Library obtains ‘Maine 1870 Census Index’

My heart went pit-a-pat recently when I saw two new books on the “Microforms Guide” bookshelf, right in the government documents section at Fogler Library. Staff at the University of Maine facility, bless their pea-pickin’ hearts, have obtained the two-volume “Maine 1870 Census Index” – covering the whole state.

For lo, these many years, genealogists have lamented the gap between the book indexes for 1790-1850 and the Soundex, a microfilmed index covering 1880 families with children under the age of 10. And of course there are full Soundexes for the 1900 and 1920 censuses.

I looked up my great-great-great-grandfather Silas H. Cummings in the 1870 index, and found him listed as age 51, living in Greenville, Piscataquis County, Volume 556, page 91. Right where he was supposed to be.

Heritage Quest has published the 1870 index for Maine, compiled by Raeone Christensen Steuart.

The index has more than 188,000 entries – all heads of household, plus every male over age 50 and every female over age 70.

The Maine State Archives in Augusta has not obtained the index yet, but the archives or the library may have it in the future, possibly on CD. Stay tuned.

For information on Heritage Quest and its books and CDs, check the Web site at www.heritagequest.com.

By the way, use of Fogler Library is free. The government documents room is open whenever Fogler is open, which includes nights and weekends. Check the hours by calling 581-1664.

The November issue of The Maine Genealogist, the quarterly of the Maine Genealogical Society, has an interesting article by Madeline (Ellingwood) MacDonald and Gloria (McGinley) Pickard.

Titled “When Birth Records Are Missing – What Then?” the essay reconstructs the family of Ralph and Delilah (Holdershaw) Ellingwood of Winterport.

Of particular interest is the process of tracing a family, something people ask me about frequently. The process varies with each situation, of course, as this essay makes clear.

Also, note the variety of resources MacDonald and Pickard used, from gravestones to vital records, from issues of Downeast Ancestry to family histories, deeds, queries, “Maine Families in 1790,” census records – and the list goes on.

The issue also contains Elaine M. Wood’s “Two John Holmans in the York, Maine 1790 Census: One Man or Two?” a continuation of Ralph Hillman’s “Some Ancestors of Eva (Pomroy) Coffin” and more “Kittery, Maine, Third Parish Church Records” by the late Dr. John Eldridge Frost.

You will find the quarterly in some libraries, and subscriptions are included in membership to MGS.

The society voted at its October state meeting to make dues for new members $27 in order to cover the cost of mailing publications when someone joins the group. After the first year, dues are $20.

For information, write Maine Genealogical Society, Box 221, Farmington, ME 04938.

3039. DREW-PAGE. Seek ancestry of Reuben and Sally (Page) Drew. They probably lived in Newfield during 1800 Census. Sally Page was b. July 25, 1770, in Berwick, according to vital records of Harmony. They had children born New Hampshire and in Maine towns of Waterboro, Athens and Harmony. Drews are listed in “Early Families of Newfield.” Edwin M. Bullard Jr., 44 Park St., Caribou, ME 04736; telephone 498-3246; or e-mail jay.ne@ainop.com.

3040. McGUIRE-WASHBURN. Seeking any info on Patrick McGuire and wife, Phoebe (Washburn) McGuire. Patrick was born 1785 in Ireland, Phoebe 1788 in Maine. They were married 1815 in Norridgewock. During 1850-1860 censuses, they were in LaGrange. Interested in where Patrick entered United States, and when and where Phoebe died. Shirley Powers, 32939 Merrill Road, Leesburg, FL 34788; or e-mail shirlpp29@lcia.com.

3041. MOORE-LITTLEFIELD. Looking for information on Ephriam Moore, b. 1805 in Bangor, md. 1827, Rebaka Littlefield in Montville. Left Maine about 1830. Other spellings of his name are shown as Moar and Moor. Sharon Langan, 1 Garfield Ave., Brewer, ME 04412; or e-mail MaineChat@aol.com.

3042. COLE-HANSCOM. Seek parents of Susanna Cole and Pelatiah Hanscom, md. Jan. 12, 1775, in Kittery. Pelatiah was a Revolutionary War veteran. He is listed as Peltiah Hanscum, head of household in Kittery during 1790 Census, along with three free white males under 16 years of age, and three free white females. Constance Hanscom, P.O. Box 125, Ellsworth, ME 04605.

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 required even if e-mail is used. Telephone number not required.