‘Penobscot Reads’ features genealogical events

The popular January event “Bangor Reads” has been expanded to “Penobscot Reads,” which will take place at four area libraries. The focus is the Franco-American novel “Papa Martel” by Gerard Robichaud.

A few of the activities of particular interest to genealogists will be:

Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m. “Nos Histoires de l’Ile.” Meet Harold Lacadie and friends at Old Town Public Library. Book available for purchase. The title of the book translates to “Our Stories of the Island,” meaning French Island in Old Town. The book is a wonderful volume with loads of pictures. I also recommend visiting the Web site at www.old-town.org/nos/. Enter the Historical Photo Archive to look at old photos indexed by name. Even if you don’t find names you know, click on “Places” to find a list of fascinating old photographs you can peruse, from “Old Town Firemen in 1926” to old buildings and events to the dedication of a large group of babies at the Baptist Church sometime between 1880 and 1890.

Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m. “Franco-American Genealogy” with Betsy Paradis, Special Collections librarian for Belfast Free Library, at Bangor Public Library.

Jan. 17, 6 p.m. “Navigating Old Town’s Franco-American Web Site,” with Harold Lacadie at Old Town Public Library.

Jan. 17, 7 p.m. “The Story of the Acadians,” documentary film and discussion, at Edythe Dyer Community Library, Hampden.

Jan. 20, 9 a.m. “Ployes Around the Piano,” children’s introduction to Acadian music with Joel Morneault at the piano, and buckwheat pancakes at Bangor Public Library.

Jan. 25, 3:30 p.m. “Two Churches, One Community,” history of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor with the Rev. Roland Nadeau at Bangor Public Library.

The Wassebec Genealogy Chapter will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, in the conference room at Mayo Regional Hospital on Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft.

Jack Battick will give a program on “Morbidity and Mortality in New England,” focusing on diseases and causes of death in New England – with an emphasis on Maine. A fascinating topic by a compelling speaker.

For information or directions, contact the Batticks at 564-3576, or the Bennetts at 876-3073.

The Aroostook County Genealogical Society elected officers during its Nov. 27 meeting: president, Orlan C. Smith; vice president, Ann Cushman; secretary, Brenda J. Bourgoine; treasurer, Edwin J. Bullard; board members, Elinor Hjulstrom, Kenneth R. Keaton and Linda J. Zapatka.

The ACGS meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month (except July and December) at the Lions Building, 111 High St., Caribou, next to the fire station. All who are interested in genealogy are welcome to attend.

The Bagaduce Watershed Association will offer an afternoon of informal sharing of stories of life along the Bagaduce River in winter at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, at Emerson Hall.

Community members who have lived in the Bagaduce watershed for one or more generations in Brooksville, Castine, Blue Hill, Sedgwick and Penobscot will share stories about what they saw or heard, or what their parents, uncles, aunts or grandparents saw or heard during winters way back when. Refreshments will be served and admission is free.

For information, call the Wilson Museum at 326-9247, or Katherine Turok at the BWA, 326-0966.

3388. HOLT-SPOFFORD-KYNE. Searching for information on the Holts of Maine. My grandfather was Charles Henry Holt, b. Sept. 11, 1849, Albany, Oxford County, Maine, son of Joseph Tibbetts Holt and Sarah (Spofford) Holt. Joseph was born Oct. 22, 1818, in Albany. Grandfather married an Irish girl, Mary Jane Kyne, in Bethel (?), November 1877. He died July 1931 in Portland, and she died February 1916 in Portland. Hope to find any info on Joseph Tibbetts Holt and Sarah Spofford and where this line of Holts came from. My mother, Lillian Elizabeth Holt, was daughter of Charles and Mary. She was born April 1883 in Albany. I have no idea where this line came from, and obviously have been unsuccessful to date. Chester A. Garland, 10 James St., Greenville, R.I. 2828; (formerly of Portland); or e-mail chetgarland@gmail.com

3389. DEROCHE-WYMAN-COLE-WEBSTER. Have searched long and hard for the ancestry of my great-grandfather, Edward O. Deroche, born 1862, Canada. He came to the United States at 18 in 1880 or at 23 in 1885. He married in 1891 in Chester or Howland, Jennie Mabel Wyman, daughter of Ralph Wyman and Mary Elizabeth (Cole). Edward is in the 1900, 1920 and 1930 censuses for Lincoln and died in 1946. Ralph was the son of William J. Wyman and Prudence (Webster). Sandra Whittier, P.O. Box 1372, Rockland, ME 04841; pennyroyal@adelphia.net

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