Welcome to the Maine Genealogical Project. It is open to all with Maine connections, but I believe will be most helpful to those who have a pedigree including 4 - 7 generations of Maine ancestors. Y-DNA and Autosomal DNA results along with our traditional genealogy research are the main tools of our project. The common links between members are a DNA match and eventually a known or suspected relationship based on traditional research with the geographic location being Maine. Please send me your surnames and I will add them to our listing.

My goal is that this project will help all of us use our Family Finder results in conjunction with our traditional research to find Maine ancestors in common with our matches.  The Y-DNA portion of our group is headed by Andrew White, I am delighted he volunteered. This will be a learning experience for all of us together.

The easiest path to see your Family Finder matches within this group is 

Top Menu Bar > My DNA > Family Finder > Advanced Matching 

Choose Which Test to Compare > Family Finder

Show Only People I match in Selected Test > Yes

Show Matches For > MaineGenealogical

General Fund donations will be used to help finance FF tests for those who have done traditional research showing 4-7 generations of Maine ancestors but need financial assistance to purchase a FF DNA kit.

I am very happy to speak to your group or organization. I have a presentation that helps with understanding DNA testing.

A little about me … I was born in Portland, Cumberland, Maine in 1947. My paternal line has been in Maine for 8 or 9 generations. I have a brick wall with my gg grandfather, John Francis Milliken b. 1805 in Portland or Poland, Maine. I’m unable to find his parents or siblings. I’ve been doing traditional genealogy research for about 30 years. 

Several years ago I began a project for my 45th high school reunion ... doing the genealogies of my high school classmates, hoping to find common ancestors and creating 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and beyond cousins. Perhaps kissing cousins! Most of us had completed 12 years of public school with each other. We attended the same schools as our parents and now, in many cases, our children and grandchildren are attending those same schools. Our roots in this area are solid. 

I started with a few close friends and quickly was amazed at what I found. Wow, Kathy and Janice were related.  Mary Lou was related to Bill and Diane. Barb and Larry had common ancestors, Harvey, Kathy, Ellen, and Steve ... oh my what fun and what had I gotten myself into!  Christopher Strout and Sarah Pike were ancestors of 10 of my classmates! Perhaps that couple is in your tree too?

All together I worked on 56 classmates’ family trees and did a fun presentation at our 45th High School Reunion. I’m trying to encourage my classmates to do a FF test, but I’m not having a lot of luck!

Some of the stats 

23 classmates were direct descendants of 20 mayflower passengers

30 classmates were related to between 10 and 32 other classmates

15 classmates were related to between 1 and 9 classmates

5 classmates had no common ancestors (myself included in this group)

Since DNA testing there is an important addendum, but that’s a long story!  

I would love to continue this research throughout the State of Maine using atDNA testing in conjunction with our traditional research.  I feel the biggest steps towards finding common ancestors with our matches is a robust family tree and sharing information with each other. 

Thanks for joining our project, let’s work together to find our common ancestors.

Nancy  :-)