Fonds 549 Grande Prairie and District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society fonds

The series consists of records relating to the executive affairs, especially meetings, of the Grande Prairie and District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society. The records include a 1997 document outlining the duties of the Branch President, President’s reports from 1995 to 2004, particularly those made to the AGS, and the minutes of regular, executive, and annual general meetings from 1977 to 2008. The meeting minutes also include various attachments including a 1989 agreement with the Grande Prairie Public Library, financial and budget information and reports, some correspondence, minutes of other organizations which refer to the Branch, presentation and program material, volunteer hours, various reports, a grant application, and an AGS Strategic Plan and contacts. The minutes were originally housed in a series of binders, each containing several years. These divisions have been maintained as separate files. The original order of the minutes within the binders has been substantially maintained by the Archivist, with the result that the files are in a mixture of chronological and reverse chronological order and some have regular, executive, and annual general meeting minutes interfiled by date, while others have them each separated. Meeting material in the incorrect year was restored to its chronological location by the Archivist. Where parallel binders existed for the same year (2003 onward), they have been combined by the Archivist. The best copy of the minutes was retained and filed in the correct chronological place. For the meetings of February 6, 2007 and March 18, 2008, no approved minutes were available; rough drafts from a separate notebook were retained and inserted in the chronological order by the Archivist. Information about the President’s duties and reports were originally part of one of parallel sets of binders. The order of President’s reports was regularized to reverse chronological by the Archivist. When scrap paper containing sensitive information relating to another group was used, the originals were discarded and photocopies kept in their place.

The series consists of records relating to the financial affairs of the Grande Prairie Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society. The records include a 1979 to 2006 general ledger, Treasurer’s monthly reports, annual financial reports, a 1993 Inventory of Property, budgeting documents from 1999 to 2003, correspondence and attached copies of invoices and cheque stubs related to grants, material relating to branch raffles (1997-1999) including rules, sample tickets, licenses, winning ticket stubs, and financial statements, and material relating to AGS raffles (1996-7, 1999-2000) including correspondence, ticket orders and accounting, profits, and terms. The Treasurer’s Reports and Annual Financial reports were primarily in reverse chronological order and in two overlapping files. The two files have been combined and strict reverse chronological order imposed by the Archivist. Treasurer’s reports were also frequently duplicated as attachments to meeting minutes. Duplicates were removed from the minutes and discarded. Reports remaining with the 1998 and 1999 minutes are those that were not originally in the financial records file. Raffle material has been heavily weeded, maintained in original order and separated in files by year.

The series consists of records related to membership in the Grande Prairie and District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society. Records include a 1986 new member package, yearly membership and exchange lists, membership reports, correspondence from members and potential members, correspondence and directions from AGS about membership, and an early membership book and financial ledger (1977 to 1980). The series also contains a group of forms (ca. 2004 to 2007) listing the surnames being researched by individual members. The membership records were originally in files, which were in reverse chronological order by year. Several miscellaneous files were also present. The records were very heavily weeded by the Archivist and put in reverse chronological order in a single file. A few documents from the miscellaneous files that fit better elsewhere were moved to other parts of the fonds. The forms on surname research were removed to their own file in the same series. Membership material originally found in other sections of the fonds including minutes and financial records were removed, compared with other available membership documentation and, for the most part, discarded. Retained material was moved to the Membership series by the Archivist.

The series consists of correspondence sent and received and publicity material created by the Grande Prairie and District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society. The correspondence file includes general correspondence, lists of cards sent by the Branch, and a 1999 petition to the Senate. The publicity file includes lists of where posters and announcements were sent, public service announcements, and newspaper clippings by and about the Grande Prairie Branch. The original correspondence file has been augmented by correspondence gathered from other parts of the fonds including sections of minutes binders, financial records, and membership. Correspondence has been integrated by the Archivist in reverse chronological order, reflecting the original order of the correspondence file.

The series consists of records related to programs and events developed and run by the Grande Prairie and District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society. The records include genealogical course notes and handouts and meeting and planning documents for Gen Fair 2003. The series is divided into two sub-series: Genealogy Course and Gen Fair.

The sub-series consists of records relating to the genealogy course. The records include a blank registration form, handouts, and basic course index and speaking points. The records have been arranged by the Archivist, but were originally in a single file as they are now.

The sub-series consists of records relating to the planning of Gen Fair 2003. The records include meeting minutes, correspondence, instructions, an exhibitor form, a schedule, a program, promotional material, a volunteer list, a sample thank you letter, comments and suggestions, the final report, and other planning documents. The records were originally housed in a binder in primarily reverse chronological order with the minutes separated from the other records. As far as possible, original order has been maintained by the Archivist.

The series consists of publications and resources created by the Grande Prairie and District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society to aid in genealogical research in the area. The records include issues of the Heritage Seekers newsletter, obituary files and scrapbooks, a copy of the “Dates Gone By…” booklet and records associated with its sale, and spreadsheets and photographs cataloguing local gravemarkers. The series is divided into four sub-series, based on project: Heritage Seekers, Obituary Files, “Dates Gone By…”, and Gravemarkers of Northern Alberta.

The sub-series consists of a complete set of the Heritage Seekers newsletter, published quarterly by the Grande Prairie and District Branch. The newsletter contains regular features including lists of available library resources, queries, membership lists, schedules of events, biographies, announcements, advertisements, book reviews, order and registration forms, bylaws, contact information, reports, photographs, pedigree chart indexes, lists of websites of interest, genealogical resources, information and advice, and articles contributed by members. A 1978 surname index is also included. Duplicate copies were removed, the most original copies retained, and the issues put into chronological order by the Archivist, with the result that some copies formerly held by the Library were interfiled with originals. Library stickers on the issues were removed and discarded if possible.

The sub-series consists of records relating to the Gravemarkers of Northern Alberta cataloguing and photography project. The records include spreadsheets listing surname, given names, birth date, death date, interment date, age at death, plot number, and other remarks for burials in St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Poplar Hill, Bible Fellowship Church, Lake Saskatoon, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Mountainside, Scenic Heights, and Sunset Ranch cemeteries. The records also include photographs of the headstones and signage in the Bear Creek, Bethel Church, Bible Fellowship Church, Emmaus Lutheran Church, Emerson Trail, Grande Prairie, Gundy, Lake Saskatoon, Mountainside, Poplar Hill, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Scenic Heights, Sunset Ranch, and Teepee Creek cemeteries. The spreadsheets have been printed by the Archivist and a hard copy retained in the physical file. Both the photographs and the spreadsheets have been migrated to the digital collections area of the Archives server, but the CDs have also been retained.

The series consists of general information about the Alberta Genealogical Society as a whole, information for branches, and issues of the AGS’s publication, Relatively Speaking, from 1974 to 2004. The series is divided into two sub-series: General Information and Relatively Speaking.

The sub-series consists of records containing information about the Alberta Genealogical Society, GPAGS’ parent organization. These records include the 1985 bylaw revisions, a blank membership card, membership brochures, a 2005 organizational chart, and financial information for branches.

The sub-series consists of a nearly complete set of the Relatively Speaking newsletter, published quarterly by the Alberta Genealogical Society. The newsletter contains regular features including lists of available library resources, surnames being researched, membership lists, contact information, bylaws, queries, letters, information and advice, announcements, forms, book reviews, reports, branch updates, and articles, some of which were contributed by members. Both the Grande Prairie Branch and its members were frequent contributors to Relatively Speaking. The issues were put in chronological order by the Archivist. Library stickers on the issues were removed and discarded if possible.