Otis, Hancock County, Maine Genealogy

Description
Otis, Maine at Wikipedia

In 1805, Isaac Frazier and Nathaniel M. Jellison from Union River Plantation, now a part of Ellsworth, and James Gilpatrick, Allen Milliken, from Thorndike (the land now called Trenton) felt the call to explore inland and moved to Otis.

Over the next 28 to 30 years, more and more people moved into the area. Some were drawn by the lumbering business, others were drawn to the land and built farms and supported themselves off the land. A close-knit community was developed. The settlement was named Plantation 8 by the government and included the towns that are now called Dedham and Otis.

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

Otis Town Clerk
Town of Otis Town Clerk 132 Otis Road Otis, ME 04605 Phone: (207)537-2211 Otis Website

Births

 * 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1739-1900 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1809-1875 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1835-1956 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Marriages

 * 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1771-1907 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1835-1956 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Deaths

 * 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1835-1956 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1841-1910 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1960-1996 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Resources
For more County and State resources see:

Cemeteries

 * Otis Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * 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 Otis, 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 Otis:

City Directories

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

Land Records

 * 1835-1838 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Maps
This selection incudes town, county, state, and historical maps
 * Boundary Map of Otis at HomeTownLocator
 * Otis at FamilySearch Places
 * Otis at Google Maps
 * Otis at Maine.gov

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

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 Otis town records available online:


 * 1835-1956 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Probate Records

 * 1584-1999 Maine, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1760-1979 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images