City Government
City Clerk, Genealogy
Local Level
The Office of the City Clerk is routinely visited, called, and contacted by genealogists. Our birth, death, and marriage records date back to the early 1800's. Marriage records are open to the public. Birth and Death records may only be researched by the public for the years preceding 1900. More recent records are confidential and are only available to family members or other persons with a legitimate interest.
All of our vital records are filed and recorded by date, with no cross references. Requests for records that include a date require a search fee of $5 (which includes a copy of the record, if found). Records that have no date require a research fee of $10 per ten year increment (which includes a copy of the record, if found). Genealogy research can be done by either visiting our office or by requesting searches through the mail. Please be advised that, due to short staffing during lunchtimes, genealogy searches can not be performed between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
If you need a copy of the record, the fee for a certified copy is $10.00 (additional copies of the same record are $5.00 each) and photocopies are $5.00. The fees collected for these records contribute to the cost of retention and preservation of these records of family histories.
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State Level Resources
Maine State Archives - Birth, marriage and death records for each town in the state from 1892-1922.
84 State House Station
Cultural Building
Augusta, ME 04333-0084
Search Room (207) 287-5788
State Records Center (207) 287-5792
http://www.state.me.us/sos/arc/
Office of Vital Statistics - Birth, marriage and death records for each town in the state from 1923 - present. Also maintains divorce records from state courts. Will accept credit cards.
211 State St.
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
(207) 287-6490
http://www.state.me.us/dhs
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Regional & National Level
Patten Free Library Genealogy Room - Regarded by some as the best genealogy history room in Maine.
33 Summer St.
Bath, ME 04530
Maine State Historical Society - Center for Maine History.
Library Research Center
485 Congress St.
Portland, ME 04101
http://www.mainehistory.org
Maine Maritime Museum - Particularly helpful if ancestors had a shipping or a maritime background.
Washington St.
Bath, ME 04534
National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution - Exclusive cemetery indexes, data from graves of Revolutionary War soldiers, and more.
(202) 879-3229
New England Historic Genealogy Society - Boston. Nation's oldest society.
(607) 536-5740
Military records, Old Census records, Ship's Passanger Lists, etc.
See website listing for National Archives.
http://www.nara.gov
CDC - For out-of-state birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates, please see the National Center for Health Statistics site on "Where to Write for Vital Records"
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm
Biddeford Franco American Genealogy Society - Located downstairs at the Walker Library in Biddeford, Maine.
Camille Bolduc, Director
(207) 284-4167
American-Canadian Genealogical Society of Manchester, NH. They are the largest American-Canadian genealogical library in the USA, with a membership of over 3,000.
http://www.acgs.org
American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island - A database of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island from 1892 - 1924. An estimated 40 percent of all immigrants passed through here when arriving in America.
http://www.ellisislandrecords.org
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Helpful Internet Websites
http://www/cyndislist.com/me.htm - Cyndi's List of Maine Genealogy Sites.
http://www.nara.gov - National Archives Site - census records from 1790 - 1920; military records Revolutionary War to WWI; military pension records; passport applications back to 1795; ship passenger lists; naturalization; more
http://www.usgenweb.org - Lists to state and county information
http://www.ancestry.com - Includes Social Security death index - find death records by date of death or SSN; databases; more
http://www.familysearch.org - Family History Library, Church of the Latter Day Saints/Mormons, Salt Lake City
http://www.cyndislist.com - Links to 42,000 genealogy sites - everything from ship's passenger lists to prison rolls
http://www.rootsweb.com - site lets you see who is looking for the same surnames you are
http://www.adoptions.com - good place to start genealogy research if you were adopted
http://www.lcweb.loc.gov/rr/genealogy - local history and genealogy reading rom, Library of Congress
http://www.genealogynews.com - online newsletter
http://ngsgenealogy.org - National Genealogical Society
http://www.pbs.org/kbyu/ancestors/ - PBS Television Series called "Ancestors"
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Helpful Hints
Prior to 1892, towns in Maine were not required to file records of birth, marriage, and death. Some towns have records before 1892, but these are not a complete recording of events.
Unsure where the event took place? Begin by contacting the state at (207)287-3181, they maintain copies of records from every town.
Be sure to check family bibles, city directories, obituaries, old maps, old photographs, town history books and old newspapers for information.
The Maine State Archives keeps a list of professional genealogists who will provide research services for a fee.
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