One of the nicest recent additions to holiday festivities for people in the Hancock County area is “A Candlelight Christmas,” held from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, on the grounds of the Woodlawn Museum, also known as The Black House, on Route 172 (Surry Road) in Ellsworth.

Diane Smith is chairwoman of the committee and host of what she describes as “a wonderful family event,” featuring 500 luminarias ringing Woodlawn and its grounds.

The event, she added, includes “free horse-drawn rides for children, a gigantic bonfire, and free hot chocolate and Christmas cookies for everyone.”

Your children will also be able to visit Santa Claus in the Woodlawn sleigh barn, “and create special Christmas tree ornaments with Betsy Arntzen,” Smith added.

The Blue Hill Brass Quintet will perform live holiday music inside the mansion as well as outside on the grounds.

Christmas caroling around the bonfire begins at 6 p.m., followed by the annual lighting of the Ellsworth Community Christmas Tree at 6:45.

Smith explained the tree will be “covered with decorations made by children from Small World Nursery School and the Ellsworth-Downeast YMCA After School Program,” and that all area youngsters “are encouraged to bring a decoration to put on the tree.”

The event is sponsored by The Union Trust Co. The tree was donated by New Land Nursery.

Admission for “A Candlelight Christmas” is just $2 per car.

If you need further information about this delightful holiday event, call Woodlawn at 667-8671.

Anne Crowley, president of the Carmel Fireman’s Auxiliary, has announced that the seven-day “Cruise for Two to the Caribbean” raffle to benefit the Carmel Fire Department Eyes of Life fund-raiser was won by William Holmes of Pittsfield.

From where I sit, this prize, donated by Dick and Brenda Arnold, is one holiday present that would be hard to beat!

On behalf of the auxiliary, Crowley extends thanks “to everyone who participated in our raffle.”

Louise Snow of the Eastern Maine Orchid Society called with a most thoughtful message for all orchid lovers.

Snow said the EMOS has donated to the Bangor Public Library a one-year subscription to Orchids, the magazine of the American Orchid Society.

“The subscription will be starting in January,” Snow said, “so anyone in the area interested in orchids can just go to the library and read it.”

Congratulations are extended to Bert Rossignol of Madawaska, who was honored recently by Guiding Eyes of the Blind, its headquarters in Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

Rossignol’s continued support of the organization’s annual fund-raiser has made him a member of its $3,000 club.

Through Dec. 31, 2001, Rossignol had raised $3,128 for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and was commended for his outstanding effort on behalf of its New Leash on Life Walkathon.

Maine Discovery Museum will hold a visit with Santa Claus from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Treasure Island Too, the MDM toy store located at the museum, 84 Main St. Bangor.

Youngsters will have a chance to say hello to Santa before he heads back to the North Pole to pack his sleigh for Christmas Eve, and adults can help supplement his efforts by making purchases at Treasure Island Too!

Although the chances of this request meeting with success are slim, to say the least, knowing the dedication of Maine genealogists, perhaps there is hope for this man.

Dr. Jeffrey Murphy of Rockhampton, Australia, wrote the Bangor Daily News requesting help in solving “a family history conundrum.”

He explained that his great-great-grandfather William Murphy “came to Australia via New Zealand in 1836, having jumped ship from the Boston-based whaler, Mary Mitchell.”

Murphy has documentation of William Murphy’s later life in which “he attested to having been born in Maine in 1817,” to “William and Maria,” who were farmers.

“William (the younger) and his family became prominent pioneers in the Lexton district in the State of Victoria,” wrote his Australian great-great-grandson.

“Would that his first name was Raphael or Rumplestiltskin,” Murphy added, since it would be much easier to trace than the more common William.

Dr. Murphy has acquired references for American Murphys “numbering in the thousands,” from the “Denver Murphys to Boston’s ‘Dropkick’ Murphys,” but laments that “others within my family have had no more success” searching our archives than has he.

“One plus,” he added, “is that these Murphys were Presbyterians, somewhat unusual given the surname.”

He asks if anyone has knowledge of a Murphy lineage traceable to William and Maria from Maine, that you contact him.

His e-mail address is rockymurphy@hotmail.com.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.