Penobscot, Hancock County, Maine Genealogy

Guide to Penobscot, Hancock ancestry, family history, and genealogy: parish register transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Description
Penobscot, Maine at Wikipedia

Penobscot was first organized from Township Number 3 East of Penobscot River, Livermore Survey (T3 EPR LS) (also known as Township Number 3 West of Union River) as Majorbigwaduce Plantation (also known as Magorbigwaduce, aka Magabagwaduce, aka Maja Bagadoose) prior to 1787. In 1787 this plantation was incorporated as the Town of Penobscot. Penobscot is a town and former plantation on the southwest side of Hancock County on the eastern shore of the Penobscot River and surrounding the headwaters of the Bagaduce River. It was settled in the 1760s by British subjects from west of the Penobscot River. It is named for the Native Americans who were there when European settlement began (first in Castine in 1613).

Town boundary changes: Penobscot set off land to form Castine in 1796; and more land to the same in 1817, 1839, and 1927. Penobscot set off land to form Brooksville in 1817. Land was also set off to Surry in 1843. Parts of Surry and Blue Hill were annexed in 1845; and part of Sedgwick was annexed in 1857.

Populated Places
Includes Neighborhoods, Villages, Unincorporated Communities, Districts, and Census-Designated Places:

Town Records
In New England most original vital records of birth, marriage, and death can be found at the town clerk's office

Penobscot Town Clerk
The town clerk is responsible for these records, and so most originals can be found at the town clerk's office. Town of Penobscot Town Clerk 1 Southern Bay Road Penobscot, ME 04476 Phone: (207)326-4364 Penobscot Website

Births

 * 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1732-1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1732-1940 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1739-1900 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1787 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Prior to 1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Prior to 1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Marriages

 * 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1732-1940 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1759-1777 Lincoln County, ME: Commissioners Marriage Records, 1759-1777 at American Ancestors — index ($), includes counties: Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Washington.
 * 1771-1907 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1787 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1788-1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Prior to 1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Prior to 1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1839-1874 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1977-Onward Maine, Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Deaths

 * 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1732-1940 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1787 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1841-1910 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * Prior to 1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Prior to 1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1960-1996 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Resources
For more County and State resources see:

Cemeteries

 * Penobscot Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * Hancock County Cemeteries at FamilySearch Places

Church Records
Historically, the largest religious groups in Maine were the Congregational, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Methodist churches. For general information about Maine denominations, view the Maine Church Records wiki page. To see the churches in Penobscot, visit FamilySearch Places. Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. The following are church records available online for the town of Penobscot:
 * 1734-1907 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1735-2006 (*) Allen County Public Library at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * Maine Church Records

City Directories

 * Various Dates U.S. City Directories, 1860-1960 at MyHeritage - index and images ($) some towns and years may be missing

Land Records
The following are online land records for the town of Penobscot:
 * 1763-1932 (*) by Dr. Benjamin Lake Noyes at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1789-1850 (*) Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1791-1864 (*) Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1807-1830 (*) Massachusetts. Agents for the Sale of Eastern Lands at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1824-1861 (*) Manuscript on Film; Maine Land Office at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1824-1964 (*) Manuscript on Digital Images; Maine State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1825-1874 (*) Maine Land Agent; Maine State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1832-1853 (*) Maine Land Agent at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1835-1838 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1841-1884 (*) Maine Land Agent; Maine State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1861-1900 (*) Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1931-1944 (*) compiled by Genealogical Society from Dr. Benjamin Lake Noyes newspaper collection at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * Maine Land and Property

Maps
This selection incudes town, county, state, and historical maps
 * Boundary Map of Penobscot at HomeTownLocator
 * McConnell's Historical Maps of the United States at Library of Congress
 * Old Maps of Maine at Old-Maps.com
 * Penobscot at FamilySearch Places
 * Penobscot at Google Maps
 * Penobscot at Maine.gov
 * Penobscot at Mapcarta
 * Maine Maps State Page

Military
Some Records are Searchable by Town

Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
For more Revolutionary War Military Records see:
 * Maine Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
 * United States Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

Civil War, 1861-1865
For more Civil War Military Records see:
 * Maine Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865
 * United States Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865

World War I, 1917-1918
For more World War I Military Records see:
 * Maine Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918
 * United States Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918

World War II, 1941-1945
For more World War II Military Records see:
 * Maine Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945
 * United States Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945

Newspapers

 * 1784-2023 York County, Maine Newspaper Archive at York Public Library - index & images

Other Town Records
In Maine, most records are kept at the town level and generally began being kept at the founding of the town. These records may include the following: The following are Penobscot town records available online:


 * 1732-1940 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Probate Records
In Maine, most probate records are kept at the town level. The following are online probate records for the town of Penobscot:
 * 1584-1999 Maine, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1640-1760 (*) Compiled and Edited with Notes by William M. Sargent at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1760-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Maine Probate Records

FamilySearch Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Bangor Maine FamilySearch Center
 * Ellsworth Maine FamilySearch Center
 * Machias Maine FamilySearch Center
 * Rockland Maine FamilySearch Center
 * Waterville Maine FamilySearch Center
 * Camden Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Maine State Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Local genealogy may be accessed at http://sites.rootsweb.com/~mecpenob/ and http://www.penobscot-maine.com/genealogy.