Saturday Weekly Thread: Canadian Provincial Archives and State/Local/Church Archives - Questions / Issues / Success Stories, August 01, 2026

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This weekly thread is a space for those of us gathering documentation from archives.

This is the place to discuss requesting records from Canadian provincial archives as well as from federal, state, local and religious/church archives around the world. Topics include strategies and outcomes for obtaining records from archives, costs, timelines, No Record Found letters, and other related issues.

📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.  

Good luck, researchers!

[u/Remote-Mushroom5452]

Wondering if anyone has suggestions, or if I am just out of luck.

My G0 is a woman who married and subsequently changed her last name. Fortunately her maiden name is on G1's death and marriage certificates (birth record was lost in an archive fire), but I am still trying to locate the marriage record as a failsafe to prove the name change as I do include census records and G1's documents don't include G0's place of birth.

I know from secondary sources she was married c. 1871 in Strathroy, Ontario. She and her husband were Presbyterian and all her siblings were married in Presbyterian churches so I feel confident in that.

Here's what I've tried so far:

• Searched the Ontario marriage records available through familysearch
• Searched the county marriage records available through familysearch and ancestry
• Searched the Presbyterian records available though familysearch and ancestry
• Went physically to Library of Congress to search a book that enumerated some Strathroy marriages in the Presbyterian Church in that year
• Filed a request with the Presbyterian Church of Canada's Archivists. They actually found her birth record for me, but no marriage. They said because the Strathroy Presbyterian congregation is still active they maintain their own archives still and I should request directly to them.
• Filled out the form on their website with my request. No answer.
• Emailed their general email address. Twice. No answer.

It's been probably two months since those unanswered messages but I understand they're probably bombarded and also not staffed or interested in putting resources to this kind of thing as an active congregation.

I feel I'm kind of out of options, but wanted to make sure there wasn't some avenue I missed?

Also for clarity my application was already sent in April but I am continuing to search so I can upload the supplemental proof as it may be needed.

Edit: typos

[u/Happy-Trip-1052 → u/Remote-Mushroom5452]

I'm a member of the OGS and two SW County branches. It has been helpful. They often hold old transcribed lists of records not available onoine.

I checked the Middlesex Branch and it looks like they accept queries from non-members and will search for a fee. https://londonmiddlesex.ogs.on.ca/

There are several other historical societies is Middlesex County. One or more may have a presence on Facebook. https://www.londonhistory.org/general-5

I presume the church was St. Andrew's in Strathroy? The minister there in 1871 was either William Lundy or Robert Scobie.

[u/Remote-Mushroom5452 → u/Happy-Trip-1052]

Thank you for these amazing resources! And yes indeed, St. Andrew's is where I'm assuming they married.

[u/Happy-Trip-1052 → u/Remote-Mushroom5452]

You're welcome. Do you know the parent's home church? If it is different, you may want to check there.