Check censuses of 1855, 1865 for Bay State ancestors

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For many of us, the majority of our ancestors in the mid-19th century already were in Maine. But if any of yours were lingering in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you’ll want to check the state censuses done in 1855 and 1865.

The devoted compiler of these records for many years is genealogist Ann Smith Lainhart of the Boston area, also the author of “State Census Records,” an inventory of such records.

At Bangor Public Library and the Maine State Library in Augusta, you will find many slim volumes of the Massachusetts records. I found in the Bangor Room at BPL:

. Acton

. Bedford

. Billerica

. Boxford, Brighton and

Burlington

. Boxford and West Boxford

. Dracut and Dunstable

. Duxbury

. East Bridgewater

. Essex

. Groton

. Groveland and Hamilton

. Halifax and Hull

. Hanover

. Hanson

. Hingham

. Hollis

. Hopkinton

. Ipswich

. Lexington

. Lincoln and Littleton

. Lynnfield and Manchester

. Marlborough

. Marshfield

. Medford

. Melrose

. Middleton and Nahant

. Natick

. Newbury

. North Andover

. North Bridgewater

. Plympton

. Rochester and Mattapoisett

. Rockport

. Saugus

. Sherborn

. Shirley

. South Reading

. Stoneham

. Stow

. Sudbury

. Tewksbury

. Townsend and Tyngsborough

. Wareham

. Watertown

. Wayland

. Wenham

. West Cambridge

. West Newbury

. Westford

. Wilmington

. Winchester

We have an update for you

on the search room at the Maine State Archives. Due to damage from the water leak, the search room will be closed until July 2.

Vital records, census records and newspapers on microfilm continue to be available, thanks to the assistance of volunteers, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays in the Maine State Library. There are fewer microfilm readers than were available in the archives, so you may have to take turns.

3097. LOVEJOY-MARR. Searching for info on my great-aunt, Grace Marie Lovejoy, b. April 23, 1890, probably in the Augusta area, to Francis and Hannah Josephine (Marr) Lovejoy. Grace is believed to have died approximately 1905. The story is that she had run away to her sister, Dora Lovejoy Smart, in New Hampshire, and may have died at a convent or similar facility. Eleanor Patrick, 24 Main St., Fort Fairfield, ME 04742; telephone

472-3603.

3098. COFFIN-LEEMAN. Seeking info on Lydia Leeman,

b. 1780, Maine, md. 1810 in Waterville, Nicholas Coffin. They moved to Lee. Peter Ireland, P.O. Box 1044, Bangor, ME 04402; telephone 862-2230.

3099. MCLAUGHLIN. Looking for burial place of my great-great-grandparents, Barney or Bernard McLaughlin and Mary (Dulahenty) McLaughlin, early settlers of Limestone. Town hall burned in 1922, records destroyed. They are buried somewhere in Limestone, when and where? No cemetery on the farm. U.S. Census has them alive in 1860, died by 1870. Too early for Catholic cemetery, which was established 1907. Christina

Latham, RR2 box 2759, Mount Vernon, ME 04352-9725.

3100. SEWELL-ROBINSON. Am researching Sewells. Would welcome info on family of Delilah Sewell, who md. in Monticello, Oct. 20, 1900, Guy B. Robinson. They had six sons, including Percy Robinson, who d. May 14, 1962, at age 61. He was md. to Ruby Pryor and ran Maine State Fish Hatchery in Littleton for many years. Survivors included brothers Albert of Gardiner, Clarence of Edgecomb, Ellery of Lisbon Center, Lawrence of Newport, Clayton of Danbury, Conn., and several nieces and nephews. Would like to hear from descendants. Don and Marie McAfee, RR1 Box 269 Houlton, ME 04730; telephone 538-9576.

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 are required even if e-mail is used.