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  • Trace Your Roots at the Marilyn Adams Genealogy Research Centre πŸŒ³πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘¦
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Trace Your Roots at the Marilyn Adams Genealogy Research Centre πŸŒ³πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘¦

The call came from Missouri. A man with the last name Wilson told volunteers at the Marilyn Adams Genealogy Research Centre that he and his brother were likely the last of their family. They were looking into their ancestry and wanted to know if there was a chance that they might still have some relations in The County.

The sleuths at the Seventh Town Historical Society got to work.

ancestry research heritage

The Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre can be found at 528 County Road 19 in Ameliasburgh, opposite the Ameliasburgh Heritage Village.

A name like Wilson is common. It’s also familiar to anyone driving the roads in The County – Wilson Road bisects the municipality, a route connecting Bloomfield to Hillier. Even visitors know it for its wineries, art studios and soon-to-be brewery and garden centre.

It turned out that the gentleman had plenty of extended family in The County – and a long and fascinating family history that centred around a grist mill on Lake on the Mountain.

He hopped into his van with his dog and drove all the way to the centre where a volunteer offered to drive him around The County – not something they do routinely! The man went from feeling alone in the world to feeling anchored in family.

“I think we overwhelmed him,” laughs Society president Diana Godbout. She pulls a thick file from her desk at the Marilyn Adams Genealogy Society building in Ameliasburgh. “This is what we know about his mother’s side – we just haven’t told him yet!”

The centre’s volunteers specialize in sleuthing out nameless photos and deciphering the sometimes difficult-to-read handwriting of years gone by.

TheΒ Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre is a hidden gem in The County, often better known outside the municipality. It is a treasure-trove of resources for anyone looking to dig into the history of the area, research their family tree, better understand The County, investigate the history of neighbouring jurisdictions or search out the stories behind long-hidden documents, fading photography or other family relics.

“It’s addictive,” says volunteer Janet Comeau, explaining why volunteers help visitors track down answers to ancestry questions. “It’s like going down a rabbit hole.”

It can be an emotional endeavour – in the time I spent at the centre, volunteers tracked down my grandfather’s birth registration, sending me an image of my great-grandfather’s spidery writing, documenting his first son’s name, in a ledger dated October 1909, nearly five months after he was born.

It might be the only time I’ve seen my great-grandfather’s handwriting.

Seventh Town Historical Society president Diane Godbout (left) and volunteer Janet Comeau pose by a wall of photographs, including a black-and-white portrait of Marilyn Adams, in glasses.

The centre is named after Marilyn Adams, an only child born and raised in Rednersville, who spent most of her teaching career in Oshawa. She was an avid researcher, fascinated in exploring her own family’s history. SheΒ retired in 1989 but a year later, a doctor told her she had only a few months to live. She made the profound decision to leave her home and belongings to the Seventh Town Historical Society, which in turn established a centre for genealogy.

Today volunteers who carry on her legacy have helped hundreds of people trace their ancestry. They’ve also worked tirelessly to preserve countless irreplaceable documents, from tomes on the German Hessian settlers, to early road maps, to land registry cards gifted by the King to Loyalists chased from the United States.

Visitors to the centre can use the facility’s subscription to ancestry.ca, a massive savings for anyone encountering paywalls as they sift back through the branches of their family tree. They can also make use of volunteers who specialize in linking names to faces in photographs, using clues from style of dress to watermarks from the photographer to help puzzle out who is who.

ancestry heritage research

The centre’s resources include a reading and library room, collections of township documents, historical and genealogical documents, a names database, microfilm readers and library access to ancestry.ca. It is also home to one of the world’s most prestigious military collections, the Victoria Cross Archive, which was transferred from Britain in February 2011.

They’ve also used photographs to fill in gaps in family histories – one photo featuring three sons prompted researchers to discover evidence of a dysentery outbreak, one that killed the boys in the picture and many of their relatives.

“And that’s just from looking at a photograph,” Godbout says.

Visitors do not have to have County heritage in order to find value in the building’s resources – in fact, they get requests from all over the world for help untangling ancestral mysteries.

ancestry heritage research

The centre is also the repository for the Hastings County land abstracts, patent books, and post-confederation legal instruments related to land transactions, up to and including the 1950s.

Godbout recounts unraveling the history behind an unusual grave marker at a nearby cemetery as one of her best finds. The bronze bust of a woman in a plunging neckline prompted several phone calls and emails from curious visitors – who was this woman and what had happened to deserve such a striking tribute?

Godbout traced the story back to a man in Belleville, who had carved the sculpture in tribute to a long-time friend. After his wife died, the friends became partners, only for the woman to be lost too soon.

The Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre is open to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the summer months and Tuesdays during the winter months. Visit their website for more information on hours, available support and resources.

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Visit The County is the DMMO for #PrinceEdwardCounty, a rural community bursting with creative talent & natural stunners.

Prince Edward County β„οΈπŸ·πŸ½οΈπŸ
March isn’t over but with all of the delicious M March isn’t over but with all of the delicious Maple Festivities we couldn’t wait to share a recap so far.

BIG thanks to all of our lovely, hardworking local maple syrup producers and maple supporters. 🍁 

Every year March gets sweeter and sweeter so make sure you plan a visit to Prince Edward County during maple season next year.

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#PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #SandbanksPP #VisitPEC #ExperienceTheCounty #MapleSyrup #March
Mark your calendars! This year's Waterfalls Tour Mark your calendars!

This year's Waterfalls Tour event is on April 8 & 9 from 11am - 4pm each day. A family friendly event organized by the Rotary Club of Picton to take in the beauty of two of Prince Edward County's picturesque waterfalls. Big thanks to the land owner's of Jackson Falls and Cape Vessey Falls for welcoming us all.⁠
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Entry is by donation in support of Back the Build, Ukraine Relief and other projects of the Rotary Club of Picton. ⁠

Enjoy a short hike outdoors with your friends, family or simply, just your camera.

Picture by Robbie Garden.⁠

For more information please visit https://pictonrotary.ca/page/waterfalls-tour

#PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #Waterfalls #VisitPEC #outdoors
We will soon be in full bloom. 🌼 Let us know i We will soon be in full bloom. 🌼

Let us know in the comments πŸ‘‡πŸΌ the bloom you are looking forward to most. We are already dreaming up sunflowers over here.

This spring image in the County captured by @kassandramelnykphoto 
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#PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #OutDoors #VisitPEC #ExperienceTheCounty #Spring #flowers
Finding colour & beauty despite the weather today. Finding colour & beauty despite the weather today. A grey day is all how you look at it. πŸ’›
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#PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #SandbanksPP #VisitPEC #ExperienceTheCounty #travelphotography
🍽️ A Delicious Giveaway 🍽️ We're three 🍽️ A Delicious Giveaway 🍽️

We're three weeks away from Countylicious and to count down we're giving away $100 to each of our 16 participating Countylicious restaurants. 
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Comment on the post below and mention who you would want to take out for a Countylicious meal at one of the five following restaurants: ⁠
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🍽 Chef Sean Finnerty of @parsonsbrewing has worked up delicious $30 Lunch and $60 dinner menus featuring dishes such as Concinita Bibil Torta and Elote Caesar.

🍽 At @jacksonsfallscountryinn, Chef Chris Wylie has developed a $20 Lunch menu that can be enjoyed on weekends throughout Countylicious. If you struggle to choose between sweet and savoury brunches, this is the menu for you. 
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🍽 Chef Amanda Ray of @drakedevonshire is serving up an inventive $60 dinner menu with spring-inspired dishes like Mushroom & Leek Mezzaluna and Honey Chamomile Pannacotta. 
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🍽 At @pastaonesta Chef Martin Brzozowski's $20 lunch and $45 dinner menus will transport you straight to Italy with dishes like Focaccia with mortadella, arugula and fior di latte, and Rigatoni with quanciale, pomodoro and pecorino. 
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🍽 Chef Leah Marshall Hannon's $45 dinner menu @stellaseatery features a host of must-try dishes like Braised Bison Brisket and Cedar Crème Brulée. 
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Swipe to see their menus and head to countylicious.ca to book your table! Come back every week for even more restaurant features and giveaways! ⁠
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Content Rules:⁠
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1. Follow @VisitTheCounty on Instagram⁠
2. Like this post⁠
3. Comment and mention a friend. 1 comment with unique mention = 1 entry. Max 5 entries per person.

Winners for each individual giveaway will be contacted via Instagram DM and announced on stories the day following contest closure.⁠ Winners will be assigned a gift card at random from the group of restaurants featured in this giveaway post⁠. Winners will only be contacted by @VisitTheCounty. DMs from any other handles should be considered spam.⁠
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Contest closes March 29 at 11:59pm⁠
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#PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #SandbanksPP #VisitPEC #countylicious
🍁 Maple in The County is back! 🍁 Maple seas 🍁 Maple in The County is back! 🍁

Maple season is in full swing and the celebrations in Prince Edward County will culminate in the long-awaited return of Maple in The County from March 25-26, 2023. Featuring 5 local sugarbushes and a host of local businesses, Maple in The County is a wonderful outing for the whole family. Come on out to tour a sap house, enjoy a pancake breakfast, walk through the maple woods, and so much more. Head to mapleinthecounty.ca for more information and to plan your Maple in The County route! 

Participating Sugarbushes: 

Sweetwater Cabin / Hubbs Sugarbush
Fosterholm Farms
Vader's Maple Syrup @vadersmaple 
Roblin's Maple Syrup @roblins.maple 
Loha Farms @lohafarms 

πŸ“· by Ramesh Pooran of the Wellington Times

#PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #SandbanksPP #VisitPEC #mapleinthecounty
🌱 Spring Countylicious 🌱 Countylicious is b 🌱 Spring Countylicious 🌱

Countylicious is back for spring from April 12 - May 1, 2023! Come out to The County for three weeks of prix fixe dining at restaurants you know, love, and have been dying to try. Stay tuned as we reveal menus and gift card giveaway from all 16 participating restaurants: 

@flameandsmith 
@7numberspicton 
@bloomfieldpublichouse 
@555brewingco 
@parsonsbrewing 
@pastaonesta 
@theroyalhotelpicton 
@TheWaringHouse 
@DrakeDevonshire 
@MerrillHouse1879 
@JacksonsFallsCountryInn 
@BocadoPEC 
@MatronFineBeer 
@StellasEatery 
@HartleysTavern 
@waupoosestatesrestaurant 

Head to http://countylicious.ca/ today to start planning your Countylicious experience.

#PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #SandbanksPP #VisitPEC #Countylicious
🍁 Maple & More 🍷 Wondering what to do in Th 🍁 Maple & More 🍷

Wondering what to do in The County this March? Check out our latest blog for a round-up of everything you can see and do this month, from indulging in maple treats at local sugar bushes and eateries with @maplemadnesspec  and @mapleinthecounty, to tasting wines at the inaugural Γ‰levage: PEC Winter Wine Festival hosted by @pecwine , and everything in between. We've also included a preview of what you can expect next month (hint: it's de-LICIOUS πŸ˜‰).

Link in bio πŸ‘†

Image description: Sweetwater Cabin at Hubbs Sugar Bush, Maple in The County participant, taken by Karen Palmer. Above the image is a banner which reads "Experience Maple & More in The County this March." 

 #PrinceEdwardCounty #PEC #CountyUp #DiscoverON #VisitTheCounty #SouthEasternOntario #TheCounty #BayOfQuinte #DiscoverOntario #Picton #SandbanksPP #VisitPEC #MapleInTheCounty #MapleMadnessPEC #elevagepec #pecwine #MarchinTheCounty
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