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                  Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid (OCFA)
                       Created and Compiled By
                    Anna Joan Buxton & Ron Demaray


     Read Me First!
     --------------

          This file contains important information regarding the use
     of this cemetery database.  You are well advised to read onward
     before attempting to unzip the data files themselves.


     Copyright
     ---------

     Copyright (C), 1994, Ron Demaray and Anna Joan Buxton.
     Free, non-commercial distribution of OCFA is welcomed and
     encouraged provided the original format and all its component
     parts are retained.  Permission to copy all or part of this work
     is granted, provided that the copies are not made or distributed
     for resale (except a nominal copying fee only to cover expenses
     may be charged), and provided that this readme.txt file, including
     the author-contact information and this copyright notice, are
     retained verbatim and are displayed conspicuously.  You may not
     include these files as part of any CD-ROM without the express
     written permission of the authors.  Any other use of OCFA, without
     prior written consent of the authors, is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.  If
     anyone requires other permissions that are not covered by the above,
     please contact the authors.


     Introduction
     ------------

          Here it is at last.. The Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid, Version
     Three.  It replaces all earlier releases and represents an increase
     of approximately 250,000 entries over version two.  Obviously such
     a dramatic increase in size could only be achieved with the help of
     many others.  For the first time, the OCFA project received support
     from several branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society.  I would
     like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the members of the
     executive of the Brant, Kingston, London-Middlesex, Ottawa, Quinte
     and Waterloo-Wellington branches for their support.  In particular,
     the chairpersons of Waterloo-Wellington, Ottawa and Brant branches
     expended considerable time and effort to publicly promote the OCFA
     project.  The efforts of their branch members to prepare the branch
     cemetery indices for OCFA represents the main reason for the very
     substantial increase in the size of OCFA Version Three database.

          There were also several individuals whom deserve recognition
     for giving of their time to contribute to the project.  Those many
     hours of tediously inputting entries for OCFA by Lois Richardson
     and Tom Miller has not gone unnoticed.  I certainly appreciated
     their sacrifice.  I would also like to thank Lynda Toneri, Peter
     House and Sherri & Don Pettit for sharing the results of their
     personal research.  While these contributions appear small when
     compared to branch input, these individuals have also helped to
     extend the regional coverage of OCFA.

          In preparing for this version of the project, another ally
     came forth in the person of Brian Hurdle, sysop of the "Ancestors
     to Descendants" BBS.  Brian went out of his way to make his BBS
     readily available to help with the transfer of OCFA database files
     from Ontario to British Columbia.  He has also spent many hours
     promoting and demonstrating the virtues of OCFA to several adjacent
     OGS branches, as well as to researchers who utilize his electronic
     bulletin board.

          The enthusiasm and energy displayed by all these individuals
     and organizations have helped make the Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid
     project very successful.  I thank you all.
                                                 -  Ron Demaray

     Purpose
     -------

          This database is intended as a "pointer" database.  It
     consists of the surnames, cemetery name and location of 350,000
     interments in the southern Ontario region.  The information it
     contains has been compiled by the authors mentioned above who
     feel that genealogical information should, and must be freely
     shared by all.

          The file does not contain transcriptions or dates, but it
     does tell the reader which county, township and cemetery contains
     a given surname.

     File Names
     ----------

          The following list comprises the entire OCFA THREE set.
     The .ASC files contain the character separated ASCII data, where
     the letter(s) in the filename indicates the surnames contained in
     each file . . .

       Archive       Includes            Archive       Includes
     ------------   -----------        ------------   -----------
     OCFA3-AB.ZIP   OCFA3_A.ASC        OCFA3-NR.ZIP   OCFA3_N.ASC
                    OCFA3_B.ASC                       OCFA3_O.ASC
                                                      OCFA3_P.ASC
     OCFA3-CD.ZIP   OCFA3_C.ASC                       OCFA3_Q.ASC
                    OCFA3_D.ASC                       OCFA3_R.ASC

     OCFA3-EG.ZIP   OCFA3_E.ASC        OCFA3-S.ZIP    OCFA3_S.ASC
                    OCFA3_F.ASC
                    OCFA3_G.ASC        OCFA3-TZ.ZIP   OCFA3_T.ASC
                                                      OCFA3_U.ASC
     OCFA3-HJ.ZIP   OCFA3_H.ASC                       OCFA3_V.ASC
                    OCFA3_I.ASC                       OCFA3_W.ASC
                    OCFA3_J.ASC                       OCFA3_X.ASC
                                                      OCFA3_Y.ASC
     OCFA3-KL.ZIP   OCFA3_K.ASC                       OCFA3_Z.ASC
                    OCFA3_L.ASC                       OCFA3__.ASC

     OCFA3-M.ZIP    OCFA3_M.ASC

    (note:  OCFA3__.ASC contains unknown or partial surname entries)


     Each archive also contains . . .

          README.TXT     The file you are reading.
          CEMLIST.ASC    A mini datafile of the cemeteries recorded
                         to date, their names, locations and reference
                         sources in ASCII delimited format.
          FILE_ID.DIZ    File description.


     Reading the Files
     -----------------

          The character separated ASCII format can be read with an
     ASCII viewer such as Vern Buergs popular LIST program, or by
     using the DOS 'Type' command (type filename.ext |more), but
     greater viewing flexibility can be gained by importing these
     files into a Data Base program.


     Field Sizes
     -----------

          The following field sizes will allow you to safely import
     the data into a database program without losing any of the field
     contents:

                          Surname:  30
                            Given:  40
                         Cemetery:  50
                           County:  20
                         Township:  20
                        Reference:  10
                          Soundex:   4


          The small CEMLIST file has a different structure:

                         Cemetery:  50
                           County:  20
                         Township:  20
                              Con:  16
                              Lot:   6
                        Reference:  10
                              Pub:  16
                              Vol:   5
                             Year:   5


     Reference Number
     ----------------

          With this version, the reference number field has assumed
     more importance.  In view of the fact that several branches of
     the OGS are now officially supporting and contributing indices
     for inclusion in this database,  the reference field has been used
     to display the contributing branch's cemetery transcript publication
     number that contained each surname field entry.  To assist the
     researcher, the postal address of supporting organizations will
     be listed later in this readme file.


     Soundex Field
     -------------

          One of the main features and benefits of this information
     base is the convenience of Soundex searches.  As most family
     historians soon discover, surname spellings have to be taken with
     a grain of salt and creative flexibility.  Electronic database
     searches on the Soundex code (rather than on a single spelling of
     a surname) may yield some surprising matches which would otherwise
     go undetected.


     Other Notes
     -----------

          If a name (e.g. that of a parent or spouse) is mentioned on
     a stone, that name is included as an entry in this database.
     Even though that person mentioned may be buried elsewhere, the
     name may be essential to making a family connection.

          If the initials of both parents are mentioned on a stone,
     the pair of initials are combined as one entry rather than as
     separate entries.


     Whither Next?
     ------------

          As mentioned earlier, this information is intended only to
     get you pointed in the right direction.  This is offered as a
     convenience to all of us 'mail order researchers' who are
     thousands of miles from the 'old homestead' and its genealogical
     treasures.

     Your next logical steps include:

       a. The acquisition of the actual cemetery transcriptions;

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "BT-", write to...
                   Brant County Branch, OGS
                   P.O. Box 23030
                   c/o Eaton Market Square
                   Brantford, Ontario, Canada
                   N3T 6K4

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "KG-", write to...
                   Kingston Branch, OGS
                   P.O. Box 1394
                   Kingston, Ontario, Canada
                   K7L 5C6

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "MX-", write to...
                   London-Middlesex County Branch, OGS
                   P.O. Box 24017
                   London, Ontario, Canada
                   N6H 5C4

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "Q-H" or "Q-P", write to...
                   Quinte Branch, OGS
                   P.O. Box 35
                   Ameliasburgh, Ontario, Canada
                   K0K 1A0

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "OT-", write to...
                   Ottawa Branch, OGS
                   P.O. Box 8346
                   Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
                   K1G 3H8

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "WW-", write to...
                   Waterloo-Wellington Branch, OGS
                   P.O. Box 43030
                   Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
                   N2H 6S9

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "DU-", write to...
                   Dufferin County Museum & Archives
                   53 Zina Street
                   Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
                   L9W 1E5

   For REFERENCE FIELD numbers containing entry "Price & K.", write to...
                   R. & G. Price & R. Keeler
                   182-3310 Southgate Road
                   Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
                   K1V 8X4

   For all other REFERENCE FIELD numbers, write to...
                   Ontario Genealogical Society
                   40 Orchard View Blvd.,
                   Suite 102,
                   Toronto, Ontario, Canada
                   M4R 1B9

   If the CEMLIST "PUB" FIELD entry lists "Ont Register" as the source
   publication, write to...
                   Wilson Discount Genealogy
                   P.O. Box 515
                   New Hope, Pennsylvania
                   18938

      Please mention the OCFA THREE project with all your queries !!!


       b. a search of census records for a particular township
          (available on interlibrary loan or from the resources of
          the LDS Family History Centres); and

       c. the acquisition of township maps to pinpoint the cemetery
          locations and (if you get lucky) the property location
          itself (maps are available from the Ontario Ministry of
          Transport and Communication, or from county atlases
          available in most libraries).


     Township Maps
     -------------

          The Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications
     offers a superb series of monochrome maps in the scale of
     1:100,000.  (Two maps are normally required to cover an entire
     county.)  The value of these maps is that they show the township
     boundaries and individual lot and concession numbers.
     The Ministry's address is:
                      Map Office,
                      Ministry of Transportation and Communications,
                      1201 Wilson Avenue,
                      Downsview, Ontario, M3M 1J8.

          The maps mentioned above are up-to-date, modern maps which
     reflect current municipalities, boundaries, highways, etc.  If
     you do need to consult something older try for the reprinted
     county atlases of 1878, available in most large libraries.


     Can I Contribute to OCFA Version FOUR?
     --------------------------------------

          Absolutely!  The OCFA "crew" are an active, enthusiastic
     and independent group of Ontario researchers. Anyone who wishes
     to maintain our goal of making information freely available to
     all is encouraged to help us !

           If you have transcribed a cemetery and are willing to share
     your efforts please contact the authors via :

        Echo mail  -  We can be reached on just about any of the
                      FidoNet or IGA_Net genealogy echos.

        Net mail   -  1:340/85  or  440:123/85

        BBS        -  Metchosin Central BBS   1-604-478-7678
                      supporting speeds of 2400 to 28800 bps

        Snail mail -  Metchosin Central
                      Box 48058,
                      3575 Douglas St,
                      Victoria, BC, Canada, V8Z 7H5.


     Updates
     -------
          As work progresses, we will be releasing updates of this
     database periodically.  Please let us know if you find this
     collection useful or.... if you find any errors.  Enjoy !

