March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Record book features Maine Indian tribes

Pick a library – any library. Sit down in the local history section – if there is one, or in the reference room or other similar corner. Just look around. I can almost guarantee you’ll notice some interesting book you haven’t used before.

This always works for me in the Bangor Room at the Bangor Public Library. While sitting at a table in the reference room last week, I noticed “Statistical Records of Native North Americans,” edited in 1993 by Marlita A. Reddy for Gale Research Inc. in Detroit. Of course I looked immediately for references to American Indians in Maine.

For example, the book listed an Indian population on the Penobscot Reservation in Old Town as 403 in 1980, and 476 in 1990.

Overall, Maine had 798 American Indians listed for 1900, 2,195 in 1970, and 4,057 in 1980. In 1910, Maine was reported to have a native population of 892 – seven Abenakis, one Chippewa, 138 Maliseets, 23 Micmacs, one Mohawk, 381 Passamaquoddys, 253 Penobscots, one St. Regis, and 87 whose tribe was not reported.

Sources for the book were U.S. Census records and documents from other federal agencies, national organizations, libraries and historians. Also included are estimates from several sources for the number of natives before 1492, numbers ranging from 900,000 to 12.2 million.

The editor pointed out that, especially before 1890, enumerations and estimates were fairly suspect. And of course, even later records can be incomplete, something that has been said of our own recent censuses.

Some of the demographic questions, such as how many homes had plumbing, seem rather nosey – and certainly that same point has been made about our recent censuses.

The early censuses in this country also asked some rather private questions, such as how long a couple had been married, how many children a woman had borne, and how many were still living.

To go back to the book, I would suggest that few records are perfect, and certainly a genealogist might get more accurate information from a particular tribe or reservation in some cases. But this type of source certainly could give you an idea of locations where you might look further.

According to URSUS, the Internet database for the University of Maine, the 1993 edition is also available at the university’s Fogler Library in Orono, and at library campuses in Fort Kent, Augusta and Presque Isle. The Maine State Library in Augusta has both the 1993 and 1995 editions.

Have you ever toured a Shaker village and cemetery? You’ll have the opportunity at the fall meeting of the Maine Old Cemetery Association on Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Congregational Church on the common in Alfred. Registration begins at 9 a.m. A brief history of Alfred will be offered at 10:15 a.m. by Allison Williams. The tour, given by Jeremy Berube, will begin at 1 p.m.

MOCA has more than 300 life members, and nearly 400 yearly members representing 37 states. Membership dues are $5 a year, $20 for five years, or $100 lifetime, sent to MOCA, P.O. Box 641, Augusta, ME 04332-0641.

On the Web, www.rootsweb.com offers links to sites for MOCA, the Maine Genealogical Society, the Androscoggin Historical Society and the Arnold Expedition Historical Society. On the Rootsweb site, look under Web sites and click on Genealogical and Historical Societies.

Here’s a final reminder on the Maine Genealogical Society meeting Saturday, Oct. 7, at Ellsworth High School, right off Route 1A in Ellsworth. Several workshops are available for each time period beginning at 9 a.m. The keynote speaker, Dr. Tom Roderick, will give a talk on maternal lines at 2:45 p.m.

Registration is $7 for MGS members, $10 for others, and may be sent to Hancock County Genealogical Society, c/o Wayne Patten, P.O. Box 243, Bass Harbor, ME 04653. Lunch is an extra $6. MGS has lots of conference information on its Web page.

3021. PERKINS. Am researching John Chase Perkins who enlisted in the Civil War in 1862 from Orono. We have his service records and death certificate, but still do not have parents’ names or date of birth. Looking for help on this or info on what may be available on public records via computer. Thomas Perkins, 4829 NE 60th Terrace, Silver Springs, FL 34488; or e-mail harmonelleperkins@worldnet.att.net.

3022. EATON-MITCHELL. Seeking parents of Moses Eaton, b. 1770s or so. Was in U.S. Census for 1830 with wife, b. about 1775; Moses Jr., 1809-1888, d. Harrington, md. Sarah S. Mitchell; Asa, b. 1810-1815, d. 1896 Harrington, md. Lydia Mitchell; Patience, b. about 1816, d. after 1900, Milbridge, md. James Morrison; unknown male, b. 1820-1825. Paul F. Eaton, 7812 High Meadows Road, Greensboro, NC 27455; or e-mail Peaton3975@aol.com.

Send queries with Maine connections to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or e-mail familyti@bangordailynews.net. Full name and address of sender is required even if e-mail is used.


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