Maine, State Archive Collections - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection includes the following various county records:


 * Military 1775 to 1865
 * Naturalization and citizenship 1790 to 1913
 * Court 1636 to 1929
 * Land 1794 to 1964

Most of the records are military records and are handwritten on preprinted forms.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

The records in this collection are for the years 1790 to 1966.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, or archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The records generally include the following information:


 * Date of the event, transaction, or recording with the county
 * Names of individual, witnesses, family members, sometimes neighbors
 * Ages
 * Relationships
 * Residences
 * Occupations
 * Signature or mark
 * Legal descriptions of land
 * Amount of money exchanged as part of business transactions

How to Use the Record
To search the collection, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the State, County, Town ⇒ Select the Record Category ⇒ Select the Record Description which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

The records in this collection are arranged by type of record and then by date. To begin searching these records you need to know the following:


 * The type of event
 * The place where the event occurred
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The name of the individual or individuals such as the names of the soldier, the deceased, or grantor and grantees

Search the Collection

To search the collection you will need follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the appropriate locality ⇒Select the type of records ⇒Select the appropriate sub-collection from those described. This takes you to the images

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the names, ages and residence church and census records.

Tips to Keep in Mind


 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * The name of the officiator at a christening, marriage, or burial may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * The information is generally reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant. Some transcription errors may have occurred.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites

 * Maine State Archives
 * Maine State Library

Related Wiki Articles

 * Maine Archives and Libraries
 * Maine Court Records
 * Maine Land and Property
 * Maine Military Records
 * Maine Naturalization and Citizenship

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Maine, State Archive Collections 1790-1966". images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 22 March 2012), Maine, State Archive Collections &gt; Maine, York County &gt; Court Records &gt; Court of General Sessions of the Peace vol. 07B 1718-1727 &gt; image 65 of 150, David Libby, 1723; citing court records, Maine State Archives, Augusta, Maine, United States.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.