You may have seen volumes of the New England Historic and Genealogical Register in a variety of libraries, including the Bangor Public Library and the Maine State Library in Augusta.

As a way to introduce potential members to the wealth of information available, New England Historic Genealogical Society is offering free access for a limited time to one of the thousands of databases on NewEnglandAncestors.org, the New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

Normally available only to members, the database will be accessible to everyone free for three days – today through Wednesday, March 22.

Published quarterly since 1847, the Register is the flagship journal of American genealogy and the oldest journal in the field. The database includes issues from 1847 to 1994. For information, visit www.newenglandancestors.org/research/Database/register/reginfo.asp.

Nonmembers will be asked to provide contact information, which will not be shared, but will be used to send information about membership to visitors. Visitors will be taken automatically to the database after submitting their information.

Note: Only the extensive Register database will be open for public use. The remainder of the databases continue to be accessible to members only.

NEHGS in Boston is a very reputable organization, so I feel quite comfortable sharing this information with readers.

“Oh, they lived way out in East Podunk.” Perhaps we won’t say that as often, having visited the e-Podunk Web sites – one for the United States and one for Canada.

I discovered at http://epodunk.com all kinds of things you can find out by entering the name of a particular community, including the birthplaces of its residents.

In the 2000 census, 67.3 percent of Maine residents said they were born here, compared to just 60 percent of people across the country.

If you live in Greenville, it’s even more likely you were born in Maine – 76.4 percent of residents said they were. In Bangor, the percentage was 69.6.

In the southern part of the state, the numbers are different. Just 59.1 percent of Portland residents were born here, while in the town of York, by the Massachusetts border, the percentage is 27 percent.

There’s lots of other census data, too, including the ancestry reported by the town’s residents. For instance, in Waldoboro we find German ancestry listed right up there with English.

You’ll also find little tidbits of town history on some of the pages, and sometimes a copy of an old postcard that you can even e-mail to someone. The postcard of “Market Square” in Bangor is nifty.

There all kinds of links, some to various Web pages, some that connect you to sites for paid databases such as www.ancestry.com. Keep in mind that you can use Ancestry free at libraries that have subscriptions to it, including the Bangor, Ellsworth and Oakland libraries.

News of this Web site came from Mike Gleason of Bangor, who e-mailed to let us know that now there is also a site for Canada at http://ca.epodunk.com.

I looked up Hillsborough, the New Brunswick town where my Stief (Steeves) ancestors settled in the 18th century. From there I was linked to an Albert County site at http://members.tripod.com/~albertnb/

That site includes a list of homepage links, which are varied in how much information they offer. Surnames mentioned include Woodworth, Akerley, Jonah, Leaman, Lutz, Calhoun, Smith, Snowdon, Steeves, Sweet, Trerice, Wilbur, Colpitts, Wortman, Walton and many others. I have checked a few of these, but not all of them.

Mike Gleason writes, “The only problem with either e-Podunk site is that it’s easy to get ‘sucked in and lost’ in the site, checking out towns from page to page.”

He’s right about that.

The Aroostook County Genealogical Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 27, in the Lions Building at 111 High St., Caribou. Orlan Smith will discuss family stories and genealogy. The address for ACGS is P.O. Box 142, Caribou 04736-0142.

3359. BUZZELL-BUSWELL-TOZIER. Seeking information for Orilla Buzzell or Buswell, born about 1837 in Maine, who married about 1859, in Penobscot County, Albana P. Tozier or Tozer. The 1880 census lists them in Bradford. Who were her parents and siblings, if any? Nancy Tardif, 254 Granite St. Ext., Biddeford 04005; ntardif@maine.rr.com

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