Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Query: Peter PARKS

One of our members is looking for help...

I am trying to find information on my great(x4) grandfather, Peter Parks.  I can prove back to his son Peter Parks Jr who died a POW at Salisbury NC.  What I "know" from his death record (8 July 1867, Saugus, Massachusetts) is that he was born in 1799 (approx.) in Scotland.

What I can't find is record of his arrival in the US prior to 1829 when he married Mrs. Susan Wood Hooker in Saugus, Massachusetts.

Suggestions for how I would proceed.  I have exhausted all the common online resources at this point.
Please contact  maggieraye@gmail.com if you can help with this query.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

D. Joshua Taylor is coming to Maine on May 21st!

The 3rd Annual Southern Maine Genealogical Conference, sponsored by the Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society, is scheduled for May 21, 2016 in Portland,Maine.  In addition to vendors, exhibitors and a number of speakers related to Maine's rich heritage, the featured guest will be D. Joshua Taylor, a nationally recognized researcher, author and speaker who has also been featured on shows such as Who Do You Think You Are? and Genealogy Roadshow. Taylor will discuss topics ranging from new tools and technology in genealogy to how to find and locate records in one of the myriad of of historical and genealogical societies across the country.

In addition to the keynote speaker, representatives from the Maine State Archives and Penobscot Marine Museum will present on their respective organizations, and you will have an opportunity to get hands on while learning how to develop and efficient and effective research strategy to make your research easier.

Please join the members of the Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society and all their guests for a day full of lectures, camaraderie, exhibits and lunch on May 21, 2016 at Keeley's Banquet Center in Portland.  For more info or to register, visit the group's conference web page:

http://gpcmgs.brakeley.net/SMEConference.html





Tuesday, January 12, 2016

NOW AVAILABLE! Vital Records of Mount Vernon, Maine

Hot on the heels of our highly anticipated Maine Families in 1790, Volume 11 release comes the latest publication from the Maine Genealogical Society (MGS). Vital Records of Mount Vernon, Maine continues the long tradition of publishing established by MGS 30 years ago. Special publication #74 of the Society is now available to both non members and members, exclusively through the MGS website at http://www.maineroots.org

Mount Vernon, Maine, is a small community located northwest of Augusta. Originally settled in 1774 as Washington Plantation, the town was incorporated June 28, 1792 as the 80th town in Maine. When the settlers applied for incorporation as Washington, they learned that there was another town in Maine by that name so they chose instead the name of George Washington’s estate - Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon is bounded by Vienna, Rome, Belgrade, Readfield, and Fayette, and many of the marriages included in this book relate to people from those towns. These vital records are transcribed from the original town records which are on microfilm at the Maine State Archives. We have made every attempt for accuracy. We located most of the original records of Mount Vernon in the Maine State Archives in Augusta and were able to compare our transcription with the originals. We also discovered other important records relating to paupers so we have added those to this book. We
also visited the Dr. Shaw Memorial Library in Mount Vernon but could find no relevant original records. With nearly 550 pages, and an every name index of more than 16,500 entries, this book is a gold mine of information for anyone researching early families of the area.

Because punctuation is so erratic in these early documents, we have included only the necessary commas and periods. However, we have transcribed the erratic spelling exactly as written by the early town clerks. We included all vital records such as births, deaths, marriages, and marriage
intentions as well as sale of pews and sheep marks, but we did not transcribe such town records as meetings or lost horses. Such omissions are noted within the book.


If you would like to order a copy of Vital Records of Mount Vernon, Maine it is only available through the Maine Genealogical Society.

Purchases can be made through our online store by visiting our website:
http://www.maineroots.org

Members of MGS receive $7 off the regular retail price

*MGS membership is $25 per calendar year.  In addition to superb discounts on publications and conferences, your MGS membership gets you a quarterly newsletter with information about genealogical events and MGS chapter news from across the State, our quarterly scholarly journal, The Maine Genealogist, and a number of other benefits.  Consider joining MGS today and save on this and other upcoming publications.  http://maineroots.org/index.php/about/membership/