About Us
We are a branch of Ontario Ancestors — the provincial Ontario Genealogical Society. We are (mostly) amateur genealogists and family history buffs who are just trying to find one more relative.
We are based in the city of Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and our area of primary interest includes the counties of Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (KFLA). (To your ancestors when Ontario was Canada West or Upper Canada, this area included the districts of Mecklenberg and Midland.)
We are an active and friendly group, with a membership that includes both new and experienced researchers. We hold Branch meetings eight times a year for educational talks or information sessions, and we have regular social get-togethers such as lunches, picnics, and genealogy drop-in sessions.
As individuals, our research interests span the globe. Even if a person has no ancestors from the area or a single great-great-grandparent who lived here, many join our branch to connect with others who share their interest and knowledge in family history.
What we Offer
We encourage and assist anyone, young or old, who is interested in family history in the local geographical area,
Kingston Branch OGS maintains an extensive Library of books and other research materials and it is all available for the public to study in our reading room at the main branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library. We also run ongoing publications program, with more than 200 books available for sale.
We have a wealth of information on our website. The public can access many research resources through our Research section and can get an indication of what is available on the Members Only section. Members have access to many primary records and secondary documents on-line, as well as recordings of recent presentations and all the handouts provided by our presenters.
Click here for information on our next meeting and upcoming activities.
To learn about other benefits of joining us, please click on the membership page.
Our Past
Our branch was established in 1973. The Branch History page describes many of our activities and many of the members who have been involved over the past 50 years.
Our Invitation
We’d love to have you join us at our next meeting. We look forward to seeing you in person.
Or join us! Membership fees support the Ontario Genealogical Society at both the provincial and local levels.
Share Your Research
Have you compiled a family history that touches on the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington area? Are you downsizing and you have original records of historical significance to this area, or published works that deal with almost any aspect of genealogy and local history? If so, we’ll be glad to provide a secure, archival home for it in our public Reference Library collection, and it will benefit future researchers.
We’re a purely volunteer-based, non-profit organization. If you prefer to make a cash donation, it will be put to good use for the genealogy community. (See link in the footer of this page.)
… or Join the Branch Council
If you want to help the wider genealogical community and have some time to donate throughout the year, you might consider working on the branch council. The work is not onerous and the people make it enjoyable. We’re a sociable bunch, and we can always use more help!
… or Help with Cemetery Transcriptions
Kingston Branch actively supports the transcription of cemeteries within Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Counties (as well as transcription of other local records such as church registers).
Searchable indexes to names in these cemetery transcriptions may be found at The Ontario Name Index (TONI). For cemetery inquiries and look-ups, see our Research page.
Join a dedicated group who visit local cemeteries to transcribe inscriptions from headstones. For additional details, contact the Branch or the Chair of our Cemeteries Committee as listed above.
… or Help With one of our many Projects
We can always use help with one of our special projects. Some of these projects are long-term; others are fairly short-term. We always need volunteers help with promotion and outreach, to help with research, to transcribe or proofread documents, newsletters, the website, or publications, and more.
Please contact any of the Branch council members and let us know how you would like to participate. We appreciate it!