The Scottish Antiquary

... or Northern Notes & Queries (and Replies)

The Scottish Antiquary was a magazine that began in 1886, and was modeled after the English Notes & Queries, and intended for archeologists (including genealogists and historical societies). It published many interesting historical facts, transcriptions of parish registers (often continued from one volume to the next), names of Watchmakers, Glassmakers, Merchants Company members, and many other lists of names. There are also replies to queries from subscribers. Some volumes have pedigrees or portraits...

In Vol III I found three mentions of my Tait ancestors... 

~ the marriage of my 10th ggf George Tait to Janet Bryden in the Perth register 1571
~ an apprentice of goldsmith James Tait passes his assay
~ James Tait witness to a runaway marriage

Runaway marriages are elopements. Like Gretna Green, the Holy Trinity Church in Haddington in East Lothian was a destination for those wanting to elope and the Reverend there had three volumes titled Runaway Registers. The marriage parties are from all over Scotland and England (I even spotted a groom from Virginia!). Use the search box to see if any of your ancestors are mentioned as a bride, groom or witness. Bartholomew Bower must have been a clerk of the church, as he is witness to many of the marriages.

Following are links to a few of the gems I discovered in these pages. Check the Contents at the beginning and the indexes at the back of the volumes to find hidden gems. Also use the search box for family surnames.

Relevant links

The Scottish antiquary, or, Northern notes & queries

Reply to query of Dutch or Germans in Glasgow (vol I)

Register of Old St Paul’s, Edinburgh

List of inhabitants of Stirling 1544-1550

Rebel prisoners at Inverness 1746

List of persons attainted and judged to be guilty of high treason - Rebellion 1745

Registers of Perth, Vol III… continued from Vol II

Runaway Registers of Haddington (Royal Burgh is in East Lothian)

List of Members of the Edinburgh Merchants Company 1687

Scots on Sweden

Registers of Scotch Regiments on service in Holland, mid 1700s

Society of Colonial Wars

"Colonial Wars: a quarterly magazine" was published in Massachusetts by the Society of Colonial Wars and contains pedigree charts as well as membership lists. 

"The Society of Colonial Wars is an hereditary society composed of men who trace their descents from forebears who, in military, naval, or civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by acts or counsel, assisted in the establishment, defense, and preservation of the mainland American colonies of Great Britain."

Many states have a Society of Colonial Wars and have published their own registers and yearbooks. Using the link below, look in the left hand column for "creator" and click on "more", you will get a popup list of societies in different states then can see just the ones for the state you want.



Relevant Links

Colonial wars: a quarterly magazine, Mass, No.1-4 (Internet Archive)

Colonial wars: a quarterly magazine, Mass (HathiTrust)

Register of officers and members of the Society of Colonial Wars, 1897-1898

Society of Colonial Wars for the State of... 

National Society Daughters of Colonial Wars – Ancestor List




Related Post:  Colonial Dames of America

The Astronomical Society

When we found the place where we wanted to come to escape the rainy winters of home, we asked a friend if he wanted to come to this area.  No, he said.  Even though it is not a big city, there are too many lights at night.  Our friend is into astronomy and he wanted to find a place out in the country, away from any city lights so he can see what is going on in the night sky.

Perhaps your ancestor belonged to an Astronomical Society...

List of Members, Astronomical Society of London, 1824, pg 523

Also check Canadian publications for your American ancestors...

Associate Members of the Royal Astronomical Society Toronto 1893, pg x, mark 17

Celebrate Astronomy Day on 21 April 2018

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Relevant Links

The American Astronomical Society - Astrophysical Journal

List of Members of The Astronomical Society of the Pacific,SF

Transactions of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada,Toronto

Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society UK w/members list

Canada 150 - The Newfoundland and British North America Society

During our country's 150th anniversary celebration of confederation I will write posts titled Canada 150 with a link to a publication or website I find that may help you tell the story of your Canadian ancestors.
Click on the Canada 150 label on the right or at the bottom to see all the posts.

Today I have for you...

Newfoundland and British North America Society 

for Educating the Poor

The back has names of Newfoundland residents who have contributed

Relevant Links

Proceedings of the Newfoundland and British North America Society 

Canada 150 - Manitoba Historical and Scientific Society

During our country's 150th anniversary celebration of confederation I will write posts titled Canada 150 with a link to a publication or website I find that may help you tell the story of your Canadian ancestors.
Click on the Canada 150 label on the right or at the bottom to see all the posts.

Today I have for you...

Manitoba Historical and Scientific Society

Reports of the Manitoba Historical and Scientific Society, Winnipeg was created in 1879. The annual reports hold lists of members.  Not all members live in Winnipeg, there is one who lived near my great-grandfather on Bagot Street in Kingston, Ontario.

Members are from all across Canada, with some in the US and other parts of the world.  

Relevant Links

Reports of the Manitoba Historical and Scientific Society (1886-1900)

"Historical" Historical Societies

Historical Society publications typically have information on the history of the place, and perhaps mention some of the people that live there. Check the table of contents to see what is in the issue. 

Most will give a list of members....

Some will give names, addresses and when the person joined the Society...

Some give an index to marriages, burials or memorials. 
Look for Historical Society publications where your ancestors lived. 



Relevant Links

Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire

Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society

Transactions - The Jewish Historical Society of England

Transactions of the Oneida Historical Society at Utica

Journal and proceedings / Royal Australian Historical Society

Journal and Transactions of the Wentworth Historical Society, Ont

Transactions of the London and Middlesex Historical Society, Ont

Transactions of the Brome County Historical Society, Qc

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 1896

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 1904

Proceedings of the Fitchburg, MA Historical Society

Publications of the Nebraska State Historical Society

Related Posts:  Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society

                       Genealogies & Registers

Canada 150 - The Twelfth

During our country's 150th anniversary celebration of confederation I will write posts titled Canada 150 with a link to a publication or website I find that may help you tell the story of your Canadian ancestors.
Click on the Canada 150 label on the right or at the bottom to see all the posts.

Today I have for you...

The Twelfth, also called Orangemen's Day

The Twelfth of July is the day celebrating the Glorious Revolution and the victory of the Protestant king William of Orange over the Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne. The battle took place across the River Boyne near the town of Drogheda in the east of Ireland.

The Orange Order is headed by the Grand Orange Order of Ireland, established in 1798, and which records the first parade as having been held in 1791.

According to the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada, "Most historians agree that Orangemen were in Canada previous to 1812 and by 1822 the 12th Parade in Toronto had become the most popular event of the day."

Orange Parade Toronto, c1860s

Relevant Links

Vancouver County Orange lodges :fiftieth anniversary of the formation of order in BC

Anniversary of Battle of the Boyne July 12 – Toronto 1902

Report of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of C.E., of the Loyal Orange Association: at the semi-annual meeting, held at Aylmer, C.E

Report of the twenty-ninth annual session of the Grand Lodge of the Loyal Orange Institution of British North America assembled in the Public Hall of the City of London

Reports of the fifty-first annual sessions of the Provincial Grand Orange Lodge of New Brunswick: held respectively in the Orange Halls, St.John and Fairville, N.B

Canada 150 - St Andrew's Society

During our country's 150th anniversary celebration of confederation I will write posts titled Canada 150 with a link to a publication or website I find that may help you tell the story of your Canadian ancestors.
Click on the Canada 150 label on the right or at the bottom to see all the posts.

Today I have for you...

The St. Andrew's Society

St Andrew's Society Montreal 1886

It seems like the old adage "Birds of a feather flock together" was meant for immigrant societies, which were established to help others from their homeland. 

The St. Andrew's Society was one such group made up of immigrants from Scotland and their descendants. The objectives of the society in the early days were:  

"The Society is instituted for the purpose of affording relief and advice to natives of Scotland and their descendants who may stand in need thereof, and with the view of promoting union among all classes of Scotchmen and those of Scotch origin in Canada"

In big cities and surrounding areas notices ads were placed in the newspaper to recruit Scotchmen to join the society. You may also find minutes of meetings in newspapers.

The reports of meetings and books of the history of societies have lists of members. This is a list of the original members of the first Canadian St Andrew Society in St John, NB..

It gives an insight when you find little notes on a page like this one from Toronto..

St Andrew's Society Toronto 1836

The big yearly event in Montreal was the St Andrews Ball.

St Andrews Society Ball, Windsor Hotel, Montreal 1878

Read about who attended the ball in 1923 and what the ladies were wearing...

Montreal Gazette, St Andrew's Ball 1923

Look for reports of St Andrew's Societies in local libraries and archives. The societies themselves may likely have an archive of reports and lists of members. 

Relevant Links

First fifty years of St. Andrew' s Society of Montreal, 1886

Report of the St. Andrew's Society charitable committee of the receipts and disbursements of the special fund for the relief of the sufferers by the burning of the steamer "Montreal" on the 26th June 1857

Proceedings of the St. Andrew's Society of Montreal, w/list of members 1855

St Andrew's Society of Montreal - list of past presidents

St Andrew's Society of Montreal - list of items available to download as pdf.., such as burials and immigrants

St. Andrew's Society of the City of Toronto and Home District of Upper Canada

The Fredericton Society of St. Andrew since its organization(in 1825) until 1906 and of the New Brunswick Burns Monument Committee

History of St Andrew's Society of St John, NB 1798-1903, w/ list of members

The St. Andrew's Society of Ottawa: 1846-1897 : sketch of the first half century

St. Andrew's Society of Quebec

Constitution of the St. Andrew's Society of the Town of Kingston and Midland District of Canada, 1841

St. Andrew's Benevolent Society of Hamilton, Ont, 1876

St Andrew Societies in Canada

Building and Loan Societies

A lot of my savings were put into mortgage GIC's.  So if you took out a mortgage from my bank, you could be using my money.  You're welcome.

A Building and Loan Society promoted home ownership through residential mortgages. The first known society was established in Birmingham, England in 1775. Since then many building and loan societies throughout the world have been established to help people build a home.

Big cities likely had more than one building society. Different countries have other names and you can search using them as keywords.

"Building Societies (as known in Great Britain) : Building and Loan Associations, Co-operative Banks and Homestead Associations (as known in the United States) : Housing Companies (as known in parts of Continental Europe) : Starr-Bowkett Societies (as known in Australia and New Zealand) : and kindred associations throughout the World"

Relevant Links

The second convention of the International Congress of Building Societies  : held at the Inside Inn, Exposition Grounds, San Francisco, California, July 30th, 1915

Kingston Permanent Building Society, 1852

The Dominion Building Society of Montreal, 1876 (w/shareholders)

The St Catherines Building Society 1847

The Quebec Building Society 1849

Sociétéde Construction Canadienne de Montréal, 1857

Société de construction permanente de Québec, 1891 (w/shareholders)

The Freehold Permanent Building and Savings' Society,Toronto, 1859

Loan Application of Hiram Burton Loughren, Toronto 1870

St. James Building Society, 1875

The Provincial Building Society of NB, 1886

Société de Construction de la Puissance, Montreal, 1876 (w/shareholders)

The Hamilton Provident and Loan Society, Ontario, 1880

Société de Construction Mutuelle, Quebec 1876 (w/shareholders)

Annual report ... loan and building associations of Wisconsin, 1897+

Serendipity Sunday - The Railway Club

While doing some research for my grandmother's company, I came across publications of Official Proceedings of the Canadian Railway Club in Montreal, of which the previous owner of the company was a member. As well as being a supplier for the railroad companies he had a relative that worked for the railroad.

The Canadian Railway Club is a non-profit organization started in 1902, and incorporated in 1913, with its headquarters in Montreal. Members of the club are employees of a railway, such as CN, CP, VIA or AMT, or railroad supply companies. The annual membership fee was $2.00

The purpose of the club is to promote industry knowledge and network through meetings and social gatherings.

The Official Proceedings list names of members. Here are others I found.


Relevant Links

Canadian Railway Club, Montreal - Internet Archive

Canadian Railway Club, Montreal - HathiTrust

Western Railway Club, Chicago IL

The Pacific Railway Club, San Francisco

North West Railway Club

The Railway Club of Pittsburgh

Central Railway Club of Buffalo

New England Railroad Club, Boston

The New York Railraod Club

The Saint Louis Railway Club

South and Southwestern Railway Club, Atlanta

Journal of the Railway Signal Association

Richmond Rail Club, Virginia




Related Posts:

Workin on the Railroad

All Aboard!

Colonial Dames of America

The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America

Search Keyword "colonial dames of America" for other publications of the Society.



Relevant Links

Constitution and eligibility lists of Colonial Dames of America

NSCSA - It's Beginnings, it's Purpose, and a Record of it's Work

Registers of the Colonial Dames of America

Officers, members and list of ancestors - Maryland Colonial Dames of America 1899

Daughters of the Empire

Patriotism is the seed that started the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire in 1900 Canada when Margaret Polson recognized a need for support of soldiers leaving to fight with the Empire forces in South Africa.  She encouraged women to join her cause and the first chapter was formed in Fredericton, New Brunswick on January 15, 1900.  The next month in Montreal the constitution, aims and objectives were reviewed.  The name chosen was "Federation of the Daughters of the Empire" and their motto was "For Queen and Country".

Chapters opened quickly across Canada, then children's chapters, later called Junior Chapters.  In 1901 the head office moved to Toronto. There soon opened a Daughters of the British Empire USA branch, in 1908.

After the Boer War, not only did the Federation organize a welcome home dinner for the soldiers and provide them with assistance as needed, they contacted their sister organization, Guild of Loyal Women, in South Africa and arranged for the care of war graves of fallen Canadian soldiers, particularly in isolated places.

IODE Rose Ball, King Edward Hotel, Toronto 1911 (Wikipedia)

Do you have a Daughter of the Empire among your ancestors? You can do a google search for the IODE in your area. They may even have photos in their archives. Also do a newspaper archive search for Daughters of the Empire.

Relevant Links:

IODE - Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire

IODE - a Century of Service

IODE in the book Call To Arms: Montreal's Honour Roll 1914

A short record of the work of the IODE in British Columbia1914

Tenth Annual Report of the Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire 1910

Cook Book 0 Collected by Lt-Col Campbell Becher Chapter IODE, London, ON 1922

The Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire Preventorium (Tuberculosis) 1919

Fourteenth Annual Meeting - IODE, Toronto 1914

Lord Salisbury Chapter IODE - Cook Book 1923

IODE - 18th Annual Meeting Toronto 1918

IODE - Alphaeus Patterson Chapter, Alberta

Annual Yearbook - Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire and Children of the Empire, Canada, Bahamas and Bermuda, 1918-1919

Flower Power

Spring is here for many of us. The risk of frost has past (hopefully, these days you never know) and thoughts are turning to sprucing up the front yard with flowers and shrubs... whether to have beautiful curb appeal or to attract hummingbirds and bees.

My Dad didn't know, or know anything about, his paternal line beyond his father who was estranged from his family.  If he had known them, he would have realized he got his love of carpentry from his grandfather and great grandfather, and his love of flowers and gardening from his great uncle William Seale.  

 

William was a member of the Ottawa Horticultural Society. Specializing in roses, his yard was "a flower lovers' paradise" and he won many medals, bars and diplomas in competitions. William's nephew Henry was also an award winning horticulturist and his specialty was gladioli. After winning The Viscountess Willingdon Trophy (for an exhibitor scoring the highest number of points in all classes) and many other awards for a number of years, and always winning in every class of Gladioli with at least 12 varieties, Henry's bulbs were highly sought after.  People hoping to achieve award winning flowers could buy the Seale Gladiolus Bulbs for $2 a box.

At a young age my Dad's neighbor got him interested in growing Dahlias and gladiolus and year after year they won prizes at the Montreal West Flower Shows. I remember him growing gladioli at home, and he was also proud of his hibiscus. My brother Mike inherited his gardening gene and loved growing plants and vegetables.  This is Mike with his First Prize winning carrot in a local vegetable contest in 1985.

I on the other hand seem to have a knack for weeds.

Do you have an ancestor with a love for flowers and gardening?

Check local newspapers for lists of prize winners in flower shows, horticultural competitions, etc.  Search at google books and internet archive using keywords:
[state, city, town name] Horticultural Society, garden show, floral exhibit, country fair.


Relevant Links:

Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, London (several issues)

Massachusetts Horticultural Society - yearbooks and reports

National Flower Show of the Society of American Florists and Ornamental Horticulturists - Philadelphia 1916

Annual of the Rose Society of Ontario (various years 1914-1954)

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society - memberships, yearbooks, flower shows, etc

The Minnesota Horticultural Society

Worcester (Mass) County Horticultural Society

Wisconsin State Horticultural Society

Horticultural Society of New York:  Memoirs Vol 1 - 1902

Horticultural Society of London

Annual report of the Montreal Agricultural & Horticultural Society - 1865

Quebec Horticultural Society: list of officers and schedule of prizes - 1867

Quebec Horticultural Society: list of officers and schedule of prizes - 1888

Annual Report of the British Columbia Horticultural and Fruit Growers Society

Ottawa, a city gardens: guide for improvement of lawns and gardens 1916

Manitoba Horticultural Society - 1898

Australian Horticultural Societies at Trove

The Canadian Horticulturist

Nova Scotia Agricultural & Horticultural Fair 1894

Report of the Horticultural Societies of Ontario: 1917-1921

Ontario Horticultural Societies of Ontario 1920

The Grand Parada: for the benefit of the Horticultural Association, St John, NB 1897

Horticultural Exhibitions and Garden Competitions (explained)

Official Catalogue of Exhibitors: Universal Exposition- St Louis, USA 1904

Bulletin de la Société d'Horticulture de Genève

Bulletin de la Société d'Horticulture de Cherbourg, France

Journal de la Société National d'Horiculture de France

Bulletin de la Fédération des Société d'Horticulture de Belgique

Memoirs of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, Scotland

Programma della seconda esposizione orticola che avrà luogo in Venezianel giardino della Società Campo S. orivolo,  1873