One Word. Genealogy.

They are the Bones of My Bones

Cochran Cemetery

How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me?

I cannot say.

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can’t let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation.

It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe is called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers.

That is why I do genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones.

— By Della Joann McGinnis Johnson

Welcome to "The County!"

Genealogy is more than just names and dates showing relationships – it’s your family’s history. Discovering your family’s history will be a fascinating journey with surprises along the way. Genealogy can become a passion and an addiction – a good one. It can also be loads of fun. If you’re just starting out your genealogical research, we recommend that you begin with the FAQ page for responses to some Frequently Asked Questions that deal with genealogy in general and genealogy specific to Aroostook County. This website is intended to be a resource for people searching for ancestors from “The County.” Please feel free to look around. If you lose your way, you can always follow the breadcrumbs above or click on the link in the menu to the Site Map. If you don’t see what you are looking for, you can contact us at info@ac-gs.org. We will do our best to answer your questions and/or point you in the right direction to find the answers yourself. Good luck with your research.

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Odds and Ends

  • August 20, 2022 | 8:18 am

    “Femes soles” means women alone: unmarried, widowed, or divorced. They had a lot more rights than a feme covert. “Feme covert” means married woman. Back in Europe, women did have guilds they could belong to. Perhaps there are still lists that can be researched.

  • August 20, 2022 | 8:16 am

    *From research at library.hbs.edu. (Harvard Business School) Read about the rights or lack thereof of women in Women, Enterprise & Society. It is about Women and the Law with sections on marriage, covertures, trusts, guardianship, living in poverty, and slavery. They have historical collections listed, and that may give you ideas on research.

  • August 20, 2022 | 8:15 am

    *From research such as The Great Courses, The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World by Prof. Robert Garland comes this: In 3100 BC, Egypt women could have businesses, work the land, make and sell things, etc. They could also own land, inherit, make bequests, sue, be on juries and testify.

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