I have found a relative on the 1861 census of Frontenac County, Ontario on Ancestry.com in the USA. I know how to get hold of free images for the various census of the United States and am wondering how I can go about it for Canada. Are the images on microfilms at the Library and Archives Canada public domain? If so, do you know where to get a copy of the film or public domain images made from it? If not, are there any public domain images, microfilm or digital, of the 1861 census.

The Canadian census images that appear on Ancestry are provided by Library & Archives Canada (LAC) through a collaborative partnership between Ancestry and LAC¹. With the current exception of the 1921 census (Ancestry only) and 1825-1842 censuses (LAC only), all digitized census images can be viewed on both websites.

Ancestry requires a subscription to access all but the 1921 census (which is free to view with free registration), access to LAC is completely free (no registration or subscription).

Microfilm of Canadian census records can be viewed at any Family History Centre worldwide. For those within Canada it can also be viewed at LAC and any Canadian library or archive with microfilm capabilities.

For terms of use of LAC images see: Using Files Located on Non-Government of Canada Servers and Copyright / Permission to Reproduce

¹ Library and Archives Canada Agreement with Ancestry.ca, Library and Archives Canada Partners with Ancestry.ca

Where would I find an obituary from 1908?

Archives of Ontario (Toronto) offers a newspaper research guide. The guide includes a list of microfilmed newspapers that are available in their holdings. Note that most of these newspapers can only be viewed at the Archives.

Library & Archives Canada (Ottawa) has a list of newspapers at Library & Archives Canada. Some of these newspapers may be available through inter-library loan.

Many local archives (such as Norwich & District Archives, Stratford-Perth & Dufferin County Museum & Archives to name just a few) have archived copies of local newspapers available for research. Many of these archives require a visit in person but some offer research services.

There are also some Ontario newspapers that have been digitized and are available through subscription services such as Paper of Record and Newspaper Archive. You can view a list of newspaper titles to see if the newspaper you seek is available before subscribing.

I believe my grandparents lived in Cyrstal Beach, Ontario from 1900 to about 1902. What kind of records are available to verify they were there and that my grandmother owned the cottage?

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Apparently, my grandfather changed his name from Carter to Smith before he got married. Where do I search for this information? The name change would have taken place sometime after 1885 but before the 1st WW.

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Is it possible to zero in on the village where people lived in a census year? Is there a detailed map with the location of various census sub-district numbers ie) in Manvers Township in the 1901 census there are 7 sub-districts. It would be great to know whether a fmaily lived in Pontepool or Bethany & where they went to church or are buried.

[From Anonymous] Yes it is. When you find your relative in a particular sub-district (on Schedule 1), make a note of the page and line number for the household number. Then go to the Collections Canada website and find Schedule 2 for the same sub-district and look up that page and line number. It will give you the location of the household - for Manvers, it appears to be concession and lot numbers and not town names, but it should give you a better idea of where they lived. collectionscanada.ca does give some hints - sub-district c-5 is Bethany, c-6 is Fleetwood & Franklin, c-7 is Janetville.

Has anyone any information on where recorded information from Justices of the Peace can be found. Has anyone any recorded information on just who Justice of the Peace where? Where can I find information at the turn of the century (1900) on who these Justice of the Peace were?

[From Cathy] Unfortunately, the only registry of JP appointments that exists that I know of is the one for New Brunswick (It is searchable online. Scroll down to "Misc. Records" http://globalgenealogy.com/links/canada-nb.htm)

JP's tended to do marriages. Some resources to find mention of JP's might include: Thomas B. Wilson has published an index and partial abstraction of surviving Ontario Marriage Bonds for the years 1803 - 1834. There are some bonds available beyond 1834. The original bonds are held by the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa and are available on microfilm through Inter-Library Loan and through local Family History Centres of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Wilson’s Ontario Marriage Bonds book is now available with many other invaluable vital records references on CD #204 from Family Tree Maker's Family Archives Series, produced by Broderbund. Unfortunately marriage licences have been lost to us over time as have the records of most Justices of the Peace.

Occasionally the records of a local J.P. will turn up in a private manuscript collection, however, there are no comprehensive collections of J.P. records available. You could also ask Osgoode Hall - they are the experts on Legal History in Ontario. http://www.osgoodesociety.ca

How difficult, and what resources would I view, to prove an adoption in 1908?

[From Cathy] Firstly, are you sure it was an adoption? Before the Adoption Act of 1921, adoption was rare - guardianships were more common. If you don't know which it could be, I would suggest that you look up "Guardianships" in the Ontario Archives to start with. Beginning with the Guardianship Act (1827) and until the Adoption Act (1921), guardianships (child custody without the right of inheritance) were granted through the local Surrogate Court. While not listed in most Surrogate Court indexes, guardianship matters are recorded in Surrogate Court registers, and later, for some counties, in separate Surrogate Court guardianship books.

To identify series that contain these records, search the Archives Descriptive Database (Archival Descriptions search option) using the keyword guardianship* (including the asterisk), the name of the county or district, and the archival reference code RG 22* (including the asterisk). Alternatively, consult Inventory 22 Courts and related officers records, vol. 1, for instructions on how to identify and access these records.

If on the other hand you are sure it was an adoption, then it does make it harder (but not impossible) to find. The Archives holds no adoption files, only guardianship records. Adoptions occurring before April 8, 1921 were made through an Act of the Ontario Legislature and are extremely rare. For instructions on finding an Act, refer to Research Guide 207: Researching Ontario Bills and Statutes

My grandfather immigrated to the US shortly before 1900. What was required to leave Canada at this time? How can I find out exactly when he did come to the US? I have found him in a city directory for the year 1900 but have not been able to find out if he ever became a citizen.

See Immigration Records for information on what was required to leave Canada. US census records should indicate whether or not he became a US citizen (at least prior to 1930), or you search Naturalization Records

From Jo Ann - You didn't need anything to leave except for the means to do so. I have a number of ancestors who left Ontario and Quebec (mostly for economic reasons) 1870 through about 1910 and came earliest via horse and wagon. Later, they came by train. My mother said that her grandparents came in a group and people would put their possessions in open boxcars. These were the French-Canadians. Nearly all of my ancestors were farmers or farming connected. Later it depended upon where you left from. Easiest from Sask. Ont. and harder without ID papers from Que. through NY, Vt or Maine. Need to check US Archives and need to know where they came into States.

Does Ontario have census indexes for the years of 1891 and 1901? If so, is there one or are there several and how can I find one? I am having trouble locating my grandfather (b. 1882), I've looked in the county he was supposed to be born but the family is not there.

Yes there are several indexes available depending upon the year and area of Ontario. Some OGS branches have indexed the census records for their areas. OntarioGenWeb's Census Project also has indexes.

2010 Update:
LAC now offers indexes & images as does Ancestry

I am from New Zealand & am trying to trace my great grandfather's ancestors. I have found him in 1861, 1871 1891 & 1901 for Lambton County & Middlesex Counties. I have his death registration information - 1904. His parents, however, are not mentioned. Where would I go to find that information. He was Mennonite & his parents are listed as being born in Ontario.

His marriage registration - they usually list the names of parents. Obituary - it usually lists the names of family, perhaps even siblings that you can trace and see if their records mention the names of their parents. There are many resources besides census and death registrations that can be used to find this information.

How do I locate an individual after 1901?

The same as you would prior to 1901. See Research By Year.

Does anyone know how far in advance of a census 'publication' the information was collected? For instance, if my ancestor's age on a census is listed as 50 yrs.,does this mean he is 50 at the year of the census, or is he 50 at the year the information was collected?

Information was usually collected between March and June of the year stated on the census (1851/1852, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, and 1901) and the ages given were generally how old the individual was between March and June of said year or the age they would be on their next birthday

In the 1901 census, most first nations people are listed as being "Cree f.b" or "Algonquin f.b." What does f.b. stand for?

The f.b. would stand for Full Blooded or Full Breed (from Joe Wilson & David Agar). According to the Library & Archives of Canada , F.B. referred to a person with a French parent and a Native parent (French Breed). Other forms used include E.B. (English Breed), S.B. (Scottish Breed), I.B. (Irish Breed), O.B. (Other Breed). "Cree F.B" would mean a person born from a Cree parent and a French parent.

Someone born in 1900 drops out of site in 1935. This person is last seen in 1954. You do not know if this person is dead or alive in 1999. How would you start to find out if that person is dead and where did they die.

Start with what you know. Where were they last seen? Who were their immediate relations (parents, siblings)? Track down these relations, through them you may find your missing person. Items such as obituaries, birth announcements, marriage announcements, wills, etc. may mention your missing person and their whereabouts. Try the Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid to see if your missing person is listed in a cemetery record.

Where would I find list of justices of peace early 1900 in simcoe county.

The Simcoe Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society have outstanding resources for much of this province and they are really sharp. Also, info is available on micorofilm from the Simcoe County Archives and covers the period 1876 to 1905 and is called the Vernon Directory. It is possibly available in book form from the library.

Where would you look for the names of children born, in previous marraige between 1909-1920

Newspapers. Birth Records are not publicly available for this time period. Assuming you know the names of the parents (specifically the father's surname) and an approximate area of where they were living at that time, check all newspapers in that area for any child born with that surname. You might also look for an obituary for one or both parents in case the children were listed as pre-deceased or survivors.

2010 Update: Birth Records are now available up to 1912 (1913 in May 2011) and the 1911 census is also available.

How can I determine the Census District, and Sub-district of a particular street address in Toronto in the 1901 Census?

The streets for 1901 census especially in Toronto are challenging, but not impossible...to this end, I have printed from Weldon Library (University of Western Ontario), the maps in the "Electoral Atlas of Canada" for major cities, which show exactly the districts of Toronto, for example and their boundaries.
  The difficulties are two-fold: 1a). Many streets no longer exist, so the use of the City Directory in the Regional Room (2nd floor) first will give a cross street for the number you need. (For example, 369 Richmond is between the streets of King and Dundas, on the west side) This info can then be looked up on a current map, and if it exists, just move to the same region on the Electoral map and look for the intersection, etc.
  If the street you have is newer than the 1901 Atlas maps, then you need to be a bit creative - again, go back to the directory and use the alpha by name part to get the then current address and try to locate it with its nearest cross street on the Atlas map.(in other words, find where they lived then by looking up their name) 1b). If you have no address, use the directory first, obviously.
  The greatest challenge is in the Toronto East versus York East and it has been my experience that MUCH is in York east....or perhaps that's just where most of mine have been. 2a). It is important to do one thing, esp. for large cities - print the matching map from the Atlas and put a pin on the map where you section of film begins. Go a few turns and put another pin onto the map and you will begin to see a pattern emerging.
  It is supposedly a clockwise block and then the next block, also clockwise, and each should begin in the north west corner of the block and proceed east, south, west and north back to the starting corner. The census taker should then walk east along the block face to the next new block and continue in the same way - east, south, west, north etc. until he has done every block If you are following the progression, you can see the pattern, usually.
  Remember to read only the addresses and if your "address" isn't in the list, skip the names that go with those addresses. (It is set up always a couple pages of addresses followed by several pages of the names that reside there and repeating.) 2b) Match the street to the ward and select the film that lists that ward (in the directory of census films) I sometimes use the 1871 and 1881 references to find the lesser units, but I always use the 1901 ref for the bigger cities. I hope this helps.
  I will gladly teach anyone who comes to the Family History Centre (London, Ontario) during my Tues. morning shifts how to do this and the maps I have printed off for major centres are all there. We have only the 1923 directory, so if their street isn't listed in it, we may be stuck. (From Forebears Research & Associates )