my genealogy life

Family stories are my buried treasure

Tracing ancestors in Canada, England, Scotland & Ireland

Sharing my love of digging through old documents, uncovering family stories, and sharing the real papers that bring our ancestors back to life.


Category: World War I

  • A Tribute to John Melody Dever

    A Tribute to John Melody Dever

    Today marks 45 years since the death of my grandfather John Melody Dever, aka Jack. I was 4 years old when he passed, which means I have had to gather most of the knowledge about his life from records and peoples remembrances. John was born in 1897 in Montreal the son of Irish immigrant parents,…

  • Protestant Schools in Quebec City

    Protestant Schools in Quebec City

    The question started with “Did my grandmother attend school while she was living in Quebec City?” And it snowballed as it usually does when doing genealogy. I found a book on the BAnQ (National Library and Archives of Quebec) website about Protestant Schools in Quebec. The book is called “Molding our tomorrows: a survey of…

  • Military Photographs WWI

    Military Photographs WWI

    Yesterday I received a message from a cousin who said he had scanned a few more pictures from his dad’s collection. I had the time to look at the pictures last night and was surprised to see some military photos. One picture was from a Musketry School in Montreal taken in 1917. I quickly suspected…

  • 100 Years Since the Soldiers Came Home

    100 Years Since the Soldiers Came Home

    In one month, it will be time to commemorate the centenary of Armistice of World War I. One century ago thousands of damaged soldiers were returning home, marking the resolution of the war to end all wars. Worldwide there were soldiers embarking on the journey home. Some hadn’t met their children or hadn’t laid eyes…

  • IT’S ALL THERE IN BLACK & WHITE Sorry, still doesn’t mean it’s true

    IT’S ALL THERE IN BLACK & WHITE Sorry, still doesn’t mean it’s true

    Digging into the family tree often leads to more questions than answers. This time I found the answer. Long before Library and Archives Canada started adding their WWI soldier files online I was systematically ordering the records of family members. (On a side note these records are a treasure and the fact that they are…

  • Day 11 of the Military Challenge from Ottawa

    Day 11 of the Military Challenge from Ottawa

    Today I am concluding the 11-day Military Challenge with photographs of the Memorial in the centre of Ottawa. It was a surprise trip and I can’t think of a more fitting place to be than our Nation’s capital this Remembrance Day. I am grateful for the service that my family has given in causes in Canada and further…