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Sombra is a compact rural community in the former Township of Sombra in Lambton County in Ontario, Canada. Since the municipal reorganization of 2001 it has been located in the municipality or Township of St. Clair.
Sombra is a village situated on the St. Clair River, in southwestern Ontario, Canada within the municipality of St. Clair Township. In its early days, the village developed out of local transport and agricultural trade via rail and ship and evolved mainly into a summer resort community, serving seasonal residences and summer cottagers through much of its history[1]. The village is now home to mostly permanent residences and commuters supported by larger cities and towns such as Sarnia, Corunna, and Wallaceburg. ....Sombra serves as a registered port of entry into Canada by means of a ferry crossing from nearby Marine City, Michigan. [edit] History
Sombra was named by Sir Peregrine Maitland, the lieutenant governor of Upper Canada because it was so densely wooded that the sun was blocked out. He chose the name because Sombra is the Spanish (and also Portuguese) word for "shade."[1] Samuel Burnham and Abraham Smith initially settled here in May 1812. Initially, logging and lumber was the primary industry, however, by 1822 agriculture was beginning to emerge as an important industry. The first school was built in 1820 and rebuilt after a fire in 1882.[1] Its first year of municipal organization was 1822. Sombra also was a stop along the Underground Railroad en route to Owen Sound, Ontario. This was part of the alternate route around Detroit, Michigan. During the United States Prohibition in 1920s, alcohol was smuggled into across the border from Canada via the St. Clair River and Sombra was a key location for the activity. Al Capone used Sombra as a key location for his alcohol smuggling organization. It sounds like I could claim Sombra as a place of occupation for a couple of my great uncles, but family hearsay is a questionable source (fortunately). [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] Some websites with more local information on Lambton County
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