Take a closer look at the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol and its collections as staff share stories about some well-known and some not-so-well-known features, artifacts, and more. Archivist Michael Molnar looks at the Land Registry Copy Books available through the Huron County Museum’s Archives that can help with family research.
Did you know that the Huron County Museum has Land Registry Copy Books for the County of Huron?
Land Registry Copy Books contain historical (1835 – 1950s) information about the transactions of real property (specifically the ownership of land). These recorded transactions can be one way of confirming the existence of your ancestors in Huron County – confirming is a very important and rewarding step when conducting family research.
These historical Land Registry Copy Books are housed in the archival stacks at the Huron County Museum and can be accessed by appointment with the Archivist. While the Museum is temporarily closed to the public, learn more about the Archives’ new virtual research services here: https://www.huroncountymuseum.ca/huron-county-archives/
You can find information in the Land Registry Copy Books about your ancestors if you know a lot and concession number (rural) or a lot number (urban). You can access an historical map of Huron County with names and lot and concession numbers here: https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/huron.htm. This map can be a great starting point.
The Land Registry Copy Books housed at the Huron County Museum include information for the following communities:
Former Townships of Huron County: Ashfield, Colborne, East Wawanosh, Goderich, Grey, Hay, Howick, Hullett, McKillop, Morris, Stanley, Stephen, Tuckersmith, Turnberry, Usborne, and West Wawanosh.
Towns and Villages: Bayfield, Bluevale, Blyth, Cranbrook, Crediton, Dashwood, Dungannon, Ethel, Exeter, Fordwich, Goderich, Hensall, Kinburn, Lakelet, Lucknow, Manchester (Auburn), Nile, Port Albert, Seaforth, St. Joseph, Summerhill, Varna, Walton, Wroxeter and Zurich (not an exhaustive list).
You can access online historical land registry information for properties in Ontario through OnLand: https://help.onland.ca/en/what-is-onland/