Nearly half of those who came over on the Mayflower the summer of 1620 died that first winter during the “great sickness.”

Whether “saint” or “stranger,” those who came over on the Mayflower, and especially those who survived, were together known as Pilgrims.

Membership in the General Society of Mayflower Descendants is based on descent from one or more of these Pilgrims:

John Alden, Isaac Allerton, John Billington, William Bradford, William Brewster, Peter Browne, James Chilton, Francis Cooke, Edward Doty, Francis Eaton, Moses Fletcher, Edward Fuller, Samuel Fuller, Stephen Hopkins, John Howland, Richard More, William Mullins, Degory Priest, Thomas Rogers, Henry Samson, George Soule, Myles Standish, John Tilley, Richard Warren, William White and Edward Winslow.

There were, of course, many women aboard the Mayflower, including Priscilla Mullins and my Mary Allerton. As well, there were children, among them 4-year-old Mary Allerton, who also went on to be my ancestor.

For information on the Mayflower Society, check the Web at www.mayflower.org.

You also may be interested in the link to “The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony: 1620,” a 30-page study guide prepared by Duane A. Cline for use by teachers, students and anyone interested in learning more about the Pilgrims and their Pokanoket friends of the Wampanoag Nation.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanks to Mike Gleason for letting me know that the Civil War database is nearly completed.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System at www.civilwar.nps.gov/cwss/ offers us the Names Index Project, a database of 6.3 million men on both sides of the war.

Enter the name you’re looking for, and you’ll get the “side” of the war he served on, his function, such as infantry or artillery, and the regiment’s name.

Want to look up everyone by the same name from your state? Simply enter the surname and the state and you’ll get a list of everyone by that name who served. For instance, I looked up all the Bennetts from Maine.

I also looked up my individual Civil War ancestor, Alfred Hart, who happened to be from Dexter, a member of the 22nd Regiment, and found him.

When the regiment is highlighted, you can click on it to get a history of the regiment, including the battles the regiment was involved in. Keep in mind that your ancestor may or may not have been in the regiment for the entire length of its service.

The records were edited for accuracy, etc., by the Genealogical Society of Utah and the Federation of Genealogical Societies.

The source of the data entered for each soldier is the General Index Cards in the Compiled Military Service Records at the National Archives.

Also included is information on 1,200 soldiers and sailors who received the Congressional Medal of Honor, and prisoner records of Union prisoners at Andersonville and Confederate prisoners at Fort McHenry.

The project is not complete yet in terms of Naval personnel.

What a project.

Corinth Historical Society members Sharon Buswell and Carol Ann Walker are compiling data on burials at various local cemeteries. All known Charleston cemeteries are finished and are available on CD for $9 plus $1 mailing from Corinth Historical Society, P.O. Box 541, Corinth, ME 04427, attention Sharon Buswell.

The seven cemeteries in Bradford are also completed, and available at the same price.

In the spring, Sharon and Carol plan to head to Exeter. Anyone wishing to purchase a computer disk, please specify which town and forward check to the historical society.

The society also is trying to obtain photographs and stories about Beech Grove Casino, which had one of the largest and best dance floors in the state. It was located in South Corinth and operated by the Corson family.

The grounds included a picnic area, a dining hall and a general store that housed the South Corinth post office. Any photographs of these buildings would be appreciated. The historical society will copy them and return the originals.

The Daughters of Union Veterans will meet at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at the Abbot Town Hall. There will be no formal meeting the next month, but a Christmas get-together with gift exchange at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society.

3300. WHEELER. Am compiling a collection of the history of Benjamin Wheeler who settled Hampden in 1667, and also genealogy of the Wheeler family. Common surnames in the family include Crosby, Copp, Hardy, Tyler, Dobson, Case, McDermott, Emery, Strong, Dudley, Dow, Greeley, Swett, Hopkins, Walker, Bacon, Curtis, Hinds, Coan, Stilson, Eckstorm, Bussey. Richard Newcomb, 205 Western Ave., Hampden, ME 04444. 862-3633 evenings; 561-4109 days.

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