When a new friend said she was looking to learn more about DNA in genealogical research, I was pleased to say that Maine Genealogical Society will be including the topic more often in programming at its annual meeting in Brewer.
Just three days later, the Maine Genealogical Society newsletter sent out by Marlene Groves confirmed that. Maine Genealogical Society President Helen Shaw of Rockport has rounded up another enticing group of workshops for the Sept. 19 meeting at Jeff’s Catering, including a program on autosomal DNA by Nancy Mason. (If you stumbled over the word autosomal, that means DNA that is not sex-linked.)
I learned at the recent Maine Genealogical Society board meeting that people already have started registering for the annual meeting online at www.maineroots.org, but you also can register my mailing it in. OK, I admit that I probably will send in my registration on paper from the newsletter, but the check-off form has a mistake in scheduling, so do use the info included here.
The keynote at 9 a.m. will be “All in a Day’s Work: Occupational Genealogical Research,” with Michael Strauss, who is from Pennsylvania and Virginia and has been an accredited genealogist since 1995. This should be a most useful presentation.
My sister and her husband, who both work for True Textiles in Guilford, are the beginning of a line of textile-affiliated workers that go back to the parents of immigrant ancestor Alfred Hart of Dexter to the Stephen Hart of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, in the mid-1800s. I’m sure many of our readers have one or more occupations, such as fishing in Maine or Massachusetts, that involves several occupations.
After that talk, choices for the 10:45 a.m. breakout session are: “Genealogical Research in the Customs House Records,” Michael Strauss; or “Treasures in the Town Vault” with Kathy Montejo.
Noon is set aside for luncheon, vendors and topic tables, with the annual meeting at 1 p.m.
The 2 p.m. session offers “Work Skills of Old: Justice of the Peace Records,” with Michael Strauss; and “DNA Results: What Next: Preparing For and Working With Your Autosomal Results,” with Nancy Mason.
The 3:15 p.m. slot has “Secret Societies: Finding Your Ancestors in Fraternal Organizations,” with Michael Strauss; and “Maine Vital Records Access,” with Terri Roberts.
Here’s one of the reasons I encourage membership in the Maine Genealogical Society. The cost to the public, luncheon included, is $65 for the day, whereas Maine Genealogical Society members pay just $55, sent to Maine Genealogical Society, c/o Deborah Nowers, 72 Achorn Road, Belfast, ME 04915. Or you can sign up at www.maineroots.org.
To join Maine Genealogical Society, send $25 for Maine membership to Maine Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 2602, Waterville, ME 04903. If you forgot to renew your membership this year, you can do it now and still receive the full year’s journals and newsletters. The well-researched journal articles are well-worth the membership, but you also receive discount rates for attending meetings and purchasing the society’s dozens of publications, including vital records books and Maine Families in 1790.
Maine Genealogical Society members and the society have encouraged the reading and publication of Family Ties since 1984. Moreover, the society supports and publicizes activities of the many chapters and local societies around the state, such as the Penobscot County Genealogical Society. Local societies have dues for those who wish to join but are not charged a fee or dues by Maine Genealogical Society, you may wish to know.
I also want to mention that Maine Genealogical Society is considering a special daylong workshop on DNA research for next spring in Augusta.
‘Roots’ program on hold
PBS has put “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.” on hold after the controversy regarding the omission of Ben Affleck’s slave-holding ancestor from one of the episodes at Affleck’s request. The issue was made public a few months back, and I hope that the problem will not result in the loss of the coming season. Surveys show that genealogy is the second-most-popular hobby, and I think everyone has learned from this mistake.
For i nformation on researching family history in Maine, see Genealogy Resources under Family Ties at bangordailynews.com/browse/family-ties. Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402, or email familyti@bangordailynews.com.