ViewsWatchers |
North Gower Township is a former and now geographic township in eastern Ontario, Canada, now located in Ottawa. It contains the communities of Manotick and North Gower. North Gower (pronounced "North Gor") was located in the southern part of Carleton County, bordered to the northwest by Goulbourn Township, to the north by Nepean, to the east by Osgoode and to the south by South Gower Township. It is separated from North Grenville and Osgoode by the Rideau River. Originally known as Township C, it was established in 1792. In 1800, it became part of Carleton County and was incorporated as a township in 1850. The first settlers in the township were United Empire Loyalists. The township was first settled by Stephen Blanchard in 1820. The village of North Gower was first settled in 1846 and was originally known as Stephensville. The township merged with Marlborough Township and Long Island in 1974 to become Rideau Township. Rideau, in turn, became part of the amalgamated city of Ottawa in 2001. North Gower Township took its name from Admiral John Leveson-Gower, Lord of the Admiralty from 1783 to 1789. At one time, there was also a South Gower Township. According to the Canada 2016 Census, the former township had a population of 10,971 (former boundaries, including Long Island). As of the Canada 2021 Census, this had increased to 12,341. Map of Ottawa and Carleton County from Wikipedia Commons A sketchmap from Ontario GenWeb gives a more visible outline of the townships. The map of Carleton County circa 1951 from Ontario Archives locates the communities and physical features of the county. (Click at the bottom of the page to see the map enlarged.) [edit] Research TipsThe primary source for basic documents (vital statistics, land records, wills) for people who lived in the Province of Ontario is the Archives of Ontario, 134 Ian Macdonald Blvd, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M7A 2C5. [edit] Early RecordsCivil registration did not begin in the province until 1869. Before then there may be church records of baptisms and burials. For the most part these are still held by the denomination who recorded them. Copies of marriage records made pre-1869 had to be sent by individual clergymen to the registrar of the county in which the marriage took place. These marriage records are available through Ontario Archives, on micorfilm through LDS libraries, and on paid and unpaid websites, but because they were copied at the registrars' offices, they cannot be considered a primary source. [edit] Vital Records after 1869Birth, marriage and death registrations are not open to the public until a specific number of years after the event occurred. Births to 1915 are now available [October 2014]; dates for marriages and deaths are later. Birth and death registration was not universally carried out in the early years after its adoption. Deaths were more apt to be reported than births for several years. The more rural the area, the less likely it would be that these happenings were reported to the authorities.
[edit] Land Records and WillsInformation on how to access land records and wills is best sought on the Archives of Ontario website. An ancestor's land holding might be found on Canadian County Atlas Digital Project if he was in occupancy circa 1878. Association for the Preservation of Ontario Land Registry Office Documents (APOLROD). A list of Land Registry Offices for all Counties of Ontario. [edit] CensusesThe original censuses are in the hands of Library and Archives Canada, known to Canadians as "LAC". Copies of original microfilms are online at the LAC website for all censuses up to 1921. Each census database is preceded with an explanation of the geographical area covered, the amount of material retained (some census division material has been lost), the questions on the census form, and whether there is a name index. Census divisions were redrawn as the population increased and more land was inhabited. [edit] Hard-to-Find Places
[edit] E-books, Books and Newspapers
[edit] Researching in Eastern OntarioThe website of the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society offers a number of search engines for databases of material they maintain:
The Society covers the counties of Carleton (combined with the city of Ottawa), Lanark, Renfrew, Prescott and Russell. There is a note on the website that the URL will be changing soon (Jun 2012). It may be best to “google” the Ottawa Branch of OGS.
|