Pontiac County, Quebec Genealogy

Canada Quebec  Pontiac County

Getting Started
1. What information do you wish to locate about your ancestor? To choose the sources you need to search first, please click on RECORD SELECTION TABLE: Quebec, which will help you decide.

2. From the above Record Selection Table, which sources do you wish to check in this county? To check the availability of your sources of interest as well as to check the websites that have them online, please click on this county's SOURCES LINKS TABLE

3. Do you know the location that you wish to search in this county? If so, please check for some possible sources and some online information about your location of interest, by clicking on this county's POPULATED PLACES TABLE.

4. For further information regarding your sources of interest, see "Resources" ABOVE in the "CONTENTS" table and click on the source of interest.

Remember that you should always try to get an original copy of that source to verify information.

Please be aware that this is a growing Pilot program, with new information being added on a regular basis. 

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History
Here is a brief timeline regarding the history of Quebec. You can find more information at Wikipedia:

Era of Exploration 1508-1613 Colony of Canada 1534-1763 – French Regime Colony of Quebec 1763-1791 – When Quebec became British. Lower Canada 1791-1841 covered Quebec but boundaries changed. Canada East 1841-1867 again it was Quebec but watch the boundaries. Confederation – Province of Quebec 1867 to Present

Parent County
Pontiac County was created in 1867 at the time of Canada's Confederation. It was part of Ottawa County which was in existence from 1830 to 1867. Census records such as the 1851 census in the early years would be found under this county and also under the former name of Ottawa, Bytown.

Places/Localities
L'Ile-due-Grand-Calumet is an large island in the Ottawa River that is west from Campbell's Bay. Another large island in the area is L'Isle-aux-Allumette which is east of Pembroke, Ontario.

Populated Places
Alymer, Bryson, Chapeau, Campbell's Bay (County Seat), Chapeau, Fort Coulonge, Portage Du Fort, Quyon, Mansfield-et-Pontefract, Shawville, Sheen, Waltham.

Neighboring Counties
Renfrew County, Ontario is on the western side of the Ottawa River and further north is Nipissing County. Gatineau is east of Pontiac in Quebec.

Resources
Here are a couple of genealogy guides with information on how to do research in Quebec, unfortunately they are getting old and a really good guide is difficult to find.

Book: Finding Your Ancestors in English Quebec, by Althea Douglas MA, CG (C), 2001 Book HC02 Heritage Productions. This may be old at 2001 but still may give some idea of the sources in Quebec for genealogy.

Book: “Finding Your Canadian Ancestors, A Beginner’s Guide,” by Sherry Irvine and David Obee, Ancestry Publishing, 2006. This gives and overview of Quebec research.

Book: “Planning a Genealogical Trip to Montreal,” Paul LeCleric, BA, BSc. Book HC19 Heritage Productions, 2003. This is helpful but he doesn’t say where to go to find the records.

This online article shares about Montreal genealogy:

Genealogical Research in Montreal

Biographies
At this time, please read about Biographies in the Province of Quebec Resources - Biography.

Cemeteries
At this time, please read about Cemeteries in the Province of Quebec Resources - Cemeteries.

Pontiac County cemeteries listings and tombstone photos can be found on several online websites:

Pontiac County, Quebec Gravemarker Gallery. The tombstone photos are from the former Scott Naylor's collection. Pontiac County, Quebec Gravemarker Gallery

The Canadian GenWeb's Cemetery Project has listings of Pontiac Co., Quebec Cemeteries some links have more information than others. Click on Quebec and a listing for cemeteries in Quebec appears, then make your choice of county. The Canadian GenWeb's Cemetery Project

Remember to check the cemeteries and graveyards in Renfrew County, Ontario for your ancestor may have lived and died there. Another option is to check the cities of Montreal and Ottawa where many individuals who lived in the Upper Ottawa area retired and are buried.

Publications for cemetery transcriptions are available at the various archives listed below.

St. Alphonsus of Ligouri, Chapeau, Allumette Island, Pontiac County, Quebec, Cemetery Inscriptions and Burial Records, by Elaine Brown, Family History Library book 971 4215/C2 V3b or you can purchase online Persona internet

Census Records
At this time, please read about Census Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Census.

Church Records
At this time, please read about Church Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Church Records.

Civil Registration
At this time, please read about Civil Registration (i.e. Vital Records) in the Province of Quebec Resources - Civil Registration.

Court Records
At this time, please read about Court Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Court Records.

Directories
At this time, please read about Directories in the Province of Quebec Resources - Directories.

Genealogy
At this time, please read about Genealogies in the Province of Quebec Resources - Genealogy.

Land and Property Records
At this time, please read about Land and Property Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Land and Property.

Quebec has had three systems of land:

1. The first was the seigneury 1626-1795. This sytem was discontinued in 1854 but tenants could claim their land (Seigneurial Tenures Act of 1854). Land would be granted to a land owner and they would in turn rent to tenants. They were usually established along major waterways. These are with the BAnQ and its research centres and in the Parchemin Notarial database 1626-1794 at the BAnQ. Pontiac County did not have any seigneurial lands.

2. Township 1763 – 1890 this did not replace the seigneury and are the Upper and Lower Land Grants and Letters Patent.

Sources to find Land petitions:

Land Grant by the Crown in the Province of Quebec from 1763 to 31st December 1890, Argenteuil Co. – Huntington Co., FHL#413121 covers Joliette Co.- Yamaska Co., Districts of Quebec, Montreal Alpha Index FHL#413122. These list the land grants by geographical area like Pontiac County and individual areas like Allumette Island, Chichester, Sheen etc.

Alphabetical Index to the Land Grants by the Crown in the Province of Quebec from 1763 to 31 December 1890 are at the Family History Library in volumes 1 FHL#971.4 R2a v.1-9 to 22 FHL#971.4 R2a v. 10-22. Each letter has a volume. Example: M is v. 13. You can order these from the Quebec Family History Library for about $10.00 per volume.

Libraries and Archives Canada has Land Petitions Indexes for Upper and Lower Canada from 1764 to 1841 online at: www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/land/land-petitions-lower-canada-1764-1841/Pages/land-petitions-lower-canada.aspx The online index gives name, surname, date and some may or may not have the image. This online index only goes up to 1841 for the Lower Canada Patents. You need to search both indexes.

Ancestry.com has under Quebec and index of the Land Grants: Quebec Land Grants 1763-1890. This index might be a little easier to search than the books listed about for specific individuals.

The BAnQ in Montreal at Viger Street has indexes to the land petitions which are also available on microfilm.

3. Cadastral started 1830 and is currently being used. The Palais du Justice in Campbell's Bay will prepare reports based on the land description (range, lot and concession) for a fee. You can also search yourself for a fee at the Registre de Foncier: http://www.mern.gouv.qc.ca/foncier/registre/index.jsp

The Quebec Family History Society has information about how to find land patents. www.qfhs.ca/cpage.php

Local Histories
At this time, please read about Local Histories in the Province of Quebec Resources - History.

Maps
At this time, please read about Maps in the Province of Quebec Resources - Maps.

Military Records
At this time, please read about Military Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Military Records.

Newspapers Obituaries
At this time, please read about Newspapers and Obituaries in the Province of Quebec Resources - Newspapers.

In addition to the above link to newspapers on this wiki, check out the Pontiac Archives in Shawville for the newspapers in that region. They may have indexes or abstract books for vital records.Pontiac archives Births-marriages-deaths-published-in-the-equity-beginning-1883-now

Also check the newspapers in Pembroke, Ontario some are held at the Pembroke Public Library and the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Society in Pembroke. Also other local libraries in the Pontiac and Renfrew County areas.

There are books of astracted vital records such as birth, marriage, death and more. In the Pontiac area also check Renfrew County and remember your ancestor moved around and the news would be reported in a major area close by.

Births, Marriages and Deaths from the Pembroke, Ontario Newspapers, Multi volumes, Compiled by the Members of the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group, Pembroke, ONT, 2003.

Births, Marriages, Death Abstracts from the Renfrew Mercury Multi-volumes from 1870 to 1920.There are other volumes. Check with the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group for these abstract books, the Toronto Public Library or archives nearby in the Renfrew and Pontiac area.

Library and Archives in Ottawa has newspapers that you can access at their website for Quebec. It is more by town or city: Library and Archives Ottawa newspapers

This is by geographic region in Quebec. Try Aylmer, Bryson, Fort Coulonge, Gatineau, Hull, Shawville,

Newspaper-collection

Notarial Records
At this time, please read about Notarial Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Notarial Records.

Notarial records for the Pontiac area would be housed in the Archives of Quebec in Montreal at 535 Viger Street West, Montreal, Quebec. Currently the website has an online database that are still a work in progress. Pontiac Records

More records and originals will be housed in the branch of the Archives in Gatineau at 855 Blvd. Gappe, Gatineau, Quebec. If you do not read or speak French and are going to use their websites you will find some parts in French. You can set your browser to translate for you. Archives in Gatineau

Probate Records
At this time, please read about Probate Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Probate Records.

Taxation Records
At this time, please read about Taxation Records in the Province of Quebec Resources - Taxation.

There are Valuation Rolls at the Pontiac Archive for the townships. The earliest was 1856 for Sheen. Contact the archives for the area you are interested. They are spreadsheets of many pages with names listed, lots, and the value of the land. They are kept in indivdual file folders labeled with the location and year.

Vital Records
See Civil Registration Records above.

Societies and Libraries
When doing genealogical research in the Pontiac County area of Quebec, you need to consult archives on both sides of the Ottawa River (Outaouais, the French version). This means you have to consult archives in Ontario and Quebec such as Renfrew County, Ontario, Gatineau, Quebec, Ottawa and Montreal. Your ancestors did not stay in one area and would frequently move back and forth across, up and down the Ottawa river with ease.

Here is a list of archives:

Pontiac Archives, 356 Rue Main, Shawville, QC JOX 2YO, Canada. Please use their PO Box or email them for research inquires, and hours by consulting their website. This archive is in the lower floor of the Shawville Public Library. They emphasize Pontiac County. They have family histories, maps, books for each region of the Pontiac, cemetery records and more. Website:Pontiac archives

Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Society Group, 225 Dickerson Ave., Pembroke, Renfrew Co., Ontario. This society is in the lower floor of the Masonic Building in Pembroke, Ontario. This society covers all of Renfrew County and further north in the area on the Ontario side, as well as Pontiac County, Quebec. They have family histories, newspapers, books, cemetery records and more. Consult their webite for their holdings, hours, and research policies:Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Society Group

Arnprior McNap/Braeside Archive, 21 B Madawaska St., Arnprior, ON K7S 1R6 This archive is in the public library of Arnprior, Ontario. This archive's emphasis is more on Renfrew County and surrounding areas but again our ancestors moved around more than you think. Consult their website for their holdings, hours and research policies. Archives

Quebec Family History Society, 173 Cartier Avenue, Suite 102, Pointe-Claire, Quebec. This library has a great collection of cemetery records for the Pontiac County area of Quebec. Their focus is on English speaking people who settled in Quebec but they are now expanding into the French-Canadian sources. Consult their website for their holdings, research policies and how to do Quebec genealogical research, hours and research inquires:Quebec Family History Society

The Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society their library is at 100 Tallwood Drive, Ottawa, Ontario. Mailing address is P.O. Box 8346 Station T, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3H8. They cover the counties of Carleton, Lanark, Renfrew, Prescott and Russell, which all are in Ontario but again our ancestors migrated a lot more than we think and had family ties in various areas. Check their website for more information: The Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society

Libraries and Archives Canada 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON K1A ON4, Canada. This is the Canada's main government archive. Consult their online website for more information all topics of genealogy in Canada: Libraries and Archives Canada

The Archives of Quebec has the main building in Montreal and branches throughout Quebec. The main building is at 535 Viger Avenue W. in Montreal. The Branch for Pontiac is located in Gatineau. The Archives of Quebec

Web Sites
Bytown or Bust, a Digital History of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, Canada, Including the Cities of Ottawa and Hull/Gatineau 1600 to 2014. Bytown

Ottawa Valley Irish, A Family History weblog &amp; genealogical database: Ottawa Valley Irish

Burns, Hughes, Somerville, Gentle, The Byrns/Burns Family who lived in Chichester Twp. Persona internet

The Man Who Lived Airplanes, The Life of Keith B. MacDonald who father was born in Chichester, Pontiac Co., Quebec and his family. There is also a tour of the Upper Ottawa River Valley from May 21, 2012 to June 27, 2012 covering cities, cemeteries and archives visited. Macdonell Family