Cemetery group to welcome gravestone carver

Face it. We are fascinated by gravestones, mesmerized by the names and dates – and the people who carve them.

Doug Coffin will demonstrate the art of cutting letters in stone, and present a slide show of his work, during the June 2 meeting of the Maine Old Cemetery Association meeting at First Baptist Church, 95 High St., Belfast.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and Coffin will speak at 10:15 a.m. Lunch is at noon, and at 1 p.m. Belfast historian Megan Pinette will give a tour of the old section of Grove Cemetery.

According to MOCA’s April newsletter, that portion of the Belfast cemetery contains burial places for two mayors, two Maine governors, the first doctor, the only victims of the great fire in 1873 and several other interesting people.

Registration for the meeting is just $2.

MOCA has been preserving and recording Maine cemeteries since 1968, and its members include numerous genealogists.

Dues to MOCA are reasonable: $5 a year, $20 for five years or $100 for a lifetime, sent to MOCA at P.O. Box 641, Augusta, ME 04332-0641.

MOCA’s cemetery records for many Maine communities are available on microfilm in several locations, including the Maine State Library in Augusta (while the archives is closed), Bangor Public Library and the University of Maine’s Fogler Library in Orono.

The records in book form are in the genealogical section of the Maine State Library.

I like using the books, but also find the microfilm easy to use. Because the cemeteries are grouped by county, it’s easy to scan cemeteries for towns near the community where I am looking.

The Abbot Historical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Abbot Town Hall on Route 15.

I am pleased to have been asked to speak, and will talk about my search for my Bennett, Moore, Cummings and Briggs ancestors in Piscataquis County. These families were in Parkman, Guilford and Greenville, as well as Abbot.

In addition, I will display the quilt handsewn by Lovina Leighton Moore in 1893.

Also, I will bring photo albums from the Moore side of the family. These include pictures of Monson people, including: Henry and Amos Knight, children of Peleg and Minnie Knight; Blanch and Maud Glover, whose mother was Annie Flint Glover; Olan Jackson, son of William and Ella Jackson; Charlie Weeks; his daughter, Lottie Weeks; and Margaret LeClair, daughter of Reuben and Lizzie LeClair.

Speaking of Parkman, a recent review of one of the census records on microfilm listed my Abiathar Briggs as Biathar Briggs. That’s a new one on me.

We’ve all had the experience, I’m sure, of finding a person listed on one census by his first name, and on the next census by his middle name.

3105. FURBUSH-HAMILTON. Looking for information on John Furbush, b. about 1800, maybe from New Hampshire; and on Olive Furbush, maybe from NH, md. about 1850, Stephen C. Hamilton. Robert P. Sawyer Jr., HCR 35 Box 97, Gouldsboro, ME 04607; or telephone 963-2945; or e-mail rockyshore@acadia.net.

3106. YORK. Looking for name of first wife of my great-great-great-grandfather, Hiram Oliver York, b. Feb. 20, 1809, Dixmont, son of Thomas and Phebe (Ellis) York; d. Feb. 13, 1900, Frankfort. They had: Benjamin B., 1833; Philo James, 1834; Sumner Alonzo, 1836; and twins Hiram Granville and Jerusha Ellen, 1840. Hiram Granville York md. Mary A. Turner; d. 1932 in Seattle. According to his daughter, Edith (York) Hickman, b. 1880, the first wife, probably named Patty, died two weeks after twins were born. 1850 census shows Hiram with 2nd wife Patty and children Van Buren, b. 1842; and Sally G., b. 1848. 3rd wife was Eliza Clark, mother of Herbert Oliver, 1854; Ruby Ann, 1857; and Wilbert S., 1862. Julie Moyer-Parsons, 10115 Holly Drive U106, Everett, WA 98204; or e-mail sweetyboysmom@aol.com.

3107. MILLS-SPEED. Seeking ancestry and wife for William Mills of Nobleboro, b. about 1770. His daughter, Sarah Mills, b. about 1790, md. Oct. 31, 1811, Capt. David Speed of Washington. Danny W. Howard, DECF Box 428, Machiasport, ME 04655.

3108. WITHAM. Would like to have photo of distant cousin Sophronia E. (Redman) Witham, b. about 1852, d. 1934, wife of Charles A. Witham. Both buried in Castine. Will reimburse cost upon request. D.M. Redman, 18 First St. No. 4, Bangor, ME 04401.

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