Marriage Notices from the Maine Farmer 1833-1852

The Maine Farmer newspaper was established in 1833 by Dr. Ezekiel Holmes and was issued regularly for nearly a hundred years. Published weekly, it was devoted to the interest of agriculture and the "mechanic arts." The first issue was dated January 21, 1833, and called the Kennebec Farmer. The name was changed to the Maine Farmer on March 18 of the same year. The Maine Farmer carried marriage notices from the entire state, but most of the entries were from the Kennebec Valley. These records will prove to be of value to both the professional and the amateur genealogist, not only for the information that they contain, but for the clues that they give as to where further information may be found. The book is alphabetically arranged and includes both brides' and grooms' names. Entries typically list the full name of each party, and often give the date and place of the wedding, father's name (when known), and name of minister or official who performed the ceremony. A citation at the end of each entry gives the date of the newspaper issue in which the original notice appeared. A helpful appendix lists (alphabetically) all of the ministers mentioned in the book, including the denomination, location of the ministry, and dates during which he practiced in that area. This valuable feature may help the researcher find the location of important church records-another great source of family information. Yet another locating aid included in this book is a list of all the towns mentioned in the text.