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Field of Study

My Independent Studies pre-thesis work is to link family genealogy withthe history of each period that brought ancestors to North America. It will show the effects of immigration on the families and will commence with immigrants in 1630 to Brooklyn in New Amsterdam with wilderness and warring Indian survival. The time frame will cover the Thirty Years War in Europe, the Huguenot persecutions in France, Penn's settlement in Pennsylvania, The American Revolution followed by settlement in New Brunswick and then Upper Canada with involvement in the War of 1812-14 and will conclude with the Rebellion of Upper Canada1837.

With my academic advisor's direction it will be determined if the distaff side should be a focus of one area of study as the stories of four outstanding pioneer women ancestors are included.

It is my intention to enter these histories, with lineages of the families involved, family charts and pictures and create a fully indexed hard bound volume which will be housed in the Public Archives of Canada and The Ontario Genealogical Society's collection in the North York Public Library.

Extra Activities

I am a passionate family genealogist and have researched, written and self-published eleven family histories. I attend genealogy and heritage fairs and assist others with their genealogical searches. I served in executive offices, including President, in the Grand River Branch, United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada. On the Dominion level of the United Empire Loyalists' Association I held office as Regional Vice President and also the Education Outreach Chair which involved workshops from Kingston to Winnipeg.

I currently serve on 'Legacy 1812', a Provincial Committee appointed to determine ways to celebrate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812-14. In preparation for this bicentennial, I gave a talk on "The Effects of the War of 1812-14 on the Inhabitants of Norfolk County". This talk has been published in the recent book "Loyalist Families of the Members of The Grand River Branch, UELAC". I served on the editorial committee for the publication of this book.

Extensive research is required for another current project, also due in 2014. This will be an alphabetical listing of Loyalists and their Sons and Daughters who received grants of land in Norfolk County 1796-1832. Their lots will be plotted on a map of Norfolk County. This will be a valuable research tool for people searching ancestors in Norfolk County and, when completed, will be housed in the Donly Museum, Simcoe, Ontario.

 

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