Keep an eye on an outfit called SmallTownPapers from Seattle, Wash. The business offers archiving services for newspapers that may be too small to do their own archiving.

And what’s of interest to genealogists is that we can access what they have online free at www.smalltownpapers.com.

There are no Maine newspapers yet, but there are five from New Hampshire: the Bedford Journal, the Hollis-Brookline Journal, the Merrimack Journal, the Peterborough Transcript and The Cabinet in Milford, N.H.

The more than 120 newspapers archived from throughout the United States vary in the years archived – some current issues, some issues as far back as 1887.

I plugged in a surname, “Waldron,” the forerunner of the name Walden found in Maine communities including Greenville, and came upon a reference to the Dec. 14, 1934, issue of The Garfield Enterprise from Garfield, Wash.

A small item on the Legislature noted, “From long range it looks as if Robert Waldron of Spokane had the best of the leadership picture.”

I was able to view the whole page, and the name Waldron was highlighted in yellow on the screen so that I didn’t have to read everything on the newspaper page if I didn’t want to.

The pages are copyrighted. Further, if a newspaper normally charges for access to its archives, that will apply for these pages, as well.

But there’s plenty for individuals to look at that is free. And of course, references to recent issues may be helpful as well in turning up obituaries and the like.

To use the database, you “sign up” for a premier membership, which is free. You provide a log-in and password.

I haven’t found any of my own ancestors yet, but I’ll keep checking back as they add newspapers.

Last week we talked about The Maine Genealogist, which is available in some libraries. You also can receive this quarterly journal – in addition to a quarterly newsletter – by joining Maine Genealogical Society for $20 a year. To receive publications by first class mail, add $5 a year.

Here’s where I was supposed to add the address to send checks: Maine Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 221, Farmington 04938.

Because of postage, membership in Canada is $29 in U.S. funds, and $34 for residents outside the U.S.

Life membership is $400.

The Maine Genealogical Society has a Web site at www.rootsweb.com/~megs/

Stanley Bearce Attwood’s listing for Majabigwaduce in “Length and Breadth of Maine” refers to Castine, but as Faye R. Cosentino points out, there’s more to the story than what I wrote last week. Castine was actually set off from the town of Penobscot, after all.

“That area also included Penobscot, Sedgwick and Brooksville. We were all Penobscot, that is why the battle is called Penobscot Expedition, not Castine Expedition. What is now Castine was only a quarter of the area.”

Old Fort Western’s 19th annual Winter Lecture Series will get under way at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the learning gallery at City Hall, 16 Cony St., Augusta. The series will feature eight weekly talks on a variety of historical topics.

The lead program will be “Mrs. Blaine Speaks: The Letters of Harriet Blaine, 1860 to 1890,” with Julia Hunter, registrar and curator of textiles at the Maine State Museum.

Mrs. Blaine was the wife of 19th century politician James G. Blaine. Her letters reveal her to be an engaging, intelligent, capable and talented woman of many interests.

Hunter is the author of two books: “Anna May: 82 Years in New England,” an oral history of nurse Anna May Sevigny; and “Fly Rod Crosby: The Woman Who Marketed Maine.”

The programs will be held Thursday evenings or Sunday afternoons, depending on the week. For a full schedule, check www.oldfortwestern.org or call 626-2385.

3356. KENNEDY-FOLSOME. Seeking parents, ancestors for Samuel L. Kennedy Jr., born April 6, 1814, marriage intentions filed in Lincolnville to Sarah Folsome, born 1816. They both died in Jefferson and are buried in Shepherd Hill Cemetery there. Danny W. Howard, DECF 64 Base Road, Machiasport 04655.

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