Saturday, October 9, 2010

MGS Conference Queries

Can anyone help these Conference attendees with their queries?

Looking for a connection between George W. Knight and Cornelia Hackett of the East Poland and Minot, ME area between 1854 - 1867. Dave Flewelling (jdflew@earthlink.net) MGS #4391

Seeking parents of Alphonse Fournie b. 1871 Quebec; m. Helene (Ellen) Melanson at St. Mary's, Orono, ME on 27 Nov 1880; Helene b. abt 1865 in Bathhurst, Gloucester County, New Brunswick, Canada. Bob O'Halloran (bobohalloran@roadrunner.com) MGS #4246

Seeking ancestors of Samuel S. Seamans (b. 7 Aug 1839 Eastport, ME); he married on 25 Dec 1862 in Cary, ME to Ruth Colson (b. 8 Dec 1816 in New Brunswick, Canada). Bob O'Halloran (bobohalloran@roadrunner.com) MGS #4246

Looking for connections with the surname "Zeeman or Zeaman". Linda Aaskov (aaskov@myfairpoint.net) MGS #365

Looking for William Savage (b. bef 1763) a Loyalist who moved to New Brunswick, Canada in 1783 and married Sarah Sewell. Donald Savage (dsavage7@maine.rr.com) MGS #4399

Seeking information on Emily Farnham Chalmers Herrick Alexander (b. 10 May 1842 Topsfield, ME) d/o Jothan (aka Jonathan) and Abigail Chambers. Emily m (1) Francis A. Herrick on 27 Feb 1864 (he d. 6 Oct 1870, b. Unity, ME); she m (2) Ira Alexander (m. int. 25 Nov 1873); Ira (b. 6 June 1819 Middlebury, VT) aka Ira Abel Haven (d. 10 Sept 1891 Wales, ME). Emily (Herrick) Schroeder (dethdamona@gmail.com) MGS #4446

Seeking information on Otis Smith whose 3rd wife was Catherine Frohock; area of Readfield and Belmont, ME 1785-1805; in Charleston, ME during 1850 Census. Peter M. Smith (Pmsmi2002@aol.com) MGS #4032

Looking for parents of John Lawgren Kelly, b. 1797 in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. Moved to Lyndon (now Caribou, ME); married Elizabeth Pankes in 1823 in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada. Dennis Prue (djprue@myfairpoint.net) MGS 3959

Seeking information on John Brazier, born abt 1769 in Meduncook (now Friendship, ME), died 1850's. His known whereabouts are : Avon 1810-1820; Putnam (now Washington, ME) 1810-1820; Avon 1820-1830; Temple 1829; Chandlerville (now Detroit) 1840's; Windham 1850's, Possible relatives: Harrison, Daniel, Joseph and Ellsworth Brazier. Jim Daly (mainelyjrd@comcast.net) MGS # 4351

Need parents of Mehitable T. Leaman of Alna who married on 10 Jan 1810 John Lowell of Alna. Gravestones in Alna Cemetery states she d. 16 Sept 1873 age 84 yrs; he d. 19 Feb 1872 age 88 yrs 10 mos. Her sister Betsy married a Dodge. George & Margaret Ricker (vinca577@aol.com) MGS #260

Need parents of Hannah Neal of York who married Nicholas Littlefield on 25 Nov 1797 (acc. Wells Vital Records); gravestone with her death date 19 Aug 1834 age 56 or 58 in Wells. George & Margaret Ricker (vinca577@aol.com) MGS #260

Looking for information on the family of Josiah Brawn and Mary Sparks; their children: Jennie Brawn Steeves (b. 1859 Woodstock, New Brunswick; d. 1942 Portland, ME) and Charles Abram Brawn (b. 1863 Houlton, ME; d. 1942 Milford, ME). Carol E. Ballard (RRB4CEB@securespeed.us) MGS #2957

Looking for the resting place of my infant son, Richard J. Decker Jr. b. 17 Apr 1957; he died while I was stationed at Dow AFB. There doesn't appear to be any death certificate issued by the State of Maine. He only survived for a short time - apparently the hospital took care of the remains. Can anyone in the Bangor area help this man who now lives in New Zealand? If so, contact Emily Quint (quint@tdstelme.net)

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Google Earth 101 and Its Uses in Genealogy - November 6th

November 6, 2010 the Greater Portland Chapter of MGS will present "Google Earth 101 and Its Uses in Genealogy"

Will Haskell is the GPCMGS secretary and a civil engineer with eighteen years of experience. He uses maps and aerial photography every day at work and he finds they provide many benefits in his genealogy research as well. Google Earth is free software that allows you to “fly” anywhere on the earth and visualize what that place looks like today and in the past. This powerful tool provides opportunities to visualize where your ancestors lived, their migration routes and patterns, compare current and historic photographs, overlay historic maps over current maps and locate cemeteries and churches. He will provide a basic overview and introduction of the software and will touch on several of the useful tools for genealogy. At the end of his talk he will show us his unique Google Earth project that provides exciting opportunities for the future of cemetery research.

Our meetings are held 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. Refreshments are served before the meeting at 12:30 and admission is free.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

October is Family History Month

It's Autumn here in Maine, the days are getting shorter, the evenings cooler, and the colors of fall are absolutely beautiful.

So now is the time to sit back and relax and think about those family history projects you want to complete this winter. October is the perfect month to do just that! As a jolly old man once said "Making a list and checking it twice!" holds true for planning those projects and making sure you have all your supplies necessary to do it.

Some project suggestions are: preserving and labeling your photo's so that future generations will know who is in that picture. It's not to late to have one more cookout and invite family members over to share stories and take pictures. Journaling those stories is another project as well as making a family history recipe book. Remember grandma's favorite pie recipe, wouldn't that look good in a recipe book with her picture on that page. What about those holiday recipes that have become tradition every year? Who gave them to you? Is that person given credit in your recipe book. Recruit other family members to add to their family recipe cookbook and think of how it can become a really great Christmas gift to everyone.

These are just a few suggestions for you to work with. Now that I have written this I need to go and check out my supply list, while some of the items are still on sale!

The Origins of Mary Drummond--Oldest Native Negro in New Bedford, Mass

On October 2, 2010 the Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society will have a presentation of - "The Origins of Mary Drummond--Oldest Native Negro in New Bedford, Mass" Presented by Carol P. McCoy, Ph.D., this enlightening case illustrates how a creative approach and extensive search can uncover the parentage of a person of color born early in the 19th century. Learn how to use vital records, censuses, deeds, directories, newspapers, probate and cemetery records, and online resources to discover evidence to un-puzzle a genealogical mystery

Our meetings are held 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. Refreshments are served before the meeting at 12:30 and admission is free.

Pejepscot Chapter hosts Silouette Artist October 10th

Silhouettes talk and portrait cuttings at Pejepscot event Ruth Monsell of Artful Heirlooms will be on hand Sunday, October 10 at the invitation of the Pejepscot Genealogy Society of Brunswick to deliver a talk on the history of silhouettes and how she has gone about creating them over the past three decades. She will also be available to demonstrate her skill, creating freehand cut silhouette portraits of children and adults, done from live five minute sittings.

The talk is open to the public, and will be begin at 2 PM in the Morrell Meeting Room of the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick. All are invited to bring family or historical silhouettes to display before and after the talk. Advance reservations may be made for sittings, which will run from 1 to 2 PM and from 2:30 to 5 PM.

A silhouettist with over 30 years of experience, Ruth has become internationally known through her website, ArtfulHeirlooms.com, as well as by cutting profiles aboard five international cruise ships. In demand for weddings, reunions, and corporate events, she has also created numerous custom logos. In 2009, her works in cut paper comprised one fourth of a New York City gallery exhibit, Shapes From Maine.

The artist also enjoys creating decorative silhouettes which began with animals, full figures and lighthouses. More recently she has branched out into architectural subjects, beginning with a cutting of the Joshua Chamberlain House in Brunswick, commissioned by their gift shop. Additionally she cut portraits of Joshua and Fannie Chamberlain for the Chamberlain Museum Store. A recent building silhouette was of the historic Pickard Theater on the Bowdoin campus, commissioned for a fundraiser.

In previous years, Ruth has cut portraits twice for Pejepscot Historical Society events. There about a dozen other historical groups and museums in Maine which have called on her to demonstrate her work in cut paper.

Advance appointments for sittings are recommended and may be made by phoning 563-2920 or 866-212-7288. The artist is also able to cut silhouettes of loved ones not present from clear profile (side view) photographs.

Fogler Library Sponsors Town Reports Event

ORONO, Maine— Is your family name in the town report? Did it appear there in 1898? What did this mean? Do you still think of the annual reports prepared by towns in Maine as dull bureaucratic documents detailing arcane activities of municipal governments, of little interest to anyone except local residents? This view will be challenged in a program sponsored by the Friends of Fogler Library entitled Town Reports: Rich Texts, Vital Resources, held in the Special Collections Reading Room
of Fogler Library on Monday, November 15, at 3:00 p.m.

Librarians Mel Johnson and Richard Hollinger will demonstrate that town reports are unique and valuable resources for local history and genealogy, and are essential sources for research on regional and state history as well, containing information about social history often available nowhere else.

The program will also feature Maine Town Reports Online, where digitized historical reports from a number of Maine towns can be viewed. This site is a collaborative project between Fogler Library, the Maine State Library and several municipalities and historical societies. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact Gretchen Gfeller at gretchen.gfeller@umit.maine.edu or call 581-1696.

Individuals, towns and organizations that would like to add their town’s reports to this site should contact Sharon Quinn Fitzgerald at Fogler Library (voice: 581-1667, email: sharonquinn.fitzgerald@umit.maine.edu).

For more information on this event, contact:
Gretchen Gfeller, Web and Public Relations
University of Maine, Raymond H. Fogler Library
5729 Raymond H. Fogler Library, Orono, ME 04469-5729
207-581-1696