Penobscot County, Maine Genealogy

United States Maine  Penobscot County



County Courthouse
Penobscot County Courthouse 97 Hammond Street Bangor, ME 04401 Phone: 207.942.8535 Clerk Courts has divorce records from 1900 and court records from 1821; Probate Court has probate records; Register of Deeds has land records.

History
THE ANCIENT PENOBSCOT, OR PANAWANSKEK

Parent County
Created 15 February 1816 from Hancock County.

Boundary Changes

 * 2 counties were created over the years:
 * Piscataquis County 23 March 1838.
 * Aroostook County 16 Mar 1839.
 * Maine was an exclave of Massachusetts until 1820, when as a result of the growing population and a political agreement regarding slavery; it became the 23rd state on March 15 under the Missouri Compromise. Penobscot County was created in 1816 from Hancock County.

Cities
Bangor is the third largest city in Maine and the county seat of Penobscot County. The first survey of the Bangor area was done between 1797 and 1801 by Park Holland. He included all of the lots of the first settlers. Each who settled before 1784 was to receive a lot of 100 acres for the price of $8.70 and each who settled after that date could purchase a lot of 100 acres for $100. The population in 1800 was 277 and over the next thirty years it would grow to about 8,000.

April 30, 1911 is a day that forever changed Bangor. That is the day of the great fire. It began in a hay barn and because of high winds spread rapidly across the Kenduskeag and in the nine hours it raged, it destroyed over 100 buildings and 285 residences.

Neighboring Counties
Aroostook | Hancock | Piscataquis | Somerset | Waldo | Washington

Cemeteries

 * Courtesy of Bangor, Maine'w website: Interments for Pinegrove, Oakgrove and Maplegrove Cemeteries.
 * Mt. Hope Cemetery: Searchable Interment Database: This cemetery opened in 1834
 * Courtesy of Penobscot County Genealogical Society: A list of cemeteries by town and locations with contact information
 * Courtesy of Interment Cemetery Records online, includes:       • Locust Grove Cemetery (partial listing) Hampden, Penobscot County, Maine        • West Hampden Cemetery (partial listing) Hampden, Penobscot County, Maine
 * AHGP Maine Cemetery Transcription &amp; Photo Project- Penobscot
 * The Maine Old Cemetery Association (MOCA): transcriptions for many of the cemeteries in the state
 * Maine Gravestone Photo Project
 * GNIS (Cemetery Location)
 * Find A Grave

Church
Few church records have been published or microfilmed for Maine, making them a major untapped source for genealogical research. No complete survey of what exists has been made, but the Congregational Church was the largest denomination and its records were usually quite comprehensive. According to John Frost, “Genealogy in Maine: A Pragmatic Approach,” Family History in the Northeast, vol. 1, Hartford ’83 Conference (Hartford, Conn.: Connecticut Society of Genealogists, 1983) records for over two dozen Congregational churches are located at Maine Historical Society, as well as thirteen Baptist, three Universalist, and ten Quaker meetings.

Literally hundreds more church records probably exist in various repositories or the churches themselves. The most likely genealogical material can be found in the lists of memberships with letters of admission or dismissal and the baptisms.

Court
An extensive array of courts has existed in Maine since the beginning of the settlements in the early 1600s. Jurisdictional changes are quite complicated. A detailed publication of the early records can be found in Province and Court Records of Maine, 6 vols. (Portland, Maine: Maine Historical Society, 1928), as well as on microfilm through the FHL. All of the original court records for York County are at Maine State Archives. Counties formed from York after 1760 (Cumberland and Lincoln) and 1789 (Washington) from York were also under Massachusetts jurisdiction, although these records appear not to have been microfilmed. Most extant court records to 1929 for all counties except Lincoln can be found at the Maine State Archives. Later court records after 1929 continue to be received by the archives. Lincoln County court records are at the courthouse in Wiscasset.

Before statehood, Maine’s court of appeals was the Massachusetts Superior Court of Judicature (1692–1780). This also served as the original court for some other cases such as murders. Records for this court are filled as “Suffolk Files” at the Massachusetts State Archives where they are indexed. The supreme judicial court replaced the superior court of judicature after 1780. According to the Massachusetts State Archives, their holdings include circuit court records for this court for Maine counties through 1793. Online access to some private held indexes to court records can be found through Maine GenWeb

Penobscot County Superior Court 78 Exchange Street, Bangor, ME 04401 Phone: 207-561-2300

Penobscot County District Court - Bangor 78 Exchange Street, Bangor, ME 04401 Phone: 207-561-2300

Penobscot County District Court - Lincoln 52 Main Street, Lincoln, ME 04457 Phone: 207-794-8512

Penobscot County District Court - Millinocket 207 Penobscot Ave. Millinocket, ME 04462 Phone: 207-723-4786

Penobscot County District Court - Newport 12 Water Street, Newport, ME 04953 Phone: 207-368-5778

Land
Maine is a state-land state. Lands were generally acquired by proprietor grants, deeds from proprietors, or deeds from other individuals.

All deeds before 1737 have been transcribed and published in 18 volumes York Deeds 1642-1737 (Portland, ME: Maine Historical Society, 1887-1910).

Following the American Revolution, land was sold to help pay for the cost of the war in lotteries, tax sales, grants, patents and a few war grants. All original papers are held at the Massachusetts State Archives and they have been published in The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol 4-8. Between 1824 and 1891 the Maine Land Office took over the task of land distribution, records are located at the Maine State Archives (maps, field notes and deeds starting 1794 as Massachusetts deeds). A brochure entitled "Land Office Records in the Maine State Archives" is available from the archives. Land grant applications from the Revolutionary War are also available.

Land transactions are recorded at the county level and are available in the county deed office. PENOBSCOT COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS (note that many deeds are also online)

SUSAN F. BULAY REGISTER OF DEEDS 97 Hammond St Bangor, ME 04401 (207) 942-8797

Libraries
Holdings at the Bangor Public Library http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/spcoll/ http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/spcoll/localhistory.htm Telephone Reference: Call us during regular Monday - Thursday, 9 AM to 8 PM; Friday &amp; Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM; Closed Sunday (207) 947-8336, ext. 126 (207) 945-6694 fax Mailing Address: 145 Harlow Street Bangor, Maine 04401-4903 Submit a question via email: reference@bpl.lib.me.us

Use Instant Messaging to ask a question: http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/askalibrarian.html The instant messaging librarian is usually available Tuesday – Friday 9:00 to 5:00 and Mondays 12:00 to 8:00 (winter hours). This schedule may fluctuate and does not take into account breaks and lunch so check the online/offline icon for current status

Directories The Bangor, Brewer and Penobscot County directory ... Boston: Littlefield Directory Publishing Co., 1851-92. 974.131.A1

General - Marriage returns of Penobscot County, Maine prior to 1892 / edited by Ruth Gray. Camden, Me.: Picton Press, c1994. 929.1741.M3495m v.1-2 - "Paper talks" in Northern Penobscot. Bangor, Me.: Impact Publications, 1978- 974.13.19 - Twelfth census of the United States: Bradford Town, 1900 / compiled by Stephen L. Corliss. 974.13 .B4 .3 - Abstracts of Penobscot County Maine probate records, 1816-1866 : including abstracts of probate records from Hancock County, 1790-1816, relating to that part of Hancock County set off as Penobscot County in 1816 / edited by Ruth Gray. Camden, Me.: Picton Press, c1990. REF 929.37413.A164a - Genealogical index to Penobscot County history of Maine, 1882: published by Williams, Chase &amp; Co. / abstracted by Mrs. Edward W. Ames. [Brewer, Me.]: Ames, 1973. 974.13.1a - Mrs. Patrick/Joseph Wheeler of Ireland and Penobscot County, Maine, and some of his descendents / by Mrs. Murray O. Wheeler. Tolland, Conn.: Clinton Press, [etc.], 1977 929.2.W566p v.1-2 - Penobscot pioneers / by Philip Howard Gray. Camden, Me.: Penobscot Press, 1992-1994 929.1 .G794p v.1 -6 - Early Farnham families of Hancock, Penobscot, and Lincoln Counties, Maine / by Russell C. Farnham. Lecanto, FL.: Russell C. Farnham; 1994. 929.2 F235e - History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches. Cleveland, Williams, Chase &amp; Co., 1882. Williams, Chase &amp; Co., Cleveland (Ohio) 974.13.1 - Storms, Roger C. A history of three corners. Lee, Me., Lee Academy, 1971. 974.102.S885h - The pilgrim way / by Marion Edna Reed Kimball. Portland, Me.: House of Falmouth, c1962. 974.108.K565p - Penobscot County (Me.) Abstracts of Penobscot County Maine probate records, 1816-1866 : including abstracts of probate records from Hancock County, 1790-1816, relating to that part of Hancock County set off as Penobscot County in 1816 / edited by Ruth Gray. Camden, Me.: Picton Press, c1990. 929.37413.A164a - Penobscot County (Me.) Abstracts of Penobscot County Maine probate records, 1816-1883 : including abstracts of probate records from Hancock County, 1790-1816, relating to that part of Hancock County set off as Penobscot County in 1816 / edited by Ruth Gray. Camden, Me.: Picton Press, c1993. REF 929.37413 .A164ab

Maps - Penobscot County, State of Maine / compiled from Prentiss &amp; Carlisle Co. Inc. surveys, U.S.G.S., and information on file; Paul E. Atwood, topographer. 912.7413 .P919p - The old maps of southern Penobscot County, Maine in 1875 / as compiled by Comstock &amp; Cline, New York. Fryeburg, Me.: Saco Valley Printing, c1985. 912.7413.O44o Atlas of Penobscot county, Maine: from recent and actual surveys &amp; records / under the superintendence of W.A. Sherman. New York: Comstock &amp; Cline, 1875. 912.7413.C739a

Microfilm - United States. Census Office. 11th census, 1890, Schedules enumerating Union veterans and widows of Union veterans of the Civil War : Maine. [microform], Washington: National Archives, 1948 F973.7441.A3 part 1 and part 2

Also available are censuses on microfilm: - State of Maine Census for 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1920 - The indexes for these censuses are located in the Microfilm Room for easy reference: - United States. Census Office. 1st census, 1790 Title Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Maine, Washington, Govt. Print Off., 1908 929.1741.U58 Maine 1800 territorial census index, Salt Lake City, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1979 929.3741.J137m 1800 - Maine 1810 census index Publisher Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, c1976 929.3741.J137m 1810 - Maine 1820 census index Publisher Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, c1976 929.3741.J137m 1820 - Maine 1830 census index Publisher Bountiful, Utah Accelerated Indexing Systems, c1977 929.3741.J137m 1830 - Maine 1840 census index Publisher Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, c1978 929.3741.J137m 1840 - Maine 1850 census index Publisher Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, c1978 929.3741.J137m 1850

Vital Records - Source: Vital Records of Bangor, ME Births 1795-1917, Deaths 1800-1892, Marriages 1834-1892 Location: Births and Deaths in book form at back of room in glass cabinet, 974.131.1 Microfilm found in boxes in the microfilm room.

City Directories - Source: Bangor/ Brewer City Directories 1834-1869 (scattered years) 1869+ Location: early years are kept in the vault and can be asked for at the Reference Desk those from 1869+ are located in the Bangor Room (974.131.A1)

Obituary Index - Source: Bangor Daily News Index, contains obituary listings under the heading Families and Individuals-(Name of Family) Location: in wooden boxes at end of Bangor Room - Source: Bangor Daily Commercial, obituary lists from 1914-1922 Location: in file cabinet in Reference Dept.under heading Bangor-Vital Records - Source: Bangor/Brewer City Directory Death Lists, 1909-1916 Location: in file cabinet in Reference Dept. under the heading Bangor-Vital Records - Source: Obituary Notices of Bangor and Other Maine People Taken From Bangor Newspapers, Feb. 1916 - July 19,1927 Location: in Bangor Room (974.131.O12)

Cemetery Records - Source: Mount Hope Cemetery Interment Listing, lists names from 1861+ Location: last shelf on left-hand side of the Bangor Room, or on the Internet at http://www.mthopebgr.com/heritage.html - Source: Bangor City Cemetery Interment Records Online http://www.bangormaine.gov/cs_inf_internmentlist.php - Source: List of Bangor Cemeteries and how to obtain records Location: Ask for in the Bangor Room Family Histories - Source: One Branch of the Keefe or Keeffe Family of Bangor, ME (this is just one example of a family history ) Location: family histories are found on right-hand side of the Bangor Room in the 929. section alphabetically arranged by surnames

Bangor Histories - Source: Bangor Historical Magazine, 1885-1892 Location: in Bangor Room (974.1.M28) - Source: Bangor, Maine 1769-1914 : an architectural history Location: in Bangor Room (974.131.T372.b)

Bangor Church Records - Source: The Church Directory of Bangor and Brewer, Containing the Names, Location, List of Officers, Order of Services, and Membership of The Different Churches 1894 Location: in Bangor Room (277.41.B22.1) *This is just one example. Other church records may be found by looking in the old wooden card catalog under Bangor, ME. (name of church) or Bangor, (ME)-

Churches - Penobscot County Records - Source: Genealogical Index to Penobscot County History of Maine, 1882 Location: in Bangor Room (974.13.1a) - Source: Marriage Returns of Penobscot County, Maine Prior to 1892 Location: in Bangor Room (929.1741.M3495m) - Source: Abstracts of Penobscot County Maine Probate Records, 1816-1883 Location: in Bangor Room (929.37413 .A164ab) - Source: U. S. Census Records for Penobscot County, 1800-1920 Location: boxes of microfilm found on shelves at end of left-hand side of Bangor Room (929.3741.J137.m), along with book indexes for films Civil War and War of 1812 - Source: History of Penobscot County, Maine (lists Bangor participants in these Wars) Location: in Bangor Room (974.13.1a) - Source: Second to None : the story of the 2d Maine volunteer infantry : "the Bangor regiment" Location: in Bangor Room (973.7441.M923.s) - Source: Eastern Maine and the Rebellion : being an account of the principal local events in eastern Maine during the war Location: found in the Bangor Room (973.7441.B3) *for more info. on Maine in the Civil War and individual regiments, check the 973.7441… section in the Bangor Room

Yearbooks - Source: Oracle, Bangor High School 1892+ Location: ask for at Reference Desk (373.741.B224.o) - Source: Bapstonian 1946-1957, Crusader 1958+, John Bapst Location: ask for at Reference Desk (373.741.J62.b) - Source: Bangor High School Catalog, 1894-1936, 1953-4 Location: right hand side of Bangor Room (379.741.B22) - Source: Catalogue of the Girl's High School, 1851-1860 Location: right hand side of the Bangor Room (373.741.B22) ________________________________________ Bangor Newspaper Index Located at the Back of the Bangor Room: Index of names, places, businesses, schools, and death, birth or marriage records. Articles are referenced to the specific day and page of a newspaper. Ask for assistance at the reference desk or in the Bangor Room. Maine State Libraries

• Maine State Library, State House Station 64, Augusta, ME 04333, www.state.me.us/msl Located at the Maine Cultural Center. The east wing of the building houses the Maine State Library, which has the largest collection of town histories and family genealogies in the state, microfilm holdings of newspapers, town reports after 1902, and the two collections of cemetery indexes.

• Maine Historical Society Library, 485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101, www.mainehistory.org Open to nonmembers for a nominal fee, this superior col-lection includes extensive printed works on state and family history, and manuscripts (see Maine Periodicals, Newspapers, and Manuscript Collections). Its website includes access to an ongoing, online genealogical discussion forum to post and retrieve queries.

Penobscot County Libraries Bradford - John B. Curtis Free Public Library 435 Main Rd Bradford, ME 44103 Phone: (207) 327-2939

Brewer Public Library 100 South Main Street Brewer, ME 44122 Phone: (207) 989-7943

Carmel - Simpson Memorial Library 8 Plymouth Road Carmel, ME 44190 Phone: (207) 848-7145

Charleston Public Library Main Road Charleston, ME 44229 Phone: (207) 285-3680

Corinna - Stewart Free Library 8 Levi Stewart Drive Corinna, ME 49289 Phone: (207) 278-2454 Website

Corinth - Atkins Memorial Library 360 Main Street Corinth, ME 44273 Phone: (207) 285-7226

Dexter - Abbott Memorial Library 1 Church Street Dexter, ME 49301 Phone: (207) 924-7292

East Millinocket Public Library 53 Main Street East Millinocket, ME 44301 Phone: (207) 746-3554

Enfield - Cole Memorial Library 789 Hammett Road Enfield, ME 44934 Phone: (207) 732-4270

Garland - Lyndon Oak Memorial Library Main Road Garland, ME 49399

Glenburn Library 991 Hudson Road Glenburn, ME 44011 Phone: (207) 942-9897

Hampden - Edythe Dyer Community Library 269 Main Road North Hampden, ME 44441 Phone: (207) 862-3550

Howland - Thomas Free Library 8 Main Street Howland, ME 44480

Lincoln Memorial Library 21 West Broadway Lincoln, ME 44571 Phone: (207) 794-2765

Mattawamkeag Public Library Main Street Mattawamkeag, ME 44590 Phone: (207) 736-7013

Millinocket Memorial Library 5 Maine Avenue Millinocket, ME 44621 Phone: (207) 723-7020

Newport Public Library 145 Main Street Newport, ME 49531 Phone: (207) 368-5074

Old Town Public Library 46 Middle Street Old Town, ME 44681 Phone: (207) 827-3972

Orono Public Library 16 Goodridge Drive Orono, ME 44734 Phone: (207) 866-5060

Orrington Public Library 15 School Street Orrington, ME 44743 Phone: (207) 825-4938

Patten - Veterans Memorial Library 30 Main Street Patten, ME 47650 Phone: (207) 528-2164

Stetson Public Library 70 Village Road Stetson, ME 44880 Phone: (207) 296-2020

Kenduskeag - Case Memorial Library 911 Stetson Road Kenduskeag, ME 44500 Phone: (207) 884-8598

Levant Heritage Library 3519 Union Street Levant, ME 44560 Phone: (207) 884-8988 Holdings at the Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT • History of Penobscot County, Maine : with illustrations and biographical sketches, 1826-1882 • Miscellaneous cemeteries [of Maine] - Microfilm of typescript (24 leaves). Contains records from Drew Cemetery in Drew Plantation in Penobscot County. • Some cemeteries near Bangor, Maine. Includes indexes, presented by Frances Dighton Williams Chapter, Daughters of American Revolution, Bangor, Maine, March 1942, Maine, Penobscot - Cemeteries • Census 1860, 1870, 1880 Deer Isle &amp; Isle au Haut, etc., Maine Noyes, Benjamin Lake, 1870-1945, Microfilm of mss. (typescripts, photocopies of manuscripts, 279 leaves). Contains census records for Bangor and Orrington, 1810; Deer Isle &amp; Isle au Haut, 1860; Deer Isle, Penobscot Bay islands, selected families of Vinalhaven, North Haven, and Matinicus Island, 1870; Deer Isle, Isle au Haut and Stonington, 1880. • Census of the Penobscot tribe of Indians : as compiled by the tribal comittee on February 11, 1971, at Indian Island, Maine Penobscot Nation. Tribal Committee, Includes births, marriages, deaths, and a census for the year 1971. Cover title: Penobscot Indian Nation, Indian Island, Maine, February 11, 1971. • Bangor (Maine) city directories, Microfilm of original records held by various libraries and societies. 17 microfiches ; 9 microfilm reels ; 11 x 15 cm. ; 35 mm. • Directory of Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, Old Town, Orono and Veazie : combining five separate and distinct directories. Portland, Maine : Fred. L. Tower Co., 1930 • Records from Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, Maine : family records Daughters of the American Revolution. Frances Dighton Williams Chapter (Bangor, Maine), Includes indexes. Microfilm of typescript in the D.A.R. Library, Washington, D.C. 208 leaves. Contains genealogies of Benjamin Atherton, Humphrey Bradstrret, Capt. William Gerrish, and Isaiah Gould Mayo. • Days before yesterday in Springfield, Maine, 1834-1984, Leona Frances Brown and Frances Webster, Centennial celebrations, etc., includes index. • History of Penobscot County, Maine : with illustrations and biographical sketches, 1826-1882, Microfilm of original published: Cleveland, Ohio : Williams, Chase &amp; Company, 1882. 922 p., [87] leaves of plates : ill., maps, ports. • The Mattanawcook observer : a magazine of local history and genealogy for Lincoln, Maine, and surrounding towns, For further information see website: http://www.free-magazine-subscriptions-business-publications.com/prd136631.php (as of 11 Oct 2005). • Deeds 1814-1860 ; indexes 1814-1859 -- Penobscot County (Maine) Penobscot County (Maine).

Register of Deeds • Penobscot County, Maine land ownership map, 1859 Library of Congress. Geography and Map Division • The old maps of southern Penobscot County, Maine in 1875, "These pages contain 85 maps of southern Penobscot County as it was in 1875, as compiled by Comstock &amp; Cline, New York." • Naturalization records (Penobscot County, Maine), 1834-1958 Maine. Supreme Judicial Court (Penobscot County) • Abstracts of Penobscot County, Maine probate records, 1816-1866 : including abstracts of probate records from Hancock County 1790-1816, relating to that part of Hancock County set off as Penobscot County in 1816 Gray, Ruth • Probate records 1816-1893; index 1816-1866 Maine. Probate Court (Penobscot County) • Marriages of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Old Town, Maine, 1860-1960 : including 1836-1892 Franco-American marriages recorded in the civil registers of Bangor, Bradley, Brewer, Old Town, and Orono, and the death records of St. Joseph to 1946 Chenard, Robert E. • Record of marriages in Penobscot County, Maine, 1827-1888 • Marriage returns of Penobscot County, Maine : prior to 1892, edited by Ruth Gray • Maine, 1743-1891 "Contains information of approximately 230,000 individuals who were married between 1709 and 1917 in select Maine counties.... The date range for this title was chosen to reflect the range in which most marriages fall. Some marriages included on this CD occurred before the dates listed, and some occurred after those dates. Information was collected from the following Maine counties and time periods: Androscoggin (1789-1898), Cumberland (1709-1901), Franklin (1784-1879), Hancock, (1788-1875), Kennebec (1742-1893), Knox (1835-1888), Lincoln (1756, 1818-1829), Penobscot (1794-1889), Piscataquis (1801-1892), Sagadahoc (1688-1917), Somerset (1822-1863), Waldo (1774-1892), Washington (1772-1891), York (1714-1891). For each listed individual, you can generally obtain the ... individual's name, his or her spouse's name, the marriage date, and the county where the marriage was recorded" -- From back of case.

Maps
• One superb map can be extensively used for research and traveling, detailing town divisions, geographical details, road surface types, routes of transportation, and locations of cemeteries. This map is the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, which is published in updated versions by DeLorme Publishing of Freeport, Maine. • A bicentennial project edited by Gerald E. Morris entitled The Maine Bicentennial Atlas and Historical Survey (Portland: Maine Historical Society, 1976) is a superb composite of historical maps from the earliest grants and charters to the present. Railroad, lumbering, mining, recreation, population changes, court regions, and election districts illustrate the depth of this resource for genealogical purposes. • Atwood’s Length and Breadth of Maine includes helpful maps of towns. Maine State Archives has a computerized index of its fine map collection for Maine after statehood, but it is the Massachusetts State Archives that holds the important plotting maps for the pre-statehood development of Maine. Included in many of the maps are location of residences and names of owners. • Saco Valley Publishing, 76 Main St., Fryeburg, ME 04037, has been reprinting excellent county editions of nineteenth-century maps indicating occupants’ names for each structure.

Military
• For service in wars before statehood, refer to Massachusetts. However, a few printed sources have attempted to extract Maine soldiers from the Massachusetts holdings, notably Charles J. House's Names of Soldiers of the American Revolution who Applied for State Bounty...in Land Office (1893; reprint; Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967); Charles A. Flagg's An Alphabetical Index of Revolutionary Pensioners Living in Maine (1920; reprint; Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967); and Carleton and Sue Fisher's Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots of the Revolutionary War Maine (Louisville, Ky.: National Society Sons of the American Revolution, 1982). • The Maine State Archives has a card index of each Civil War soldier and grave records for Revolutionary, Civil War, and War of 1812 soldiers as well as service records through World War I. More recent records can be found at the Bureau of Veterans Services, State House Station no. 117, Augusta, Maine 04333. • The adjutant general's holdings for Maine, which include militia on state service in wars, state yearly published reports on Civil War soldiers. World War I and II reports are held at the Maine State Archives. The Spanish-American War service records are held but not published. • For further information, consult: Neagles, James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1994.

Newspapers

 * Bangor Daily News - 8,500+ issues digitized and freely available at Google News Archive; spans 1970-2008
 * Bangor Daily Whig and Courier ($)- newspaper spanning 1837-1900 (incomplete) at Newspaper Archive
 * Bangor Daily News - Includes obituary listings for the past week.
 * Bangor Daily News - ($) 1992-Today. Obituaries. at GenealogyBank
 * Bangor Weekly Register (Index Free, Digital pages $) - 1815-1827 at GenealogyBank.
 * Maine Newspaper Project - ,the Maine Newspaper Project
 * Maine Newspaper Archive. Indexes free; digital page images $ (GenealogyBank $) Twenty-two early Maine 18th and 19th century newspapers, 1785-1898 online. Indexes (free); digital images ($). These newspapers are from Augusta, Bangor, Belfast, Brunswick, Castine, Eastport, Falmouth, Hallowell, Kennebunk, Portland, Saco and Wiscasset.
 * Local library and historical societies as well as the Maine Historical Society and Maine State Library have indexes to various newspaper vital statistics. The largest collection of microfilmed newspapers can be found at the University of Maine’s Folger Library at Orono, which has a computer printout of listings with their holdings. They also supply a typescript, “Maine Newspapers in the Smaller Maine Public Libraries.” An online article on Maine newspapers, their location, and genealogical usefulness by Russell Farnham, CG, can be found through membership to www.americanancestors.org
 * Newspapers ever published in Penobscot County - via the Library of Congress, Chronicling America:

Probate
Penobscot County Probate Court 97 Hammond Street, Bangor, Maine 04401 Phone: 207-942-8769 Fax: 207-941-8499

• Oct 2010: You are allowed to access our files except for adoptions after August 8, 1953 which are confidential. Our records cover the period of 1816 to present. Our office hours are 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. You do not need an appointment. We are open during the lunch hours. We are closed Thursday, November 11 and Thursday, November 25 and Friday November 26. Copies are $1 per page. • Maine Wills, 1650-1760 (1887), William Sargeant, reprint Baltimore Genealogical Publishing Company, 1972. • Maine Probate Abstracts, 1687-1800, John E. Frost, Salt Lake City: Microfilm Service Corp., 1986-87)

Records Destroyed
• All Garland, Maine vital records from before 1888 were destroyed in a fire. • 1890 Federal Census for Maine was completely destroyed by fire

Vital Records
Vital records are also kept by town clerks or selectmen. Although some towns have existed since the 1650s, most vital records date from about 1700. The vital statistics are often arranged by family. Before 1892, records of births, marriages, and deaths were kept by the towns and cities of Maine. Some municipalities kept good records, some kept no records, and some kept adequate records only to have them lost to fire, flood, or storage in private homes. The information on these municipal records is in most cases sparser than found on more modern records. Marriages and deaths, for example, rarely listed parents' names or the parties' places of birth. When, in the 1920's, the State requested copies of pre-1892 vital records from the towns, only about 80 towns responded (these records are available at the Maine State Archives).The Maine State Archives holds original vitals from 1892-1922 and microfilmed records from 1922-1955 including a bride’s index (1892-present), groom’s index (1956-present) and a death index (1955-present).

Maine State Archives: http://www.state.me.us/sos/arc/research/homepage.html, Maine State Archives, LMA Building, State House Station 84, Augusta, ME 04333, To contact staff for questions regarding their holdings, email the Research Room or by phone at (207) 287-5795. Online indexes are available for marriages (1892-1996, excluding 1967-1976) and deaths (1960-96).

Maine State Archives is the state’s official repository for state governmental records, beginning with 1639 court records and including many war and genealogical records for the state. In addition it holds all census records, adjutant general’s records, most court records, Maine land office records, a few county marriage returns, and the updated microfilm collection of extant Maine town records. Researchers will find the Maine Historical Records Repository Guide on the Maine State Archives website

Vital record copies may be obtained from: Maine Department of Human Services Office of Data Research and Vital Statistics 244 Water Street 11 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 Telephone: (207) 287-3181 Toll Free: 1-888-664-9491 e-mail: lorraine.wilson@maine.gov http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/phs/odrvs/vital-records/index.shtml

The Vital Records Unit located at 244 Water Street in Augusta, is available to take walk in requests. There is a 24 hour turnaround time for all requests made in person. You will be given a choice to have your records mailed to you, or you can pick them up the following business day.

Penobscot County Clerk 97 Hammond Street Bangor, ME 04401 (207) 942-8535

Bangor birth, death and marriage copies are available for $7.00 each from:

City Clerk 73 Harlow Street Bangor, ME 04401 Info: (207) 945-4400 Fax: (207) 945-4449

• In addition to how-tos on Maine genealogy, this archives site serves up a searchable marriage index (1892 to 1996, with a gap from 1967 to 1976) and death index (1960 to 1996). http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/genealogy.html

• Vitalrec.com http://www.vitalrec.com/mecounties.html, gives addresses of town and county record locations usually listing a price for records and year range of holdings.

Societies and Libraries
Penobscot County Genealogical Society http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs/

Society founded in 2002, site lists several volunteers who will assist with local research gratis (or copying fees), the membership year runs October 1st - September 30th, and dues are $10.00 for an individual membership or $15.00 for a family membership.

The Penobscot County Genealogical Society meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. Meetings are held at the Bangor Public Library.

A newsletter is published every other month (October, December, February, April, June and August). It included meeting news, queries, research tips, member experiences with research (both successes and disappointments), genealogical website recommendations, announcements of other society events, and much more. Earlier newsletters 2002-2009 are published on their website in .pdf format. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mepcgs/newsletter/newsletter.htm

University of Maine at Orono Raymond H. Folger Library Special Collections Dept. Orono, ME 04469 www.library.umaine.edu

In addition to focusing heavily on Orono, the collection has state, county, and town histories as well as special collections of various Maine families.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Bangor Maine Family History Center

Web Sites

 * The Penobscot County MEGenWeb Project, an member of The MEGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Penobscot County
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Penobscot County (backup site)
 * Family History Library catalog for Penobscot County
 * There is a very good article for Maine, Nicholas Noyes and Jamie Kingman Rice, "A Guide to Genealogical Research in Maine", New England Ancestors, Summer 2008, 19-25. It is available through PERSI and on the NEHGS website (available to members only): http://www.newenglandancestors.org/publications/nea_nea_summer2008_vol9_3_toc.asp
 * History of Penobscot County, Maine 1882; with illustrations: http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028809576ca
 * General • MEGENWEB: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megenweb/vitalrecords/mevrpage.html#penob, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megenweb/ • Maine Memory Network: http://www.mainememory.net/, a project of the Maine Historical Society, provides access to thousands of historical items belonging to over 200 organizations from across Maine. • For a complete listing of repositories in the state that offer some records related to family history, see http://www.mainemuseums.org/ • http://www.state.me.us/portal/facts_history/genealogy.html • Maine Archives Interactive: https://www.maine.gov/online/archives/, Search databases and find out if records are available in the Maine State Archives or are currently held by other State agencies. Records held by the Archives may be ordered online. Browse fee schedule for general guidance, then order. A staff member will then contact you with the cost of your particular order and instructions for payment. Deeds and Land Records • PENOBSCOT COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS Internet Access site https://www.penobscotdeeds.com/ At this site we give the public full access to the same records available to anyone using the computer search screens in our office. Please note that this site is under construction and more search options will be added in the near future. We have made available to you the following: Recorded Land Document indexes &amp; images from 1967 to the present. Recorded Land Document images from June 1964 through 1966. Recorded Land Scanned Index by Name from 1900 through 1966. Recorded Land Plan indexes and images from 1814 to the present. Tax Maps: indexes &amp; images Unrecorded Plans: indexes &amp; images
 * Index to Maine State Archives Revolutionary War Land Grants and Pension Applications: http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives/military/grants/index.html

Other sites of interest • Special 1837 Census of Unincorporated Townships and Plantations of Penobscot County: http://www.penobscotcountymegen.info/med_1837_cen.htm • Bangor Museum: http://www.bangormuseum.com/html/collections.htm, 10,000 photographic prints, daguerreotypes, tintypes, glass plate negatives, and postcards of local and regional interest. It extends from the early days of photography in the 1840s to the present day and includes 240 photographs, recently discovered, of Dow Air Force Base. • MEPENOBS. A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Penobscot County, Maine. To subscribe send "subscribe" to mepenobs-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or mepenobs-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode). • Cyndi’s List: http://www.cyndislist.com/me-local.htm