Pioneer Life on the Bay of Quinte, 1904

Pioneer Life on the Bay of Quinte
and other great resources

No book is more widely known by Quinte researchers than the Pioneer Life on the Bay of Quinte (PLBQ), published in 1904.

The other book that I love is the History of the Settlement of Upper Canada with Special Reference to the Bay of Quinte by William Canniff, 1869. Canniff wrote 3 books, all found at Our Roots.

Both books contain errors but their positive value overshadows any criticism. They are rich in genealogical information and stories of emigration, pioneering challenges and the politics of the day. A great help in imagining life at that time.

PLBQ was a subscription book. Individuals paid to have their family story and lineage entered in the book and someone in the family collected the information and wrote the section. This accounts for the errors in lineage and the sometimes inflated stories. Especially common is the claim of "loyalist" to settlers who by official standards do not meet the criteria.

The books below are searchable online at either Our Roots or Google Books and sometimes at both sites.

Pioneer Life on The Bay of Quinte, 1904.

History of the Settlement of Upper Canada with Special Reference to the Bay of Quinte, 1869 at GOOGLE.

History of the Settlement of Upper Canada with Special Reference to the Bay of Quinte,1869 at OUR ROOTS.

Historic Hastings by Gerald E. Boyce, 1967

Historic Sidney by Gerry Boyce

Bloomfield: the story of a village, 1996

Below are some useful web sites.

Google Searching - a great list of tips to be a better searcher.

Ontario Locator - find old place names

Early Canadiana Online - an amazing site and growing

Belleville Cemetery - a finding aid

Bill Martin's site - A vast collection of Ontario records including the Bay of Quinte.

Don and Jeanne Ross - Dutchess County wills. Many Bay of Quinte settlers came from this area of NY.

Ontario Gen Web - A must for Ontario researchers.

Quinte Branch - OGS - An active group of people. Congratulations.

Bay of Quinte Gen Web - Hastings, Prince Edward and Lennox and Addington.

South Fredericksburgh Heritage Website - interesting mix of things

Ontario Vital Statistics Project - A major project worth your time to look around.

Olive Tree - Well known major site.

Cramahe Township early records - Carol (Roach) Murray's site

Loyalist sites
United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada

The old UEL List - 1885