Looking for any information on John W. HAMPSON, an Englishman, mariner, came to Kennebunkport about 1820 (from the book "History of Kennebunk Port by Charles Bradbury). Married 18 September 1829 in Arundel to Olive CLOUGH, b. 8 August 1809, dau. of David and Lois CLOUGH, d. 14 November 1875, Biddeford, Maine.
Six children: Isabella W. b. 1831; John A. b. 1832; Olive W. A. b. 1834; Thomas P. S. b. 1837; George O. b. 1841; Charles H. P. b. 1843.
John W. HAMPSON is missing after 1843. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Jane D. Colagiovanni, 10 Esquire Drive, Peabody MA 01960
E-Mail: janecola@verizon.net
Sunday, December 20, 2009
NERGC Call for Papers
The Third Librarians' and Teachers' Day will be held on April 6, 2011 in conjunction with the 11th New England Regional Genealogical Society Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts.
"Librarians' and Teachers' Day" provides the opportunity for professionals to learn how genealogy can serve them in their dual roles as curators of their unique collections and as ambassadors of genealogy resources for their schools and libraries.
Lecture proposals are now being accepted for the series of sessions entitled "Throughout the Ages and Throughout the Curricula: Genealogy as a Pursuit for all Learners." Presentations are sought in the following categories: 1) elementary educations; 2) secondary; 3) undergraduate and beyond; and 4) continuing education and lifelong learnings.
Ideal paper proposals will suggest strategies for how to optimize the human, material, and online resources that can assist students' and community borrowers' inquiries in addition to enhancing program development to attract all prospective patrons who might otherwise be unaware of local educational and archival resources.
Each session will last one hour. This includes a question and answer period.
Please include the following information with each one-page proposal:
The deadline for submissions of lecture proposals is March 1, 2010. Lecture proposals may be submitted at any time prior to that date by e-mail to or by regular mail to:
"Librarians' and Teachers' Day" provides the opportunity for professionals to learn how genealogy can serve them in their dual roles as curators of their unique collections and as ambassadors of genealogy resources for their schools and libraries.
Lecture proposals are now being accepted for the series of sessions entitled "Throughout the Ages and Throughout the Curricula: Genealogy as a Pursuit for all Learners." Presentations are sought in the following categories: 1) elementary educations; 2) secondary; 3) undergraduate and beyond; and 4) continuing education and lifelong learnings.
Ideal paper proposals will suggest strategies for how to optimize the human, material, and online resources that can assist students' and community borrowers' inquiries in addition to enhancing program development to attract all prospective patrons who might otherwise be unaware of local educational and archival resources.
Each session will last one hour. This includes a question and answer period.
Please include the following information with each one-page proposal:
- a brief comprehensive lecture outline or abstract demonstrating the relationship to Librarians' and Teachers' Day theme;
- a short lecture summary (50 words or less) for the Conference brochure;
- audio/visual requirements (NERGC supplies a screen and microphone; speakers must supply their own LCD projectors);
- each speaker's full name, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers;
- a brief speaker biography (75 words or less) for the conference brochure;
- a resume of previous lecture experience
The deadline for submissions of lecture proposals is March 1, 2010. Lecture proposals may be submitted at any time prior to that date by e-mail to or by regular mail to:
Sherry E. Gelbwasser, ED.D.
Co-chair
NERGC2011 Librarians' and Teachers' Day
51 Van Deene Avenue, Apt. E5
West Springfield, MA 01089
Co-chair
NERGC2011 Librarians' and Teachers' Day
51 Van Deene Avenue, Apt. E5
West Springfield, MA 01089
The Maine Genealogist - November 2009
Have you caught up with the latest issue of The Maine Genealogist yet? Once again, our quarterly journal contains some great articles. A quick look at the table of contents shows:
The Return of Reverend Silas Hall by Michael F. Dwyer
Woodman Family Letter contributed by Leslie Dow Sanders
Origins of the Colby Family of Litchfield, Maine by Glenn D. Nasman
Portland, Maine, Marriage Intentions, Volume 4, 1814-1837 (continued) copied by Joseph C. Anderson II
Also included in this issue is the complete index to Volume 31.
The Maine Genealogist is the quarterly publication of the Maine Genealogical Society. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
The Return of Reverend Silas Hall by Michael F. Dwyer
Woodman Family Letter contributed by Leslie Dow Sanders
Origins of the Colby Family of Litchfield, Maine by Glenn D. Nasman
Portland, Maine, Marriage Intentions, Volume 4, 1814-1837 (continued) copied by Joseph C. Anderson II
Also included in this issue is the complete index to Volume 31.
The Maine Genealogist is the quarterly publication of the Maine Genealogical Society. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
What Was Your Ancestor's Property Worth?
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
Genealogists often find references to money in old deeds and other documents. Even U.S. census records frequently recorded estimates of a person's real estate. The naturally question is, "I wonder what that would equal in today's dollars?" There is a web site that can answer this question.
Genealogists often find references to money in old deeds and other documents. Even U.S. census records frequently recorded estimates of a person's real estate. The naturally question is, "I wonder what that would equal in today's dollars?" There is a web site that can answer this question.
S. Morgan Friedman' Inflation Calculator can convert a U.S. dollar amount for any year from 1800 through 2008 into the equivalent amount, adjusted for inflation, in any other year of that range. In other words, if you find that your ancestor purchased land for $400 in 1805, the Inflation Calculator will tell you that the money he spent is equivalent to a purchase of $5667.99 in 2008.
This should be sufficient for genealogy purposes. The pre-1975 data comes from the Consumer Price Index statistics published in the Historical Statistics of the United States (USGPO, 1975). All data since then is from the annual Statistical Abstracts of the United States. You can access the Inflation Calculator at: http://www.westegg.com/inflation.
Canadians will find a similar Inflation Calculator for the years 1914 through 2009 at the Bank of Canada's Web pages at: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/inflation_calc.htm.
Settlement of Black Point, Maine
The Greater Portland Chapter of MGS will be learning about the Settlement of Black Point, Maine "Owascoago" 1605-1800 at its February 6, 2010, meeting.
Owascoag or "Place of Much Grass" was the Indian name for Scarborough. The settlement was also called Black Poynt by the English. Owascoag is the story of Black Poynt told in the settler's own words. Patricia found diaries, letters, depositions, court records, and other interesting material, giving a first hand account of life from 1636 to the 1750's. The material covers exploration, settlement, and the Indian Wars.
So mark your calendars and plan to attend now. Saturday, February 6, 2010, from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 29 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Owascoag or "Place of Much Grass" was the Indian name for Scarborough. The settlement was also called Black Poynt by the English. Owascoag is the story of Black Poynt told in the settler's own words. Patricia found diaries, letters, depositions, court records, and other interesting material, giving a first hand account of life from 1636 to the 1750's. The material covers exploration, settlement, and the Indian Wars.
So mark your calendars and plan to attend now. Saturday, February 6, 2010, from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 29 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Taconnett Falls Chapter News
Winter hours for the Taconnett Genealogical Library in Winslow, Maine, are Saturdays, from 12:o0 - 3:00 p.m.
The chapter recently held election of officers and the we congratulate those elected: President Fred Clark, Vice-President Bob Chenard, Secretary Kay Marsh, Treasurer Herb Brock, and Directors Thelma Brooks, Barbara Gunvaldsen and Janet Boynton.
They will be holding their Christmas Party on Sunday, December 20th.
For more information, visit them at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~metfcmgs.
The chapter recently held election of officers and the we congratulate those elected: President Fred Clark, Vice-President Bob Chenard, Secretary Kay Marsh, Treasurer Herb Brock, and Directors Thelma Brooks, Barbara Gunvaldsen and Janet Boynton.
They will be holding their Christmas Party on Sunday, December 20th.
For more information, visit them at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~metfcmgs.
Sticky Wickets
Brainstorm solutions together to help you climb your brick walls. That is what is what will be happening with the Greater Portland Chapter of MGS at their next meeting on January 2, 2010.
The Greater Portland Genealogical Society meets at 1:00 on the first Saturday of every month at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 29 Ocean House Road in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
New members are always welcome.
Come early as refreshments are available starting at 12:30.
New members are always welcome.
Come early as refreshments are available starting at 12:30.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Open Research in Penobscot County
The next Penobscot County Genealogical Society meeting is scheduled for December 16th, 6:00 p.m. at the Bangor Public Library in the Lecture Room. It will be an open research night in addition to a gathering to discuss the past efforts, successes and our individual future endeavors. It will be an opportunity to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. Refreshments will be served.
The upcoming new year season for this group promises to bring some great discussions:
Jan 20 2010 - Wayne Reilly, history columnist for the Bangor Daily News
Feb 17 2010 - Roxanne Moore Saucier, Family Ties columnist for the Bangor Daily News
Mar 17 2010 - Dr. Janet TeBrake, Lecturer in History at the University of Maine
Apr 21 2010 - Dana Lippitt, curator for the Bangor Museum and Center for History
So mark your calendars now - the new season looks great.
Stay connected with the Penobscot County Genealogical Society by visiting them on the web at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs.
The upcoming new year season for this group promises to bring some great discussions:
Jan 20 2010 - Wayne Reilly, history columnist for the Bangor Daily News
Feb 17 2010 - Roxanne Moore Saucier, Family Ties columnist for the Bangor Daily News
Mar 17 2010 - Dr. Janet TeBrake, Lecturer in History at the University of Maine
Apr 21 2010 - Dana Lippitt, curator for the Bangor Museum and Center for History
So mark your calendars now - the new season looks great.
Stay connected with the Penobscot County Genealogical Society by visiting them on the web at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Pejepscot to Discuss Christmas Ornaments
Pejepscot Genealogical Society will meet on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 2PM in the Morrell Meeting Room (entrance on Middle Street), Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick.Please bring a favorite Christmas tree ornament and a story about it to share with us.
We will be enjoying pot luck desserts for refreshments. If you care, bring a copy of your favorite recipe to share (for a fee, recipes can be duplicated at the library).
FMI, call 207.833.7371
Query: Grace Lufkin
New member Michelle Gatz writes that she has been searching for over three years for any information on a Grace Lufkin and would very much welcome any clues. Below is a summary of what she knows at this point:
Moses Lufkin from Phillips, Maine - his father was James Lufkin and his mother Alice Marrow. Moses is listed as Grace's father and I am not sure who was her mother or where she was born in Maine, it does show her date of birth as 1864 when she is living in Shetck, Murray County, Minnesota. When Moses lived in Phillips, Maine, he was married to one Mary Susan Mitchell on June 19th, 1860. Moses filed for a divorce saying she had run away and she was a bad wife. The date of divorce was May 15th, 1863.
After Moses divorced Mary he would go to revivals and bring women home to convert them in his bedroom. Grace is not listed on the 1870 census with Moses. I cannot find her anywhere under the name of Lufkin, so I figure she has a different name. The newspaper article said that Grace came from Iowa to live with her father, again I can find no Grace Lufkin in Iowa.
Grace had a hard life with Moses, he raped her many times, in 1886 she married one Barney Benjamin only to find out his real name was Chris Nelson and after only 6 days of marriage, she kicked him out of the house. The judge would not grant Grace a divorce as he had had many dealings with her father Moses and did not care for the man. In the denial of the divorce the judge wrote that she had taken a vow for better or for worse and she would not be granted her request based on those grounds.
In February of 1888, one William Rose tried to blow up their house at Shetck, Murray County, the bomb did not go off. In August of 1888 we find that Grace has gone back to Iowa and her father is living with Eli Slover in Redwood County, town of Gales. Here he is shot in the back while leaning against the window. After he is shot he stands up and says, "I've been shot, and I am deader than hay." He falls to the ground dead.
Grace only testifies once at the trial and the jury could not come to a verdict as to William Rose's guilt. So they tried him again and found him guilty this time and he appealed the decision, this went on for two years and when they finally did hang him the rope broke and he had to be hung twice.
During this time Grace has gone to Chicago to live with her sister Minnie Foster. It is here that she cuts her throat with a razor on May 1st 1890. I cannot find any records in Chicago of where she was buried or a death certificate as that time period is lost.
If anyone out there has any information on this woman, please contact me.
Michelle Gatz, 2389 540th Street, Granite Falls MN 56241
E-Mail: bgatz@mvtvwireless.com
Friday, November 27, 2009
Jerry & Janice Gower Receive Award
It was a bit of a wait, but the Gowers finally received their official award at the November 7th meeting of the Greater Portland Chapter of the MGS. Due to illness, they were unable to attend the annual conference back in September where Joe Anderson, chair of the MGS Awards Committee, announced that they were the recipients of the Award of Excellence in Genealogical Research. We are proud of the efforts both Jerry and Janice have made in furthering the Maine Families in 1790 series, among other research efforts.
For more information on our awards and on the Gowers' contributions, please visit our website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs/awards/awards.htm.
John T. & Melinda W. (Adams) Gilman
The family information:
John T. GILMAN, b. abt. 1806-1808 in NH (possibly of Mason, NH), d. after 16 Aug 1882, buried unknown, s. of _____ GILMAN.
married 1) abt 1828 _____ KNOWLES
Child:
1. John T. GILMAN b. abt 1828 ME
married 2) 1 Dec 1830 Wilton, ME, Melinda W. ADAMS of Wilton, ME, d. of Samuel ADAMS, Sr. & Phebe WASHBURN.
Children:
2. Mary Ann GILMAN b. abt. 1833 Farmington ME, d. bet 02 May 1875-13 Dec 1878 Minnesota, buried Wykoff Cemetery, Fillmore Co., MN; m. Cyrus G. CLOUGH of Chesterville ME, s. of Nathaniel CLOUGH & Rebecca W. GREELEY.
3. James Nelson GILMAN b. abt. 1836 Franklin Co. ME, d. 23 Dec 1889 Mellette SD, buried Mellette Cemetery, Mellette SD; m. 1) Mary A. HIGGINS, intentions filed 22 Feb 1869 Farmington ME; m. 2) 17 May 1870 Farmington ME, Susan Elizabeth T. CHASE of New Sharon ME, d. of James CHASE & Eleanor J. MITCHELL.
4. Hannah P. GILMAN b. abt. May 1837 Farmington ME, d. unknown; m. 1) Joshua ROBINSON of Gardiner ME, intentions filed 06 May 1854, s. of John ROBINSON (Divorced 1866); m. 2) 03 Dec 1876 Farmington ME, Moses S. AYER of Farmington ME (Divorced 1877); m. 3) after 1877 _____ LOCKHART.
5. Besty P. GILMAN b. abt. 1840 Maine; d. bet. 1860-1865; m. 1) 11 Jul 1858 Farmington ME, Albert Goodwin AMES of Farmington ME, s. of Rufus K. AMES & Sally H. ARNOLD.
6. Dorcas W. GILMAN b. abt 1843 Maine, d. unknown.
7. Melinda A. GILMAN b. abt. 1845 Maine, d. bef. 07 Jul 1861 probably Gardiner ME; m. 03 Dec 1860 Gardiner ME, Emerson TURNER Jr.
8. Merilla M. GILMAN b. 17 Dec 1846 Farmington ME, d. unknown.
9. Rosealvin P. GILMAN b. abt. 1849, d. 04 Jun 1875 probably Farmington ME, buried Riverside Cemetery, Farmington ME; m. 19 Aug 1869 Farmington ME, Josephine H. BATES of Chesterville ME.
10. Franklin S. GILMAN b. 09 Apr 1851 Farmington ME, d. 06 Jan 1930 Cass Co., MN, buried unknown; m. 1) 28 Feb 1873 Franklin Co. ME, Almeda B. WELCH of New Sharon ME; m. 2) 31 Aug 1912 Aberdeen SD, Alice R. CROSSMAN of Pine River MN.
Thank you,
Del Chausse, 1809 Mesa Road, Paso Robles CA 93446
E-Mail: dchausee@thegrid.net
The Lewis Hine Project
We received an email introducing MGS to The Lewis Hine Project, by historian and author Joseph Manning.
Lewis Hine was an investigative photographer, employed by the National Child Labor Committee 1908-19234. Hine's documentation of child workers includes more than 5,100 photographs which are now part of the Library of Congress' American Memory Project, which can be accessed at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/nclchtml/nclcback.html.
Mr. Manning, asking himself "Didn't history happen to ordinary people, too?", began The Lewis Hines Project to research and document the lives of the children appearing in Hine's photographs, "whose only public persona, for as long as a hundred years, has been a simple snapshot." More information about The Lewis Hine Project is online at: http://www.morningsonmaplestreet.com/aboutlewishine2.html.
Mr. Manning's story of Pheobe Thomas, a child worker in a sardine cannery at Eastport, Maine, whom Lewis Hine photographed in 1911, begins at http://www.morningsonmaplestreet.com/phoebethomas1.html.
As part of Phoebe's story, Mr. Manning included Stephen Robbins' 1976 interview with Minerva (Sharman) Gray, who describes her work in a Robbinston, Maine, sardine cannery and the working conditions in the 1910s. Stephen Robbins' interview with Minerva begins on page 7 (http://www.sevensteeples.com/phoebethomas7.html).
Lewis Hine was an investigative photographer, employed by the National Child Labor Committee 1908-19234. Hine's documentation of child workers includes more than 5,100 photographs which are now part of the Library of Congress' American Memory Project, which can be accessed at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/nclchtml/nclcback.html.
Mr. Manning, asking himself "Didn't history happen to ordinary people, too?", began The Lewis Hines Project to research and document the lives of the children appearing in Hine's photographs, "whose only public persona, for as long as a hundred years, has been a simple snapshot." More information about The Lewis Hine Project is online at: http://www.morningsonmaplestreet.com/aboutlewishine2.html.
Mr. Manning's story of Pheobe Thomas, a child worker in a sardine cannery at Eastport, Maine, whom Lewis Hine photographed in 1911, begins at http://www.morningsonmaplestreet.com/phoebethomas1.html.
As part of Phoebe's story, Mr. Manning included Stephen Robbins' 1976 interview with Minerva (Sharman) Gray, who describes her work in a Robbinston, Maine, sardine cannery and the working conditions in the 1910s. Stephen Robbins' interview with Minerva begins on page 7 (http://www.sevensteeples.com/phoebethomas7.html).
Penobscot County Genealogical Society Cookbook
The Penobscot County Genealogical Society wants to remind everyone that their Family Cookbook is a great gift for any occasion and is available now at a special price: only $7.00 per book, plus $2.50 for shipping & handling.
For more information or to place an order, email bangorblarney2@gmail.com. They can also be purchased at any PCGS meeting (the 3rd Wednesday of every month).
To learn more about Penobscot County Genealogical Society, visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs.
For more information or to place an order, email bangorblarney2@gmail.com. They can also be purchased at any PCGS meeting (the 3rd Wednesday of every month).
To learn more about Penobscot County Genealogical Society, visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs.
Genealogy For Kids Day in Bangor
Penobscot County Genealogical Society announces that their next Genealogy for Kinds (Gen4Kids) Day will be Tuesday, December 29, 2009, between the hours of 11:00 - 12:30 in the Children's Story Room, Bangor Public Library.
The event is open to all children between the ages of 8-14. Attendees will have a guided tour of the Bangor Room, an introduction of what is available, how to use the Microfilm and Card Catalog, and will learn how to start climbing their family tree and preserving memories today for the future.
Register at the Children's Desk or call (207) 947-8337 Ext 110. Refreshments will be served.
The event is open to all children between the ages of 8-14. Attendees will have a guided tour of the Bangor Room, an introduction of what is available, how to use the Microfilm and Card Catalog, and will learn how to start climbing their family tree and preserving memories today for the future.
Register at the Children's Desk or call (207) 947-8337 Ext 110. Refreshments will be served.
December meeting of Greater Portland Chapter
The Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society will meet for a social time at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 29 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth. Program begins at 1 p.m., business meeting to follow. These meetings are free and open to the public.
This month's speaker, author Matthew Barker, will explore Irish Maine history. He is working in fertile territory as 15% of Maine's 1.3 million residents claim Irish ancestry, according to the 2000 Census. Plan to join us as he has much to share about the Portland Irish.
For more information, contact Linda Aaskov, (207) 490-5709.
This month's speaker, author Matthew Barker, will explore Irish Maine history. He is working in fertile territory as 15% of Maine's 1.3 million residents claim Irish ancestry, according to the 2000 Census. Plan to join us as he has much to share about the Portland Irish.
For more information, contact Linda Aaskov, (207) 490-5709.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Town of Washington, Maine, photos?
The Town of Washington (formerly Putnam), Maine, will be celebrating its bicentennial in 2011.If any has any photos, documents, articles, etc., about the town or any of its inhabitants they would be willing to donate, share, scan, loan, etc., Cindy Beane would love to hear from you. Her email address is megsateennow@aol.com.
You can visit the town on their website at http://washingtonme.govoffice.com.
"The County" to meet November 23rd
The November meeting of the Aroostook County Genealogical Society will be at the usual time 6:30 p.m, November 23rd, 209, at Cary Medical Center in the Chan Building. Please look for the sign at the entrance that will direct you and tell you the room we are meeting in.
The November meeting will consist of annual elections, followed by helping you out of any road blocks that you have! What an opportunity - bring your questions.
And mark your calendar now for their next meeting which will be held on January 25, 2010.
The November meeting will consist of annual elections, followed by helping you out of any road blocks that you have! What an opportunity - bring your questions.
And mark your calendar now for their next meeting which will be held on January 25, 2010.
Think DAR for Free Online Research
The Daughters of the American Revolution has added its Genealogical Research System to its website, providing free access to the public.
This addition offers a combination of several databases created in recent years to organize the large quantity of information that the DAR has collected since its inception in 1890. This system of databases will continue to expand as new information is added.
The Ancestor Database is not a comprehensive list of all individuals who served in the Revolutionary War - new patriots are added as they are proven through DAR membership applications.
The Member Database is limited in order to protect the privacy of the Society's members, but it is possible to search for basic information on a member's ancestor record.
The Descendants Database is an every-name index of the names found on the lineage page of DAR applications and supplementals (this database is currently still under construction).
This is a wonderful resource and it is free! To learn more about the various databases and to launch your search, visit www.dar.org/library/online_research.cfm.
This addition offers a combination of several databases created in recent years to organize the large quantity of information that the DAR has collected since its inception in 1890. This system of databases will continue to expand as new information is added.
The Ancestor Database is not a comprehensive list of all individuals who served in the Revolutionary War - new patriots are added as they are proven through DAR membership applications.The Member Database is limited in order to protect the privacy of the Society's members, but it is possible to search for basic information on a member's ancestor record.
The Descendants Database is an every-name index of the names found on the lineage page of DAR applications and supplementals (this database is currently still under construction).
This is a wonderful resource and it is free! To learn more about the various databases and to launch your search, visit www.dar.org/library/online_research.cfm.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
190,000 Welsh Wills Online
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
The BBC recently published an article about the end of a five-year project to make 190,000 wills available online has been completed. The project is complete and the wills are available now. About 800,000 pages of documents have been placed on the National Library of Wales' website.
The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth said the wills dated from the 14th Century until 1858, when civil probate was introduced, and 1,000 of them were written in Welsh.
It said the project was "good news for family historians, social historians…and the inquisitive".
You can read more at the BBC web site at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/8316533.stm and on the National Library of Wales web site at http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=1514&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2640&tx_ttnews[backPid]=2&cHash=adbaf61688.
The wills are available http://cat.llgc.org.uk/cgi-bin/gw/chameleon?skin=profeb&lng=en.
My thanks to Michael Kinsey for telling me about this resource.
The BBC recently published an article about the end of a five-year project to make 190,000 wills available online has been completed. The project is complete and the wills are available now. About 800,000 pages of documents have been placed on the National Library of Wales' website.
The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth said the wills dated from the 14th Century until 1858, when civil probate was introduced, and 1,000 of them were written in Welsh.
It said the project was "good news for family historians, social historians…and the inquisitive".
You can read more at the BBC web site at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/8316533.stm and on the National Library of Wales web site at http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=1514&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2640&tx_ttnews[backPid]=2&cHash=adbaf61688.
The wills are available http://cat.llgc.org.uk/cgi-bin/gw/chameleon?skin=profeb&lng=en.
My thanks to Michael Kinsey for telling me about this resource.
Mary B. Young
Last week we lost a good and dear friend. It is my understanding that she was the 1st President of the Greater Portland Chapter of MGS.
Mary B. Young, 94, of South Portland, died Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House. Mary was born in South Portland, the daughter of Sidney J. and Mae (Willis) Young, where she was educated and a graduate of South Portland High School. She was also a graduate of Wellesley College in Massachusetts and Simmons College as a graduate of Library and Information. She was a member of the Maine Genealogical Society, Maine Society of Mayflower Descendants, Maine Old Cemetery Association, Appalachian Mountain Club and the American Notaries. Mary worked as a librarian in the Portland Public Libraries until her retirement. She is survived by her sister Laura A. Matz of Westbrook; a niece Martha V. Wright of Cumberland, and a nephew S. John Young of Ayer, Mass.
A graveside service was held November 4, 2009, at Forest City Cemetery, South Portland. Memorial contributions may be made to: The Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square, Portland ME 04101
SOURCE: Portland Press Herald, Nov. 1, 2009.
Mary B. Young, 94, of South Portland, died Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House. Mary was born in South Portland, the daughter of Sidney J. and Mae (Willis) Young, where she was educated and a graduate of South Portland High School. She was also a graduate of Wellesley College in Massachusetts and Simmons College as a graduate of Library and Information. She was a member of the Maine Genealogical Society, Maine Society of Mayflower Descendants, Maine Old Cemetery Association, Appalachian Mountain Club and the American Notaries. Mary worked as a librarian in the Portland Public Libraries until her retirement. She is survived by her sister Laura A. Matz of Westbrook; a niece Martha V. Wright of Cumberland, and a nephew S. John Young of Ayer, Mass.
A graveside service was held November 4, 2009, at Forest City Cemetery, South Portland. Memorial contributions may be made to: The Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square, Portland ME 04101
SOURCE: Portland Press Herald, Nov. 1, 2009.
Penobscot Nation Museum Curator to Talk
This past August, the members of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society very much enjoyed a visit to the Penobscot Nation Museum. Through the efforts of Elizabeth Stevens, that group has the pleasure of having James Neptune, museum curator, scheduled for its next meeting.Penobscot County Genealogical Society will meet Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at the Bangor Public Library (3rd floor lecture hall), starting at 6:00 p.m.
Everyone, member or not, is invited to attend. We are sure that Mr. Neptune will hold your interest just as he did in August for the members. Refreshments will be available.
For more information, visit the society's website at
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs.
To learn more about the Penobscot Nation Museum, visit www.penobscotnation.org.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Great Miramichi Fire
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
File this article under “history.” It also may explain why your ancestors left New Brunswick in the late 1820s.
File this article under “history.” It also may explain why your ancestors left New Brunswick in the late 1820s.
We often forget just how difficult life was for our ancestors. Oh, we may talk about their "trials and tribulations," but what does that mean? Just how tough was it? For thousands of residents of New Brunswick, Canada, the summer of 1825 and the succeeding years were indeed terrible. I had ancestors in Miramichi, New Brunswick, at that time, and apparently so did tens or even hundreds of thousands of today's citizens.
Miramichi is the name of a city, a river, and an area, all in northern New Brunswick. In 1825 the town was called Newcastle, but the name was changed to Miramichi some years later. (Miramichi is pronounced Mir-ra-mah-SHE' with emphasis on the last syllable.) What is now the city of Miramichi is the terminus of the Miramichi River at the point where it empties into Miramichi Bay in the St. Lawrence River. The surrounding area is known as the Miramichi Region.
The thin, acid soils of the Miramichi are not conducive to agriculture; thus, the lumber industry and Atlantic salmon fishery were the region’s mainstays in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Overseas lumber exports became the predominant industry, and the Miramichi Region was well known for supplying straight, tall masts for the British navy. All that changed on October 7, 1825.
The summer of 1825 had been dry and warm, and the crops did well. No rain fell from July until October 8. On September 19 a fire had broken out in Government House, Fredericton, and burned the whole place to the ground. Fortunately, it took place in daylight and caused no loss of life. Other fires broke out in the forests and sometimes burned many acres, but they seemed to avoid the populated regions.
While the land in the Miramichi Region was not suitable for large scale farming, almost every family had a garden, and their crops were generally good that year although the lack of rain meant smaller vegetables than normal. Much of the farming centered on cattle: both dairy farms and beef cattle. Many of the crops and almost all the cattle feed were stored in dry, wooden barns.
As autumn advanced, the leaves turned brilliant colors and then dried. The woods were tinder dry, and the dried leaves on the forest floor were waiting for a spark. The spruce budworm, a periodic pest that, like locusts, visits every few years, descended on the region in 1825. The worms attack the spruce trees, which then die, become dry, and thereby provide perfect tinder for a fire.
Nobody knows the cause of the fire that started on October 7, but everyone soon knew of it. The forest was quickly ablaze, and the flames moved forward with the wind at an estimated one mile per minute. That's sixty miles per hour. The telegraph, telephone, and two-way radio had not yet been invented, so there was no way of warning residents of the impending danger.
The flames engulfed the northwest Miramichi area, first killing twenty-two people. A gentleman named William Wright worked in the woods and was the first to warn of the fire. He ran into Newcastle and warned the people by beating a drum. Unfortunately, no one listened; they all thought it was a rain storm. Because the flames were not seen by the townspeople, no one worried. By ten o'clock in the morning, the flames had burned the whole north side of the Miramichi River. Newcastle, a town of one thousand people, was burned to the ground in less than three hours. Out of two hundred and sixty buildings, only twelve were left standing. At one point, the wall of advancing flame was believed to be fifteen miles wide and advancing at one mile per minute. Wooden ships anchored in Miramichi Bay caught fire as the crews desperately tried to weigh anchor and escape the flames. They were unable to hoist sails because of the flames and high winds, so the burning ships drifted with the wind, spreading the flames to the other side of the river. Soon the houses, crops, and forests on the opposite side of the river were burning as fiercely as on the original shore.
The tales of human suffering are immense. Those who were lucky enough to be near a river walked into the water, often trying to coax their farm animals with them. Most of the domesticated animals were confounded by the smoke, the flames, and the confusion, and refused to enter the water. Most farm animals perished.
On the other hand, the wild animals had no such fear of water. The humans in the river found themselves surrounded by wildlife, including raccoons, deer, bears, and even large moose. All the creatures seemed to cooperate with one another, fearing the common enemy: the flames. Even the bears left the other creatures alone.
Due to the extreme heat, the humans stood in water up to their necks and frequently put their faces into the water to keep cool. Temperatures above the water were estimated to be 140 degrees or higher while the water itself in October was probably quite chilly. At least ten people drowned. The flames passed, and most of those who sought refuge in the icy rivers did survive.
Those who were not near a river typically were not so fortunate. Every town lost fifty or even one hundred citizens that afternoon. Larger towns lost more. The prisoners in the Newcastle Jail all perished as no one nearby had a key to let them out. The jail was made of stone and did not burn. However, it became a stone oven, and nobody survived.
A man from Bushville who thought St. Paul's Church would burn rushed to the church to see what he could save. In fact, the church did not burn. When he returned home, he found that his house had been destroyed and all his family members had perished in the flames.
New Brunswick was in the midst of a typhoid fever epidemic at the time, and many people were at home, sick in bed. Many perished by not leaving their beds. There were many similar stories that day.
During the flames, the winds reached hurricane force (70 miles per hour or more). It was October, and the air had been cold but now became super-heated. Once the wet people crawled out of the rivers, the temperatures dropped below freezing that night, and people in wet clothes with no place to go suffered from exposure. Many stood by still-burning buildings and trees for the warmth.
Lieutenant Governor Sir Howard Douglas drove through the blackened and devastated area in the following days. He wrote, "Any poor soul who was caught in the forest and could not reach the Miramichi River in time, was doomed to death."
The fire was felt far out at sea in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The master of a sloop that traded along Northumberland Strait, between the New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island coasts, reported that, while he was running before the gale, the heavy fall of ashes and cinders caused the sea to hiss and boil around his deck, while the smoke on his deck was so heavy and thick as to affect both his sight and hearing. He had great difficulty in saving his ship.
About one fifth of the province of New Brunswick was damaged. An exact count was impossible, but estimates place the loss of human life at more than 300 with approximately 600 buildings destroyed and 875 cattle lost.
On the night of October eighth, it rained hard, and this helped to douse the fire. Most of the trees had burned by that time, so there was no where for the fire to go. In the following days, the surviving residents often trudged through deep ashes as they went about their lives. The ashes landed in many far off areas of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and even as far away as Bermuda! The ashes also fell into the water, killing many of the fish. The crops had been destroyed, and even wildlife had been decimated, making hunting and fishing for food very difficult for several years. In a single day New Brunswick lost "nearly four million acres of the best lumbering region of the province" along with most of its food supplies.
At Douglastown, only one house escaped the flames and remained standing. Strangely, that house contained the body of a person who had died the day before the fire and had not yet been buried.
As bad as the flames were, perhaps the cruelest fate still awaited the survivors. Many covered the cellars of their burned homes and crowded into them for shelter. All the crops and all the seeds for the next year's crops had been "safely" stored in wooden barns, but most of the buildings were destroyed, along with their contents. Many families lost their homes as well as their barns, their livestock, their food, and even the seeds for the following spring planting. It was late October, and winter would soon arrive. In 1825, there was no Red Cross, no Salvation Army, and no other relief organizations.
For a few days the local residents had food in the form of baked potatoes. The potatoes were still in the ground but had been baked by the heat of the fire. The locals were able to dig up the potatoes and eat them immediately. However, this supply ran out within a few days. In the following months, many people starved to death or died of complications caused by malnourishment.
The Mik-maq Indians in the area thought that the fire had been sent to kill the white man. Alexander Rankin had been a good friend to the Indians, and they surmised that this was why his home did not burn. After the fire, Alexander Rankin opened his home to those who were in need, Indians and whites alike. He was a good friend to one and all in the Miramichi Region. His house still stands today and now contains a museum of the Great Miramichi Fire.
Rankin led a group of fifteen men who set out to build houses and perform other acts as needed. Sir Howard Douglas arrived on the scene from Fredericton to offer his help. The town of Gretna Green, now Douglastown, was named in his honor. Sir Howard called on England, the United States, and other parts of Canada to come to the aid of the people. He later became the Lieutenant-Governor of Canada. Money, food, and clothes began to arrive by ship and by land although transportation required weeks. Winter and deep snow were upon the survivors before the first goods arrived.
Construction began with the people using what was left of the burned trees for wood, supplemented later by the newly arrived lumber from distant locations. One year later, the towns of Newcastle and Douglastown had been rebuilt.
Food was still in short supply. Although the following year saw mild weather, the fire had parched the land and burnt the plants that provided nutrients to the soil. Seeds were in short supply although some seeds were shipped in by the government. The surviving citizens did manage to grow some crops the following summer.
My ancestors left Miramichi a couple of years later and moved to Maine. I do not know of any family stories handed down over the years about their move, but I suspect their reason was related to the fire and its aftermath.
In all, the fire destroyed more than five hundred buildings (an exact count was never made) and also destroyed millions of acres of woodlands and settled towns and villages alike. Of the hundreds who perished in the fire, their bodies were mostly buried where they were found. There are almost no tombstones for the people who died in the fire as local tombstone carvers were either overwhelmed with work or perhaps also perished in the flames. In later years, many sad memorials were erected in the burying grounds along the Miramichi.
Entire towns were destroyed. Some of them were rebuilt as new towns in different locations that had escaped the flames and provided better soil, including the new towns of Campbellton, Dalhousie, Belledune, and the southern Gaspé coast. It is also probable that some of the displaced persons established a community in the Ottawa Valley formerly known as Miramichi, now known as Pembroke, Ontario.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but it was probably caused by humans. This was in the day when houses were heated by wood, cooking was done on wood stoves or over open flames, and lumbermen often kept flames burning for cooking purposes or to drive away insects. Open flames were everywhere, and the woods were tinder dry.
A large fire occurred in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on the same day: October 7. Fredericton is more than 100 miles from Miramichi. It is believed that the two fires were not connected, other than by the fact that all of New Brunswick had very dry forests at the time. More than one-third of all the dwellings in Fredericton were destroyed by the flames; but the rest were spared.
For many years after, on October 7th, the people of the Miramichi area did not eat for the day and all shops closed in remembrance. The Great Miramichi Fire ranks among the three largest forest fires ever recorded in North America. Today people still tell stories of the Miramichi Fire as if it happened yesterday.
Windham Maine Online Databases
Kay Soldier of the Windham Historical Society writes to let us know that as of September 24, 2009, the website of Windham (Maine) Historical Society has listings of vital records (births, deaths, marriages) including the Friends Church, some very, very old, some into the early 1900s, along with burial records for all cemeteries up to the year 2000 - there are almost two dozen cemeteries. This is the list for vital statistics:
Marriages by Bride (1906-1944)
Marriages by Groom (1906-1944)
Friends Marriages
Marriages - Town Records by Dole
Family Records by Dole
Friends Birth Records
Records of Death by Dole
Friends Death Records
Death Records 1906-1974
All these records are the same which had at one time been available at RootsWeb.com and were compiled by volunteers at the society.
Go to the website (www.windhamhistorical.org) and click on "Link" and follow the subsequent links.
Marriages by Bride (1906-1944)
Marriages by Groom (1906-1944)
Friends Marriages
Marriages - Town Records by Dole
Family Records by Dole
Friends Birth Records
Records of Death by Dole
Friends Death Records
Death Records 1906-1974
All these records are the same which had at one time been available at RootsWeb.com and were compiled by volunteers at the society.
Go to the website (www.windhamhistorical.org) and click on "Link" and follow the subsequent links.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Joseph Crook Anderson II, FASG, Honored
Joseph Crook Anderson II was honored for his contributions to MGS at the Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009, being presented with the inaugural Clayton Rand Adams Memorial Award.MGS was honored to have Clayton's widow, Nancy, and his daughter, Sarah, join us for the introduction of this award and the announcement of its first recipient.
MGS President Dale Mower stated -
In considering this award, it seems indeed fitting that the first recipient is Joe Anderson.
Joe and Clayton had a deep respect for each other, which was particularly apparent at conferences and during Executive Committee meetings.
As for credentials, Joe is a Certified Genealogist and a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists - a true honor as there are only 50 lifetime members. Election to that society is based on a candidate's published genealogical scholarship.
Joe serves as editor of The American Genealogist, joining that publication in 1999.
Where MGS is concerned, the names Joe Anderson and Maine Genealogical Society are synonymous. The list of Joe's contributions to MGS are lengthy.
Joe serves as editor of the Society's scholarly journal, The Maine Genealogist. Beginning as a co-editor in February 1991 when the journal transitioned from The Maine Seine to its current format, Joe became its editor with Lois Thurston in February 1994, and has been its sole editor since August 1998.
As chair of the Publications Committee, Joe also oversees all of the special publications projects. He has transcribed early town records. He has been instrumental in the success of the Maine Families in 1790 series. He joined that project in 1992 as Associate Editor of Volume 3, working with the projects founder Ruth Gray. He was Co-Editor with Lois Thurston of Volume 4, and has been the series sole editor from Volume 5 on. He oversees all the special publications projects -reviewing, editing and working closely with the authors of all the Maine Families in 1790 sketches that are submitted for publication.
We are also fortunate that we can occasionally entice Joe to leave his home in Texas to come up to Maine to give lectures.
But probably the most significant contribution that Joe makes to the society is the inspiration and encouragement he gives to fellow researchers. He knows how to gently push trying to bring out the best analysis and research. I know that whenever I've encountered a problem, I can rely on being able to bounce it off Joe.
I would also like to mention that all of the contribution that Joe provides to MGS he does out of his love of the state and his generosity. His efforts for the Society are non-compensated and purely voluntary. And he does all of this in addition to his full-time job and family time - and I know that he is very devoted to his family.
Aside from his genealogical achievements I have to say that I always look forward to catching up with Joe at a conference. Joe can be summed up as being just an all-around nice guy.
Joe Anderson is pretty much the heart and soul of MGS.
THE CLAYTON RAND ADAMS MEMORIAL AWARD
Presented to
JOSEPH CROOK ANDERSON II, FASG
In recognition of his ongoing role as author, compiler
and editor of The Maine Genealogist, The Maine Families in 1790
project and transcriptions of early town records
from across the State of Maine.
The Maine Genealogical Society honors his extraordinary
contributions and selfless dedication to the Society
and to advancing the field of genealogy in the State of Maine.
September 26, 2009
Presented to
JOSEPH CROOK ANDERSON II, FASG
In recognition of his ongoing role as author, compiler
and editor of The Maine Genealogist, The Maine Families in 1790
project and transcriptions of early town records
from across the State of Maine.
The Maine Genealogical Society honors his extraordinary
contributions and selfless dedication to the Society
and to advancing the field of genealogy in the State of Maine.
September 26, 2009
Clayton Rand Adams Memorial Award Introduced
Maine Genealogical Society proudly introduced the Clayton Rand Adams Memorial Award at its Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009. The award was introduced by MGS President Dale W. Mower with the following comments:
As many of you know, MGS lost a true friend back in December, 2008.
Clayton Rand Adams served for many years as president of MGS, he was the driving force in helping shape the Society as we know it today.
Clayton's dedication to genealogical research and publication extended far beyond documentation of his own family lines. As an enthusiastic member of MGS he served as its director for several years, president for 11 years, and a contributing editor to the society's journal. He wrote prodigiously for all of the Society's publications, including nearly 190 family histories appearing in the Maine Families in 1790 series.
I had the pleasure of serving on the Executive Committee with Clayton for a couple of years. He extended a warm welcome to me onto that committee. I must say that I was a little in awe of the man. He was outspoken and witty. He encouraged so many of us to participate in whatever small way we can to help make the Society better.
When he stepped down as President, he indeed left big shoes to fill. I've tried, but I ain't been able to do it yet!
This award will be presented at the Executive Committee's pleasure and will be used to recognize individuals whose contribution to the Society and the community are truly significant. It will recognize those individuals whose outstanding achievement, leadership, ingenuity and superior performance set a model for all of us to emulate.
Clayton set the standard for this award and it is with honor that we announce the "Clayton Rand Adams Memorial Award."
Monday, October 19, 2009
Query: Knight/Hackett, Poland & Minot, Maine
Looking for info re: Cornelia HACKETT, daughter of Levi & Polly HOLLER HACKETT. She m. about 1852-1854 to George W. KNIGHT. Resided in E. Farnham, Quebec. She d. Hackett's Mills, Maine, Sept. 1867; buried in Minot, Maine.
Dave Flewelling, 104 Main St., Orono ME
E-Mail: jdflew@earthlink.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Dave Flewelling, 104 Main St., Orono ME
E-Mail: jdflew@earthlink.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Telemecus Ballard
Seeking parents of Telemecus BALLARD, b. Feb. 1803 in Maine, maybe Sidney area or Farmington, New Sharon.
He m. Lydia C. Judkins, 1842, in Charleston, Maine.
He m. Matilda Buswell, 1841, in New Sharon, Maine. Need record of divorce.
He m. Irena Leeman, 1832, need death date (between 1840-1841).
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield, ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at the Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
He m. Lydia C. Judkins, 1842, in Charleston, Maine.
He m. Matilda Buswell, 1841, in New Sharon, Maine. Need record of divorce.
He m. Irena Leeman, 1832, need death date (between 1840-1841).
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield, ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at the Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Cutler/Witham
Seeking the parents of Olive Cutler WITHAM, b. 1807 in Maine (possibly Auburn), d. May 29, 1886 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Married Eben WITHAM. Lived in Abbot, Maine. Had 7 children. Need divorce record.
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield, ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Married Eben WITHAM. Lived in Abbot, Maine. Had 7 children. Need divorce record.
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield, ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: West/Leavitt
Need parents of Silas WEST, b. 1788-1794, d. after 1860. Lived in Raymond, Maine.
He m. 1st Mary LEAVITT, b. abt. 1784, d. before 1850.
He m. 2nd Lydia A. (?), b. 1799-1801, d. after 1860.
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
He m. 1st Mary LEAVITT, b. abt. 1784, d. before 1850.
He m. 2nd Lydia A. (?), b. 1799-1801, d. after 1860.
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Mary (Polly) Bennett
Seeking the parents of Mary (Polly) BENNETT; b. Sep. 24, 1780 in Massachusetts or New Gloucester, Maine; d. Jan. 21, 1871, probably Garland, Maine.
She married Jeremiah WITHAM, Jr. Apr. 25, 1799, in New Gloucester, Maine. They had 12 children.
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
She married Jeremiah WITHAM, Jr. Apr. 25, 1799, in New Gloucester, Maine. They had 12 children.
Celeste Hyer, 69 Loop Rd., Otisfield ME 04270
E-Mail: MDLFXS1990@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Record/Tubbs
Elizabeth Abigail RECORD, b. Hebron, Maine, 15 Feb 1834, d. Whitman, Massachusetts, 25 Aug 1905. She m. Stoughton, Massachusetts, 9 Sep 1852 to Charles A. HARRIS (1833-1883).
Her parents were Perez Tubbs RECORD and Asenath TUBBS.
Need proof of her parentage and her mother's line (Asenath TUBBS, dau. of Asneath SHELLEY, dau. of Joseph SHELLEY & Jemima BRYANT/BRIAND).
Sylvia-Lee Alden, 151 Stillwater Ave, Apt. 2, Old Town ME 04468
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Her parents were Perez Tubbs RECORD and Asenath TUBBS.
Need proof of her parentage and her mother's line (Asenath TUBBS, dau. of Asneath SHELLEY, dau. of Joseph SHELLEY & Jemima BRYANT/BRIAND).
Sylvia-Lee Alden, 151 Stillwater Ave, Apt. 2, Old Town ME 04468
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Richard Griggs Munroe
Richard Griggs MUNROE, son of Albert H. MUNROE & Ruby Emily (GRIGGS) MUNROE, born 1 March 1917, supposedly in Brownville Junction, Maine.
Cannot locate birth certificate. Have birth certificate and death certificate for younger sister (Audrey Ruth MUNROE, b. 26 May 1920, d. 13 Feb 1922 in Brownville Junction). The father worked on the railroad. I have visited clerk's office in Brownville and State Archives - no luck.
Gene Vogt
E-Mail: genevogt@familytreehouse.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Cannot locate birth certificate. Have birth certificate and death certificate for younger sister (Audrey Ruth MUNROE, b. 26 May 1920, d. 13 Feb 1922 in Brownville Junction). The father worked on the railroad. I have visited clerk's office in Brownville and State Archives - no luck.
Gene Vogt
E-Mail: genevogt@familytreehouse.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Sherebiah Lambert
Sherebiah LAMBERT was the son of Robert LAMBERT.
Who is Sherebiah's wife "Lydia" the daughter of?
Who are the parents of Robert LAMBERT, husband of Dorothy DILL?
Dennis Prue, PO Box 485, Caribou ME 04736
E-Mail: djprue@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Who is Sherebiah's wife "Lydia" the daughter of?
Who are the parents of Robert LAMBERT, husband of Dorothy DILL?
Dennis Prue, PO Box 485, Caribou ME 04736
E-Mail: djprue@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Martha Bennett
Who were her parents?
Martha BENNETT born Nov. 1804, probably New Gloucester, Maine. She was in Vermont (Isle La Molte) by 1818, in the 1820 census in Vermont. She married Ebenezer WHITE.
Dereka Smith, 21 Verona St., Northport ME 04849
E-Mail: smith.dereka@gmail.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine on September 26, 2009.
Martha BENNETT born Nov. 1804, probably New Gloucester, Maine. She was in Vermont (Isle La Molte) by 1818, in the 1820 census in Vermont. She married Ebenezer WHITE.
Dereka Smith, 21 Verona St., Northport ME 04849
E-Mail: smith.dereka@gmail.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine on September 26, 2009.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Query: Nicholas Cane
Who was Nicholas CANE's father? (Charles CANE?)
Nicholas CANE, b. about 1676, York, York county, d. about 1758, Phillipstown (Sanford). He m. Mary PARSONS (b. 13 Oct 1681; d. before 1752, York, Maine).
Any info, please contact:
E-Mail: ruthkane@roadrunner.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Nicholas CANE, b. about 1676, York, York county, d. about 1758, Phillipstown (Sanford). He m. Mary PARSONS (b. 13 Oct 1681; d. before 1752, York, Maine).
Any info, please contact:
E-Mail: ruthkane@roadrunner.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Thomas Mitchell of Bath/Leeds
Looking for the parents of Thomas MITCHELL of Bath/Leeds, Maine. He was b. abt 1771, m. Mary LEMONT 1794. Lived in Bath, Maine, until about 1800. Relocated to Leeds, Maine, and lived there until his death in 1849.
Children: b. probably Bath -
William, b. abt 1794, probably Bath, m. Abigail MORSE
James Warren, b. abt 1796, probably Bath, m. Julia GILBERT
Children: b. Leeds -
Betsey Lemont, m. Joshua PHILBROOK
Jesse, m. Elvira KNAPP
Mary, m. David CARR
Benjamin, m. Mary MITCHELL
Thomas, m. Betsy DUDLEY and relocated to Old Town, Maine (there are descendants of this couple in the Bangor area).
Any clues? We are stumped. Thank you,
Christine M. Smith, 12 Lookout Lane, Windham ME 04062
E-Mail: smithy@maine.rr.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Children: b. probably Bath -
William, b. abt 1794, probably Bath, m. Abigail MORSE
James Warren, b. abt 1796, probably Bath, m. Julia GILBERT
Children: b. Leeds -
Betsey Lemont, m. Joshua PHILBROOK
Jesse, m. Elvira KNAPP
Mary, m. David CARR
Benjamin, m. Mary MITCHELL
Thomas, m. Betsy DUDLEY and relocated to Old Town, Maine (there are descendants of this couple in the Bangor area).
Any clues? We are stumped. Thank you,
Christine M. Smith, 12 Lookout Lane, Windham ME 04062
E-Mail: smithy@maine.rr.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Thomas McLaughlin
Seeking information about Thomas McLAUGHLIN, b. Salem, Massachusetts, d. 1834 St. David's Parish. He lived in new Boston, New Hampshire.
Cynthia Rump, 323 Husson Ave #20, Bangor ME 04401
E-Mail: Hazelsgirl@msn.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held at Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Cynthia Rump, 323 Husson Ave #20, Bangor ME 04401
E-Mail: Hazelsgirl@msn.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held at Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Henry & Sarah Bell
Seeking information about Henry & Sarah BELL, b. about 1809 in Ireland. Had a son Robert, b. Ireland, d. between 1875-78, 2nd husband of Cynthia WEEKS McLAUGHLIN.
Cynthia Rump, 323 Husson Ave #20, Bangor ME 04401
E-Mail: Hazelsgirl@msn.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Cynthia Rump, 323 Husson Ave #20, Bangor ME 04401
E-Mail: Hazelsgirl@msn.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Sophia Vogler
Where in Germany did Sophia VOGLER come from. She was b. Dec. 1838/9; came to Rockland about 1850-55. She m. Daniel ROSS 1859, then moved to Presque Isle, May 1860.
Rita C. Barbieri, 32 Melcon Dr., Southington CT 06489
E-Mail: riribar@att.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Rita C. Barbieri, 32 Melcon Dr., Southington CT 06489
E-Mail: riribar@att.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Mary Ann Leighton
Looking for the parents of Mary Ann LEIGHTON, believed to have been born 29 Jan 1814 in New Castle, New Hampshire. She m. Thomas RUEE on 24 Apr 1834 in Elliot, York co., Maine. She d. 5 Sep 1864 in New Castle, New Hampshire.
Richard Kimball, PO Box 167, Easton ME 04740
E-Mail: r.kimball@umpi.edu
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Richard Kimball, PO Box 167, Easton ME 04740
E-Mail: r.kimball@umpi.edu
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: William & Elizabeth (Douglass) Davis
Looking for William DAVIS and Elizabeth DOUGLASS DAVIS who had a son, John DAVIS, b. 25 Dec 1810 in Readfield, Maine. They had another son, William, b. about 1820 somewhere in Maine.
Richard Kimball, PO Box 167, Easton ME 04740
E-Mail: r.kimball@umpi.edu
This query was posted at the Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Richard Kimball, PO Box 167, Easton ME 04740
E-Mail: r.kimball@umpi.edu
This query was posted at the Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Wilcott - Childs
Peggy WILCOTT (WALCOTT, etc.) b. abt. 1762, perhaps Weston, Massachusetts. She married Jonas CHILDS (b. 1762, Watertown, Massachusetts) in Boston, 1782.
Hallowell, Maine, printed records say: Jonas Childs m. Peggy Wilcott "whose parents were natives of Germany."
I cannot make a Germany connection to that name to track her parents. Any ideas?
Marsha Douty, 13 Water St., Thomaston ME
E-Mail: MLWD1@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Hallowell, Maine, printed records say: Jonas Childs m. Peggy Wilcott "whose parents were natives of Germany."
I cannot make a Germany connection to that name to track her parents. Any ideas?
Marsha Douty, 13 Water St., Thomaston ME
E-Mail: MLWD1@aol.com
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Stephen Parmeter
Stephen PARMETER / PARMENTER / PARMITER
Enlisted in Army, War of 1812, from Bangor. Had wife Elizabeth and children Stephen and Rosanna in Bangor. He left army1818 in Sackett Harbor, New York, with different wife and child. Elizabeth and children still in Bangor. Same man?
Sandra Burke
E-Mail: petrsan@gwi.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Enlisted in Army, War of 1812, from Bangor. Had wife Elizabeth and children Stephen and Rosanna in Bangor. He left army1818 in Sackett Harbor, New York, with different wife and child. Elizabeth and children still in Bangor. Same man?
Sandra Burke
E-Mail: petrsan@gwi.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Samuel Norman
Seeking descendants of Samuel NORMAN who lived in York, Maine, in and around 1922 and was in Moody, Maine, in 1924.
Brian Bouchard, 833 Pleasant Hill Rd., Brunswick ME 04011
E-Mail: brian@earlyMaine.org
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Brian Bouchard, 833 Pleasant Hill Rd., Brunswick ME 04011
E-Mail: brian@earlyMaine.org
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Joann Anderson
Seeking the maiden name of Joann; 1st wife of Thomas Means ANDERSON, Capt. of Trenton, Maine. She d. July 19, 1816, aged 38.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Orrin Dexter
Need parents of Orrin DEXTER, husband of Betsey MILLER. They were parents of Mercy A. DEXTER who was wife of Thomas KNIGHT [Mercy was b. Sep. 16, 1812 in Hampden, Maine].
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Betsey Miller
Seeking parents of Betsey MILLER, wife of Orrin DEXTER. Mother of Mercy A. DEXTER, wife of Thomas KNIGHT. Mercy was b. Sep. 16, 1812, Hampden, Maine and d. Dec. 24, 1892.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Mary Crabtree
Seeking parents of Mary Crabtee, b. ca. 1804 [Vinalhaven, Maine?], d. Jan. 29, 1887, Deer Isle, Maine. She married 1829 Joshua H. SADLER.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Hannah Noble
Seeking parents of Hannah NOBLE. She was b. abt. 1770, Waterboro, Maine; d. Aug. 15, 1805. She married Oct. 16, 1793 in Lyman Twp., York co., Maine, Thomas KNIGHT.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Thank you.
Helene Whitehouse, PO Box 703, Searsport ME 04974
E-Mail: knighthawk5@myfairpoint.net
This query was posted at our Annual Conference held in Bangor, Maine, on September 26, 2009.
Query: Gammon family
I have been working on the GAMMON family for a little over a year and have searched every which way with no ancestors found beyond what I will list.
The last Gammon in my family was Lois Emmer GAMMON (5 Jan 1855 Portland, ME - 1923 WI). Her parents were William Whitney GAMMON (23 Apr 1812 Paris, ME) and Phebe Ann CHAMBERLAIN (6 Apr 1823 Waterford, ME). William's parents were Moses GAMMON Jr (1780 Paris, ME) and Abigail GOSS (1783 MA). Moses Jr.'s parents were Moses GAMMON Sr (abt 1750 MA) and Silence. I have no other information about her. I know that Moses Sr. was in the Revolutionary War and received a pension.
I am hoping to find Moses GAMMON Sr's parents and possibly the maiden name of his wife Silence.
Thank you for your time and help.
Kim Slaughter
E-Mail: kslaughter68@yahoo.com
The last Gammon in my family was Lois Emmer GAMMON (5 Jan 1855 Portland, ME - 1923 WI). Her parents were William Whitney GAMMON (23 Apr 1812 Paris, ME) and Phebe Ann CHAMBERLAIN (6 Apr 1823 Waterford, ME). William's parents were Moses GAMMON Jr (1780 Paris, ME) and Abigail GOSS (1783 MA). Moses Jr.'s parents were Moses GAMMON Sr (abt 1750 MA) and Silence. I have no other information about her. I know that Moses Sr. was in the Revolutionary War and received a pension.
I am hoping to find Moses GAMMON Sr's parents and possibly the maiden name of his wife Silence.
Thank you for your time and help.
Kim Slaughter
E-Mail: kslaughter68@yahoo.com
Pejepscot Genealogy Society's November Meeting
Pejepscot Genealogy Society will meet on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 2 p.m. at the Curtis Memorial Library (Middle Street entrance), Brunswick.
Dave Barber, a resident of Bath, will give a presentation that traces the travels of a piece of his grandfather's furniture back to England.
Please come early for a social time with your relatives and friends!
For more information, please call 207.833.7371.
Dave Barber, a resident of Bath, will give a presentation that traces the travels of a piece of his grandfather's furniture back to England.
Please come early for a social time with your relatives and friends!
For more information, please call 207.833.7371.
Vital Records of Cape Elizabeth
Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication #63 is now available. The Vital Records of Cape Elizabeth, Maine has been compiled by Anne M. Diehm, edited by Joseph Crook Anderson II, FASG, and Marlene A. Groves.
Cape Elizabeth is located in the county of Cumberland and is five miles from the county seat of Portland. The original town formed a part of ancient Falmouth and was settled about 1630. Cape Elizabeth was incorporated as a district in Maine on 1 November 1765. It was later incorporated as the 34th town on 23 August 1776. In 1852 part of the town was set off to form a new town called Westbrook, and on 15 March 1895 the southern portion of the town was set off to form a new town called South Portland.
The Cape Elizabeth vital records include births, deaths, marriage intentions and marriages recorded by town clerks with this transcription containing those prior to the year 1892. Some of the early volumes of town records are located in the town of Cape Elizabeth and other volumes are located in the town of South Portland.
640 pages, hard cover, 28,235 entry Every Name Index. 2009
The book sells for $79.50, but MGS members pay only $69.50! For more information or to place an order, please visit Picton Press, official publisher of Maine Genealogical Society Special Publications at www.pictonpress.com.
To learn about other MGS Special Publications visit our website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
Membership number required to receive the MGS member discount.
Cape Elizabeth is located in the county of Cumberland and is five miles from the county seat of Portland. The original town formed a part of ancient Falmouth and was settled about 1630. Cape Elizabeth was incorporated as a district in Maine on 1 November 1765. It was later incorporated as the 34th town on 23 August 1776. In 1852 part of the town was set off to form a new town called Westbrook, and on 15 March 1895 the southern portion of the town was set off to form a new town called South Portland.
The Cape Elizabeth vital records include births, deaths, marriage intentions and marriages recorded by town clerks with this transcription containing those prior to the year 1892. Some of the early volumes of town records are located in the town of Cape Elizabeth and other volumes are located in the town of South Portland.
640 pages, hard cover, 28,235 entry Every Name Index. 2009
The book sells for $79.50, but MGS members pay only $69.50! For more information or to place an order, please visit Picton Press, official publisher of Maine Genealogical Society Special Publications at www.pictonpress.com.
To learn about other MGS Special Publications visit our website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
Membership number required to receive the MGS member discount.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
MGS Honors Gerald & Janice Gower
Maine Genealogical Society announced at its annual conference held in Bangor on September 26, 2009, that Gerald F. & Janice D. Gower were the recipients of its Award of Excellence in Genealogical Research.
Joe Anderson, chair of the MGS Awards Committee, reported that consideration was given to presenting it to just one of them, but the Gowers very much work as a team and honoring one and not the other would be a bit of an injustice.
Jerry and Janice have been invaluable in their support of the Maine Families in 1790 series, having contributed 215 families for the last 6 volumes and many more for the upcoming Volume 11. Not only have they contributed families, they have led workshops encouraging and teaching various genealogical groups around the state about the 1790 project and they have taken a number of individuals under their wing to help them work up their first submissions to the project. Both have also contributed over the years numerous articles and source material for publication in The Maine Genealogist and have served as Contributing Editors of the journal for several years.
Congratulations to Jerry & Janice!
Joe Anderson, chair of the MGS Awards Committee, reported that consideration was given to presenting it to just one of them, but the Gowers very much work as a team and honoring one and not the other would be a bit of an injustice.
Jerry and Janice have been invaluable in their support of the Maine Families in 1790 series, having contributed 215 families for the last 6 volumes and many more for the upcoming Volume 11. Not only have they contributed families, they have led workshops encouraging and teaching various genealogical groups around the state about the 1790 project and they have taken a number of individuals under their wing to help them work up their first submissions to the project. Both have also contributed over the years numerous articles and source material for publication in The Maine Genealogist and have served as Contributing Editors of the journal for several years.
Congratulations to Jerry & Janice!
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH
presented to
GERALD F. AND JANICE D. GOWER
In recognition of their outstanding efforts and scholarship in support of the Maine Families in 1790 project and The Maine Genealogist, and for tirelessly helping and encouraging others to contribute to MGS publications.
The Maine Genealogical Society honors their extraordinary contributions to the field of genealogy in the State of Maine.
September 26, 2009
presented to
GERALD F. AND JANICE D. GOWER
In recognition of their outstanding efforts and scholarship in support of the Maine Families in 1790 project and The Maine Genealogist, and for tirelessly helping and encouraging others to contribute to MGS publications.
The Maine Genealogical Society honors their extraordinary contributions to the field of genealogy in the State of Maine.
September 26, 2009
MGS Honors Valdine Chalmers Atwood
At the 2009 Annual Conference held in Bangor on September 26, 2009, Maine Genealogical Society presented Valdine Chalmers Atwood with its Award of Excellence in Genealogical Service.
Valdine Chalmers Atwood has long been recognized as the authority on the history and genealogy of the families of the Machias area specifically and Washington County generally. She has been a member of the Washington County Genealogical Society since 1993, in which year it was established, and has served as its Secretary since 1995, its Program chair since 1995 and as its Newsletter editor since 2005.
Val is indefatigable in sharing her knowledge and resources with others. She has participated as a lecturer at two week-long and one day-long genealogical workshops held in Washington County, was a speaker at the MGS 10th anniversary conference in Augusta and at the annual meeting /fall conference held in Ellsworth, was a presenter in the research room at the MGS conference in Machias, has participated in most of the 17 annual genealogy fairs hosted by the Alexander-Crawford Historical Society and the more recent annual fairs of the Charlotte Historical Society, and will be a participant in the genealogy fair to be held in August in conjunction with the bicentennial celebration of Calais. Val has contributed four sketches to the Maine Families in 1790 series, was co-compiler of the vital records of East Machias, which appear as a printed volume in the Maine DAR Miscellaneous Records series, and has made an informal transcription of the Machias vital records.
Val is a long term member of MGS and of NEHGS. In Washington County she is a member of the Machias, Machiasport, Pembroke and Dennysville historical societies.
In 1999 Val was appointed by the Washington County Commissioners as a member of the Washington County Archives Preservation Committee and has served as chairman of this committee since 2002. The committee was charged by the Commissioners to oversee the preservation of the large collection of Washington County newspapers dating back to 1818 to present day, over 600 volumes, stored in the attic of the court house. The committee has overseen either the purchase or microfilming of over half the collection, which microfilming continues as funds become available. Additionally during her time as committee chairman various boxes containing documents of all kinds dating back to the 1830s were "unearthed" from various nooks and crannies of the attic and other locations in the court house, including such items as coroner's jury reports, county tax and expenditure records, road records, etc. The committee has overseen the inventorying of these records, which in the near future will be available to the public for research.
Val has been a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution for 55 years. She has served as Regent of the Hannah Western Chapter DAR of Machias for 3 years and has served as chapter Secretary for 41 years. In addition, she has been Registrar of the chapter, officially for 2 years and unofficially for 12 years, and has served as chairman of many chapter committees and Chair of the Burnham Tavern Museum, a committee of the chapter, for 38 years.
Val has also served in Maine State Organization, DAR, serving as State Regent 1980-83. In addition, she has served as State Vice-Regent, State Chaplain, and as State Recording Secretary. She has also served as State Chairman of five committees, including Genealogical Records. On the national level DAR Val has served as National Vice Chairman of six committees, as a National Marshall and as National Page.
Val has a large personal library of genealogical materials relating to Washington County which she readily shares with others at the various fairs and at her home. The library was begun by her mother and continues to grow. It contains 17 file draws of data relating to Washington County families, plus 60 lineal feet of notebooks containing vital records, cemetery and historical data for Washington County towns. In addition she has a large collection of published books relating to Washington County, Maine and other New England states, and Canada. Val assists people all over the United States who inquire about their Washington County families. Locally the library, town office and the court house direct researchers to her door so that she can assist them with their family research.
Valdine Chalmers Atwood has long been recognized as the authority on the history and genealogy of the families of the Machias area specifically and Washington County generally. She has been a member of the Washington County Genealogical Society since 1993, in which year it was established, and has served as its Secretary since 1995, its Program chair since 1995 and as its Newsletter editor since 2005.
Val is indefatigable in sharing her knowledge and resources with others. She has participated as a lecturer at two week-long and one day-long genealogical workshops held in Washington County, was a speaker at the MGS 10th anniversary conference in Augusta and at the annual meeting /fall conference held in Ellsworth, was a presenter in the research room at the MGS conference in Machias, has participated in most of the 17 annual genealogy fairs hosted by the Alexander-Crawford Historical Society and the more recent annual fairs of the Charlotte Historical Society, and will be a participant in the genealogy fair to be held in August in conjunction with the bicentennial celebration of Calais. Val has contributed four sketches to the Maine Families in 1790 series, was co-compiler of the vital records of East Machias, which appear as a printed volume in the Maine DAR Miscellaneous Records series, and has made an informal transcription of the Machias vital records.
Val is a long term member of MGS and of NEHGS. In Washington County she is a member of the Machias, Machiasport, Pembroke and Dennysville historical societies.
In 1999 Val was appointed by the Washington County Commissioners as a member of the Washington County Archives Preservation Committee and has served as chairman of this committee since 2002. The committee was charged by the Commissioners to oversee the preservation of the large collection of Washington County newspapers dating back to 1818 to present day, over 600 volumes, stored in the attic of the court house. The committee has overseen either the purchase or microfilming of over half the collection, which microfilming continues as funds become available. Additionally during her time as committee chairman various boxes containing documents of all kinds dating back to the 1830s were "unearthed" from various nooks and crannies of the attic and other locations in the court house, including such items as coroner's jury reports, county tax and expenditure records, road records, etc. The committee has overseen the inventorying of these records, which in the near future will be available to the public for research.
Val has been a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution for 55 years. She has served as Regent of the Hannah Western Chapter DAR of Machias for 3 years and has served as chapter Secretary for 41 years. In addition, she has been Registrar of the chapter, officially for 2 years and unofficially for 12 years, and has served as chairman of many chapter committees and Chair of the Burnham Tavern Museum, a committee of the chapter, for 38 years.
Val has also served in Maine State Organization, DAR, serving as State Regent 1980-83. In addition, she has served as State Vice-Regent, State Chaplain, and as State Recording Secretary. She has also served as State Chairman of five committees, including Genealogical Records. On the national level DAR Val has served as National Vice Chairman of six committees, as a National Marshall and as National Page.
Val has a large personal library of genealogical materials relating to Washington County which she readily shares with others at the various fairs and at her home. The library was begun by her mother and continues to grow. It contains 17 file draws of data relating to Washington County families, plus 60 lineal feet of notebooks containing vital records, cemetery and historical data for Washington County towns. In addition she has a large collection of published books relating to Washington County, Maine and other New England states, and Canada. Val assists people all over the United States who inquire about their Washington County families. Locally the library, town office and the court house direct researchers to her door so that she can assist them with their family research.
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN GENEALOGICAL SERVICE
presented to
VALDINE CHALMERS ATWOOD
In recognition of her years of service in the area of society volunteerism, lecturing and writing,
and her tireless efforts to preserve the old records of Washington County.
Maine Genealogical Society honors her extraordinary contributions in advancing the field of genealogy in the State of Maine.
September 26, 2009
presented to
VALDINE CHALMERS ATWOOD
In recognition of her years of service in the area of society volunteerism, lecturing and writing,
and her tireless efforts to preserve the old records of Washington County.
Maine Genealogical Society honors her extraordinary contributions in advancing the field of genealogy in the State of Maine.
September 26, 2009
October meeting of Penobscot County Genealogical Society
The next meeting of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society will be on October 21, 2009, at the Bangor Public Library in the Lecture Room.
The society is proud to have Mr. Gerry Palmer as their guest speaker. Gerry, being a lifelong city resident and respected historian of Bangor and Mayor, plans to talk about the famous guess at the Bangor House. In addition, some history of Mount Hope Cemetery along with some of the famous people buried there. Also, the story of Seth Noble, how Bangor received its name and Al Brady. If time permits a question and answer period will follow. Overall, a quick snapshot of some of the famous people who have lived and were buried in Bangor.
As always, everyone is welcome and refreshments will be served. We hope to see a large turnout for this historical perspective.
To learn more about the Penobscot County Genealogical Society, please visit their website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs.
The society is proud to have Mr. Gerry Palmer as their guest speaker. Gerry, being a lifelong city resident and respected historian of Bangor and Mayor, plans to talk about the famous guess at the Bangor House. In addition, some history of Mount Hope Cemetery along with some of the famous people buried there. Also, the story of Seth Noble, how Bangor received its name and Al Brady. If time permits a question and answer period will follow. Overall, a quick snapshot of some of the famous people who have lived and were buried in Bangor.
As always, everyone is welcome and refreshments will be served. We hope to see a large turnout for this historical perspective.
To learn more about the Penobscot County Genealogical Society, please visit their website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs.
News from Wassebec Genealogical Society
Wassebec Genealogical Society in Dover-Foxcroft recently held elections. Congratulations go out to the new officers:
President - Jane M. Macomber
Vice-President - Wayne Bennet
Secretary - Estella Bennett
Treasurer & Membership - David Dean
Directors - Linda Tozier (outgoing President) Jack Battick (2012) and Deanne Merrill (2013)
Upcoming meetings planned include a tour of the Piscataquis Register of Deeds & Register of Probate on November 12, 2009 and a discussion on how to access information at LDS Centers on January 14, 2010.
For more information, meeting locations and/or directions, contact Jane M. Macomber at janem@wildblue.net or visit the Wassebec website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mewgs.
President - Jane M. Macomber
Vice-President - Wayne Bennet
Secretary - Estella Bennett
Treasurer & Membership - David Dean
Directors - Linda Tozier (outgoing President) Jack Battick (2012) and Deanne Merrill (2013)
Upcoming meetings planned include a tour of the Piscataquis Register of Deeds & Register of Probate on November 12, 2009 and a discussion on how to access information at LDS Centers on January 14, 2010.
For more information, meeting locations and/or directions, contact Jane M. Macomber at janem@wildblue.net or visit the Wassebec website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mewgs.
Pejepscot Genealogy Society to Meet
Pejepscot Genealogy Society will meet on Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. in the Morrill Meeting Room at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine.
Christine Olmstead and Teresa Draves will present programs emphasizing the importance of restoring and preserving photographs. Please feel free to bring a photo in need of restoration.
Come early and chat with friends about summer discoveries and new relatives.
For more information, phone 207.833.7371.
Christine Olmstead and Teresa Draves will present programs emphasizing the importance of restoring and preserving photographs. Please feel free to bring a photo in need of restoration.
Come early and chat with friends about summer discoveries and new relatives.
For more information, phone 207.833.7371.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Got books?
Maine Genealogical Society will have its wide selection of Special Publications for sale at our annual conference on September 26th in Bangor.To insure that the books you are interested in adding to your library are available, we recommend that you pre-order. Click here to download the order form. Complete the order form and indicate that you will pick them up at the conference and you will avoid the freight charges. The order form and payment information needs to be sent to Picton Press (contact information is included on the form). Then, simply visit the MGS Special Publications table at the conference. We will have your order set aside and waiting for you!
Pre-orders for books need to be received by Picton Press by Wednesday, September 23rd, to insure delivery to the conference.
Save more! Order now! Don't forget, MGS members receive special low pricing!
Need information about the conference? Visit www.maineroots.org.
Taconnett Falls Chapter announces September meeting
The next meeting of Taconnett Falls Chapter will be on September 20th.
Here is a chance to hear from one of our local experts, not to mention a past winner of the Maine Genealogical Society's Award of Excellence in Genealogical Service - Thelma Eye Brooks.
Thelma's topic for the September meeting will be "What to find in Civil War Records." With the effects of the Civil War touching virtually every family in some way, this should be an excellent talk of benefit to all family history researchers.
The Society meets at the Taconnett Falls Genealogical Library, 10 Lithgow Street, Winslow, Maine. The library opens at 1 p.m. on meeting days. For more information, please visit their website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~metfcmgs.
Here is a chance to hear from one of our local experts, not to mention a past winner of the Maine Genealogical Society's Award of Excellence in Genealogical Service - Thelma Eye Brooks.
Thelma's topic for the September meeting will be "What to find in Civil War Records." With the effects of the Civil War touching virtually every family in some way, this should be an excellent talk of benefit to all family history researchers.
The Society meets at the Taconnett Falls Genealogical Library, 10 Lithgow Street, Winslow, Maine. The library opens at 1 p.m. on meeting days. For more information, please visit their website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~metfcmgs.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Follow-Up: Why You Need a Second (and Better) E-Mail Address
The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.
On February 6 of this year, I posted an article telling why you don't want to use the e-mail service from your Internet provider. Instead, you should be using an e-mail service provided by an independent e-mail provider (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Fastmail, etc.).
I described a recent nightmare for 234,000 former Verizon customers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont who suddenly found their Internet service was being changed to a smaller company, FairPoint Communications. The former Verizon customers all had assigned e-mail addresses ending in "@verizon.net" and were suddenly told that their e-mail addresses had been changed.
Now the problem is getting worse.
The changes in February were made with little or no advance notice. In some cases, the former Verizon customers were told of the switch AFTER the changes had already been made. Such an abrupt change causes great turmoil for business and personal users. As one example, a former Verizon customer was selling many items on eBay, and notices of the completion of sales and shipping notifications were all being sent to his former Verizon e-mail address that was now defunct. His e-mail address was changed with no advance notice, and he soon found he had no method of receiving new orders. There were thousands of other, similar stories.
Those who had hundreds or thousands of old email messages saved on Verizon's mail servers found those messages were all deleted with no advance notice. Business messages, family photographs, and more all disappeared instantly.
Even worse, the limited number of mail servers at tiny FairPoint Communications croaked under the newly-imposed load. Mail servers crashed, thousands of new e-mail messages were lost, and 234,000 people were unable to even check their e-mail for days at a time.
FairPoint Communications was so unprepared for the huge increase in workload that the company reportedly faked a switchover demonstration that was shown to an outside auditor, Liberty. If true, this constitutes fraud, and company executives might be prosecuted and even serve jail time. (I doubt that will happen; FairPoint has plenty of lawyers who probably can keep the executives out of jail. However, the charge of fraud is serious.)
Whether or not the test was faked, the network has proved so unready that FairPoint reportedly is close to bankruptcy and may have its licenses to operate revoked in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Of course, that will create even more turmoil for FairPoint's customers, who are now using e-mail addresses ending in "@myfairpoint.net." Those who had their e-mail service abruptly changed last February are now facing another abrupt change or may even lose all e-mail service.
Anyone who took my advice in February to obtain e-mail service from an independent provider will be unaffected.
You can read my earlier article at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/02/why-you-need-a-second-and-better-email-address-by-dick-eastman/comments/page/2/ and a new article that describes Fairpoint's latest woes and legal problems at http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_13196920.
I will repeat the advice I offered last February 6:
I will add one new comment. It is theoretically possible for an e-mail provider to also go out of business or to sell out to a competitor. However, the odds of that are significantly lower than having an Internet provider do the same. The independent e-mail providers are generally better prepared to handle the workload of new e-mail customers. Nothing is ever absolute, but I'd rather trust Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Fastmail, etc. than your present (or future) Internet provider.Why be held hostage by your Internet provider? It's YOUR e-mail! You have a right to receive e-mail messages and to not be "jerked around" by corporate buy-outs. I'd suggest that you take control of your e-mail now. Obtain your own e-mail address [from an independent e-mail provider] today, and start migrating your mail.
Finally, if you are immersed in the Verizon/Fairpoint problems right now, why fight it? Pick up a Gmail account now and switch to that. You already have to notify all your correspondents anyway; why not get an e-mail address that works and won't change for a while?
Pejepscot Genealogy Society to Meet
You are invited to join the Pejepscot Genealogy Society as they kick off their 2009-2010 membership year on September 13, 2009.
This chapter holds its meetings on the second Sunday of each month at the Curtis Memorial Library's Morrill Meeting Room in Brunswick at 2:00 p.m.
To learn more, visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepgs.
This chapter holds its meetings on the second Sunday of each month at the Curtis Memorial Library's Morrill Meeting Room in Brunswick at 2:00 p.m.
To learn more, visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepgs.
Vital Records of Cape Elizabeth
Advance Notice -
The Vital Records of Cape Elizabeth is currently on the press and expected to arrive early October 2009. This volume is 640 pages and contains over 28, 235 entries. Compiled by Anne M. Diehm, with co-editors Joseph Crook Anderson, II, FASG and Marlene A. Groves. A must have for researchers involved in this area of Maine.
The retail price for non-members is $79.50, but MGS members receive the discount price of $69.50.
Contact Picton Press (www.pictonpress.com) to pre-order. Please reference Book #2167 - and MGS members must provide their MGS membership number.
The Vital Records of Cape Elizabeth is currently on the press and expected to arrive early October 2009. This volume is 640 pages and contains over 28, 235 entries. Compiled by Anne M. Diehm, with co-editors Joseph Crook Anderson, II, FASG and Marlene A. Groves. A must have for researchers involved in this area of Maine.
The retail price for non-members is $79.50, but MGS members receive the discount price of $69.50.
Contact Picton Press (www.pictonpress.com) to pre-order. Please reference Book #2167 - and MGS members must provide their MGS membership number.
Penobscot County Announces September Meeting
On Wednesday, September 16, 2009, the Penobscot County Genealogical Society will meet at 6:00 p.m. in the Lecture Hall at the Bangor Public Library.
Joining them will be Maine State Archivist Jeff Brown who will discuss holdings at the Maine State Archives and be available to answer any questions about using their resources.
Jeff Brown has been working at the Maine State Archives since 1980. He began working in the Search Room assisting researchers, being promoted to the Supervisor. He currently serves as Processing Archivist. His duties include processing paper records series, as well as database and web page management. Jeff received his B.A. in History at the University of Maine in 1974 and also attended the Modern Archives Institute at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. He has been researching his own genealogy since the 1970s, so the Archives has been the perfect place for him to work, combining his interest in history and genealogy.
Everyone is invited to attend. Refreshments will be available.
Joining them will be Maine State Archivist Jeff Brown who will discuss holdings at the Maine State Archives and be available to answer any questions about using their resources.
Jeff Brown has been working at the Maine State Archives since 1980. He began working in the Search Room assisting researchers, being promoted to the Supervisor. He currently serves as Processing Archivist. His duties include processing paper records series, as well as database and web page management. Jeff received his B.A. in History at the University of Maine in 1974 and also attended the Modern Archives Institute at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. He has been researching his own genealogy since the 1970s, so the Archives has been the perfect place for him to work, combining his interest in history and genealogy.
Everyone is invited to attend. Refreshments will be available.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A Discussion about Adoptee Legislation
The Greater Portland Chapter of MGS will be holding it's regular monthly meeting on Saturday, September 5. Former Maine State Senator Paula Benoit of Phippsburg will speak about legislation she sponsored over a year ago, which became law in January, 2009, allowing adoptees rights to their original birth records in this state. Since leaving the legislature Senator Benoit has become Executive Director of AdopteeCARE (Adoptee Council for Adoption Reform Education), a national non-profit foundation she founded with the goal of educating legislators on the importance of all adult adoptees having access to their original birth records.
The Society meets at 1:00 on the first Saturday of every month at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 29 Ocean Avenue in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. New members are always welcome. Come early as refreshments are served before the meeting at 12:30 and admission is free.
This month, at 12:30, Will Haskell will be offering a "Tech Tip" presentation on free software that will assist in transcribing old documents and grave marker images.
For more information, visit their website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megpcmgs.
The Society meets at 1:00 on the first Saturday of every month at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 29 Ocean Avenue in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. New members are always welcome. Come early as refreshments are served before the meeting at 12:30 and admission is free.
This month, at 12:30, Will Haskell will be offering a "Tech Tip" presentation on free software that will assist in transcribing old documents and grave marker images.
For more information, visit their website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megpcmgs.
New Brunswick Genealogical Fair
The New Brunswick Genealogical Society, Saint John Branch will again be hosting a Genealogy Fair and New Brunswick Archives Road Show, September 12, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m (don't forget they are one hour ahead) at Joachim's Church Hall, Loch Lomond Road, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
The fair is open to all those interested in genealogy and family history. Come early or late or stay all day. Exhibitors will include the New Brunswick Archives with the NB Archives Road Show, New Brunswick Museum, and many local area genealogists with information on Southern New Brunswick families and beyond. Book sales. New publication announcements. Find out about the New Brunswick Genealogical Society Beginners Corner. Do you have a name for our "brick wall?" Internet access available.
Are you interested in exhibiting your family tree information? If you would like to display the results of your genealogical research, this is the place to do it! Are your launching a book? Found a new ancestor? Got a brick wall you need to tear down? Contact Dave Fraser at dfraser@nbnet.nb.ca or call (506) 849-7922.
For more information, visit the Saint John Branch of NBGS on the web at www.nbgssj.ca.
The fair is open to all those interested in genealogy and family history. Come early or late or stay all day. Exhibitors will include the New Brunswick Archives with the NB Archives Road Show, New Brunswick Museum, and many local area genealogists with information on Southern New Brunswick families and beyond. Book sales. New publication announcements. Find out about the New Brunswick Genealogical Society Beginners Corner. Do you have a name for our "brick wall?" Internet access available.
Are you interested in exhibiting your family tree information? If you would like to display the results of your genealogical research, this is the place to do it! Are your launching a book? Found a new ancestor? Got a brick wall you need to tear down? Contact Dave Fraser at dfraser@nbnet.nb.ca or call (506) 849-7922.
For more information, visit the Saint John Branch of NBGS on the web at www.nbgssj.ca.
Query: Eskildson/Eskilson, Marsh, Mitchell
William ESKILSON, of Liverpool, England, was married, by Dummer Sewell, J.P., of Bath, Maine, 1 Jun 1794, to Miss Deborah MITCHELL of Bath. Circumstances imply a relationship to Christopher ESKILDSON, mariner, who married by license 26 Sep 1799, Church of St. Anne, Liverpool, England, to Anne MARSH, a minor. Jenks Portland Gazette, 4 Jun 1804, reported the death "in this town" of Miss Lydia ESKILDSON, aged 16. For other ESKILDSONs, see query in The Maine Genealogist 24 (Feb 2009):44.
I would like to exchange information on the MITCHELL ancestry and any relationship of the various Maine ESKILDSON families.
Louis D. Melnick, 530 Michigan Avenue, Evanston IL 60202-3033
E-Mail: melnicklouis@hotmail.com
I would like to exchange information on the MITCHELL ancestry and any relationship of the various Maine ESKILDSON families.
Louis D. Melnick, 530 Michigan Avenue, Evanston IL 60202-3033
E-Mail: melnicklouis@hotmail.com
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Maine Genealogist - August 2009
The August issue of The Maine Genealogist is now in circulation.
Four of the articles in this and the prior issue have something remarkable in common - the identification of children born to unmarried parents.
Editor Joseph C. Anderson II, FASG, writes:
Illegitimacy in Colonial times was treated as a moral and financial problem. Early church records frequently document confessions of the sin of "fornication" or admonitions against persons having illegitimate children. For example, in 1790 the elders of the Second Church of Berwick felt it their duty to express to Susanna Hamilton their "abhorrence of her conduct as evil by suspending her from their communion & from all special privileges of the same." The John Knight deed shows that the Massachusetts town fathers were more concerned about the support of the illegitimate children, and they took legal steps against the parents to ensure the children would not become town charges. As genealogists facing perplexing lineage problems, we should be aware that children born to unmarried parents was a fairly common event. Though it is often difficult to prove an illegitimacy, when proof is available it will most often be found in original church, town and court records.
A look at this issues Table of Contents shows the following:
Four Jonathan Nuttings of Cushing, Maine by William T. Ruddock
Marriages Performed by Reverend Thomas Gilmore Mitchell in Auburn, West Minot, and Madison, Maine, contributed by Cheryl Willis Patten
John and Mercy (Michener) Dennison of Cutler, Maine by Brent M. Owen
Destitute and Sick, contributed by Leslie Dow Sanders
Holding His Feet to the Fire! contributed by Janice D. Gower
Lemuel Rich Family Letter, Standish, Maine, contributed by Leslie Dow Sanders
Portland, Maine, Marriage Intentions, Volume 4, 1814-1837 (continued), copied by Joseph C. Anderson II
The Maine Genealogist is published quarterly. For more information, visit our website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
Four of the articles in this and the prior issue have something remarkable in common - the identification of children born to unmarried parents.
Editor Joseph C. Anderson II, FASG, writes:
Illegitimacy in Colonial times was treated as a moral and financial problem. Early church records frequently document confessions of the sin of "fornication" or admonitions against persons having illegitimate children. For example, in 1790 the elders of the Second Church of Berwick felt it their duty to express to Susanna Hamilton their "abhorrence of her conduct as evil by suspending her from their communion & from all special privileges of the same." The John Knight deed shows that the Massachusetts town fathers were more concerned about the support of the illegitimate children, and they took legal steps against the parents to ensure the children would not become town charges. As genealogists facing perplexing lineage problems, we should be aware that children born to unmarried parents was a fairly common event. Though it is often difficult to prove an illegitimacy, when proof is available it will most often be found in original church, town and court records.
A look at this issues Table of Contents shows the following:
Four Jonathan Nuttings of Cushing, Maine by William T. Ruddock
Marriages Performed by Reverend Thomas Gilmore Mitchell in Auburn, West Minot, and Madison, Maine, contributed by Cheryl Willis Patten
John and Mercy (Michener) Dennison of Cutler, Maine by Brent M. Owen
Destitute and Sick, contributed by Leslie Dow Sanders
Holding His Feet to the Fire! contributed by Janice D. Gower
Lemuel Rich Family Letter, Standish, Maine, contributed by Leslie Dow Sanders
Portland, Maine, Marriage Intentions, Volume 4, 1814-1837 (continued), copied by Joseph C. Anderson II
The Maine Genealogist is published quarterly. For more information, visit our website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
Vital Records of Smithfield, Maine
Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication #62 is now available. The Vital Records of Smithfield, Maine has been compiled by Marlene A. Groves.
The town of Smithfield is located in the southwestern part of Somerset County and is ten miles south southwest of Skowhegan, the county seat. The town was originally formed from part of the towns of Dearborn and Mercer and called East Pond Plantation.
This transcription of the vital records of the town of Smithfield was made from the microfilmed original records with verification of any questionable entries made by looking at the original volumes of records located in the Smithfield town office.
368 pages, hard cover, 7,677 entry Every Name Index. 2009.
The book sells for $57.95, but MGS members pay only $49.95! For more information or to place an order, please visit Picton Press, official publisher of Maine Genealogical Society Special Publications at http://www.pictonpress.com.
To learn about other MGS special publications, visit our website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
Membership number required to receive the MGS member discount.
The town of Smithfield is located in the southwestern part of Somerset County and is ten miles south southwest of Skowhegan, the county seat. The town was originally formed from part of the towns of Dearborn and Mercer and called East Pond Plantation.
This transcription of the vital records of the town of Smithfield was made from the microfilmed original records with verification of any questionable entries made by looking at the original volumes of records located in the Smithfield town office.
368 pages, hard cover, 7,677 entry Every Name Index. 2009.
The book sells for $57.95, but MGS members pay only $49.95! For more information or to place an order, please visit Picton Press, official publisher of Maine Genealogical Society Special Publications at http://www.pictonpress.com.
To learn about other MGS special publications, visit our website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.
Membership number required to receive the MGS member discount.
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