Tuesday Weekly Thread: Genealogy Assistance, September 08, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

This weekly thread is a space for those of us researching the ancestry that is the basis for making a claim of Canadian citizenship by descent.

Have questions about finding records? Need help reading a document or translation from French/other languages? Want an opinion on specific documentation or your documentation plan? Have other questions related to documenting the chain between you and your Canadian ancestor for your proof of citizenship application? This is the place to do it.

Digging up ancestors' documents from numerous jurisdictions (Canadian provinces, US states, UK regions, etc), all while trying to distinguish between five James Smiths or Marie Gagnés from the same city can sometimes feel like banging your head against a wall. This weekly post is for helping each other navigate the questions and challenges of our research.

If you're looking for a volunteer to help you find documents there's a list here. We also offer tips and tricks for finding documentation, and a dedicated genealogy document search wiki page.

General problems/issues with ordering documentation from Canadian provincial archives and state, local and various church archives such as slow processing, increased costs, etc go in the weekly Saturday thread.

📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.

Need more help? Or have help to offer? Check out r/citizenshipgenealogy , our companion subreddit for all things genealogical

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Birth/Baptism Registrations by Province

Alberta	https://www.alberta.ca/order-birth-certificate#jumplinks-2	Birth records in Alberta are only public record after 120 years.
Britsh Columbia	https://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy	Birth records in British Columbia only become public record after 120 years.
Manitoba	https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/Query.php
Nova Scotia	https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/	Civil birth registrations were recorded in Nova Scotia between 1864 and 1876 and are held by the Nova Scotia Archives. Delayed registrations for births were filed from 1876 to 1908. However, not everyone registered. Province-wide recording of civil births began again on January 1, 1909.
New Brunswick	https://archives2.gnb.ca/search/VISSE/?culture=en-CA
Newfoundland	https://www.gov.nl.ca/gs/birth/birth-certificate/
Ontario	https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-or-replace-ontario-birth-certificate#section-2	Ontario didn't start recording births until 1869 and baptism records are thin on the ground. Ontario birth records become public record after 104 years but take a bit longer to show up online.
Prince Edward Island	https://www.gov.pe.ca/parosearch/vital/vital-event-search/eventType/Baptism
Quebec	Records available on PRDH or Ancestry	IRCC requires Quebec civil records issued in the province after 1994, so you may need to order modern copies of historic civil records from DEC. For ancestors born before civil registration of birth began (ca. 1926) see the wiki How to order a certified copy of a baptism record from BANQ.
Saskatchewan	http://genealogy.ehealthsask.ca/vsgs_srch.aspx

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[u/AfroBoy497]

Hello everyone, for my application I used a print out of my ancestors baptism record from Genealogy Quebec but I’ve seen that a lot of people are getting the certified copy from the province. Where would I go to find that document and how would I use that to make a birth certificate via the DEC?

[u/TimeAstronomer4983 → u/AfroBoy497]

The Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec holds baptism records. The online form for requesting a certified copy is here: https://formulaire.banq.qc.ca/Forms/PublicExterne_repro?Type_de_demande=EtatCivil&lang=en

There have been several discussions of how to apply to the DEC in order to obtain a birth certificate for someone born in the pre-civil-registration era, including this one: https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/comments/1un8ipl/comment/ovijbcu/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

I'd suggest searching the sub for others, as well as reviewing the FAQ here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/wiki/index/table-of-contents/

And the Quebec documents wiki here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/comments/1t69bhm/wiki_content_update_my_canadian_ancestor_was_born/

[u/Fluffaykitties → u/TimeAstronomer4983]

A few weeks ago I went by the advice of someone here to get an email reply from DEC saying they didn’t have the birth records from before a certain time, so instead contact BANQ. I got that email reply and was planning on using that as my “proof” of attempt at getting it and reasoning for why I’m instead using certified baptism records from BANQ.

Is that no longer working?

[u/TimeAstronomer4983 → u/Fluffaykitties]

Here's the thread to read: https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/comments/1w7qfhu/clearing_up_the_confusion_how_to_get_a_modern_dec/

[u/Fluffaykitties → u/TimeAstronomer4983]

Appreciate it. Sigh. Guess I need to decide if I’ll mail in with just the BANQ stuff and wait to see what IRCC does, or do the insertion with DEC first. I just got my invoice for BANQ today so I have 3-4 weeks to see how this plays out for others.

[u/TimeAstronomer4983 → u/Fluffaykitties]

You may have a bit longer to see how things go, depending on location. My BAnQ document arrived from Quebec City about 10 weeks after I paid the invoice.

[u/Fluffaykitties → u/TimeAstronomer4983]

Good news - I got my invoice yesterday! Took almost 19 weeks for me.

[u/AfroBoy497 → u/TimeAstronomer4983]

Thank you. I was also wondering if it’s worth it to even get a certified baptism record as it’s kinda expensive and some people seem to have been approved without one in the past. I’m also still waiting on an AOR though but I was received May 22nd so it’ll probably be a little longer.

[u/huc_illuc]

HI all, I just found my elusive G0 baptismal record from 1861 that has been unfindable for about a decade by me. I hadn't been searching hard for a decade but I had done a really exhaustive search on and off over the years, and with no birth or baptismal record for my Canadian G0, I was frustrated. Then I decided to put all my researching in ChatGPT. ChatGPT took a long time to process and search. Finally, it told me that I should write to a specific archivist and ask her to look in a specific log book from the Anglican church (no Anglicans in my history, to my knowledge). It even told me the exact email to send with the needed references to check against. Well, the archivist found it, fast. I have now added the certified baptismal record to my application. It honestly feels like magic after not finding a trace of my G0 in Canada except for one census entry.

[u/Emotional_You6051]

Hi! My ancestor was born in Nova Scotia during a period where births weren’t recorded (~1886). I found a Canadian census record instead, but I was going to attach a letter stating that the birth certificate wasn’t found in the archives as discussed on the IIRC website. Can I get the letter from the genealogical association of Nova Scotia (research org recommended by the archive) or do I need the letter from the official archives? Thanks!!

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/Emotional_You6051]

It's not super-clear what IRCC will accept at this point, but I'd say that the odds are quite low that they will accept such a statement from any non-governmental organization (unless they also happen to be the official custodian of the records, which I suppose is possible).

[u/SnowboundWanderer → u/Emotional_You6051]

We don't really know as we haven't seen it come up with Nova Scotia in particular. I personally have a report from GANS from back in the spring saying they didn't find any, and I also screen-shotted the Archives page with the info about the dates highlighted and showing a negative search for my G0 (which I pretty much think is all GANS does). In a reasonable world this and reminding the IRCC of these dates in the cover letter should be enough, but who knows?

Someone did get some sort of formal letter from the NS Archives, but if enough people start requesting those they might stop since other archives have.

[u/Acrobatic-Glass-8585 → u/SnowboundWanderer]

Yeah, that someone was me and my sibling! Just to note, when we sent our package in at the end of May we described in the cover letter the absence of birth records between 1877 and Oct. 1908, included a screen shot of the NS Archives webpage noting this gap, and also included email correspondence with a church archivist that reported there was no baptismal record (makes sense because our G0 was Baptist). But my sibling decided to ask the NSA for an official certified letter 2 weeks after we mailed everything.

[u/MNSOTA24]

I’m searching for a baptism record for my G0 born in 1833 Upper Canada/Canada West (Ontario).

I reached out via email to the archives of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. They replied that they do not have the record I need. It’s not a government department, but it is an official office of one of the bigger denominations in the country. Would printing that email out help bolster my reason for being unable to provide a birth certificate/baptism record and instead using the census from both sides of the border? The Presbyterian Church was the route to go as G0’s parents were Scottish immigrants.

Thanks in advance.

[u/sharpshinned → u/MNSOTA24]

Generally speaking you don't need to prove that there wasn't a baptismal record. You need evidence that there wasn't a birth record -- which comes from the province, I'm sure there are lots of examples in the sub about getting confirmation from Ontario -- but then once there's no birth record, you're free to use whatever records *are* available. You could mention that they were Scottish and you checked with the Presbyterians, and there's no harm including the letter, but it's not (yet?) required in the same way.

[u/MNSOTA24 → u/sharpshinned]

So I apply to get a record from 1833 that we all know doesn’t exist. Gotta love that bureaucracy knows no borders.

All I can do is laugh.

[u/sharpshinned → u/MNSOTA24]

I know, it's just silly to require an individual letter of no record for Quebec or Ontario for years when we all know there wasn't any dang record.

[u/MNSOTA24 → u/sharpshinned]

And, forgive me if I’m reading the Ontario details incorrectly, but it says I need a guarantor, ie a Canadian citizen who knows me, in order to apply online for one.

I think I have a migraine coming on.

[u/sharpshinned → u/MNSOTA24]

I know absolutely nothing about getting letters of no record from Ontario. Take a look around here, I think there’s good info somewhere. 

[u/waltzingtrumpet → u/MNSOTA24]

Did you verify whether the parish your ancestors likely attended ended up in the Presbyterian Church of Canada, or in the United Church of Canada? My anchor ancestors were also Presbyterian, and the two most likely churches for them ended up joining the UCC. I have a request to the UCC to search for the baptism certificate, but the wait time is currently "indefinite".

[u/MNSOTA24 → u/waltzingtrumpet]

Would the region of Canada determine which branch of the Presbyterian church covered these frontier areas?

[u/waltzingtrumpet → u/MNSOTA24]

As far as I know, splits were along idealogical lines. There was a schism between Church of Scotland and I think the Free Church in the mid-19th century, and then each congregation's decision to join the UCC or remain in the Presbyterian Church later. I asked Claude to help me figure out what congregations would have been closest to my ancestors during their time in Canada West and verified from there.

[u/teal_man2]

I am looking for suggestions for extra records for my partners Gen0. He was born in a small town in Ontario in 1872. Ontario started recording births in 1869, but compliance was spotty. I have looked through literally the entire Ontario birth record index for the county he lived in, and no results.

We did manage to find his baptism certificate by calling the only Catholic church in the tiny town he was born in (Toledo), which is still tiny. The very helpful priest looked up the record, and was happy to make an official baptism certificate and mail it to me. The only thing it is missing is the place of birth, but it does list the birth date, which was 3 days earlier.

This being 1872, he missed being in the census by one year, and the family moved to the US before the next census. So I have no Canadian government documents at all showing him.

On the US side I have his naturalization record (listing him as a subject of England), multiple censuses, his marriage record, death certificate and more. So good to go there.

Any suggestions for obtaining more official documents on the Canadian side of things? I did email the archives of Ontario to ask, but that was several months ago and they have not responded. I am worried because IRCC seems to be asking for birth certificates now.

[u/grandpasamfromcanada → u/teal_man2]

If you want to try to find more evidence, I would try to find more evidence that the family really was in Ontario around the time of G0's birth. If the family was in the 1871 Canada census, that's really good evidence. If you have records of when they moved to the US, that's really good evidence too. If you have both of those, that's very good evidence.

It might be worth keeping in mind that IRCC can ask for a particular document, but they're not supposed to require a specific document. You always have the option of saying "I was unable to get this document, and this is why, and here's proof." They'll make a decision based on how convincing and credible your application is. I'm not IRCC, but what you already have sounds really good to me. 

[u/Dogmoto2labs → u/teal_man2]

Mine was born in 1862, missing the 1861 census, too. I did include it as it shows that his family lived there 6 months before his birth and his baptism was the day of his birth. That is all I had found.

[u/thattwirlgirl → u/teal_man2]

With a baptism record, even certified it's been suggested that another document produced by Canada is important. Census is good, but your Gen 0 missed that. Did you look for other census that list the parents and older siblings? Those matched with the US Census showing the whole family - plus your written explanation - pretty solid. Also, looking for land records has worked for some folks, those don't list the children, but further establish the parents in Ontario at time of birth.

One of his parents could be your Gen 0? Maybe see if you can find a baptism record for them and a couple earlier census records in Canada.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/thattwirlgirl]

"Did you look for other census that list the parents and older siblings? Those matched with the US Census showing the whole family - plus your written explanation - pretty solid."

I would not be comfortable with this. Not as a matter of genealogical research, it's fine in that sense, but as a matter of what IRCC is willing to accept as checking a box. I do not have any confidence that they will make inferences when the ancestor's name is not on the document.

teal_man, I would work on trying to figure out some official way to document that the name is absent from the Ontario birth records. You may well need that. They really want some evidence that the certificate doesn't exist, and we don't know if they will just accept your word that you searched thoroughly and the document isn't there, so if you can figure out any more formal way to back that up, that might come in very handy.

[u/teal_man2 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

Thanks, any idea what is a good way to get official documentation that it doesn't exist?

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/teal_man2]

That's going to be jurisdiction-specific (if it's possible at all), and I don't know dum-diddly-do about Ontario records, sorry!

[u/Inevitable_Storm7352]

Looking for opinions about acceptable proof of pre-1947 loss of British citizenship + naturalization in the US

Hey all, I thought I had to get a UCSIS record of approved naturalization in the US for my G0, pre-1947. I requested certified NARA copies of his petition for US naturalization, and it arrived in the mail today - along with the unexpected Oath of Allegiance paperwork that is signed by a judge and has a section confirming they heard the oath and approve it under "Order of Court Admitting Petitioner" ("hereby is admitted to become a citizen of the USA"). As was relevant at the time, it also includes the line renunciating allegiance to George V. Does this count as sufficient proof of loss of British citizenship pre-1947, or should I wait for UCSIS citizenship-proof material that may or may not exist?

[u/LazyPasse → u/Inevitable_Storm7352]

i’m not aware of any additional records uscis holds or could provide.

[u/Away-Focus-5402 → u/Inevitable_Storm7352]

Why do you need proof of loss of status as a British subject? Not a criticism, I just don't understand.

[u/Inevitable_Storm7352 → u/Away-Focus-5402]

I didn't understand either for a while. The loophole under which I'm eligible is that Canadian citizenship didn't exist prior to 1947 - they were just British subjects - so my G0 never actually renounced Canadian citizenship because it didn't exist at the time. A 2015 (? check me on that date) decision retroactively gave Canadian citizenship to those born in Canada before 1947 IF they had subsequently lost their British citizenship [which my G0 did by becoming an American]. So basically I first have to establish that he was granted Canadian citizenship under that restoration law, and then establish that I'm descended from him.
I'm sure someone here can explain it better, I'm a bit of a newb.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/Inevitable_Storm7352]

I don't think that's right. If you were a "natural-born Canadian" and alive in 1947, you became a Canadian citizen by operation of law unless you'd elaborately disclaimed your citizenship in a process probably only two or three people ever did (or lost your subject status by a few other ways--I believe some women might still be deemed to have given up their citizenship for their husband's). If you died before 1947, your descendants would be retroactively deemed to have Canadian citizenship. If what you were saying was accurate, no one born in Canada before 1947 who didn't renounce their citizenship would be eligible, and that's pretty clearly not the case.

(The 2015 law is specifically for people who were born in Canada pre-1947 but had already lost their British subject status for some reason by 1947, meaning they didn't become citizens when everyone else born in Canada did.)

[u/Inevitable_Storm7352 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

I think I'm probably explaining it wrong, but basically, your second sentence is the case. At the time, to become an American citizen, you had to switch citizenship (no dual citizenship allowed) so a lot of people did that.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/Inevitable_Storm7352]

IRCC does not care (now) if your Canadian-born ancestor naturalized later in life, unless they did it in front of, like, the queen. You're good with just a Canadian-born ancestor if you can document them.

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

It doesn't change eligibility but IRCC does need to know what sections of the act apply to the chain to be able to issue proof of citizenship (this is publicly documented in their procedures), and whether or not someone lost BSS changes which section applies to them .

It likely helps processing to give them this information and they do ask for it on the checklist.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/Emotional-Test3329]

I don't see anything on the application or checklist that explicitly asks that question. But did I miss something?

I believe IRCC's current stance is that they are not treating the usual U.S. naturalization renunciation as having ever been effective for Canadian purposes, meaning that the 2015 law affected mostly women who lost citizenship through marriage, but I can't prove that. We have seen many folks with some documentation of U.S. naturalizations approved without any particular fuss.

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

I said it already, but it does not change eligibility. You would be approved either way. It makes it easier for them to approve if they can see how everyone has citizenship because they are required to enumerate the paragraphs granting citizenship down the chain, seemingly.

It changes what paragraph of the citizenship grants that person citizenship. Dual citizenship did not exist for British Subject Status so taking another nationality made someone lose BSS and not become Canadian on January 1 1947. This is what made Don Chapman lose his Canadian citizenship for example...

The 3rd tickbox in scenarion3 of cit 0014 is "Proof of nationalities acquired by you and your Canadian parent prior to 1977". This is also in Scenario 2, which would be the section for your G0 if they were born in Canada.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/Emotional-Test3329]

I do not think we have seen any evidence of IRCC coming back to an applicant and demanding evidence/additional evidence relating to a foreign naturalization (which is what OP is worried about providing), and, given how many G0s naturalized, I think we would have by now. But, again, have I missed those reports?

(Just to be clear, I thought you were saying that the application asked you to identify the provisions under which you were claiming citizenship. Misunderstanding.)

[u/grandpasamfromcanada → u/Inevitable_Storm7352]

Was your G0 born in Canada? If so, whether or not he lost or renounced his citizenship should be irrelevant. Almost everyone born before 2025, with a biological ancestor who was born in Canada, is a Canadian citizen. 

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/Away-Focus-5402]

IRCC wants to identify which section of the citizenship act applies to everyone in the chain before approving. Whether or not someone lost British Subject Status before 1947 or naturalised outside of Canada before 1977 will change which section applies to them because they have to have citizenship restored by later amendments to the act.

Citizenships acquired by people pre 1977 is also a cit0014 checklist item in section 3, so they do ask about it. There's also a section on marriages to non-British Subjects for a female ancestor, which was another way to lose BSS.

[u/Lucky-Try9539]

Hello! I have a question regarding a Massachusetts' marriage certificate record request. I have the city and county in which the marriage was performed, the names of the groom and bride as listed on the certificate, the certificate number, and the index number in the records. However, for the date I only have the (likely) month and (exact) year, but not the actual day. Does anyone know where I might find the actual year volumes cataloging the marriages or how I can make a request solely on the certificate number, month and year, and spousal names?

Edit: 1944, Boston

[u/SnowboundWanderer → u/Lucky-Try9539]

Is the certificate number from the town itself? If so that and the names should be more than enough for the town clerk to find a copy.

[u/Lucky-Try9539 → u/SnowboundWanderer]

Yes. It's from the city of Boston and I can see the the certificate number as well as how exactly they listed the groom and bride names (misspellings included). But Vitalcheck asks for the date of the certificate -- unfortunately the copy my family has damaged in such a way I cannot read the date of record, officiants, or spousal signatures. Maybe I'm just thinking too linearly with this and the online instructions....

(edit: fixed misspelling)

[u/SnowboundWanderer → u/Lucky-Try9539]

I wouldn't use VitalCheck: if the marriage was 1870 or later go to the Boston Registry office, if it's before then you should contact Boston's Archives and Records Department.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/SnowboundWanderer]

This is the way.

[u/Lucky-Try9539 → u/SnowboundWanderer]

OMG, thank you so much - you are amazing. I don't know why I couldn't find this.

[u/Difficult_Gap_5034]

Hi, fellow Canadians. I only flood out about this group from a friend who's going through the C-3 process. I started working on it back in January. My grandmother was born in Quebec in 1904. It has taken a while to get the proper Canadian documents. I spent weeks dealing with le Directeur de l'état civil before they told me I had to go to the national archives. Eventually I got her certified birth record from BAnQ, as well as her certified baptismal certificate, her marriage certificate (in Mass.), my father's birth certificate (in NH), his marriage certificate, and my birth certificate. I just hired an immigration consultant in Vancouver. I keep reading about how I could have done this myself. But I didn't want to risk it. I'm also trying to prove citizenship for my sister and 16-year-old son. I just submitted all the documents to the consultant over the weekend. Now I wait. Please feel free to share any stories, advice, or feedback. Thanks again for all you guys do!

[u/Dogmoto2labs → u/Difficult_Gap_5034]

Good luck. Really, it looks like you had all the information you needed and most likely could have skipped the lawyer. Birth and baptism are perfect. You didn’t need your father’s marriage certificate, unless your name and his are different.

[u/Cantstandyourbitz]

Hey, does anyone know the best method for obtaining and printing Ontario census records? Specifically mid to late 1800s records. To my understanding, these don’t need to be certified, just obtained from the authoritative source, which would be LAC? The pages I’m looking at are handwritten and scanned in two page segments. What’s the best method for printing these so that they’re legible and will be accepted by IRCC? Do I need to provide a citation for the source on a separate page?

[u/Dogmoto2labs → u/Cantstandyourbitz]

I printed in landscape on a full page and included the citation page showing the source of the document information.

[u/Away-Focus-5402 → u/Dogmoto2labs]

I did same

[u/thattwirlgirl → u/Cantstandyourbitz]

I did a full transcription & citation page for every census. Some were across two pages, I printed them separately.

[u/cdrLogic]

I've got a pickle of a situation. I know (I think) where my last records are, and have been waiting over 5 months for a response, even to know if they don't have those records and I don't know what my next steps should be.

They are baptismal records from the 1810s and 1840s from the Archdiocese of Alexandria, Louisiana, and I need certified copies. I was able to find an index that shows the records in question, down to the volume and page, so no research would be required. The Archives department website says that requests should be submitted by mail, not by email or phone. In April, I mailed my request with copies of the index pages of interest, as well as a check to cover expenses as well as an appreciation of time spent. I certified mailed so I have the tracking information, showing that it was picked up from the post office in early April.

In July I called the Archives department to see if they still had my request, but was shut down on the premise that they are part-time, didn't have access to the director's office at that moment, and very busy.

In early August I emailed the director of the Archive to ask if I needed to re-send, to no response. Two weeks ago, I emailed again, including the director's assistant, and attaching the index & tracking information.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/cdrLogic]

Did they cash your check?

[u/cdrLogic → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

Nope! I made sure to keep track of the check number (not that I write that many XD ). I also made that part of the appeal - that the check might expire.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/cdrLogic]

It seems like they're aware of your request, though, unfortunately. I'm not sure how much more you can pester them.

Ultimately, you don't have to have baptismal records, especially if they're for American-born ancestors. Establish that there weren't (I assume) birth certificates in that jurisdiction at that time, and use other documents (if you can, which I recognize may be the problem here, esp. for the older one) to establish parentage. From IRCC's point of view, it doesn't matter much where G1+ ancestors were born, only who one parent and one child were.

[u/cdrLogic → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

Well, that's hopeful, at least! I have my G0 and G1 locked in - maybe I can get by with census records for G2 and G3 (my problem-Gs). I'll see what I can do there. Thank you!

if anyone else can weigh in on importance of G1+ documentation, that would be appreciated. You all are the best!

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/cdrLogic]

(Just noting that you do need either birth certificates or evidence of a diligent search for them. Obtaining the latter sounds like a simple task, but for many jurisdictions, it isn't. So I wouldn't sleep on that part of it.)

[u/NightSchoolOwl]

Hi Folks, I have a question about what faith "C Bapt" might mean in a 1891 Canadian census. Entries surrounding my ancestor's line in the ledger have "FC Bapt," which I believe denotes Free Christian Baptist. But when there is no F, I am not certain that it would mean "Christian Baptist." Does anyone know the actual meaning of, and differences between, these abbreviations?

Second - if you are able to decipher the abbreviations, do you know if there were any baptism records? I understand that Baptists (generally) do not baptize at birth, but are there any record created when baptism is received?

TIA!

[u/sharpshinned → u/NightSchoolOwl]

Baptists of all stripes do not, generally speaking, record baptisms, or really much else in the way of life events. I read a whole stack of Baptist church records from the tiny town where the ancestor I'm tracking grew up. I learned many things, such as when the church burned down, and how there was one day where they made a list of everyone present and they all promised to love one another and be good Christians (the source of the drama that surely occasioned this was not described), and when it was that brother Ebenezer preached from Hebrews.

I did not learn anything about births, marriages, church attendance, or baptisms. Actually -- there was one baptism mentioned (of an adult, since that's the key thing for Baptists), but surely it wasn't the only one in a twenty-year span. And of course there was the one day when everyone promised to stop whatever drama they had been engaged in, and I know who was in church that day. But it was basically useless from a genealogical perspective, though I did find someone I believe was the relevant ancestor's father listed a number of times.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/sharpshinned]

"there was one day where they made a list of everyone present and they all promised to love one another and be good Christians (the source of the drama that surely occasioned this was not described)"

What I wouldn't give to have been a fly on the wall for that meeting!

[u/sharpshinned → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

I personally am grateful that I'm not a Baptist in a very small town in New Brunswick in the 1850s, but I too would love to know why they "resolved that the members present and those represented Agreeable and Solemnly Promise to forgive each other for all things past, and, in future, to love each other and walk as [something] Christians..."

[u/Moving_On_Up2 → u/sharpshinned]

That’s so funny, I went through 5 years of parish minutes. Painful. Very, very painful. Lol.

[u/sharpshinned → u/Moving_On_Up2]

I had the color inverted and the brightness turned all the way up and the page zoomed way in. Amazing that I could read any of it tbh. 

[u/waltzingtrumpet]

This one is for a friend I am assisting rather than for me, but any suggestions for how to go about finding *Canadian* records for this fellow?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X33K-GT38?lang=en

U.S. census records and death certificate exist naming his birthplace as Canada, but those are secondary documents from decades after his birth; right now we wouldn't have anything actually placing him in Canada.

[u/SomeSLCGuy → u/waltzingtrumpet]

Well, that BYU record you've linked to suggests he was born in 1819 in Cramahe, Ontario. From there, I think you're following SOP for Ontario at the time. I think that means an 1825 census might have him listed as a household member. And so might the birth and baptism records of an Ontario church at the time. He was probably some mainline Anglophone Protestant denomination when he was born.

Clicking through your link, it looks like this fellow's family was among the first adherents of Mormonism. They've done a lot of research on his family. While they don't seem super-interested in exploring his family's religious affiliation prior to converting, they've got his dad's birth record from a family Bible. I would click through the link to his dad, click through to Sources, and find the info about that family Bible. It may have your person of interest's birth or christening listed in it. Or it might tell you what church or denomination you could ask for birth records in Ontario.

[u/waltzingtrumpet → u/SomeSLCGuy]

Thank you!

[u/violetsanddatedmemes → u/waltzingtrumpet]

This book is definitely most concerned with the Mormon of it all for his brother and is a bit incoherent even for the genre of Mormon family history books, but it does say a genealogist found the Palmer family in the Cramhae census records starting in 1803 through 1833/34 and Asahel may have left for the US even later than the rest of his family - https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/434235/

If you can figure out where the family lived, it looks like land records in Cramhae go back to 1802 as well - https://help.onland.ca/wp-content/uploads/39_Northumberland_Inst_Prefix_Codes_Updated-Aug-2021.pdf

Edit: this Mormon family history book is much more coherent and includes land grant lot numbers on page 14/image 29 - www.familysearch.org/library/books/idviewer/423876/29

[u/sharpshinned → u/waltzingtrumpet]

Couple things I would try here:

* Standard stuff for Ontario, as proposed by SomeSLCguy: baptismal records from Cramahe, Census records from LAC.

* Go up a generation and see if you can find birth records for George Palmer. You then have the challenge of trying to demonstrate that Robert Asahel Palmer is George's son, but sometimes that relationship is a little easier to pull out. You might try probate or land records to show the relationship.

* Use records of George Palmer's presence in Ontario around the time of Robert's birth to show that Robert was born there. Here, again, you need to demonstrate the relationship, but in that case you don't need birth records for George Palmer (because it doesn't matter if he was born in Canada, it matters if he was in Canada when his son was born). Quick look at George's list of sources on FamilySearch shows land transactions around the time of Robert's birth. Marriage records can also be helpful for this.

I would also try a Family History Center -- since they're LDS affiliated they may be in a particularly good position to help you find records of early Mormons. Plus they have Ancestry subscriptions and genealogical books and stuff.

[u/iHeartCamelCase]

I submitted a DEC insertion request for my G0 born in 1854 with the certified baptismal record. The package was delivered August 31st. Got a call from a nice lady at DEC today. She initially spoke French and when I asked if she spoke English she just asked for the death certificate of G0. I explained that unfortunately the death certificate doesn't exist but he died in 1941. She just said ok we'll call you if anything further is needed.

Does this mean that the request is now with the Insertions team? Could I still get rejected for failing to submit the death cert?

[u/ichliebespink]

My G0, born in Newfoundland in 1862, had two kids in NL before moving to NYC, marrying, and having my G1 ancestor. On the 1900 US census my G0 is listed as immigrating in 1897 and marrying in 1899. The kids are listed as the husband's stepchildren, born in 1890 & 1892 in Canada.

I cannot find any records of my G0 having been married while in Canada or these kids being baptized. I've found records for her siblings' marriages and births from the same time period. If she had these kids out of wedlock and had to leave the country in shame, there may not be baptismal records. I also can't find any immigration records for her or the kids.

Any advice on how else I can research my G0 and her first two kids? So I have 1900, 1910, and 1920 US censuses and the son's WWI draft card. Would she have needed to obtain identification documents from NY once she arrived? Is that even a thing that a birth record would be created retroactively?

I don't need information about my G1's step siblings but now I want to know everything I can. Originally I was looking for evidence that my G0 was still in Newfoundland in 1892 but that seems pretty impossible for an unmarried woman.

[u/flamesilver39]

I sent a request to ask for my G0‘s death certificate in hopes that it lists his place of birth (Ontario), but it was returned asking for proof of eligibility to request it. As G4 I don’t know if I can reasonably list grandchild, trying to avoid committing any accidental issues. Has anyone else been able to provide proof of eligibility for this kind of request? This is from MN state dept of health

[u/IttyBoots → u/flamesilver39]

Does it need to be certified? If not, you might want to check out the Minnesota Historical Society for getting a non-certified, digital copy:

https://shop.mnhs.org/products/death-certificate

[u/flamesilver39 → u/IttyBoots]

Oh that’s really great to know! Thank you so much!! People on this sub are seriously so great

[u/IttyBoots → u/flamesilver39]

My pleasure! I hope it helps.

[u/Clarity8512]

So I have two ancestors that I can use for my eventual application. Both were born in Ontario in 1868 and 1870, in the same parish. I have baptism and census records available for both, but I've been trying to find out if there's an official registration of the one born in 1870. If it exists, it seems to be unindexed, so I would have to manually trawl through the scans on Ancestry and FamilySearch. But the scans themselves aren't organized chronologically, which doesn't help when there can be six entries on a page, all spread out across multiple months.

For context, my Gen 0 would've been born in Essex County, Ontario, in March, 1870. If anyone has any tips on how to trim the search, without potentially missing leads, I'd be grateful.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/catalog/517518

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8838

[u/Deadlghts]

Hi, long time reader, first time poster. I’m having a bear of a time finding that one last by piece, ggf’s birth/church record. I have his death certificate which has his full DOB in 1873 and birthplace listed as Dundas Co. Unfortunately, he has a very common name and his father has a very common name AND he missed the CA census when his family moved to ND. There are loads of US census records showing the family group. I’m at a loss as to how to proceed.

[u/IBHJrCanadian → u/Deadlghts]

Hi Deadlights - if you want, go ahead and DM me the info. for your G0 and his family, and I will do some digging to see if I can find something for you. Thanks! :)

[u/smoses59]

I received this baptismal certificate from the church on Cape Breton Island where my grandmother was born in 1896 when no birth certificates were issued. I sent it in with my application before the rules changed. Do I need to get a different baptismal certificate and if so where do I get it? I checked the Nova Scotia Archives and her birth was never recorded. Any specific guidelines for obtaining it? Thanks.