Dear Santa,

I’ve tried to be good this year, and I’m hoping you can fill my Christmas stocking with information on some of my beloved, but not-yet-identified, ancestors.

For instance, would any of your elves know anything about Dorcas Moore? She married David Moore in 1791 in York, but I have no idea who her parents were. All I know is that she’s buried in Mount Vernon – the Maine one, not the Virginia one.

And what about Lovina Leighton’s mother? Her dad, Daniel, was born about 1770 in Rome – the Maine one, not the Italy one. But I get so confused about his wife. Was she Ruth or Lizzie? And her parents?

Then there’s Lydia Harris. She married James Packard, and according to her death record in Parkman, she was born in 1813 or so. Yet I can’t link her up with any Harris family. I know there was a Moses Harris family but I think his daughter Lydia married someone else.

I’m really interested in Margaret Noble, Santa. She was my great-great-great-great-grandmother twice through her marriage to Isaac Bennett, back in 1791 in Gloucester, Mass.

You remember Isaac, Santa. He came with brothers John and Nathaniel Bennett as three of the first seven settlers of Guilford. They’re all buried up in Guilford Center.

But who were Margaret Noble’s ancestors? Yes, there were Nobles in Westfield, Mass., but I can’t make the connection. Then, too, it would be so great to find out whether Margaret’s a cousin of the Rev. Seth Noble, who named Bangor.

Some of my forebears came from New Hampshire, Santa. One was Henry T. Hildreth, a settler of Haskell Plantation – oh, I mean Greenville. He was married to Sarah Currier, and I found out that Henry’s middle name was True. Maybe his mother’s maiden name was True?

I know you stop by Ireland, Santa, and I have a couple of questions. My great-great-great-grandparents, James Given and Margaret (Orr) Given, both were born there circa 1830, but I don’t know where or to whom. They got married in 1851 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

You know I have so many English ancestors, Santa, and even some who came over on the Mayflower. Gee, I’d like to know more about my wee bit of Irish genes.

While you’re across the pond, maybe you could tell me more about Alfred Hart, my Civil War soldier from England – Trowbridge, Wiltshire, to be exact. He’s buried on Liberty Street in Dexter.

Then there’s Nahum Nason, and I’m not sure if his ancestors were English. He and wife Polly Dexter lived in Dexter and Atkinson, and are buried in Atkinson. There were lots of Nasons downstate; seems like he must be one of those.

Another one who may be from southern Maine is Daniel Eldridge, who married Sarah Cone or Cane in 1832, and is buried in Clinton. I’ve got to believe his people go back to that cluster of Eldridges from Cape Cod. Surely I’m a cousin to champion figure skater Todd Eldridge of Chatham, though he got the genes for coordination and I didn’t.

I know, Santa, you always thought most of my genes were from Maine. But in addition to my German Steeves family, who came to Maine via Pennsylvania and New Brunswick, I actually have people from New York.

You remember leaving toys at Big Hollow up in Greene County, New York? Well, my John Bray Jr. was married there to Mary Payne. John’s parents were John Bray Sr. and Aceneth Antemar Hill. Don’t you just love the name Aceneth?

And as for Mary – born in Cairo, N.Y., rather than Egypt – her parents were either Goodyear or Elwin Payne and Clarissa Doolittle. I have the Doolittle line already, but wonder about the Paynes. Were they from Connecticut like the Doolittles?

I think that’s a long enough Christmas list for one year.

Except for one thing. Maybe you could bring all the Family Ties readers some new bit of family history that will encourage them in their quests. That’s not too much for your sleigh to carry, is it?

Thanks, Santa.

Happy holidays, dear readers.

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