazy. This workshop is structured for a novice or someone looking for a refresher and would include topics such as: What are Archives? Archival Institutions and the Role of the Archivist; Fundamental Principles of Archives; Appraisal and Acquisition; Arrangement and Description; Making Archives Available; and Preservation and the Digital World. Contact Cameron Hart at scaa.advisor@saskel.net for more information. Though the workshop is free, it is limited to ten participants. Go online to www.scaa.sk.ca for the basic registration form.
If you are searching for ancestors who arrived in Canada by ship, visit www.ancestry.ca You will find millions of passenger list entries from 1865 to 1935. Not only will you learn how your ancestors arrived, but the information recorded may also include marital status, occupation, destination, and even whether they could read and write. Depending on your search, you may have to pay for using this site. But planning ahead, organizing your information with names and dates, and focusing just on information you are looking for can help you maximize the benefits of your time on the site.
Another place to search is the Sask Archives site at www.saskarchives.com; their home page states that “The Saskatchewan Archives serves as the provincial agency responsible for acquiring preserving and making available records of significance to the history of the Province of Saskatchewan. The Archives is home to a broad and diverse collection of records which include public documents created by governments ranging from the Territorial period to modern day as well as records from private citizens, businesses and institutions dating from the mid 19th century.” The extensive collection includes education and school records, municipal records, photographs, maps and architectural drawings, and much more. Why are these records so important? The site explains further: “The Saskatchewan Archives plays an important role in preserving the cultural resources of the province. It acquires and preserves records essential not just for self-knowledge, but also for the protection of our rights, individually and collectively. The Archives collects both private and public records, and once acquired, these records are made part of the permanent collection.”
Fascinating information is out there for interested genealogists, waiting to be discovered, as well as helpful people to assist you on your search.
Every family has a story: discover yours with the Yorkton Genealogy Society!
