Elgin OGS Lookup Policy

**** NOTE: COVID restrictions now apply to Library Access– Updates will be posted here as we receive information.
Current update 26 Oct 2020***

Our Elgin OGS volunteers will provide copies or images of primary source documents at local libraries (ie microfilm searches for newspaper clipping images) as available from several of our indexed sources found on our website.  Thorman Room Readers at the St. Thomas Library

The fees vary depending upon the material you are requesting. Note that all fees include the cost of copying and postage.

Currently, United States residents can pay by personal check in US funds or our online PayPal account at our Elgin OGS E-Store (credit cards accepted).

Requests can be made by e-mail to to the Elgin OGS Research Coordinator: [email protected]

Scans of Newspaper clippings can be sent to your email address.

Newspapers:

– Elgin OGS will provide copies of any articles found in the on-line index of the Newspapers.- Our fees are $5 for each request.- Please put “(name of paper you are requesting)” in the subject line of your e-mail.- Please include the issue date, page and column number (if given) as well as the name and event (birth, death, marriage, etc.) of the person you found in the index- please note that these copies are being made from microfilm, and photographs sometimes do not reproduce well

Funeral Home Records:

Elgin OGS has records from various funeral homes and undertakers throughout Elgin County in their holdings. Because the records sometimes contain private information, Elgin OGS is prevented from publishing or reproducing exact copies of these documents.- However, we can provide an extraction of genealogical information from these records, which will not include the cause of death or any financial details. We cannot provide photocopies of the original record.– the extent and type of information varies with each funeral home. The usual information expected would be date of death, date of burial, age, date of birth, place of birth and death, place of burial, and sometimes parents’ names and names of survivors.- Elgin OGS will provide an extraction of genealogical information at a cost of $5 per surname– do not send payment until we assess your request. In some cases where there is very little information contained in the record, the fee may be waived.- Please quote the name of the funeral home and the person’s name and year of death (if given in the index) in your request.

Township Land Papers:

 Elgin OGS will provide photocopies from the microfilm for a cost of $10 for the lookup (includes copying of one page), plus $5 for each additional page requested.

– please put “Township Land Paper Lookup” in the subject line of your e-mail

– requests should contain the name of the Township, the lot and concession of the file you’re interested in, and the page number(s) within that file that you wish copies of.

General Register: 1866-1873  1873-1879  1879-1889

-Elgin OGS will provide copies from the microfilm of the items found in the General Register at a cost of $10 for the lookup (includes copying of one page), plus $5 for each additional page- please put “General Register Lookup” in the subject line of your e-mail- please quote the Volume Number (found at the beginning of the document on the website); the number of the requested document and the page number(s) associated with it.- please include the principal name of the person found in the document so we can ensure we copy the correct pages for you.

Garton Scrapbook:

– Elgin OGS will provide photocopies from this collection at a cost of $5 per page.- please put “Garton Scrapbook Lookup” in the subject line of your e-mail- when requesting a copy, please quote the scrapbook page number and the name of the person in the article For Research assistance and Lookups contact the Elgin OGS Research Coordinator at: [email protected]