In this post I share my thoughts on some confusing concepts in genealogy - original and derivative records; negative evidence; primary, secondary, and indeterminable information - all by looking at one original record from the BC archives. Genealogy Search - BC Archives Those of us fortunate to research in British Columbia rely on the Royal… Continue reading How to read an original record for evidence
Category: Genealogy How Tos
First and Second World War Files at LAC and Ancestry
On Remembrance Day I share my two most recent posts on the World Wars, PLUS Ancestry's free military collection offer, good to Nov 12th.
Requesting Second World War Files from LAC in Oct 2021: what you need to know now
In this post I share my experience in a recent application for a Second World War military service file, and then look at the surprising depth of military files online at Library and Archives Canada
Using Asana for genealogy
In this post I'll introduce you to one of my most important, can't live without it, tech tool: Asana. It's project management software that is robust enough to run large companies but customizable enough for starting small. And it's free.
Finding Mrs. Yip Sang: a case study of the General Register of Chinese Immigration 1885-1949 (Canada)
A case study for finding people on the General Register of Chinese Immigration 1885-1949
Connecting, capturing, conversing, creating, and learning: celebrating Asian History Month in genealogy
It's Asian History Month and Asian genealogy has never been hotter. In this post I celebrate connecting to elders, gathering stories, courses I've taken, and courses that are coming.
The families of old Canada: Dukesang Wong, Chue Ah Louie and Yip Sang
Thanks to readers who recommended it, I picked up a copy of The Diary of Dukesang Wong at my favourite local book store, McNally Robinson. It's a slim volume and an easy read - no more than 115 pages not including bibliography. It is the only first-person account of the life of a Chinese railway… Continue reading The families of old Canada: Dukesang Wong, Chue Ah Louie and Yip Sang
Announcing: the Canadian Genealogical Virtual Research Institute (CGVRI): July 18-23, 2021
Big news: the brand new, all Canadian, virtual genealogy institute. Course 1: Immigration to Canada, coming July 18-23, 2021. Now open for registration.
My new book: Getting started in Chinese genealogy
It's been two weeks since I released my new e-book Getting started in Chinese genealogy: a family historian's step by step guide (even if you don't speak or read Chinese). In this post I'd like to share some feedback, an awesome video, and give you the chance to win a free copy of your own.… Continue reading My new book: Getting started in Chinese genealogy
Last thoughts: Planning a genealogy legacy
This post is about letting your family and friends know what you most value, why it's valuable, and to whom you'd like to leave it. I'm going to talk about a subject that we genealogists both love and hate: passing on family history.