Monday, January 8, 2018

Part I: OnLand Records: Historical Books: First Registration Book

On December 18, 2017, the Ontario Land Registry built a web portal (https://www.onland.ca/ui/) to deliver key statutory services relating to land and property ownership in Ontario to land registry professionals and the public.

This is a gold mine of information for genealogists with ancestors in Ontario.

This post, Part IV,  is about the First Registration books which contain a list of first registrations from registry to land titles (e.g. Crown Patent or Crown plan).

Here is a walk-through of how I found the records for my 4th great-grandfather Matthew Moynahan (1770-1860) who lived in Maidstone (known originally as Sandwich), Ontario.

I started by selecting the "Essex" Land Registry Office and then "Browse First Registration Book".
Source: Screenshot: Land Registry Office; Historical Books
 In the First Registration Book I selected the "Patent Index"

Source: Screenshot: Land Registry Office; Historical Books

The Index was 357 pages and the subsections were as follows
  • Anderdon: pages 3 - 23
  • Colchester: pages 25 - 59
  • Gosfield: pages 61 - 93
  • Kingsville: page 95
  • Maidstone: pages 96 - 122
  • Malden: pages 124 - 134
  • Pelee: page 170
  • Rochester: pages 172 - 188
  • Sandwich: pages 190 - 259
  • Tilbury West: pages 260 - 284
  • Amherstburg: pages 285 - 318
  • Colchester: pages 321 - 333
  • Sandwich: pages 335 - 354
By scrolling page by page, I found my 4th great-grandfather Matthew Moynahan on page 255 (of 357) of 296 North Talbot Road, Sandwich.

Source: Screenshot: Land Registry Office; Historical Books

I noted in the description for Mathew Moynihan/Minehan "des, 521" and "des, 548" so I returned to the previous page and selected Book 3 which covered Crown Patents: 476 to 662.
Source: Screenshot: Land Registry Office; Historical Books

This is the result below on page 147 (of 234)

Source: Land Registry Office; Historical Books; First Registration Book  ESSEX (12), Book 3  CROWN PATENTS; 476 TO 662

And also this entry #548 on page 161 (of 234)

Source: Land Registry Office; Historical Books; First Registration Book  ESSEX (12), Book 3  CROWN PATENTS; 476 TO 662

Definitions

What Are Crown Patents ?

Land patents were issued by the Crown to the first owner, to confirm the transfer of ownership. They include a description of the land granted, and may include legal restrictions or conditions.
See Archives of Ontario Research Guide 225:  Researching Crown Land Records

What Are Crown Plans?

Using the name of the township or town, you can find Patent Plan images at the Archives of Ontario (RG 1-100) with a keyword search in the Archives of Ontario’s Visual Database.

List of:  Ontario Government Record Series RG 1-100;  Patent plans (alphabetical)

Here is how I found the Crown Plans for my 4th great-grandfather Matthew Moynahan. In the Archives of Ontario, Visual Database RG 1-100 I searched "Sandwich" and it displayed seven results.

Lucky for me, 4th great-grandfather Matthew was found on the first result RG 1 - 100 - 0 - 0 - 2458



When viewing results from searches in the Archives Descriptive Database, please look for a camera icon beside the search results. Clicking the CAMERA icon will open a corresponding image in the Archives Visual Database.

There is a magnifier on the page or you can just open a larger image to view all of the names. Magnified below is my 4th great-grandfather Mathew Moynahan/Minahan

Source: Archives of Ontario; Ontario Government Record: Map Crown Lands; Sandwich South Township; RG 1-100-0-0-2458

There is so much detail to be found in this visual database, that you must visit the Archives of Ontario website where you can magnify the image sufficiently to read the names. Click here for the Sandwich South Map http://ao.minisisinc.com/FS_IMAGES/I0051098.jpg

Source: Archives of Ontario; Ontario Government Record: Map Crown Lands; Sandwich South Township; RG 1-100-0-0-2458

Source: Archives of Ontario; Ontario Government Record: Map Crown Lands; Sandwich South Township; RG 1-100-0-0-2458

Here you can see Mathew Moynahan/Minihan located at 296 North Talbot Rd. Sandwich, Ontario.

I hope I have simplified the process for searching the OnLand Records: Historical Books: First Registration Book.


Other Ontario Land Records Links 

7 comments:

  1. Great blog - looking forward to Parts 2-4. Thank you.

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  2. Wow! So helpful... Step by step instructions for using this great resource. I now have hopes for finding several of my ancestors' lands. Thank you so much.

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  3. Can you search by a person's name if you don't know WHERE in Ont. their property was located? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You cannot search OnLand records by surname. You must know the property details to search the records.

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  4. Cindi,
    Thank you- these are great instructions.
    However, not all Counties have the breadth of records you observed.
    For Grey County there are only Abstract Indexes:
    https://www.onland.ca/ui/16/books/browse

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Registry Offices are closing to the public. Books not already on line are being scanned and will be put into the system

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  5. Thank you so much for throwing light on how books,paper and documents were so vital and crucial before online processes took over.

    Land Registry Portal

    ReplyDelete