Comins family book at Bangor library

loading...

My thought is that if you really want a library to have a book, you should give it to them.

But somehow, I just wasn’t ready to part with “Woburn John,” which is shorthand for “Descendants of John Comins: (ca. 1668-1751) and his wife, Mary, of Woburn and Oxford, Massachusetts, and Windham County, Connecticut,” by Abbott Lowell Cummings.

So when it really began to bother me that Bangor Public Library didn’t have this book published in 2001, I began looking for a copy I could purchase for them. No luck.

But librarians are resourceful, and I’m pleased to report that BPL now has the John Comins book in the Bangor Room with its family histories.

So if your Comins-Cummings lines came through Greene or Eddington or Parkman or Greenville, do look up those families in this fine book.

Or maybe your ancestors were in Bangor, Brewer, Guilford, Lewiston or Saco, for example.

Though he was a cousin rather than an ancestor, I enjoyed reading about John Ernest Cummings, who was an American Baptist missionary in Burma from 1887 to 1932.

I don’t know how often John Cummings came home to Maine, but he was here on Sept. 2, 1923, the day he married my grandparents Ione (Bennett) and Gayland A. Moore in Abbot.

One of John’s children was Bessie Margaret Cummings, who married Harold Walden and was the forebear of Waldens in Greenville.

The other library that I know has the Comins book is Maine Historical Society in Portland.

Now let’s talk about Real Daughters – as opposed to real daughters.

Are you a descendant of Hannah Hodges, born Dec. 2, 1804, in Augusta; died Aug. 21, 1898, in Augusta; married William Hunt, born Jan. 1, 1798, England; died Sept. 27, 1868, in Augusta?

Hannah was the daughter of Revolutionary War patriot Ezra Hodges, 1762-1851.

OR

Are you a descendant of Lydia Rollins, born Sept. 1, 1816, in Wiscasset; died May 4, 1918, in Augusta; married James Wixson on Feb. 24, 1835, in Sidney?

She was the daughter of Revolutionary War Patriot John Rollins, 1756-1843.

Both of these ladies were members of Koussinoc Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and, as they were daughters of patriots, they had the title of “Real Daughter.”

In honor of these two ladies, members of Koussinoc Chapter are planning a grave-marking ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, in Augusta. Any descendants of either of these two Real Daughters are cordially invited to attend.

Please RSVP by Sept. 12 to 622-6866 or AT977@gwi.net

Vendors are welcome to participate in the seventh annual Genealogy Conference, to be held on Saturday, Sept. 6, at Winslow Congregational Church, Lithgow Street, next to the Taconnett Library.

Crafters and nonprofit organizations are welcome, along with book sellers and genealogy-related suppliers.

Indoor tables for vendors are $15, including table and access to electricity if needed. Outdoor vendor space is free, but nothing is provided.

The event, sponsored by Silence Howard Hayden Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, will include workshops on genealogy topics, American Revolution re-enactors, and more.

Interested vendors should contact Leilani Stites at 564-8739 or excal3@verizon.net.

The Descendants of John and Hannah Davis will hold their family reunion on Sunday, Aug. 10, at the home of Julia and Mary Pike, 411 Plymouth Road, Carmel.

Bring your picnic lunch and chair. Beans, coffee, etc. will be provided.

Call 848-2407 for directions.

The annual reunion of the Descendants of Thomas Shorey will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, at Ammadamast Grange Hall in Enfield. Lunch will be served, including bean-hole beans.

Participants are asked to bring a covered dish, salad or dessert. Also, bring along a genealogical sketch and any information to share.

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