In 1922, a man from eastern Ontario living in a care home made headlines for allegedly turning 110 years old. While this is possible, I know that verifying historical age claims in genealogy often proves the subject was younger than they claimed to be. The article stated that the superintendent of the care home had conducted an investigation that supported the man’s claim. I didn’t believe it, so I had to investigate. Was this man really 110 years old?

If your family has been in Canada for at least a few generations, there’s a very good chance that your ancestors will trace back to Ontario. Ontario’s archives and local collections are some of the best in Canada. And thankfully, there are many genealogy websites where you can access these records at no cost! Whether you descend from United Empire Loyalists, post-Confederation immigrants, or pioneering farming families, there are some amazing free Ontario genealogy resources out there for you.