‘Guilford 2000’ compilation a literary, pictorial treasure

Wouldn’t it be great if someone would take Francis Prescott’s chronological history of Guilford, add some materials from resources in the sesquicentennial and 175th anniversary books on Guilford, mine “Sprague’s Journal” and Amasa Loring’s history of Piscataquis County, and toss in remembrances of several people?

Seems like Carl McKusick and Tom Blake could do such a thing, and how glad I am that they did. “Guilford 2000,” a book of 94 pages, plus 55 photographs from current times, is a treasure.

There’s a little of everything here, from the history of the Gold Nugget restaurant to the fact that the Littlefield Farm originally was the McKusick Farm. Maybe you knew that.

But how about the state basketball championships in 1905-1907, the Star Theatre’s income of $6 a night in 1910, or the number of subscribers to telephone service in 1903-20?

Many of us know that the Lows and Bennetts and Herrings and an Everton settled what is now a Piscataquis County town in 1806. But I didn’t remember that the census in 1810 was 65, or that it grew to 325 in 1820 and about 500 in 1825.

You’ll find information on businesses, agriculture, bridges and floods, churches and organizations and clubs. The black-and-white aerial views of the village and other areas are wonderful, and it’s always good to have photographs of current businesses and landmarks such as the Braeburn Block, which was lost to fire a few months ago. There’s also a picture of the old Odd Fellows Hall.

I so enjoyed Carl’s 19 pages of “remembrances.” He recalls a good many more places than I do, but he also had help from Betty Bates, Corabelle Skillin and Phyllis Mills.

“Guilford 2000” is available for $18 at Guilford Memorial Library or the Guilford Historical Society. If you’d like to order it by mail, send $20 to Guilford Memorial Library, 4 Library St., Guilford 04443, attention Linda Packard.

The library is open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. It has a beautiful new addition.

My trivia question for Guilford: What was the last class to have graduated from the old Guilford High School-Piscataquis Community High School building on School Street?

If you were there, you remember this one: 1969.

The Mid-Coast Genealogy Group will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at the LDS Church on Old County Road. The topic will be the Peterborough Settlement of Warren with Marion Smith, retired schoolteacher from Warren.

The region was settled by a group of blacks in the late 1700s. They remained there until 1961, when the road was closed and the last family moved away.

For information, contact Marlene A. Groves at 594-4293.

The Cropley & Carr Family Reunion has been scheduled for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 7 at the Brookton-Forest City Community Center in Brookton, located in the northern part of Washington County.

3229. DEERING-BRALEY-BEAN-BOSTON-JEWELL-BROWN-DAVIS. Looking for information and pictures of Laura Deering, b. 1884, d. 1961, md. Morrill Deering and lived in Harmony. Marriage index from State Archives lists Morrill E. Deering marrying Laura M. Smith Jan. 14, 1914. Also Jennie B. (Braley) (Bean) Boston, b. 1870, d. 1938. Jennie, her husbands, and daughters Grace Bean and Bessie (Bean) Jewell lived in Canaan. Looking for same on Julia (Davis) (Johnson) Brown, b. 1858, d. 1903. Julia lived in Solon and Athens. Julia and Jennie were daughters of Benjamin and Diantha Davis. Laura was their niece. Would appreciate any information regarding these women. Hilda Mulherin, 177 Summer St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426; or hilda1@midmaine.com.

3230. EATON-PLUMMER. Just came upon a record stating that Timothy Eaton, b. about 1803, son of William and Martha (?) Eaton, md. Lydia (?). Timothy and Lydia had daughter Carolinn Eaton, b. 1820-1820, “of Athens,” md. William Plummer. William b. 1822, at Jefferson, son of John and Rebecca Plummer. Is this info correct? Seeking maiden name, ancestry for both Martha and Lydia, ancestry of William Eaton. Danny W. Howard, DECF Box 428, Machiasport, ME 04655.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net.