Digging Up Scandals: Tracing Black Sheep Ancestors in Canadian Genealogy
Summary DetailsLength: 60 minutes
Audience Level: Beginner -Expert
Requirements: Projection for computer on a large screen; internet connection
Content: 4-page PDF handout
Summary: Is there a member of the family nobody speaks of? Discover the hidden stories of your family’s black sheep ancestors and relatives. Using Canadian resources, learn how to uncover records of scandals, crimes, and controversies, interpret data and understand the historical context of your ancestors' lives.
Outline
- Understanding Black Sheep Ancestors: criminal activity, social scandals, financial troubles, mental health struggles and institutionalization, political or religious dissent.
- Key Records for Black Sheep Research: court and prison, asylum and military records, newspapers. How to access prison records and patient files.
- Strategies for interpreting records and understanding context
- Case Study: William Ryckman, the lost brother.
- Case Study: Thomas Oldfield, a “lunatic dangerous to be at large.”
Attendees will learn how to:
- Identify black sheep ancestors and recognize clues hidden in family stories and historical records.
- Locate Canadian criminal, court, prison, and institutional records.
- Search historical newspapers for scandals, criminal proceedings, and family controversies.
- Interpret historical terminology and use maps and timelines to understand an ancestor's circumstances.
- Overcome missing or restricted records and combine evidence to reconstruct an ancestor's story
Book This Webinar NOW!
Click HERE to have me present this webinar either through your group’s virtual meeting platform or my StreamYard platform. Includes 45-50 minutes of instruction plus 10-15 Q&A session, PDF handout and a limited time (one year) webinar recording.
