UMaine yearbooks posted on the Web

It was 1978 when my husband and I stopped in Freeport to meet one of my cousins, Paul Bennett, and his wife, Emma.

It was Paul who gave us directions to find the boulder marking the Bennett homestead in Gloucester, Mass., which we did find, I’m pleased to say.

But I digress. In addition to Bennett-Cummings genes, Paul and I shared something else in common, as alumni of the University of Maine.

That popped into my head when I received a most welcome press release announcing that Fogler Library in Orono has digitized – and placed online – Prism yearbooks for the University of Maine for 1895-1997. The Web site is http://library.umaine.edu/yearbooks.

Of course I checked 1973 first, as I have that yearbook and would recognize its pages fairly easily – and I did.

Then I decided to look for cousin Paul. To make browsing easier, I checked a University of Maine Alumni Directory and found that he was a 1931 graduate.

I found him on page 55, Paul Edwin Bennett of Auburn, along with Leo Romeo Bernard of Lewiston, Old Town High graduate Helen Wales Beasley and Thomas Wolfe Baylek of Scranton, Pa.

I learned that Paul was nicknamed “Pete,” that he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega, and that he participated in several sports, as well as band and Forestry Club.

Dean of Libraries Joyce Rumery describes the yearbooks as “a fascinating peek into the history of the university and the wider world. They are filled with photographs and memories of our students, faculty and community. We are pleased to be able to offer this important resource to all our users.”

In addition, Rumery said, “The digitization of our own collections is the next step in providing the resources that the university community and the citizens of Maine need for their research.”

Putting the Prisms online is certainly a wonderful resource for family historians. If you find a page you want to save, you can print it out.

I looked up the 1945 Prism, and found pictures of the seniors of the Class of 1944. (Yearbooks are often published after the school year has ended.)

On one page I found photos of Mary Eleanor Bickford of Bangor, Florence Gertrude Boyle of Bangor, Mary Niles Billings of Stonington, Mary Elizabeth Brackett of Portland, Annetta Lillian Bishop of Caribou, Olive Frances Bradbury of Hollis Center, Ruth M. Blaisdell of Ellsworth, Emma Rae Broisman of Portland, Herman W. Bonney of Portland and Raymond Broisman of Portland.

During the war years, as we know, fewer men attended college because so many were in the service.

The yearbook project will be celebrated with a gathering 3-4 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the University Club in the library on the Orono campus. There will be laptops available, and staff to help those who would like assistance in looking at the yearbooks online. All are welcome to attend.

“Who’s My First Cousin, Twice Removed?” will be my topic during the next meeting of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society at 6 p.m. April 16, in the Lecture Hall on the third floor of Bangor Public Library. Go in the children’s entrance and take the elevator to the third floor.

I’ll bring along my posters showing how I figured out my cousinship to Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, artist Waldo Peirce and World War II Gen. Jimmy Doolittle.

The Washington County Genealogical Society will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 19, in Room 8 of Torrey Hall, University of Maine at Machias. The program will include discussion and viewing of research materials available in the college library.

Organized in 1992, WCGS has as its purpose to collect, exchange and preserve related documents and information, and to promote and encourage interest and scholarship in genealogy and family history in Washington County, Maine.

Membership is open to anyone interested in learning about family genealogy and history, especially in Washington County and neighboring Charlotte County, New Brunswick. Meetings are held March to November, with the exception of July and August. Dues are $10 a year. Members receive a quarterly newsletter, “Weirs & Woods,” with free queries, information and the exchange of genealogical material.

For information, contact Frances Raye, 853-6630; Valdine Atwood, 255-4432; or Christine Small, 255-4446.

3428. YORK-PETERS-PERKINS. Have traced my great-grandmother Sophia York to Hancock County, where she was born Feb. 18, 1839, to James and Mary (Peters) York. James’ father, Solomon York, 1763-1834, and grandfather, Benjamin York, worked on a historical building in Hancock County during the Revolutionary War, both served in the Army during that time. Sophia married William Michael Perkins on Sept. 29, 1861, in Hancock County, then came to Brooklyn, N.Y., where they spent rest of their lives. Looking for relatives living in Hancock County for York, Peters, Perkins families. Georgianna Perkins Marcello, 4743 Stonehurst Way, Sacramento, CA 95842; 916-334-0534; gmmarcello@hotmail.com

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