Place:Lennox and Addington, Ontario, Canada

The text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

The two original counties of Lennox and Addington were originally separate counties within the Midland District of Upper Canada (or Canada West after 1841). When the district system of administration was abolished in 1849 the two counties were made into the United Counties of Lennox and Addington. But whereas most county unions established in 1849-50 split into separate county administrations, Lennox and Addington became a full amalgamation into a single government in 1860. It is formally known as Lennox and Addington County. The county seat is at Napanee.

The counties took their names from had Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth.

Around the middle of the 19th century, the Addington Road was built by the province to encourage settlement in the northern sections of the county.

The original townships of Addington, starting at the north, were:

• Ashby
• Denbigh
• Effingham
• Abinger
• Anglesea
• Kaladar
• Sheffield
• Camden
• Ernestown
• Amherst Island

and those of Lennox, working basically east to west, were:

• Richmond
• North Fredericksburgh
• South Fredericksburgh
• Adolphustown

This map, from the Archives of Ontario, is dated between 1945 and 1951.

Following municipal reorganization in 1998, Lennox and Addington includes the following municipalities:

• Town of Greater Napanee: (the townships of Richmond, North Fredericksburgh, South Fredericksburgh and Adolphustown). A short historical outline.
• Township of Addington Highlands: (the northern townships of Ashby, Denbigh, Effingham, Abinger, Anglesea and Kaladar). A short historical outline.
• Township of Loyalist: (merger of townships of Ernestown and Amherst Island and the Village of Bath). A short historical outline.
• Township of Stone Mills: (earlier townships of Camden East and Sheffield and the village of Newburgh). A short historical outline.

Research Tips

The 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.

Early Records

Civil 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.

Vital Records after 1869

Birth, 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.
Images and indexes of civil registrations for the "viewable" years can be found on paid websites, and indexes only on FamilySearch. The FamilySearch Wiki on Ontario Vital Records explains how these records are organized and their availability.
In September 2014 Ancestry.ca announced that its paid website has been subjected to a "houseclean" of its Ontario BMD database, adding data that had been omitted and making many corrections. Its provision now includes

• Births, with 2,172,124 records covering 1869-1913.
• Marriages, with 3,393,369 records for 1801-1928 including Ontario county, district and Roman Catholic origins as well as province-wide civil registration.
• Deaths, with 2,190,030 records comprising Ontario civil registrations of deaths, 1869-1938 and registrations of Ontario overseas deaths for 1939-1947.

Land Records and Wills

Information 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.

Censuses

The 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.
Other websites, some paid and some free, also provide Canadian census originals and/or indexes online. One can also view censuses on microfilm at the LAC, at the Archives of Ontario (see address above), or at large libraries throughout Canada.

Hard-to-Find Places

• National Resources Canada's Index of Geographical Names: Query by Name. This database includes even the smallest places all over Canada and provides geographical co-ordinates and maps which extend out from the "found place". Correct spelling of a place is essential.
• Archives of Ontario have a web page titled "The Changing Face of Ontario" (which is very hard to find without this link). This provides maps of Ontario and its divisions in the 19th century (pre Confederation in 1867) and also includes links to series of historical maps of the individual counties as they were between 1867 and the 1970s when a huge reorganization of municipalities began. The Districts of Northern Ontario and Maps of Southern and Central Ontario circa 1951 show the townships of each county.

E-books, Books and Newspapers

• The Internet Archive, particularly texts from Canadian universities, can contain interesting material
• Our Roots is a Canadian website similar to The Internet Archive
• Global Genealogy is an online bookshop specializing in Ontario material who will ship anywhere in the world.
• The Ancestor Hunt is a blog listing old Ontario newspapers that are available online, both free and pay websites. This is a very extensive list.

The website of the County of Lennox & Addington Museum and Archives lists useful websites for genealogical research. Their own "Local Resources" come last. They include

• Kingston Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society
• Digital Kingston
• The Lennox and Addington Historical Society Site – go to ‘Online Sources’ for records
• UEL Heritage Centre for United Empire Loyalist material
• Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre
• The Adolphustown-Fredericksburgh Heritage Society

source: Family History Library Catalog