Annapolis County, Nova Scotia Genealogy
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Guide to Annapolis county ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.
Contents
History[edit | edit source]
1759 - Annapolis County was established in 1759, when Nova Scotia was divided into five counties. In 1836 and 1837, parts of Annapolis County were divided to create Yarmouth and Digby Counties.
Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management has a virtual exhibit on the early settlement of Port Royal (now Annapolis) and a searchable database of "the largest and most complete online presentation of primary-source documents relating to the Deportation of the Acadians from Nova Scotia.
Calnek, William Arthur, and Alfred William Savary. History of the County of Annapolis Including Old Port Royal and Acadia: With Memoirs of Its Representation in the Provincial Parliament, and Biographical and Genealogical Sketches of Its Early English Settlers and Their Families. Toronto: William Briggs, 1897. Online Copy at Google Books
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- Place-Names and Places of Nova Scotia is another database searchable by county or community that contains brief descriptions and historical facts about more than 2,400 communities.
- Nova Scotia
- 1871 - Postal Gazetteer
- Nova Scotia.ca Historical Map Information
Populated Places Table[edit | edit source]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|
POPULATED PLACE |
FORMER NAME, if applicable | TYPE |
FHL CATALOG |
WIKIPEDIA |
| Annapolis | Link | |||
| Annapolis Royal | Link | Link | ||
| Annapolis Township | Link | Link | ||
| Bear River | Link | Link | ||
| Bridgetown | Link | Link | ||
| Clementsport | Link | Link | ||
| Granville Township | Link | Link | ||
| Lawrencetown | Link | Link | ||
| Maitland Bridge | Link | Link | ||
| Middleton | Link | Link | ||
| Moose River | Link | |||
| Northfield | Link | Link | ||
| Paradise | Link | Link | ||
| Port Royal | Link | Link | ||
| Wilmot | Link | Link | ||
| Wilmot Township | Link | Link |
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Kings County * Queens County * Digby County
Civil Registrations[edit | edit source]
According to Nova Scotia Archives Records Management:
"Civil registration of vital statistics began in Nova Scotia in 1763 with the introduction of procedures for obtaining a marriage licence; the procedure was optional and the surviving records are incomplete. Formalized registration of births, deaths and marriages began in 1864 and continued to 1877, at which time record-keeping lapsed for births and deaths, but continued for marriages. Compliance was not universal during this period and there are gaps in the surviving records. Since 1 October 1908, birth, death and marriage registrations have been collected and maintained continuously."
Birth Records[edit | edit source]
- 1661-1959 - Canada Births and Baptisms, index.
- 1702-1896 - Nova Scotia Births and Baptisms, index.
- 1830-1909 - Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics Births 1864-1877, 1908-1909; Delayed Birth Registrations 1830-1909
- 1836-1907 - Registered Births 1864-1877 and Delayed Births 1836-1907. index.
- 1836-1910 - Nova Scotia, Canada, Births, index and images, ($).
- 1837-1904 - Nova Scotia Delayed Births, Images.
- 1864-1877 - Nova Scotia Births, 1864-1877 at FamilySearch — index and images
Marriage Records[edit | edit source]
- 1711-1909 - Nova Scotia Marriages, index.
- 1759-1960 - Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics Court records of Divorce and Matrimonial Causes, 1759-1960; Marriage Bonds 1763-1864; Marriage Registrations 1864-1934
- 1763-1932 - marriages, index.
- 1763-1942 - Nova Scotia, Canada, Marriages at Ancestry - index and images ($); Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1864-1918 - Nova Scotia Marriages, 1864-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1907-1932 - Nova Scotia Marriages, images.
- A Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia ($) a database of Annapolis and Digby marriage records is available to members of the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia.
Death Records[edit | edit source]
- 1864-1957 - Nova Scotia Vital Records, 1763-1957:Contains deaths 1864-1877, 1908-1957, index.
- 1864-1877 - Nova Scotia Deaths, 1864-1877 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1864-1959 - Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics Deaths 1864-1877, 1908-1959
- 1864-1960 - Nova Scotia, Canada, Deaths, 1864-1877, 1890-1960, index and images. ($)
- 1890-1955 - Nova Scotia Deaths, images.
- 1956-1957 - Nova Scotia Deaths, images.
Census[edit | edit source]
In Canada, census returns are closed for 92 years after the time of enumeration. Census returns prior to 1851 are rarely complete for any area, and the census returns for Annapolis County in 1851 did not survive.
- 1861 - For each county, the agricultural returns follow immediately after the personal returns for the whole county.
- 1871 - The personal returns for each enumeration sub-district appear in schedule one. The agricultural returns are schedules three to five and are keyed to schedule one by page and line number rather than by name.
Online Searchable Databases, Books and Images[edit | edit source]
| Year | Name of Collection | Where Available |
|---|---|---|
|
1671 |
Acadian genealogy exchange - v. 5, no. 4 Oct 1976; |
FamilySearch Digital Library. Acadian Families in 1671 begins on page 118 |
| 1708 | East Coast of Arcadia 1708 | At various libraries (WorldCat) FamilySearch |
| 1714 | Acadian families in 1714 | At various libraries (WorldCat) FamilySearch |
| 1752 | 1752 census of Isle Royale (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) | At various libraries (WorldCat) FamilySearch |
| 1770 | Nova Scotia 1770 census | Nova Scotia Archives Ancestry ($) FamilySearch |
| 1800-1842 | Ontario and Nova Scotia Census, 1800-1842 | Ancestry ($) |
| 1811-1818 | Nova Scotia Census Returns, 1811, 1817 and 1818 | Nova Scotia Archives |
| 1827 | Nova Scotia Census Returns 1827 | Nova Scotia Archives Ancestry ($) FamilySearch WorldCat |
| 1838 | Nova Scotia Census Returns 1838 | Nova Scotia Archives |
| 1851 | Canada Census, 1851 | Archives of Canada Familysearch Ancestry ($) |
| 1861 | Census of Canada, 1861 | Archives of Canada Familysearch Ancestry ($) |
| 1871 | Census of Canada, 1871 | Archives of Canada Familysearch Ancestry ($) |
| 1871-1901 | Jewish residents of the Maritime provinces in the 1871-1901 censuses of Canada | FamilySearch WorldCat |
| 1881 | Census of Canada, 1881 | Archives of Canada Familysearch Ancestry ($) |
| 1891 | Census of Canada, 1891 | Archives of Canada Familysearch Ancestry ($) |
| 1901 | Census of Canada, 1901 | Archives of Canada Familysearch Ancestry ($) |
| 1911 | Census of Canada, 1911 | Archives of Canada Familysearch Ancestry ($) |
| 1921 | Census of Canada, 1921 | Ancestry ($) |
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1720-2001 - Nova Scotia Church Records, images.
- 1757-1946 - Acadia, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), images. ($)
- 1823-1905 - Nova Scotia, Antigonish Catholic Diocese, images.
- Nova Scotia, Canada, Antigonish Catholic Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1823-1905, index and images, ($).
- 1856-1970 - U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, images ($)
- Nova Scotia Archives, Church Records, index and images.
- Nova Scotia Archives, Regional Church Archives contact information
See also, Nova Scotia Church Records
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
| |
| |
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1786-1853 -Annapolis town meetings, 1790-1853 -- Annapolis County grand jury, 1786-1800}, images.
- 1885-1900 - Nova Scotia Archives Court of Appeal Casebooks
Wills and Probate[edit | edit source]
- 1760-1993 - Nova Scotia Probate Records and Estate Files, images.
- 1763-1938 - Abstracts from the Court of Probate records for Annapolis County, index and images.
- 1879-1970 -Wills, 1879-1970, images.
City, Provincial, and Business Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1758-1952 - Publications of the governments of Nova Scotia, index and images. ($)
- 1868-1869 - Collections Canada PDF file of McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory
- 1880-1881 - McAlpine's maritime provinces business directory
- 1890-1897 - Collections Canada PDF file of McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory
- 1907-1908 - Nova Scotia Archives McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory
Land Records[edit | edit source]
- 1732-1864 - Nova Scotia land grants, microfilm.
- 1763-1970 - Land records, microfilm.
- 1854-1953 - Land grants, microfilm.
- 1965-1970 - Card file index to deeds, grantor and grantee, microfilm, Index.
Online Records[edit | edit source]
- Land Grants, Images.
- Crown Land Information Management Centre maps, images.
- 1760-1993 - Nova Scotia Probate Records, images.
- 1765-1800 - Nova Scotia Land Papers images.
- 1787-1843 - Cape Breton Island Petitions, images.
Additional Reference[edit | edit source]
- Gilroy, Marion. Loyalists and Land Settlement in Nova Scotia. Halifax: Public Archives of Nova Scotia, 1937.
- Smith, Clifford Neal. Whereabouts of Some American Refugees, 1784–1800: the Nova Scotian Land Grants. 7 vols. McNeal, Arizona: Vestland Publications, 1992.
- Land Registration Office - Annapolis County
396 Main Street
Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia
(902) 584-7185
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- The American Civil War : the service records of Atlantic Canadians with the State of Maine volunteers
- The civil sword : James Delancey's Westchester Refugees
- 1749-1867 - Index to commissions in the Public, index.
Online Sources[edit | edit source]
- Veteran Affairs Canada has a Virtual War Memorial with listings of graves and memorials, some with photographs and personal memorabilia. It also has excerpts from wartime letters and diaries.
- Library and Archives Canada Records and databases of information over an extensive period of time.
- 1910-1967 - The Royal Canadian Navy Virtual archive of non-governmental materials (postcards, letters, photographs, etc.)
Newspapers and Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- List of Nova Scotia newspapers available on microfilm at Library and Archives Canada:
Library and Archives Canada - Nova Scotia vital statistics from newspapers FamilySearch
- 1752-1988 - Hicks, Brenda, Lynn Murphy, and Anjali Vohra. Nova Scotia Newspapers: A Directory and Union List, 1752-1988. Halifax, Nova Scotia: School of Library and Information Studies, Dalhousie University, 1990.
- 1757-1957 - Tratt, Gertrude E. N. A Survey and Listing of Nova Scotia Newspapers, 1752-1957, with Particular Reference to the Period Before 1867. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Dalhousie University, 1979.
- 1866-1931 - The Annapolis Valley Newspaper Extracts Project has published online transcriptions of vital statistics from selected newspapers covering 1866-1931.
Taxation Records[edit | edit source]
- 1791-1793 - Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management Poll tax rolls
Voter Records[edit | edit source]
- 1791–1793 Nova Scotia, Canada, Census, Assessment and Poll Tax Records, 1770-1795, 1827, 1838 at Ancestry - index ($)
Repositories[edit | edit source]
Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management, formerly the Public Archives of Nova Scotia (PANS):
6016 University Avenue
Halifax, Nova Scotia
(902) 424-6060
www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/
The library holdings are only available for use on-site, but there are numerous databases and materials available through the Virtual Archives, including the searchable database of Historical Vital Statistics. If you're planning a visit to the library, you can search a portion of the catalogue online in advance (as of July 2010, 20,000 entries); the remaining 50,000 titles are listed in the Archives Reading Room Card Catalogue, available onsite. Search for 'Annapolis' in Acadia University's Planter Database for a more convenient way to view NSARM's record holdings.
Annapolis Heritage Society Geneaology Centre
O'Dell House Museum
136 St. George Street
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
(902) 532-7754
www.annapolisheritagesociety.com/genealogy
The Centre has significant collections of genealogies, local histories, cemetery and probate records, old scrapbooks, microfilms of vital statistics for Annapolis and Digby counties, church records and deeds and other pertinent information for researchers. Its primary emphasis is on Annapolis Royal and the old townships which were adjacent to Annapolis Royal: Granville, Annapolis, Wilmot and Clements. It also covers the early Acadian settlements prior to 1755.
Annapolis Valley Historical Society MacDonald Museum
21 School Street,
Middleton, Nova Scotia
Phone: (902) 825-6116
www.macdonaldmuseum.ca/
Holdings: family files; obituaries- various; photographic collection – local people and scenes; scrapbooks of local interest stories; church registers- various; cemetery inscriptions; Robert L. Hall Funeral home records, Bridgetown, NS (1907-1975); Township Books, Annapolis & Kings County; vital statistics, Annapolis, Kings, Digby & Lunenburg Counties; census records 1838-1901 Annapolis County; library of local history; land grants- various; Annapolis County probate records – abstracts 1763-1938; Annapolis County school records; local newspapers: Middleton Outlook/Mirror-Examiner 1901-present (indexed from 1901-1925), Bridgetown Monitor 1876-1902
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Nova Scotia Genealogy Records Online
- Annapolis County GenWeb Project
- Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia
- Nova Scotia Genealogy
- Canada Archives and Libraries Genealogy and History Links
- Acadia University's Planter Studies Centre, focused on the New England residents who settled in Nova Scotia in the late 1700s.
References[edit | edit source]
- Thorpe, Wendy L. Annapolis County. Nova Scotia Genealogical Sources"
- Genealogy Source: Where to Find Genealogical Information in Nova Scotia. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Council of Nova Scotia Archives, 2002.
- Elliot, Noel Montgomery, ed. The Atlantic Canadians, 1600–1900: An Alphabetized Directory of the People, Places, and Vital Dates. 3 vols. Toronto: Genealogical Research Library, 1994.
- Marble, Allan E. A Catalogue of Published Genealogies of Nova Scotia Families. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Genealogical Association of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, 1984.
- Morris, Julie. Tracing Your Ancestors in Nova Scotia. Halifax: Public Archives of Nova Scotia, 1987.
- Morse, William I. Gravestones of Acadie: And Other Essays on Local History, Genealogy and Parish Records of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. London: A. Smith & Co., 1929.
- Peterson, Jean, Lynn Murphy, and Heather MacDonald. The Loyalist Guide: Nova Scotian Loyalists and Their Documents. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Public Archives of Nova Scotia, 1983.
- Punch, Terrence M. Erin's Sons: Irish Arrivals in Atlantic Canada to 1863. 4 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2008-2010.
- Punch, Terrence M. Genealogical Research in Nova Scotia. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Petheric Press, 1978.
- Punch, Terrence M. Genealogist's Handbook for Atlantic Canada Research. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989.
- Punch, Terrence M. In Which County?: Nova Scotia Surnames from Birth Registers, 1864 to 1877. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Genealogical Association of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, 1985.
- Smith, Leonard H, and Norma H. Smith. Nova Scotia Immigrants to 1867. 2 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992. Also digitized and searchable on Ancestry.com
- County Guide Series, No. 5. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Public Archives of Nova Scotia, 1990.
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