Durham Region Cemetery Indexing Project

Index and Location of Cemeteries in Durham

The Cemetery Project starts with a clickable map of Durham Region, giving information on each location (historical and current) then offers links to individual cemetery information photos and some name lists.

Volunteers are currently updating the cemetery transcriptions, visiting every marker, recording changes, and creating a digital image of each as well. These digital images can be found in our library.

Memorial Card Collection (a.k.a. Funeral Cards) [Now these records are open to all.]

Durham Branch is digitizing old “In Memoriam” cards that were handed out on the occasion of the death of a family member. Many of us have a handful filed away with our records (if we were lucky enough to inherit them), and many of the Archives and Museums in the area also have collections. Initially we are copying any with a connection to the Durham Region – either by birth, marriage, death, burial, residence, etc. They don’t have to have been issued in this area.

If you have any cards you wish to share with us, please do one of the following:

1. Scan (.jpg) or photograph the cards individually and e-mailed the files to durham@ogs.on.ca Attention: Funeral Cards.
2. Donate the cards by bringing them to a branch meeting or mailing them to the Branch address.
3. Bring the cards to a branch meeting in an envelope marked with your name and email address; we will copy them and return them at the following meeting.
4. For cards that you do not wish to let out of your sight, we will arrange a “Copy Day” at our office.
5. If you wish to hear from people who see the cards, include some contact information.

Local School Yearbooks

Ryan Taylor Memorial Yearbook Collection

The branch has followed up on the suggestion of the Board of the Ontario Genealogical Society (Ontario Ancestors) to collect School Yearbooks for the Durham Region. This was one of Ryan’s passions, but his collection did not remain in Canada and is therefore not accessible to the majority of those that might seek photographs, etc. of their ancestors and relatives.

We have begun to collect these historical records and as of this date have already amassed an impressive selection from various sources, many of them donated by a generous benefactor. We also own a couple of yearbooks from the outlying area around the region, i.e.; Durham County.

It is our intention to keep a current list of these yearbooks on our website, in hopes that if any of our membership stumble across any of these books at a yard-sale, etc. or have one squirreled away in the attic, and wish to donate them to the collection, they will be able to determine if we need that specific year... [We already have people watching Ebay]

For further information, contact: e-mail:Stephen Wood - durhamresearch@ogs.on.ca

The Branch now owns the following Yearbooks and a few of Ryan Taylor's orphaned photos.