This guide contains a sample of The Newberry's resources on this topic. To locate additional resources, please check our catalog or consult a reference librarian.

Guides and Bibliographies

Frost, John E. Maine Genealogy: A Bibliographical Guide. Maine Historical Society, 1977. Call # Z1291 F76. Provides a comprehensive list of sources as well as research suggestions and descriptions of various collections in Maine that might be of use.

Haskell, John D. Maine: A Bibliography of Its History. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1977. Call # Local History Ref Z1291.C65 (2nd floor open shelf). Volume II of the Bibliography of New England History series. Consult entries for both counties and towns.

Schreiner, Bette A. Genealogical & Local History Books in Print. Maine, NY: Genealogical Books, 1992. Call # Local History Ref Z5313.U5 Y35 (2nd floor open shelf). Reference section for Maine genealogy (including sources organized by county) can be found in volume I, pages 644-655.

Wright, Norman Edgar. Genealogy in America. Salt Lake City, UT: Desert Book Co., 1968. Call # E6 .987. See volume 1: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine. Provides a guide to Maine genealogical resources as well as tips about how to approach various time periods in Maine’s history.

Atlases and Gazetteers

DenBoer, Gordon. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island: Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Call # G1201.F7A8 1993 (2nd floor open shelf).

Denis, Michael J. Maine Towns and Counties: What Was What, Where, and When. Oakland, ME: 1981. Call # folio F18 .D46. Useful guide for decoding place name changes and border moves.

Varney, George J. A Gazetteer of the State of Maine. Boston: B.B. Russell, 1881. Call # G841.93. Includes historical sketches of towns with treatment of first settlers and prominent citizens of the day.

Census

All federal census population schedules for Maine are available online through Ancestry.com. Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1820; however, the National Archives has set the schedules for Maine counties apart prior to that year. Census microfilm holdings complete for 1790 and 1810-1870. Published transcription for 1800. Partial holdings for 1880. 1890 special enumerations for Union veterans and widows. No 20th century holdings. Indexes for 1790-1850.

Periodicals

Maine Genealogist. Call # folio F18 M645. Succeeded Maine Seine (see below). Currently received by the Newberry.

The Maine Seine. Call # folioF18 M645. Quarterly newsletter of the Maine Genealogical Society. The Newberry has volume 9 (1987) through volume 12 (1990). Ceased publication 1990. Succeeded by Maine Genealogist (see above).

Porter, Joseph W. The Bangor Historical Magazine. Bangor, ME: 1891. Call # F 841 .01. A monthly periodical founded in 1885 that dealt principally with the early genealogy of Eastern Maine.

Source Materials and Local Histories

Check the computer catalog under the name of the town or city, as well as under the name of the county as a subject heading to determine the Newberry's holdings for Maine local histories and records. The following titles should also be of interest:

Bible Records, Cemetery and Family Records in the State of Maine. Saco, ME: 1954. Call # Case folio E 695292.216.

Frost, John E. Maine Probate Abstracts. Camden, ME: Picton Press, 1991. Call # Local History Ref F18.F76 (2nd floor open shelf). Volume 1: 1687-1775. Volume 2: 1775-1800.

Henry, Lorraine Rainwaters. Native American Directory: Vital Records of Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and Wisconsin. Bowie, MD: Heritage, 1998. Call # E 76.2 .H47. Names are organized alphabetically, not by region. Good source for a researcher who already has the name of their subject.

Lundberg, Gertrude W. Maine Family Bibles. Glenview, IL: 1970. Call # folio F18 .L86. A report of information (births, deaths, graduations, etc) collected from antique bibles of Maine families.

Maine Families in 1790. Camden, ME: Picton, 1988. Call # Local History Ref F18.G73 (2nd floor open shelf). Goal of this ongoing series is to document all of the families living in Maine at the time of the 1790 census.

Maine Old Cemetery Association Inscription Project. Call # Microfilm 531. Readings from over 3,000 cemeteries. Three series on sixteen reels. Consult computer catalog for contents.

Noyes, Sybil et al. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. Portland, 1939. Call # Local History Ref F17.N68 (2nd floor open shelf). Standard genealogical dictionary, alphabetically organized. Includes annotations.

Rohrbach, Lewis Bunker. Maine State Prisoners, 1824-1915. Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 2001. Call # F18 .R64. Lists prisoners in alphabetical order and includes age, birthplace, crime committed, and more.

Sargent, William M. Maine Wills 1640-1760. (Reprint) Bowie, Md.: Heritage, 1992. Call # Local History Ref F18.S24 (2nd floor open shelf). Originally published 1887. Full transcriptions.

York Deeds. Various publishers, 1888-1910. Call # K472.99. 18 vols. Maine deed transcriptions to 1737.

Military

Fisher, Carleton and Sue Fisher. Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots of the Revolutionary War - Maine. Louisville, KY: Sons of the American Revolution, 1982. Call #: Local History Ref E263.M4F54 (2nd floor open shelf). Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1820. Many Maine soldiers also listed in Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (Call # Local History Ref E263.M4M4 on 2nd floor open shelf). See also the Newberry pathfinder sheet Genealogical Research on Revolutionary War Patriots.

Maine Adjutant General. Annual Report. Augusta, 1862-67. Call # U1841.54. Rosters plus index volume.

Roster of Union Soldiers 1861-1865: Maine, New Hampshire. Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot, 1997. Call # Local History Ref E494.R67 (2nd floor open shelf). Volunteer listings, no draftees.