Rare Documents Maintained In Canada

Family Chronicle is one cracker jack of a genealogical magazine.

In the May-June 1997 issue was the answer to a reader’s question about how to find information on an ancestor who had worked for the Hudson Bay Co.

The Hudson Bay Co. archives, based in Winnipeg and maintained by the provincial government of Manitoba, are an excellent resource for genealogists. The 327-year-old company has a history of meticulous record-keeping and, from its beginning, has kept most of its extraordinary collection of books, letters, ledgers, ships logs, pictures, photographs, maps and reports.

The archives offers genealogical information on many families who lived in Western and Northern Canada and the Western USA from the 17th century to modern day.

The Hudson Bay Co. owned and administered the vast territory of Ruperts Land from its founding in 1670 until its incorporation into the Dominion of Canada in 1870. For this reason, the archives contain the only known documents for numerous 18th-century settlements in Canada, including Churchill, Manitoba; Moose Factory, Ontario; Rupert House, Quebec; and Edmonton, Alberta.

Archives workers should have no trouble helping locate information on a former employee.

If your ancestor once worked for the Hudson Bay Co., send the archives his or her full name, type of work (fur trader, retail employee …), geographical area and dates of employment. And, within two weeks, the archives will attempt to send you a one-page biographical sheet on the individual, suggestions for continuing the search through interlibrary loan of microfilm, and copies of original documents - all for free.

Archive officials, however, ask genealogists not send a long list of names or a copy of a pedigree chart. They also caution that Canada’s Department of Indian Affairs does not recognize their documentation as proof of Indian status.

For more information, write to: Hudson Bay Co. Archives, Provincial Archives of Manitoba, 200 Vaughan St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C1T5 Canada.

Some information is also available on its Web page http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca.

In the November/December issue of Family Chronicle is a wonderful roster of articles:

“Acadian Roots” looks at the history and records of this troubled group.

“Where Have All the Ladies Gone?” discusses the poor treatment women have received by genealogists through the years.

“An Ounce of Prevention” offers advice on how to treat deterioration of paper.

“The Search for Henley Chapman” recounts the search for an enslaved ancestor.

“PERSI” describes the database that’s revolutionizing genealogy searches.

“Rascals in the Family Tree” asks should we be ashamed of mischievous ancestors?

Family Chronicle’s regular features include “You Wanted to Know” (a question-and-answer column), “Web Sites Worth Surfing” and “News” (what’s new in the field of genealogy).

This colorful magazine is full of pictures and photographs. Even the ads are interesting. I can guarantee you will enjoy this magazine.

To subscribe, call (888) 326-2476 or write to Family Chronicle, P.O. Box 1201, Lewiston, NY 14092-9934. Visit its Web site at http://www.familychronicle.com and decide if this magazine is for you.

, DataTimes MEMO: Donna Potter Phillips welcomes letters from readers. Write to her at The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. For a response, please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Donna Potter Phillips The Spokesman-Review