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Genealogy Research

Genealogy is the number one hobby in America today. As a result, municipal clerks offices receive numerous requests each week for information. Requests are received in person, in the mail, over the phone and now by email messages. Municipalities have different polices regarding conducting genealogy research - some charge by the hour, some charge per search. This is to provide information to citizens conducting genealogy research on ancestors from the Bath, Maine area. Specific questions regarding office policy for genealogy research in Bath should be directed to the City Clerk's Office at (207) 443-8332.

Local Level

City of Bath Municipal Records

· Birth, marriage and death records for Bath residents if the event took place in Bath.

Records from present date back to 1892.

Records before 1892 are not a complete listing due to a fire in 1890 that burned all the vital records. The only records for prior 1892 are sketchy at best as the City Clerk in 1892 went door to door, church to church and wrote down from family bibles and church records what was available.

FEES: $5.00 per record searched. If record is found, $5.00 fee includes a photocopy labeled 'NOT FOR LEGAL PURPOSES". $10.00 for a certified copy (if original record is available).

Make check payable to "City of Bath". Include all known information with the written request - name, dates, location.

Fees must be paid in advance. Checks made out to the "City of Bath" and requests sent to:
City Clerk’s Office
55 Front Street
Bath, Maine 04530

Other local sources of genealogy records are:

Patten Free Library Genealogy Room/Bath Historical Society - Regarded as the best genealogy history room in Maine. 33 Summer St., Bath, ME 04530

Maine Maritime Museum - If ancestors had a shipping or maritime background. Washington St., Bath, ME 04530

State Level

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/agencies.htm

Office of Vital Statistics:
Birth, marriage and death records for each town in the state from 1923 - present. Also maintain 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

Regional and National

Maine State Historical Society - Center for Maine History, Library Research Center, 485 Congress St., Portland, ME 04101 http://www.mainehistory.org

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. (617) 536-5740

Military records, Old Census records, Ship's Passenger Lists, etc.
See website listing for National Archives http://www.nara.gov

Mormon Church Records
See web site http: //www.familysearch.org

Helpful Internet Websites

http://www. cyndislist.com/me.htm - Cyndi's List of Maine Genealolgy Sites.

http://www.nara.gov - National Archives site - census records from 1790 -1920 military records Revolutionary War to WW1; military pension records; passport applications back to 1795; ship passenger lists; naturalization; more

http://www.usgenweb.org - Links 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 Saint/Mormons, Salt Lake City

http:wwwcydislist.com - Links to 42000 genealogy sites - everything from ship’s passenger lists to prison rolls

http://adoptions.com- Good place to start genealogy research if you were adopted.

http://www.lcweb.loc.gov/rr/genealogy - Local History and Genealogy Reading Room, Library of Congress

http://www.genealogynews.com - Online newsletter

http://www.ngsgenalogy.org - National Genealogical Society

Helpful Hints

1) Prior to 1892, towns 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.
2) Unsure where the event took place? Begin by contacting the State, they maintain copies of records from every town in Maine.
3) Be sure to check family bibles, city directories, obituaries, old maps, old photographs, town history books and old newspapers for information.
4) State Archives keeps a list of professional genealogists who will provide research for a fee.