Washington County, Maine Genealogy
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Guide to Washington County, Maine ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Washington County was named for George Washington. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Washington County Courthouse
85 Court Street
Machias, Maine 04654
Phone: 207-255-6591
Washington County Website
Town Clerks have birth, marriage, death and burial records. Clerk of the Court has divorce and court records from 1931, probate records from 1785, land records from 1783 and naturalization records from 1854. Maine State Archives, Augusta, has divorce and court records before 1931.[2]
Washington County, Maine Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1892 | 1892 | 1892 | 1791 | 1783 | 1785 | 1790 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this census area:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Native American communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Unorganized territories | ||
Within each group townships are listed from southeast to northwest. For further details see Maine Townships.
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Plantations For further details see Maine plantations.
Extinct towns and plantations [6] [7]
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Occupations
- 1873-1965 Maine & Massachusetts, Case Files of Deceased and Deserted Seamen, 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; image only
- 1947-1954 Maine, Crew Lists Arriving at Robbinston, 1947-1954 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- 1620-2014 Maine, Tombstone Inscriptions, Surname Index, 1620-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1676-1918 Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
- 1718-2014 Maine, U.S., Tombstone Inscriptions, Surname Index, 1718-2014 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1780-1990 Maine, U.S., Faylene Hutton Cemetery Collection, 1780-1990 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
- ca. 1780-1999 Maine, J. Gary Nichols Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1790 | 2,760 | — |
| 1800 | 4,461 | 61.6% |
| 1810 | 7,870 | 76.4% |
| 1820 | 12,744 | 61.9% |
| 1830 | 21,294 | 67.1% |
| 1840 | 28,327 | 33.0% |
| 1850 | 38,811 | 37.0% |
| 1860 | 42,534 | 9.6% |
| 1870 | 43,343 | 1.9% |
| 1880 | 44,484 | 2.6% |
| 1890 | 44,482 | −0.0% |
| 1900 | 45,232 | 1.7% |
| 1910 | 42,905 | −5.1% |
| 1920 | 41,709 | −2.8% |
| 1930 | 37,826 | −9.3% |
| 1940 | 37,767 | −0.2% |
| 1950 | 35,187 | −6.8% |
| 1960 | 32,908 | −6.5% |
| 1970 | 29,859 | −9.3% |
| 1980 | 34,963 | 17.1% |
| 1990 | 35,308 | 1.0% |
| 2000 | 33,941 | −3.9% |
| 2010 | 32,856 | −3.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
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. For general information about Maine denominations, view the Maine Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Online Court Indexes and Records
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See Maine Land and Property for databases, early land grants to individuals, and more information.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1785-1895 Deeds Index 1785-1895 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1785-1903 Deeds 1785-1903 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1802-1839 Washington County records of deeds, 1802-1839 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1807-1830 Records of settlers on the Bingham Purchase lands, 1807-1830 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1835-1838 Maine Revolutionary War Bounty Land Applications, 1835-1838 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
- 1840-1899 Mortgage foreclosures 1840-1899 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1840-1912 Mortgage foreclosures index 1840-1912 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1861 Washington County, Maine land ownership map, 1861 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1882-1902 Record of deeds, v. Y-Z, ca. 1882-1902 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Washington County. They may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information, see Maine Local Histories.
- Eastport and Passamaquoddy : a Collection of Historical and Biographical Sketches. c1888. Compiled by William Henry Kilby. Eastport, Maine : Edward E. Shead & Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- A History of Three Corners. 1971. By Roger C. Storms. Lee, Maine : Lee Academy. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- 1676-1918 Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
Revolutionary War
- 1835-1838 Maine Revolutionary War Bounty Land Applications, 1835-1838 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
Civil War
- 1862-1865 Maine, Civil War Enlistment Papers, 1862-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
World War I
- 1914-1950 Maine, State Archives, World War I (WWI) Grave Cards, 1914-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1917-1919 Maine, World War I Draft Registration Index, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1918-1991 Maine, United States Naturalization Records, 1918-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- Maine Newspaper Project at DigitalMaine Repository
- from 1800 Maine, Washington County, deaths from Calais Advertiser, from 1800 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1860-1900 Vital records, Union Machias, 1860-1900 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1584-1999 Maine, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
- 1760-1979 Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; image only
- 1785-1893 Probate records 1785-1893 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1791-1953 Maine, Washington County, probate records, 1791-1953 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1826-1839 Probate records of the Northern District of Washington County, 1826-1839 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1888-1906 Will abstracts, v. W-1, 1888-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Maine tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records. For databases and more information, see Maine Taxation
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
In Maine, vital records are kept by town clerks or selectmen. Although some towns have existed since the 1650s, most vital records date from about 1700. The vital statistics are often arranged by family. For more information, see the Wiki page for the town and the Wiki page, Maine Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1715-1922 Maine, Birth Records, 1715-1922 at Ancestry ($)
- 1739-1900 Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1589-1966 Maine, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
- 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1670-1921 Maine, Marriage Index, 1670-1921, at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1713-1922 Maine, Marriage Records, 1713-1922, at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1771-1907 Maine Marriages, 1771-1907 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1892-1966; 1977-1996 Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1966, 1977-1996 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1892-1996 Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1996, at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1892-1966 Maine Marriages, 1892 - 1966 at MyHeritage - index ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
- 1761-1922 Maine, Death Records, 1761-1922, at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1841-1910 Maine Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1960-1996 Maine Death Index, 1960-1996 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1960-1997 Maine, Death Index, 1960-1997, at Ancestry.com ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Ellsworth Maine Family History Center
- Farmington Maine Family History Center
- Machias Maine Family History Center
- Rockland Maine Family History Center
- Waterville Maine Family History Center
- Maine State Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Washington County Historical Society
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- The Washington County MEGenWeb Project, an member of The MEGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for Washington County
- FamilySearch.org FamilySearch Catalog for Washington County
- Maine, Washington County Courthouse Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Washington County, Maine" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_County,_Maine."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Washington County, Maine page 305, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Washington County, Maine. Page 304-305 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 275.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Massachusetts.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Washington County, Maine," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_County,_Maine, accessed 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Before an extinct town was discontinued, it created official town records of interest to genealogists. For preservation these records were usually turned over to a nearby functioning town in the same county.
- ↑ Michael J. Leclerc, Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research, 5th ed. (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012), 117. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974 D27g 2012.