October 15, 1997
This is my first article to Heritage Seekers publication as your new (started February 1997) president. As only being a hobby genealogist for three years now, I hope that you will all bear with me as I try to fill in the shoes that were left by our past president, Laura Turnbull. I'm not saying she has big feet, she just did such a wonderful job as president for three years with our branch plus all the other hats she wears for the club as well. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you Laura, for all the help you have been giving me in the changeover. I won't go into all the rest of executive name by name as they are listed under the executive, but I would like to congratulate those who were newly elected as well as those who are carrying on from last year.
I've had my first taste on CONFERENCE, held by the AGS in Edmonton on April 18/19, 1997. I think I'm hooked. There were some very interesting speakers and topics, you can't attend all, but wish you could. It was a great opportunity to meet other people who are fascinated with genealogy, learn new area's of research, find out what is available and where, even the opportunity of finding a common ancestor or relative. All that in just a couple of days.
We have some very talented people in our branch, one of whom I would like to bring to attention is Paulette Hrychiw, one of our researchers. At the April meeting she gave a very educational, and helpful presentation on French Canadian & genealogy in France research. Paulette always seem to find the time to help out with all types of things that are going on in the group. I personally would like to thank her for all the help she has been giving me in ideas for my own research. Paulette volunteers as a genie at the Grande Prairie Public Library on a regular basis, keeps track of the obituaries from the Herald Tribune.
At our March meeting, Barb Moreau, our Publicity person, and local public librarian, presented a program "Hidden Treasurers in the Local Library", providing the group with numerous books in the Grande Prairie Public Library that could be helpful in genealogy research.
At our May 20th meeting our program was World War I by Duff Crerar. He gave a very entertaining, and informative presentation, along with a number of helpful research areas to look.
Tracey Kirouac, our cemetery recording organizer, has had Volunteers from the group doing the final recording on the newer section of the Grande Prairie Cemetery for final entry. We are attempting to complete the Grande Prairie cemetery this year. On May 24th a number of volunteers showed up at the cemetery to the final gravesite readings.
Other projects on the go: preparing for publication - ÒDates Gone ByÓ, a newspaper indexing project (see order form later in this newsletter) from the early 1900's compiled by Joan Bowman and entered by Laura Turnbull; another project is assisting the Edmonton Branch by indexing a part of the 1901 Census for Alberta namely the Athabasca part that was originally the Unorganized Territories.
Our next regular monthly meeting will be on June 17th, and our program will be by Mr. Harry Lehners on German research.
I feel very proud of our group and because of their guidance, I have managed to compile and print my first family tree book (its even on my husband's side).
Moreau / Krulicki Families by Barb Moreau
My husband, Don, and I have been interested in genealogy for over 25 years.
It all started when our eldest child was born. We received a baby book and as eager first time parents we filled it with all the information we could enter. One thing we didn't know how to fill out was the family tree information. Dutifully we sent off letters to both sides of the family and the grandparents responded with the required material.
We filled in her family tree and caught the family tree bug but we didn't know what to do next. We were in Gimli, a small community in Manitoba, with no available genealogy resources, or so we thought at the time. Anyway, our time was filled with four growing children's needs so our research project was shelved.
A few years later we moved to Grande Prairie, Alberta.
About five years ago a Grande Prairie Branch Member of the AGS, Paulette Hrychiw, and I struck up a conversation about my husband's French family and the difficulties we were having finding information. She suggested we travel to the Societe Historique De Smoky River, a French history library in Donnelly, Alberta, with a group of members and try our luck. What a treasure chest of material! We were unbelievably lucky that Saturday. In one day we had completed Don's maternal grandmother's family back to the first Tremblay in Canada and started the Sabourin, Lepine, and Laflamme lines.
Don and I were really hooked. We joined the local society and started working with a real purpose.
We can not tell you how welcoming and helpful the society members were then and they remain supportive and invaluable to this day. We recommend all family researchers join a local society because your research abilities seem to multiply by the number of members in the club.
Don's family research has taken us into wonderfully exciting avenues. We discovered American captives, British lines, King's Daughters and "cousins" from all over Canada and the USA. Our knowledge of Canadian, French and British history has grown greatly.
Of course, we do have some problems. On certain lines we are stuck around 1860 in Ontario, in the Prescott and Cumberland/Russell counties, trying to discover where certain second great grandparents came from in Quebec.
Lines we are following are:
My Eastern European lines seemed impossible to trace, but with the help of films borrowed from the local L.D.S. History Center and library material on Galicia, I have been able to discover more than I believed possible.
This year at the Alberta Genealogical Society Conference I joined the Ukrainian Genealogical and Historical Society of Canada and received their newsletter. I was surprised and thrilled to find a query in it asking for any information on the Zdebiak family (my father's maternal grandparent's last name). The query named the actual village where my Grandmother was born. I would never have found this cousin if I hadn't joined the society.
Of course, I am still struggling with my family but every once in a while something exciting like this happens.
My grandparents were very young children when they arrived in Canada in the early nineteen hundreds. Both maternal and paternal families settled in the Interlake area of Manitoba.
Here is a list of family names that I am researching:
We are really enjoying ourselves since we became involved with genealogy. As a couple it is a perfect hobby to share. The two of us have grown closer to our families, made new friends and found many new "cousins".
Barb and Donald Moreau
9819-80 Avenue, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 3S5
email: bfmoreau@hotmail.com
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people, businesses and organizations that contributed to the registration for the AGS Conference 1997 in Edmonton.
I could not have managed without the volunteers who helped put the conference bags together, who gathered items to put in the bags, who printed, cut and prepared name tags and meal tickets, and who sat at the registration desk with me. Thank you and a big HUG!!!
I would also like to thank the Grande Prairie businesses and organizations who contributed items to the conference packages. Alberta Teachers Association, County of Grande Prairie, Grande Prairie Public Library, The Prairie Art Gallery, Alberta Power, Northwestern Utilities, Co-Operators Insurance, Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce, Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau and Zellers.
And from Edmonton and Brooks: Audrey's Books, Generations, Gray Graphics, Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum, Robert's Research Services, Brooks Bulletin, Iwaasa Industries, Priority Printing and TransAlta Utilities.
Thank you from the Conference committee and from myself, Debby Was.
Libraries in the Grande Prairie Area
Hours of Operation:
Tues. - Thurs. - 10 am to 9 pm
Fri & Sat. - 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday - 1 pm to 5 pm
Closed Mondays
Hours of Operation:
Tuesday: 10 am - 4 pm & 6 - 9 pm
or by appointment
Hours of Operation:
Mon - Thur - 7:45 am - 10 pm
Fri - 7:45 - 4:30 pm
Sat - 10 am - 4:30 pm
Sun - 1 pm - 9 pm
Your Branch is looking for a Logo. We are asking you to design a Logo for possible future use on T-shirts, letterhead, buttons, publications, and publicity.
The Logo should promote the Grande Prairie & District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society and the preservation of our History (branch, area, and family or personal)
Keep Your Design Simple but Visually Appealing. Please restrict your design to 2 or 3 colors.
Please submit your Logo Designs no later than September 10,
1997 to:
Grande Prairie & District Branch, AGS Box 1257, Grande Prairie,
Alberta T8V 4Z1
You Know You're An Addicted Genealogist
...when you brake for libraries.
...if you get locked in a library overnight and you never even
notice.
...when you hyperventilate at the sight of an old cemetery.
...if you'd rather browse in a cemetery than a shopping mall.
...when you think every home should have a microfilm reader.
...if you'd rather read census schedules than a good book.
...when you know every town clerk in your state by name.
...if town clerks lock the doors when they see you coming.
...when you're more interested in what happened in 1697 than 1997.
...if you store your clothes under the bed and your closet is
carefully stacked with notebooks and journals.
...if you can pinpoint Harrietsham, Hawkhurst, and Kent on a map
of England, but can't locate Topeka, Kansas.
...when all your correspondence begins, "Dear Cousin,"
...if you've traced every one of your ancestral lines back to
Adam and Eve, have it all fully documented, and still don't want
to quit.
(This item was found on an internet newsgroup)
(Author unknown)
The old Grande Prairie newspapers are located on microfilm in the Grande Prairie Public Library. The newspapers and films begin in 1913. Since June, 1983, Joan Bowman's ongoing contribution to Heritage Seekers has been to provide extracts of the births, marriages and deaths as found in these old newspapers (See the latest extracts further in this issue). These extracts are now available in a published and indexed book which contains the extracts from: a) Grande Prairie Frontier Signal, published September 1914 to August 1916, and b) Grande Prairie Herald, published March, 1913 to December, 1920.
An order form for this publication may be obtained by writing to the Branch at the address at the end of this newsletter.
We look forward to sending this excellent work to as many as possible.
Alberta Family Histories Society
presents
The 18th Annual Wild Rose Seminar 1997
October 3 & 4, 1997
Exciting Featured Speakers include Nora Hickey, Owner, Operator of the Cork Family History, a Genealogical Information Service based in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, Sherry Irvine respected Genealogist, Lecturer and Author from Victoria BC and Kenneth Aitken the Prairie History Librarian at the Regina Saskatchewan Public Library.
The program for 1997 includes a mix of topics for the novice to expert, on Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, plus many others.
If You Are Doing Genealogical Research You Need to Be Here
Crossroads Hotel, 2160-16 Ave NE Calgary, Alberta
Friday, October 3, 1997 and Saturday, October 4, 1997
Early Bird Registration $55.00 until September 8, 1997
September 9 until October 2, $70.00 Late Registration
Brochures will be available at the beginning of June, 1997.
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
please contact Ann Stewart at 403-255-4262,
or Cathy Barnes at email: barnesa@cadvision.com
Received 8 May 1997 by email to Laura Turnbull
From: Faye Weber
Replied to by: Joan Bowman
Faye was in search of the location of the homestead of Samuel Steele in the areas of Grande Prairie, Ponoka and Stettler, Alberta.
As I am on the Research Committee for the Grande Prairie & District Branch of AGS, I sent her the following information from the Peace Country Homestead Records contained in the Grande Prairie Provincial Building.\
Samuel Jackson Steele
NE Quarter of Section 31, Township 71, Range 7
Filing Date: 11 July 1913
Title Received: 1919
These homestead records are filed by land location in the Provincial Building. Thanks to our local museum, this information was extracted, and then one of our Grande Prairie Branch members, Tracey Kirouac, put it on computer and alphabetized it - a huge time saver for researchers.
Whether it is of use to Faye, I also sent her the homestead land locations for Harry Steele and Robert J. Steele.
As for the homestead records for the Ponoka and Stettler areas, I was advised by the Land Titles Office in Edmonton, Alberta, that Faye write to:
Provincial Archives
Reference Desk, Community Development
12845 - 102 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5N 0M6
Telephone 403-427-1750
The fellow at the Land Titles office said the person doing the Homestead Records research at the Provincial Archives was very good.
My mother loves crafts and took great pride in the family tree which she had made. It was a green tree and each family member had an apple with his or her name painted on it. When my sister got divorced, I wondered if my mother would remove the ex-husband's apple. She didn't. She just painted a worm where his name had been!
Quoted from Dec. 1990 "Reader's Digest"
Submitted by Nancy Timanson
Organizations Of Interest - Laura Turnbull
Northern Alberta Pioneers and Descendants
Association
9430 Scona Road
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 3W4
Dedicated to the preservation of the memories and history of those hardy men and women who came to northern Alberta before the 1905 declaration of Alberta's provincial status. - Formed in 1894 - About 750 members in 1995 - Publish a newsletter - Cost of yearly membership - $5.00 per year
You are eligible for Membership if:
- you are a descendant of a pioneer who came to western Canada
in or prior to 1905.
- a spouse of the above.
For Membership information contact: Alice Turlock, 8021-160 St., Edmonton AB T5R 2G9
Southern Alberta Pioneers and Their
Descendants
3625 - 4th street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2S 1Y3
Objects of the association are:
1. to collect and preserve information in connection with the
early settlement and subsequent history of the association.
2. to collect and preserve, in authentic form, a library of books,
pamphlets, maps, charts, manuscripts, papers, paintings, photographs
and other materials illustrative of the history of the Province
of Alberta.
3. to rescue from oblivion the memory of its early pioneers and
to preserve narratives of their exploits, perils and adventures.
4. to, in all appropriate matters, advance the interest and perpetuate
the memory of those whose sagacity, energy and enterprise induced
them to settle in the West.
Founded in 1922
You are eligible for Membership if:
· your predecessor arrived in that part of Canada known
as the Province of Alberta, lying south of Township 40 as far
as the United States border, prior to December 31st, 1890.
· a spouse of the above may be an associate member.
For information contact: Southern Alberta Pioneers and Their Descendants 3625 - 4th street SW Calgary, Alberta T2S 1Y3
Births, marriages and deaths as contained in the Grande Prairie Herald newspaper. Continued from the March, 1997 issue of "Heritage Seekers", submitted by Joan Bowman
Note: For the issues dated Aug. 31, 1920 to Sep. 28 1920 inclusive, these issues are erroneously dated '1921'. In reading them, they are indeed for 1920 as all the information in them is dated 1920.
Aug 31, 1920 Issue: (erroneously dated 1921)
- Born to Mr. and Mrs. W.A. BINKS, Aug. 19, a daughter.
- Rev. Fredrick Charles Canon SMITH, Vicar of Hellingly, Eng.
died at St. Leanards ... leaves a wife and six children ... Funeral
at Hellingly Parish Church in Richmond, Surrey, Eng. ... Born
at Isle of Wight ... In 1911, Rev. SMITH came to Grande Prairie
as Superintendant of the Grande Prairie Mission ...
- Bow Island News: Rev. H.S. BAGNALL of Medicine Hat died when
his car over turned on the road between Forty Mile and Formost
... native of Hazel Grove, P.E.I. .. In 1913, he was the First
Baptist Missionary in Grande Prairie ... Funeral at Bow Island
... , conducted by Rev. HUNTER of Burdette.
- Notice to Claimants and Creditors in the District Court of
the District of Peace River, in the matter of the estate of Elmer
E. WORDON, late of the post office of Grande Prairie, AB, Farmer,
Deceased, ... died 16 Sep 1918 ...
- Notice to Claimants and Creditors in the estate of Wilfred
TRIMMING, late of Grande Prairie, AB. Farmer, Deceased ... ,
who died 25 Sep 1916 ...
Sep 7, 1920 Issue: (erroneously dated 1921) - No births, marriages or deaths found
Sep 14, 1920 Issue: (erroneously dated 1921)
- Born to Mr. and Mrs. James H. DUNCAN of Flying Shot Lake,
Sep 8, 1920, twins - a boy and a girl.
- Died - Mr. M. McGLYNN Sep. 8 at his farm in Niobe, age 87.
From Ontario to Alberta 16 years ago ... came here 18 months
ago - leaves a wife and family. Buried in Roman Catholic Cemetery.
J.B. OLIVER in charge of funeral arrangements.
- Married at the Presbyterian Manse on Sep. 11, 1920, by Rev.
Dr. FORBES, Mr. William Walker BARNES of Kleskun Hill to Miss
Agnes WALES of Glen Leslie.
- Married: Mr. William Nasson MILLS of Grande Prairie to Miss
Elsie Mable BAIRD of Calgary on Aug. 25, 1920 by Rev. Dr. A.
FORBES.
- Married: Mr. William George HODGES to Miss Edith STEPHENS of
Beaverlodge on Aug. 30, 1920, Rev. Dr. A. FORBES officiated.
Sep. 21, 1920 Issue: (Tuesday) (erroneously dated 1921)
- Rev. PUFFER of the Methodist Church passed away at Beaverlodge
on Sunday night last.
- A wedding Wednesday last between Glen BROWN and Martha SMITH,
both of Grande Prairie ... , at the Anglican Church, officiated
by Rev. ABBOTT. Bridesmaid - Miss R. LAUCETT, groomsman - Mr.
William SALMON ...
- In the Estate of James WATT, late of Beaverlodge, ... Farmer,
Deceased, ... died 6 June 1916 ...
- In the Estate of William COURTNEY, late of Grande Prairie,
AB, Farmer, Deceased, ... 11 Feb. 1916 ...
Sep 28, 1920 Issue: (erroneously dated 1921)
- ... wedding on Monday when Miss Isabel HENDERSON, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Henry HENDERSON, was united in marriage to Guy
Carleton WRIGHT, the only son of Mrs. F. WRIGHT of Vegreville.
Rev. Dr. FORBES officiated ... Bridesmaid - Miss Rose DEVLIN
... Bestman - D.W. PATTERSON of Grande Prairie ... will reside
in Grande Prairie.
- Born to Rev. and Mrs. F.V. ABBOTT, at Katherine Pritty Hospital
in Grande Prairie on Sep. 24, a daughter.
- Died - In the Katherine Pritty Hospital, Grande Prairie on
Sep. 24, 1920, Ivor JERMINSON, age 45 years.
Oct. 5, 1920 Issue: - No births, marriages or deaths found.
Oct. 12, 1920 Issue:
- Sexsmith news - born to Mr. and Mrs. J.M. BEARD, Oct. 4,
a son. And born to Mr. and Mrs. W. HALL, Oct. 5, a son.
- Lake Saskatoon News - Death of Orel A. PUFFER ... appendicitis
... age 22 ... body shipped to Gellerto, Ontario ... joined the
army in 1916 ... moved to Beaverlodge last June ...
Oct. 19, 1920 Issue: - No births, marriages or deaths found.
Oct. 26, 1920 Issue:
- Mrs. George J. JOHNSON, received news that her mother Mrs.
Joseph MERCIER of Clayton, New York passed away Oct. 14, age
96 years ...
- Murder/Suicide ... bodies of Charles W. WARD and his wife Daisy
(pregnant) found Oct. 20, 1920 in their home at Red Willow ...
married only since last April ... (This issue contains a lengthy
amount of information on this matter and the inquest.)
Nov. 2, 1920 Issue:
- London Oct. 25 - Terence MacSWINEY, Lord Mayor of Cork died
at Brixton prison this morning
- At the home fo Fred DIXON of Beaverlodge ... the wedding of
Edward J. HELLER and Laura G. DAVIS, Oct. 8, Rev. G.A. KETTYLS
officiated ...
- Sexsmith News - Born to Mr. and Mrs. Walter SPRY, Oct. 28,
a son.
- Halcourt News - Mr. D. NIXON died Friday last at work.
- Winnipeg News - A mother and a daughter were made widows by
the railway wreck at Canora, Saskatchewan. The bodies of M. STEINBERG
and D. VINITSKY have been brought here for burial.
- New York News - ... explosion on Wall Street Sep. 16, killed
Theodore PECK of Nyack, New York.
- Winnipeg News - Sergeant Paul WALTERS, ... member of the Northwest
Mounted Police for 30 years, died at the Old Fells home here,
age 74.
Nov. 9, 1920 Issue:
- Chester MILLER was married to Delia OBENLOCK at the Catholic
Mission on Tues. evening, Nov. 2, 1920 officiated by Father RAULT.
Bert BASTED was bestman, Stella WOODS was bridesmaid. The couple
will reside on Third Ave. North.
- The remains of Charles WARD and wife Daisy WARD were laid to
rest at Lake Saskatoon Cemetery Oct. 29, Rev. BURNESS officiated
at the grave side. Dr. WAINWRIGHT was in charge of the funeral
arrangements.
- London News - Lieut. LAMIE of the infantry was shot dead by
unknown persons at Collingson ...
Nov. 16, 1920 Issue:
- Notice to Claimants and Creditors ... of the late Albert
GOODRICH, who died 22 day of March, 1919 at Edmonton ...
- Notice to Claimants and Creditors ... of the late Cecil Samuel
EVANS who died 16 Sep. 1926, at Councellette, France ..
- Born to Mr. and Mrs. I.S. EDWARDS on Nov. 14, a son.
Nov. 23, 1920 Issue: (Tues)
- Born to Mr. and Mrs. George GIBONS, Nov. 19th, a son.
- At the Methodist Parsonage, Lake Saskatoon, Nov. 10, Peray
BAYCROFT and Pearl NILES were united in matrimony. Rev. G.A.
KETTLES officiated. Miss Ruby NILES - bridesmaid. Olaf HORIE
bestman. ... their future home, the Baycroft Ranch in Valhalla.
- ... at the residence of Wm. PEARSON, Grande Prairie Nov. 6th,
Miss Sally E. WEBB and George Abe SMITH were married. Attended
by Mr. and Mrs. Robert KEYS.
Nov. 29, 1920 Issue: (Tues) (This issue should be dated Tues., Nov. 30, 1920)
- Mr. James LOWE died Nov. 21 at Lake Saskatoon. Born in Aberdeen,
Scotland June 1853 and came to S. Minnesota at age 13 with his
parents. Married Margaret McCRAKEN in St. Paul, Minn. in 1889
and came to Canada in 1907, settling in the Stettler area and
then came to Grande Prairie four years later ... widow and nine
children ... sister Mrs. SANGSTER of Aberdeen ... Rev. Dr. FORBES
conducted the burial service.
- Lethbridge News - Victor RYBERT, a bootlegger was killed by
a shot from the rifle of Constable HALE ...
Dec. 7, 1920 Issue:
- Wedding at the Manse of Rev. Dr. FORBES Dec. 1, Mr. Eric
August JOHNSON of Spirit River to Miss Ada ROLLINS of Spirit
River.
- Wedding at the Manse of Rev. Dr. FORBES Dec. 4, Mr. George
BIROSH of Sexsmith to Miss Reta Florence BRICK of Grande Prairie.
- Sexsmith News - Born to Mr. and Mrs. C.W. WHITE, 10 miles east
of Grande Prairie, Nov. 29, a son.
- Mr. and Mrs. Roy PICKERING, on Dec. 1, a daughter.
- Notice to Claimants and Creditors ... of the late Soren JOHNSON,
who died 8th Dec. 1919 at Sexsmith, AB ...
Dec. 14, 1920 Issue:
- At the home of Mr. and Mrs. I.B. STERLING of Acme, AB ...
Nov. 16, Minerva GAMMON, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G.H.
KENT of Lake Saskatoon, married John TURFAS of Calgary, AB. Rev
William BRADLEY officiated ... will reside in Calgary.
- Born to Mr. and Mrs. I. NELSON of Grande Prairie, Dec. 13,
a son.
- An old time resident, Mr. John W. EISMAN, died Dec. 6, at Conncordia,
Kansas.
Dec. 21, 1920 Issue: - No births, marriages or deaths found.
Dec. 28, 1920 Issue:
- Born to Mr. and Mrs. W.H. BROMLEY on Christmas Eve, a son
at the Grande Prairie Hospital.
- In the Estate of John CRAB, late of the Village of Hythe, AB,
Farmer, Deceased ... who died 8 Sep. 1915 ...
Obituaries - Grande Prairie - 1996
Names taken from the obituaries in Grande Prairie's newspaper "The Daily Herald-Tribune" from January to December, 1996
Names in ( ) indicate a woman's maiden name. Names in [ ] indicate a previous married name.
... names continued from previous issue
SMITH, Brayden Jenz
SMITH, Debora Edith
SMITH, Earl
SMITH, Jason Leonard
SMITH, Peggy (BOWEN)
SODERGREN, Harry
SOLHEIM, Gunhild ( )
SORENSEN, Fred Friis
SORKEN, Elva Cora (ERNO)
SPEED, Teresa (SMITH)[REID]
STANGELAND, Ida LaVern ( )
STEINKE, Stewart Calvin
STEPANIUK, Stanley
STEPHENSON, Winnifred "Winnie" (TISSINGTON)
STEVENSON, Marie Olive (HART)
STEWART, Margaret Wilma ( )
STILWELL, Thomas Ernest
SUTHERLAND, Helen ( )
SULARZ, Waselina "Lena" ( ) [EWANCHUK]
SZCZUDLO (SCHUDLO), Katherine ( )
TANGEN, Bjarne
THOMI, Marie (BECK)
THORNICROFT, Cyril Bruce
TOERPER, Jasper
TONE, Doris Ruth ( )
TREACY, Norman
TRUAX, Albert "Lyle"
TRUDEL, Ubalda "Belda" (TAILLEUR)
TURNER, Charlie W
URNESS, Alvin Morris
UTAS, Dr Gilbert "Gil" E
VALIN, Andrew Emanuel
VAN DELLEN, Jennie Gertrude (SCHIEBOUT)
VAN HAGA, Eveline Ruth (HAZLETT)
VAN NOREL, Jantje ( )
VELVE, Ole
VETTER, Jeannine Margaret (CAZA)
VIGEN, Dorothy Edith ( )
WABASCA, Peter
WALKER, Dorothy Rachel (DUMONT)
WALKER, James H
WALKER, Margaret "Peggy" Jean (MOORE)
WALTON, John Alfred
WALROTH, Ernest Spafford
WARNKE, Edward Jack
WATSON, Allan C
WEBBER, Bertha (BIENDARRA)
WEEGAR, Hazel Catharine (PATTERSON)
WERNER, Myrtle Pearl (DeBOICE)
WHITE, Mary ( )
WIELCZKO, Matrona ( )
WILLIAMSON, Ethel ( )
WILL, Doris Annie (PEARSON)
WILL, Teressa M (ATKINSON)
WITHERS, Richard "Dick"
WOHLGEMUTH, Elma Emma (KLASSEN)
WOLD, Paul Melvin
WOLTERS, Waldemar
WRZOSEK, John
YATES, Brock William George
YATES, George Edward "Ed"
ZAICHKOWSKY, Alexander "Alex"
ZWEIER, Erika Marie ( )
The obituary index consists of index cards, on which the actual obituary from "The Daily Herald-Tribune" in Grande Prairie has been pasted. As well, funeral cards, thank you notices, memorials and notices to creditors & claimants have been included where applicable. If there were other news articles containing information of the deceased, these have also been collected.
This obituary file covers the period from 1978 to the present. Past issues of "Heritage Seekers" which contain surname lists of these obituaries are:
Vol. 11, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 Mar -Dec 1988 1978 - 1987
Vol. 13, No. 2, Jun 1990 1988
Vol. 13, No. 3, Sep 1990 1989
Vol. 14, No. 1, Mar 1991 1990
Vol. 15, No. 1, Mar 1992 1991
Vol. 16, No. 1, Mar 1993 1992
Vol. 17, No. 1, Mar 1994 1993
Vol. 18, No. 1, Mar 1995 1994
Vol. 19, No. 1, Mar 1996 1995
Our Research Committee will search any surname for a SASE. If copies are requested, you will be notified of the number of entries available and copying costs (approximately 25¢/copy).
Have You Checked Your Census? Library Report for June 1997 - Debby Was
Some of our most popular holdings are the Canadian census microfilm reels. We have the entire 1891 & 1901 Canadian census, as well as some miscellaneous census years in Ontario & Nova Scotia. The branch executive is currently considering projects to raise money to start purchasing the 1881 census.
Using the census is one of the most useful tools for genealogical research. If your family was in Canada prior to 1901 you will probably find them on a census. However, you must keep in mind that many people were missed, either by accident or on purpose. Like today, our ancestors tended to be suspicious of Canadian bureaucracy and could not understand the government's need to ask personal questions like your ancestor's age, religion, nationality, etc. You should also keep in mind that the information contained in the census may not be completely accurate. Errors were made by both enumerators and the people providing the information.
By finding your ancestor on the census, you can usually find his/her parents, siblings, spouse and children. It is not unusual to find extended family members as well, because people tended to marry from within the community.
The microfilm is kept in the Isabel Campbell room in the public library. The room is open to the public any time the library is open. There are two microfilm readers. One has the capabilities to print copies, however you will need a key from the circulation desk. Copies are 25 cents each and are paid to the staff at the circulation desk.
Helpful finding aids for the Canadian census are the Catalogue of Census Returns on Microfilm 1666-1891 and Catalogue of Census Returns On Microfilm 1901. These books have a tendency to wander around the library, however there should be a copy of each book in the Isabel Campbell Room and at the reference desk. You start your search by checking the book for the province or territory, then for the community or township name. The film numbers will be listed under the community. Gazetteers and place name books can be very helpful at this point (check the reference section in the library).
To save time you should first check the Grande Prairie Public Library (GPPL) computer catalogue for any census indexes in our collection. We have quite a few for the 1891 & 1901 census and many for 1871 in Ontario. These indexes are usually arranged alphabetically by surname and can save you searching through several films. Always remember to check alternate spellings of your surnames.
If you need to use the earlier Canadian census (1851-1881), you will need to place a request for an interlibrary loan of the reels from the National Archives of Canada. You are allowed to borrow two films at a time and are allowed to have the film for a three week loan period. In order to interlibrary loan the film, you must be a library member. The library reference staff will help you fill in the special forms. The one drawback is that it takes so long for the films to come from the National Archives. It is not unusual to wait several months.
An alternative is to make a trip to Edmonton. The Provincial Archives of Alberta has the Canadian census in their reading room. It is well worth the trip if you require the earlier census years. In one day I was able to check 1841-1881 for my area of research. The archives is located at: 12845 - 102 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 0M6 (phone: 403-427-1750).
Some of the new books in the branch library are:
R GEN 929.102 5 GEN Genealogical Research Directory: National
& International 1997
R GEN 929.371 CAN Canadian Passengers Inward Bound 1856 - 1858
R GEN 929.371 1CAN Canadian Border Entry Lists 1908 -1918: Yukon
Territory & British Columbia, Part 1
If you require help with the Grande Prairie Branch library, contact me. I'm always glad to give a helping hand.
Heritage Seekers is published by:
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October 15, 1997