A new year begins, and so do many searches into the past. The Yorkton branch of the Saskatchewan Genealogy Society invites you to their first meeting of 2014 on Tuesday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Western Development Museum. Genealogists at any and all stages of research are welcome: you will find helpful, friendly people who will be happy to help you with your family search. Hope to see you here!
The Saskatchewan Genealogy Society prints a very informative "Bulletin" that is published three times a year. Subscription to the "Bulletin" is concurrent with membership. The SGS "is a volunteer provincial heritage organization whose purpose is to promote and develop the study, research, and preservation of Genealogy and Family History." The SGS offers a variety of services to assist you in your research; log on to saskgenealogy.com to find out more.
A copy of the "Bulletin" from September, 1989 had a variety of interesting information including some interesting numbers in an article entitled "Direct Ancestors or How Our Roots Multiply". Here is the example:
One child
2 = parents
4 = grandparents
8 = great grandparents
16 = great great grandparents
32 = 3 X great grandparents
64 = 4 X great grandparents
128 = 5 X great grandparents
256 = 6 X great grandparents
512 = 7 X great grandparents
1024 = 6 X great grandparents
For a total of 2046 direct ancestors. If a generation averages 30 years,
then we are looking back approximately only 400 - 500 years.
Another fascinating article was entitled "The Tale Of An Orkney Lad" by Edith Bernard. The article relates stories about the author's father, who came from Pomona, the largest of the Orkney Islands. In 1903, when John came to Canada, it cost him fifteen dollars and included board on the boat. He went to Carberry, Manitoba, where one of his brothers lived. Eventually they moved to the Weyburn area. Here is what Edith says about their first winter on the homestead: "The first winter the boys were on their homestead was one of the hardest by far of all the winters to come and the homesteaders were the least prepared. The winter started November 15 and lasted to the end of April. Dad, Tom, and Bill lived in a 10' by 12' shack, without any horses and had to depend on neighbors for supplies. That winter there was a shortage of coal; however, there was coal of a kind found about two miles from the Spence boys' shack. The Spence brothers helped dig the neighbor's coal and the neighbors hauled their coal for them. Dad's sense of humor and optimism always carried him through. He said "our bachelor lunch would be frozen hard as a brick, but at that time we had good teeth and our digestion could take a course in bolts and nuts."
The article is full of interesting little stories that make all the ancestors seem very real, and give a window on their lives at that time. Another reminder how important it is to record any and all stories that can be gleaned from relatives.
Every family has a story: discover yours with the Yorkton Genealogy Society. For more information call Dave at 783-1093 or Glenn at 782-7969.
