Meetings

Past Programs

April 6, 2024 - Internet Archive

Genealogist, Thomas MacEntee, spoke about the Internet Archive, an online, digital library home to millions of free books,  movies, music, and more. It is also home to the "Wayback Machine," an archive of web pages to see how websites looked over time. 

March 2, 2024 - Probate

Kathleen Ayers, retired Kennebec County Register of Probate gave a presentation on probate records in Maine. She explained the types of proceedings that a register takes care of and where we can go to search for ancestral probate records. 

February 3, 2024 - DNA Webinar

The original presentation by Nancy Mason was changed to a video screening of a DNA class. We are hopeful that Nancy will present again later in the year.

January 6, 2024 - Vital Records by Stephen Pelsue

The presentation was a video on vital records in Massachusetts (and New England) from the Boston Public  Library, followed by a discussion about sources for vital records in Maine and beyond.  We all know how important vital records are as a primary source. This presentation highlighted ways to start a search for vital records as well as the different types of records and the information we expect to obtain.  From birth, marriage, and death records to divorce and probate records, all contain nuggets of information that help us build the story of our ancestors. 

December 2023 - no meeting held.

November 4, 2023 - Census Records presented by Stephen Pelsue

Stephen presented a program on the importance of census records in genealogical research including a video from the National Archives on the "P8," the Indian census. The focus of the talk was on how much information can be gleaned from each census record. 

October 7, 2023 - Where Do I Start? presented by Stephen Pelsue

This presentation focused on tracking your research through different forms. As an interactive meeting, Lois Knight shared her method of using a research form and notebook, and Gray Stabley gave a short presentation on Airtable. The importance of interviewing older relatives was also stressed, so the group paired off practicing interview skills with each other. 

September 9, 2023 - My Business Journey and A Case Study of Indirect Evidence presented by Gray Stabley

Gray is a former local television meteorologist who is now a long-haul truck driver and as of this year a professional genealogist. Gray discussed her journey from being a hobby genealogist to starting her own genealogy business. She also gave a case study proving the mother's identity of her 2nd great-grandmother even though there was not a single document that mentioned her. 

June 3, 2023 - Portrait of a 19th Century Family Through Their Lives presented by Linda McLoon

Linda is a long-standing member of the GPCMGS. She has a personal collection of letters tracing the Googins family of Scarborough. This presentation gave us a glimpse of their lives through this vast collection. 

May 16, 2023 - Family Tree Maker software presented by Mark Olsen

Since 2016, Mark has been an ambassador to historical and genealogical societies around the world. He gave a presentation on how to use Family Tree Maker software.

April 1, 2023 - Franco-American History and Genealogy with a Quebec to New England Focus presented by Craig Siulinski, M.Ed., 

Professional Educator, Writer, and Personal Historian

This presentation provided a detailed history of the Franco-American experience with references to where genealogical records can be found. We cannot begin the Franco-American story without providing historical perspectives of New France and in particular, the Province of Quebec. Other aspects of the story include the important topics of immigration and the influence of the mills on the lives of our Franco-American ancestors. 

March 4th, 2023  - Backstairs Initiative, Tracking Down the Servants and How to Use that Information to Build Their Story presented by Michelle Josephson, Site Manager at the Victoria Mansion in Portland.

The Victoria Mansion is a Portland treasure. Visitors can see ninety percent of the original 1860 architecture, artwork, and furniture, and learn about the two families who called the house home. For many years, however, there was not much known about the people who worked at the house as domestic servants. This volunteer initiative, in conjunction with the Maine Irish Heritage Center, seeks to bring their stories back into the narrative.