New England treasures
By Nancy Battick
Many genealogists like to accumulate a reference library for easy access to records. If your area of research is New England, here are five books that may interest you. Much depends on the areas you are researching but there’s something here for almost everyone.
Tisbury Manor Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Monson, have just published a new book, “Revolutionary War Patriots Buried in Piscataquis County, Maine.” In this 145-page softcover book you’ll find more than just a listing of men who served in the Revolution and where they’re buried. You’ll find solid research about each man, which can include birthplace, names of parents and spouses, children, service in the Revolution, when he moved to Maine and where, his burial site and date, obit, photos, excerpts from diaries or letters, the U.S. Census and other information. And — a blessing for genealogists — the information is sourced. Kudos to Chapter Regent Kathleen Normandin and the contributors to this volume. You can order a copy direct from Amazon.com.
The Aroostook County Genealogical Society has produced a comprehensive book on Acadian families who were left out of the 1790 U.S. Census. The 172-page softcover “The Families of the Upper St. John Valley in 1790” highlights information on 68 families. In this volume you’ll find heads of household, spouse, parents, children and who they married. You may also learn occupations and acreage, and some entries offer more than one generation’s worth of genealogical information. Check out the chapter’s website at ac-gs.org/ or contact Ann Cushman at the Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle or Brenda Bourgoine at the Caribou Public Library. Congratulations to the members of the chapter who did the research for this valuable volume.
The New England Historical Genealogical Society (Hist Gen) has published the sixth edition of A Genealogist’s Handbook for New England Research. This 454-page volume is the ultimate bible for researching in the six New England states. Here you’ll find lists of resources, depositories and information on counties and towns, including parent and daughter counties and towns. “Daughter” means it was originally part of another county or town, such as my home county of Piscataquis, born from Penobscot and Somerset counties. This updated volume includes maps and other illustrations and for those of us who research in New England it’s a great addition to our libraries. Order from the americanancestors.org website.
The Maine Genealogical Society has two new offerings. First is the “Vital Records of Jefferson, Maine,” transcribed by the prolific Marlene A. Groves. This volume contains all vital records of Jefferson to 1892. Also, new to their list of offerings, “Lincoln County Maine Master Index to Deeds in Volumes 1-100 (1760-1818).” This easy-to-use index with over 88,000 entries is an impressive guide to Lincoln County deeds with cross references. The volume is edited by Joseph C. Anderson II, FASG, and Gregory S. Childs. You can find information about ordering either or both of these volumes on the Maine Genealogical website, www.maineroots.org. Members get a discount.
Columnist Nancy Battick of Dover-Foxcroft has researched genealogy for over 30 years. She is past president of the Maine Genealogical Society, author of several genealogical articles and co-transcribed the Vital Records of Dover-Foxcroft. Nancy holds an MA in history from UMaine and lives in Dover-Foxcroft with her husband, Jack, another avid genealogist. Reader emails are welcome at nbattick@roadrunner.com.