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Maine Research Outline |
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Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Maps
Military Records
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Town Records
Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions
HISTORY The following important events in the history of Maine affected political boundaries, record keeping, and family movements.
English settlements were begun at Saco, Biddeford, Scarboro, Cape Elizabeth, and Portland.
Troubles with the French and Indians continued until the fall of Quebec in 1759.
Massachusetts purchased the Gorges rights to the province of Maine.
The entire area was called York, a county of Massachusetts. Many of Maine's early residents are listed in Massachusetts records.
Lincoln and Cumberland counties were formed. These counties and York were called the Province of Maine of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Severe winters, rocky soil, and limited opportunities influenced the emigration of many inhabitants.
Maine was officially separated from Massachusetts in 1819 and became a state in 1820.
Some 10,000 troops from Maine were called into service during the Aroostook War to settle a boundary dispute between Maine and New Brunswick. The dispute was settled by treaty in 1842.
About 72,000 men from Maine served in the Union A comprehensive history of Maine is:
Hatch, Louis Clinton ed. Maine: A History. 5 vols. New York: American Historical Society, 1919. (FHL book 974.1 H2me; film 1750652 item 3; computer number 140233.) Part of volume three and all of volumes four and five contain bibliographic material. Volumes three, four, and five contain indexes.
Two bibliographies of local histories for Maine are:
Committee for a New England Bibliography. Maine, A Bibliography of Its History. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1977. (FHL book 974.1 H23c; computer number 12791.)
Williamson, Joseph. A Bibliography of the State of Maine from the Earliest Period to 1891. 2 vols. Portland, Maine: Thurston Print, 1896. (FHL book 974.1 A3w; film 928375 items 1-2; computer number 135026.) This work contains a comprehensive list of published works dealing with Maine history and families through 1891.
A helpful description of Maine state and county records from 1894 to 1932 is in:
American Historical Association. Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1908. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1909. (FHL book 973 C4ah; films for Maine 896558-59; computer number 261046.)
Land ownership in the colonial period can be traced to royal charters, proprietary grants, and Indian deeds. During this period, all of Maine was included in York County. You will find many of the early records for 1642 to 1737 in:
York Deeds. 18 vols. Portland, Maine: John T. Hull, 1887-1910. (FHL book 974.195 R2m; film 599904 item 3 through film 599914; on 186 fiche 6046839; computer number 172488.) Each volume is well indexed. Volume 10 is on film and fiche only.
In 1783 the Massachusetts Committee for the Sale of Eastern Lands was formed to sell unclaimed land and distribute grants to soldiers. In 1794 more than 2,000,000 acres were sold. The Family History Library has copies of these deed Massachusetts, Land Agent. Mass. Deeds, 1794-1860. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1954. (On 5 FHL films starting with 010248 item 3; computer number 175389.) Each volume is indexed.
From 1820 to 1853, the state of Maine purchased the remaining land from Massachusetts and held auctions to distribute it. The Land Office of Maine Maine. Land Office. Record of Deeds of the Land Office of Maine, 1824-1861. 10 vols. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1954. (FHL films 10238-41; computer number 175368.) Indexes are in the volumes.
The library also has applications made to the Land Office by Revolutionary War veterans or their widows after 1835 see:
Maine. Land Office. Revolutionary War Veterans Land Records. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1954. (FHL films 010249-60; computer number 175431.) Includes claims, applications, and declarations.
A partial index to these records is:
Charles J. House. Names of Soldiers of the American Revolution Who Applied for State Bounty, 1893. Reprint. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967. (FHL book 974.1 M2n; computer number 163161; film 1033754 item 16; film 010248; computer number 70891.) Film 010248 contains handwritten numbers of certificates next to the names of the soldiers and another index of names of soldiers who applied to Massachusetts for State Bounty under services rendered in the Revolutionary War. The land office records are at the Maine State Archives.
After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were recorded by the register of deeds in each county. The addresses and a description of each county's records are in the Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research (see the “For Further Reading” section of this outline).
The Family History Library has copies of most deed records to about 1860 or later for some counties. See the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under MAINE, [COUNTY] - LAND AND PROPERTY.
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1607-1632
1632-1759
1677
1716-1760
1760
until 1779, when the area became known as the District of Maine.
1816-1819
1819-1820
1838-1839
1861-1865
armed forces during the Civil War.
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LAND AND PROPERTY
Colonial Records
Post-Revolutionary War Records
and grant documents for 1794 to 1860:
was established in 1824 to distribute this land. The Family History Library has deed records from the land office for 1824 to 1861:
County Records
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