Our 3rd Annual Genealogy Fair was a very successful event with around 80 people in attendance on 27 April 2019. It went from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 10 Northridge Parkway, Charlottetown, PEI.
Registration was at the door. (There was, as always, a special request from the venue: No hot beverages on the premises please, thank you for honouring this request.)
If you want to see the details of what was on offer please see the Agenda and the complete list of ‘Table Topics’ at bottom of this page.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND REGISTRATION DETAILS
There was a diverse line up of keynote speakers covering engaging topics with local maritime and universal appeal. The 2019 theme was From Whence We Came.
In celebration of Le Congrès Mondial Acadien / The World Acadian Congress, the keynote speaker Bruce Murray spoke on “Acadia in the Eighteenth Century”. His eloquent talk was very well received and he had copies of his book on hand for sale. “Piau – Journey to the Promised Land” is about the Acadian Leader, Pierre Belliveau (known as Piau) who led hundreds of Acadians into the wilderness to escape the Acadian Expulsion. Other keynote speakers included: Dan Norris sharing his research on “The McGinns of Emyvale – A Monaghan Irish Family”; Janet Weinreich-Keall sharing “Usual and Unusual Threads of Adoption, Searching and Finding” encountered in her search for biological parents and siblings; and Ted Lomatski on “There is a Method to this Madness” the evolving tools for studying and recording genealogical information, from card files of the 1970s to computer databases to specialized software to DNA testing today.
There were resource tables hosted by genealogists, historians, cultural societies, museum, archives, and individual record keepers from all corners of the Island. There was a DNA share table where discussions focusing on using DNA test results in your family research. A variety of genealogical and historical publications were offer for sale on a cash basis, including the Society’s most recent copies of its PEI cemetery transcript series and other Society publications. One half hour was set aside for the Annual General Meeting of the PEI Genealogical Society at the end of the day.
REGISTRATION AT THE DOOR: For non-members of the Society, there was a fee of $25.00 (Cash or Cheque only) which gives attendees a pass for the genealogical fair. This fee included a 2019 membership for the Society which includes its quarterly newsletters, presentations by genealogists and historians, special events until 31 December. For PEI Genealogical Society members, the fee was $10.00 and students will have free admission.
The day was for everyone interested in tracing their family history, from beginner to expert. We all have a past. We gathered to celebrate “From Whence we Came!
Contacts were : Louise Morris at jessmorris22@yahoo.ca Or: Fred Horne at fredchorne@gmail.com
2019 AGENDA PEI Genealogy Fair Saturday April 27
Start Time End Time Description
09:00 a.m. 9:50 a.m. Registration
09:50 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Honourable Antoinette Perry (Lieutenant-Governor)
10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Presentation – Janet Weinreich-Keall – “The Unusual and Usual Threads of Adoption, Searching, and Finding”
11:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Presentation – Ted Lomatski – “There is a Method to this Madness!”
11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Table Topics – Visit Resource Tables
12:00 p.m. 01:00 p.m. Lunch / Networking/ Table Topics – Visit Resource Tables
01:00 p.m. 02:00 p.m. Presentation – Dan Norris – “The McGinns of Emyvale – A Monaghan Irish Family”
02:00 p.m. 02:30 p.m. Table Topics – Visit Resource Tables
02:30 p.m. 03:30 p.m. Presentation – Bruce Murray – “Acadia in the 18th Century: ‘PIAU – Journey to the Promised Land’”
03:30 p.m. 04:00 p.m. PEIGS Annual Meeting
Location reminder: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 10 Northridge Parkway, Charlottetown, PEI
Resource Tables have been confirmed for the following:
- DNA Round Table (share your experience/questions the DNA process)
- History of Acadian People
- Congrès Mondial Acadien
- PEIGS Publications
- PEI Cemetery Gravestone Transcripts
- Maritime Monument Works
- PEI Public Archives and Records Office
- PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation
- UPEI Robertson Library & Special Collections
- Acadian Museum of PEI
- PEI Scottish Settlers Historical Society
- Glenaladale Heritage Trust
- Montague Museum
- Alberton Museum and Genealogy Centre
- The MacLeods of Prince Edward Island
- Red – The Island Story Book
- Stratford Heritage Committee
- Benevolent Irish Society of Prince Edward Island
- Ancestry Library Edition At PEI Public Libraries
- LDS Research Room – Family History Centre
- New Brunswick Genealogical Society
- Ancestor Hunters
