Victoria County Genealogy and History

"The history of a county or of a township, if properly investigated, disinters the most important facts with regard to the general state and condition of society, giving facts instead of theories, figures instead of surmises." Sir Francis Palgrave

Copyright@ 2023 Michael Stephenson

This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without my written consent.

Welcome to the Victoria County Genealogy and History Site.

This site represents an ongoing effort to collect information related to the genealogy and history of Victoria County, Ontario. If you have information or material to add or share, please feel free to contact

I am a native of the village of Omemee, in the township of Emily, which was the first settled township in Victoria County. My great-grandfather Thomas Stephenson first settled in Port Hope with his father and brothers and moved on to Metcalfe (Omemee) in 1856, and my family has maintained a presence there through the 1990's. I developed an interest in history and genealogy while at Trent University, and much of my work at the university dealt with the early settlement of Victoria County and the surrounding region.

The Victoria County Memories Facebook Group

Omemee Memories Facebook Page

The Emily Township Memories Facebook Group

The Eldon Township Memories Facebook Group

The Bobcaygeon Memories Facebook Group

The Mariposa Township Memories Facebook Group

The Lindsay Memories Facebook Group

Victoria County Pioneer Land Settlement Database

History of Victoria County - By Watson Kirkconnell M.A. (1920)

Ontario Land Registry Records Research Thousands of your ancestors and where they lived (including Victoria County) in Ontario

Ontario Genealogy Historical Newspaper Collection Historical Newspaper Files from Victoria County and much more...

The Early Settlement of Emily Township - Thesis

Victoria County History Sketches of the early history and pioneer inhabitants of Victoria County

Upper Canada and Ontario CRIMINAL Database Includes Lindsay Jail Register

Upper Canada (Ontario) Newspaper Notices Database 

Geography, Topography, and Geology of Victoria

Sketches of the Early Settlement of Victoria County

Sketches of the Early Pioneers of Victoria County

Victoria County Historical Settlement Maps

Victoria County Census and Assessment Records on Microfilm

Biographical Sketches of Influential Victoria County Men

Victoria County Maps Some very useful maps of Victoria and region

Victoria County Historical and Genealogical Sources of Information Local History Books, Articles, Literature, Primary Research Sources

Victoria County Politics

Trent University Archives - Victoria County Collection Great Collection of original material

Victoria County Cemeteries Cemeteries of Victoria County, sorted by Township

Emily Township Assessment and Census Records 1821-1901 Site includes Emily Township, and Omemee Village (post-1871)

Newspapers and Periodicals Published in Canada - 1857 Alphabetical Listing

Postoffices (Settlements) Settlements in Victoria, Peterborough, Durham, Northumberland, Ontario, Hastings Counties - Data From 1857-58 and 1869 Canada and Ontario Directories

Victoria County Roads 1905

Central Ontario Roads 1914

Submitted Family History / Links for Victoria County

Can't find an ancestor? Read the queries of other researchers and post your own. In order to conserve space, as well as visitor time, I am asking that only those with demonstrated locations within VICTORIA County, use this resource. New Queries, which should include a MINIMUM of at least Surname, Location, and Approximate Date should be posted to:

 Victoria County Query Page

1921 Canada Census Explanation and Information

*Database Subscription Required

1865-66 Victoria and Peterborough County Directory Names and locations of your ancestors  *Database Subscription Required

1869-70 Victoria County Directory Names and locations of your ancestors  *Database Subscription Required

1887 Victoria County Directory Names and locations of your ancestors  *Database Subscription Required

Ontario Images of the Past Thousands of images of the places and activities that were part of your ancestors daily life  *Database Subscription Required

Victoria County Database Files Featuring thousands of Births, Deaths, Marriages, Wills and Newspaper Records of your ancestors Database subscription required for access