A history teacher from Ohio has been sorting out the descendants of John and Rachel (McKenney) Fogg, who married at Cape Elizabeth – then Falmouth – in 1790.

In the November issue of The Maine Genealogist, the quarterly of the Maine Genealogical Society, Kenneth A. Clark used the death certificate of Sarah (Fogg) Howard to help connect the Cape Elizabeth Foggs to the Brownville Foggs.

Howard died in Minnesota, where many Brownville residents moved after the Civil War, Clark explained. He also used naming patterns to help link the Cape Elizabeth family to Foggs in the Maine town of Burlington.

Other articles include one on the Portland-Gorham Codmans, by editor Joseph C. Anderson II; on the Hutchins family of Fryeburg and Edgecomb, by Doris J. Woodward; and one by MGS President Clayton R. Adams on some Jordans missing from “The Jordan Memorial.”

Another piece continues the listing of births from Upper Parish in York, transcribed by Lester M. Bragdon, town clerk.

Membership in the Maine Genealogical Society is $27 for the first year, $20 for renewals, sent to MGS, P.O. Box 221, Farmington, ME 04938.

On another topic, I am constantly reminded how useful city directories can be.

I had been helping a distant cousin look for information on Charles Grover and his wife, Amanda Conary.

The Grovers were listed in the 1920 census for Bangor, but the 1930 census isn’t out yet. (It should be, come April.)

I tried the “Families and Individuals” card index at the Bangor Public Library for people in the Bangor area and didn’t find them listed. Located in the Bangor room, this index pertains to articles, obituaries and other notices in the Bangor Daily News and the Bangor Commercial.

Next I checked city directories for Bangor.

In 1920-1921, Amanda is listed as the widow of Charles A. Grover, so we know he died around that time.

I jumped ahead in five-year increments, and found her listed in 1925, 1930 and 1935. The first year she’s not mentioned in the directories is 1937, so it could be she died around then. Another possibility is that she went to live with one of her children in another town.

Often, you can find city or town directories at reasonable prices at stores that sell old books.

I keep Bangor directories from 1977 and 1947 on my desk at work. They’re great resources for checking what a building “used to be.”

Older directories often include other towns. For instance, the 1977 Bangor directory offered alphabetical listings for people from Brewer, Hampden and Veazie. In 1947, the Bangor directory covered those communities, plus Orono and Old Town. Indian Island had its own section in the directory.

Many of the listings include the person’s place of employment.

Associations, societies and clubs are listed – along with their meeting times, meeting places and officers.

In 1947, Bangor had 32 barbers, six chiropodists to treat diseases of the hands and feet, and seven companies dealing in air conditioning.

Hampden had three physicians, and nine trucking and teaming companies.

Old Town’s listings included all the locations for fire alarm boxes.

3159. THOMPSON-LAVIOLETTE. Seeking any information on Pierre and Marie Julie (Laviolette) Thompson, who came from western New Brunswick, St. Francois area, to Kingman in 1872. Children: Charles, Joseph, Elijah Ludger and William, all in Kingman for 1880 census. Joseph, my great-grandfather, d. 1879, bd. Macwahoc Cemetery. The rest were in Kingman, 1880 census. Elijah and William eventually buried in Macwahoc. Charles Thompson family seems to have disappeared. Wayne W. Thompson, 11700 SW Butner Road, Apt. 305, Portland, OR 97225; or e-mail WTandMB@aol.com.

3160. MILLER-COCHRAN. Need information on parents, descendants, death date for H.E. Miller, who was md. to Etta May Cochran, b. Sept. 7, 1865, Codyville, Washington County. She was daughter of John and Orena (Day) Cochran. Two known children lived in Calais. Etta d. March 21, 1910, Calais. Deborah M. Cross, P.O. Box 385, Brooks, ME 04921.

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 mailing address of sender are required.