Ellsworth library a great place for genealogists

It’s always fun to hear what’s new at Ellsworth Public Library. You may know the library as home to a great collection of local and family history, including the holdings of the Hancock County Genealogical Society.

Charlene Clemons writes from the library that patrons are welcome to come to the library to use its subscription to the online database Ancestry.com. Genealogists will find access to the U.S. Census records for the country, 1790-1930, indexed by name; the U.S. Immigration Collection; United Kingdom and Ireland Collection; historical newspapers; and Family and Local History Collection ? everything except One World Tree, which requires a separate subscription.

I encourage researchers to make use of this wonderful resource, with one caveat. Do remember that other patrons will want to use Ancestry.com as well, so don’t expect to “camp out” for the day. You may have used libraries and archives which post notices asking you to limit use of microfilm machines to one hour at a time when others are waiting to use them. That’s the courteous approach to using computers, as well.

Speaking of microfilm machines, we understand that genealogists and others are enjoying the new microfilm machine at the library in Ellsworth. Here’s more news from Charlene on the genealogy and local history collection at the library.

“The collection will move to the southeast balcony of the library,” she writes, “condensing everything into one convenient, quiet space where researchers can work undisturbed by other library traffic. We hope to have the funding complete and the project finished later this year.”

The fund-raising goal is $24,020. As of the end of April, the library had $10,600 left to raise. The Hancock County Genealogical Society voted at its March meeting to contribute $1,250 from its treasury. If you’d like to help with this worthwhile project, send a check to Ellsworth Public Library, 20 State St., Ellsworth, ME 04605. Note that your contribution is for the “Genealogy/Local History Project.”

Once the project is completed, I’ll check it out and bring readers up to date.

By the way, HCGS will meet Saturday afternoon, May 21, at the library for a program by Alice Beal on Washington County research.

And despite my habit of inserting the word “valley” into the title, it is the Penobscot County Genealogical Society which will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Wednesday, May 18, in the Lecture Hall at Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St. The topic will be “Rum Running Days on the Penobscot River” with Ray Web.

Also on Wednesday, the Trescott Historical Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Lubec Memorial Library. A presentation on the Land Use Regulation Commission and its permitting processes in unorganized townships and plantations will be offered by Charles Corliss, regional representative, and Carol Murtaugh, one of the commissioners.

And finally, a reminder about the Genealogy Conference and Craft Fair set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at Williams Elementary School in Oakland, sponsored by Silence Howard Hayden Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.

Workshops at 9 a.m. are “Civil War,” Michael Denis; “DAR,” Ann Thomas; and “Beginning Genealogy,” Sharon Ann Paradis.

Choices at 10:30 a.m. are “Using Maps in Genealogical Research,” Jack Battick; “U.S. Census,” Thelma Brooks; and “Research Items at Maine State Archives other than Vital Records,” Jeff Brown.

The 1:30 p.m. workshops are “Researching Using Social Security,” Laurence Decker; “Researching Franco-American Ancestry,” Roxanne Moore Saucier; and “Research Pitfalls: Frauds and Flaws,” Nancy Battick.

Registration is $15 at the door.

To get to Williams Elementary School, take Exit 127 from Interstate 95. Turn onto Kennedy Memorial Drive toward Oakland (rather than Waterville). Go 1.7 miles to light. Go straight about one-quarter mile to the school on the right, after the railroad tracks.

For information, contact Marilyn Dennis at 453-8351, or Carolyn Kelley at 465-2278.

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