Ontario Ancestors, founded in 1961 as The Ontario Genealogical Society, was established by a meeting at the University of Waterloo, under the sponsorship of the Pennsylvania German Folklore Society of Ontario, with Dr. G. Elmore Reaman as first President. In August of the following year, the first publication, the Bulletin was published, and continued three times yearly until it became a quarterly in 1968. Annual meetings of the fledgling society were held in October 1962 and 1963, and on April 18, 1964, the Society’s first Seminar was held at St. Paul ‘s College, University of Waterloo, with 125 in attendance.

At the 1966 Seminar and Annual Meeting, the Society’s first constitution was adopted. On February 28th of the following year, when membership had reached the figure of 250, the Society’s first Branch was formed in Toronto. On April 27, 1967, the Society was incorporated by Letters Patent issued by Robert Welch, the then Provincial Secretary and the Minister of Citizenship of the Province of Ontario.

In 1968, the position of Research Counselor was created, the Bulletin was increased to four issues per year, and a set of working bylaws was added to the constitution.

In 1969 the Society became a registered Canadian charity pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the administrative rules and guidelines of the Canada Revenue Agency (as it is now known). Our current charity registration number is 119248680 RR0001.

By 1971 the Society had five Branches, Toronto, London, Hamilton, Ottawa and Bruce & Grey. The Bulletin was transformed into the journal Families, and a quarterly newsletter, named Newsleaf, was initiated to complement the journal.

The next ten years saw fifteen new Branches spread into all corners of the province. A permanent office was established in Toronto, and an Administrator was hired. The governing body consisted of the officers who formed the Executive, and the Council comprised of six councilors and one representative from each of the Branches.

The Society’s Library, first collected in 1967 in boxes at Waterloo Public Library, was moved to Toronto when the permanent office opened. In the mid-1980s, an agreement was negotiated with the North York Public Library, and the OGS Library was happily ensconced there until 2016 when it was relocated to the Toronto Reference Library of the Toronto Public Library.

In 1985, anticipating the approach of the Society’s 25th anniversary year, a petition for a Grant of Arms was lodged at the Court of Lord Lyon in Edinburgh. In due course Letters Patent granted Ensigns Armorial to the Ontario Genealogical Society and created it “an Incorporation Noble to the Noblesse of Scotland”. In the presence of The Honourable Lincoln Alexander, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, the Society’s Letters Patent and new Coat of Arms were presented to Mr. Bryan Sparrow, British Consul General in Toronto, before a gathering of representatives of the Society, its branches and other heritage organizations.

By its 25th Anniversary in 1986, the Society’s membership had risen to 5,000 and it had 25 Branches. Annual Seminars had brought distinguished speakers from the Canadian provinces, the British Isles and the United States. Families and Newsleaf had covered all phases of genealogical research and kept the members informed of activities of the Society and its branches, and matters of genealogical interest elsewhere. Several publications had been produced and two major province-wide projects were well advanced, one to record and publish transcriptions of all cemeteries, and the other to transcribe and publish an index to the 1871 census of Ontario.

The Society enjoys a good relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture, and has participated in several government studies and projects for the improvement of heritage conservation.

In 2018, the Society adopted the operating name of Ontario Ancestors.

Today, Ontario Ancestors, comprised of 30 geographically focused branches and 5 special interest groups, is a proud organization with a fine record of service and achievement in the past, and credible hopes and aspiration for a bright future, dedicated to its members’ needs and wants.

Presidents’ Honour Roll – Click Here to View Page

Honourary Patrons of the Society