Web can nurture family trees

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One of the most frequent requests we get from genealogists is for a list of Web sites.

This list isn’t comprehensive, by any means, but these are sites I use a lot. E-mail to Family Ties one or more of your frequently used Web sites for genealogy, and we’ll share some of them with our readers.

. Maine death index, 1960-1996, www.maine.gov/sos/arc

. Maine marriage index, 1892-1966, 1977-1996, www.maine.gov/sos/arc/

. Mormon church records, IGI www.familysearch.org. Includes free 1880 census for all of United States and 1881 censuses for Canada, Britain. When it comes to vital records on this site, the most reliable are those that say at the bottom that they were extracted from town records.

. Surname site, www.genforum.genealogy.com/surname

. URSUS, lists books in Bangor Public Library, Maine State Library and campuses of University of Maine http://130.111.63.3

. Cemetery records, MOCA (some links) www.rootsweb.com/~memoca.moca.htm

. Mount Hope Cemetery records, Bangor, www.mthopebgr.com. Very much up-to-date.

. New Brunswick Provincial Archives vital records, http://archives.gnb.ca/Archives/Default.aspx?L=EN

. Social Security Death Index, ssdi.rootsweb.com

. Cyndi’s List, Web sites by topic or geographic area, www.cyndislist.com

. Ancestry.com – a subscription database which you can use free at public libraries in Bangor, Ellsworth and Oakland. Has census records for all of U.S., 1790-1930, (none for 1890). Time limit if others are waiting for computer.

Here’s a good thing to know. Greene Plantation is not the same as the town of Greene in Androscoggin County. Greene Plantation refers to the Belmont area in Waldo County.

So, members of Greene Plantation Historical Society held their annual membership meeting recently at the home of Cindy and Bill Enos in Belmont. Officers elected were: Alan Curry, president; Richard Cilley, vice president; Cindy Enos, treasurer; and Isabel Morse Maresh, secretary.

Among the news at that meeting was that the shingling of the Greer’s Corner Schoolhouse was completed in November.

Isabel Morse Maresh wrote that Nora Flanagan of Belmont has made a beautiful queen-size quilt to be raffled during the town meeting, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 19. Tickets are $5 each, five for $20. Contact one of the members for tickets. The quilt is on display at the Belmont Town Office until the drawing.

Members of the historical society hope eventually to hold fundraising projects at the schoolhouse and to have the building open for viewing, especially for school groups to see how school was held in “the old days.” The school formally closed in 1954-1955.

The society is looking for Belmont artifacts, photos, history, newspaper clippings, old desks and other items of the past to add to the collection.

A Web page for the Greene Plantation Historical Society has been created at www.morsesistersgenealogy.com, which will list the coming events, and past history. There are interesting items on the Web site, including ancestor stories written by Isabel Morse Maresh.

(Did you hear about Isabel’s new great-granddaughter? She was born last summer to Isabel’s grandson and wife, Matthew and Erica Bowden of Hermon. And the little girl’s name is Isabella!)

New members, visitors and those new to the area are welcome to join the society. Dues are just $5. For more information, call Isabel, 342-5208; Annie or Dick, 342-2078; or visit the Web site.

The society will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, at the home of Alan Curry.

The Whiting Historical Society has news to report, writes Bonnie Healy.

The society now holds all of the original town records in its safe. The town clerk has photocopies of the originals, which are also available on microfilm through the LDS Church Family Centers.

For information or queries, write Whiting Historical Society, P.O. Box 77, Whiting, ME 04691.

3394. COOK. Looking for descendants of Parron W. Cook, born 1802, presumably in Fairfield; died 1862, Eastport. His son, Parron, died 1934, Togus, at age 95. Cook grandsons were William P., born 1880; and Leroy A., born 1883, probably Rockland area. Any leads appreciated. We have information to share. Trescott Historical Society, P.O. Box 1, Whiting, ME 04691; trescott@maineline.net.

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