The Perth County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society was founded in 1983 and covered all of Perth County, supporting the preservation and research of local family histories. The branch closed in 2025, and its affiliated website was consolidated into the main Ontario Ancestors site.
The Perth County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society was founded in 1983 and covered all of Perth County, supporting the preservation and research of local family histories. The branch closed in 2025, and its affiliated website was consolidated into the main Ontario Ancestors site.
The Perth County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society was officially established on September 10, 1983. It began with an exploratory meeting on January 18, 1983, organized by the genealogical committee of the Avon Valley Historical Society and the Stratford-Perth Archives, following a suggestion by Roger Harris. A strong turnout led to another meeting on February 15, where attendees shared their family “roots.”
On March 15, Arnold Nethercott of the OGS Branch Liaison Committee spoke about forming a branch, and the first officers were elected: Lutzen Riedstra (Chair), Ian Fisher (Vice-Chair), Bev Wilhelm (Secretary), Hugh McDermid (Treasurer), Roger Harris (Membership Secretary), Robin Wilhelm (Publicity), Ellenor Carruthers (Research Coordinator), Wanda Fisher (Social Activities), Jim McCallum (Cemetery Coordinator), Ann O’Brien (Pedigree Charts Coordinator), Lynn Manktalow (Librarian), and John Hofstee (Listowel Representative).
In the months that followed, the branch hosted guest speakers, workshops, and began reading the Hampstead Cemetery. Meetings were held on the third Tuesday of each month at the Stratford Public Library, and the first newsletter, Perth County Profiles, was published that fall.
Membership fees: $4.00 in 1983, rising to $7.00 (individual) or $10.00 (family) in 1984.
(Adapted from the first newsletter, written by Lutzen Riedstra; compiled by Shirley Hutton.)
Perth County was settled through the efforts of the Canada Company, a large private British land development company incorporated by royal charter in 1826 to help colonize parts of Upper Canada. The company acquired and developed the undeveloped clergy and crown reserves, surveying and subdividing the vast Huron Tract, which stretched across what are now Huron, Perth, Middlesex, and Lambton Counties. It built roads, mills, and schools, advertised land sales in Europe, and even operated its own steamboat on Lake Ontario to bring settlers to the area.
The southern eight townships—North Easthope, South Easthope, Ellice, Logan, Downie, Fullarton, Hibbert, and Blanshard—were laid out in 1827 and named for the company’s directors. The northern three—Wallace, Elma, and Mornington—were part of the Crown lands known as the Queen’s Bush, lying between the Huron Tract and Georgian Bay.
The first settlers, Sebastian Fryfogel and Andrew Seebach, arrived in December 1828 and operated Canada Company inns near Shakespeare and Sebringville. They lived in isolation until 1832, when larger numbers of German, Scottish, English, and Irish settlers began arriving around Stratford.
Among the early pioneers was John Linton, who came to Upper Canada in 1833. Directed by the Canada Company to Stratford, he cleared farmland on Lot 7, Concession 3, Downie Township. In 1834, he opened the first local school, while his wife started another in North Easthope. Linton played a key role in the creation of Perth County, a name he chose in honor of the many settlers from Perthshire, Scotland.
By 1850, the southern part of the county was well settled, and the Queen’s Bush area followed soon after. Perth County was officially established in January 1850, comprising 11 townships from the former Huron and Wellington Districts. The first courthouse opened in Stratford in 1853, marking the county’s separation from Huron and Bruce. Township councils began in 1850, and several villages and towns were incorporated soon after.
Stratford itself was formed from parts of Downie, Ellice, and Easthope Townships. In 1831, William Sergeant received a lot from the Canada Company on the condition that he build an inn; by 1832, he had completed the Shakespeare Hotel, the first frame building by the Avon River. The first land purchaser was John Sharman, a blacksmith from Bedfordshire, England, whose son Henry became the first child born within Stratford’s limits.
Originally from the Huron Tract
- Blanshard – Named for Richard Blanshard, Director of the Canada Company
- Downie– Named in honour of Robert Downie MP one of the directors of the Canada Company
- Easthope – Named for Sir John Easthope, MP a Director of the Canada Company. In 1843 the townships were divided into North Easthope and South Easthope
- Ellice – Named in honour of Rt. Hon. Edward Ellice, a Canadian-born director of the Canada Company. His father was managing director of the Hudson’s Bay Company
- Fullarton – Named for John Fullarton, Director of the Canada Company
- Hibbert – Named in honour of William T. Hibbert, Director of the Canada Company
- Logan – Named in Honour of Hart Logan, Director of the Canada Company and uncle of Sir William E. Logan, the founder of the Canadian Geological Survey
Originally from Queen’s Bush
- Elma – Named in honour of Lady Elma Bruce, daughter of Canada’s newly arrived Governor General James Bruce, better know as Lord Elgin(8th Earl of Elgin)
- Mornington – Named in honor of Richard Wellesley, Earl of Mornington, eldest brother of the Duke of Wellington
- Wallace – Named in honour of Thomas Baron Wallace, Vice-President of the British Board of Trade under Lord Goderich in 1820
The Stratford-Perth Archives began in January 1972 as the Perth County Archives, based on the Orr Collection and other materials from the Perth County Historical Collection. Over time, it has become the leading local history research centre in Perth County.
Originally located in the Perth County Courthouse basement, the Archives moved in 1981 to the former Registry Office at 24 Andrew Street, Stratford. Branches later opened in Listowel (1975) and Mitchell (1984).
As the collections grew, a new facility was built just outside Stratford. The current 10,000-square-foot building opened in June 2015 at 4273 Line 34, R.R. #5, offering modern, climate-controlled preservation, a Digitization and Preservation Lab, and a spacious Reading Room with Wi-Fi and computer access. The James Anderson Gallery hosts rotating exhibits and community talks.
The Archives also maintains an extensive reference library, part of the Perth County Information Network (PCIN), with many local family histories searchable online.
📍 www.stratfordpertharchives.on.ca | ☎️ 519-271-0531 | ✉️ [email protected]
Discover family roots and local history through archival resources from the Perth area.
This index draws from the Canadian County Atlas Digital Project by McGill University, which digitized Ontario’s Historical Atlases (published 1875–1884). These atlases include township maps showing property lots and landowners, along with brief biographies and business listings.
Use the search bar below to find names, townships, or counties. The link in the final column will take you directly to the detailed entry on the Canadian County Atlas Digital Project website.
Note: Haliburton County was created in 1881 and is not listed as a separate atlas (see Haliburton History), but its townships appear under Peterborough, Victoria, and Nipissing Counties.
| Surname | Given Name | Township | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surname | Given Name | Township | More Information |
| ID (key) | TOWNSHIP | CEMETERY NAME | ADDRESS | LOT CONC | EST D | HISTORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ID (key) | TOWNSHIP | CEMETERY NAME | ADDRESS | LOT CONC | EST D | HISTORY |
This section holds the full Perth County Profiles archive with newsletters from the 1980s to today. Members can browse decade folders, open issues, and download every PDF.
Stay informed with recordings of our most recent genealogy webinars, available exclusively to members.
September 2024
Few early bastardy oaths—also known as oaths of affiliation—have survived, but records from eight Ontario districts, including about 200 from Perth County (1853–1902) and 250 from Elgin County (1853–1921), remain available. After 1837 legislation made fathers liable for child support, these oaths became common as the first legal step between an expectant mother’s family and the child’s father. Containing unique details not found elsewhere, the session will showcase sample oaths and explain how to access them.
December 2024
Canadian burials from WWI and WWII can be found in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database (CWGC.org). While many are in Canadian War Cemeteries, others appear in military or civilian cemeteries worldwide. These sites also include civilians, medical staff, and volunteers, as well as monuments to the missing. The session features photos of Canadian graves in Italy and guidance on locating military and burial records both online and onsite. Suitable for all skill levels.