ME RESOURCES
STATE QUICKLINKS
OTHER GENEALOGY RESOURCES
SPONSORS
Franklin County, Maine
Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links
Franklin County was founded on March 20, 1838 from parts of Kennebec County, Oxford County, and Somerset County. This county was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the Founding Father, scientist, printer, and diplomat..
The Franklin County Seat is situated in Farmington and the county government website is http://www.franklincountymaine.org/
Locations adjacent to Franklin County happen to be Somerset County, Kennebec County, Androscoggin County, Oxford County.
Cities and towns found in Franklin County include Avon, Carrabassett Valley, Carthage, Chesterville, Coplin Plantation, Dallas Plantation, Eustis, Farmington, Industry, Jay, Kingfield, Madrid (disincorporated), New Sharon, New Vineyard, Phillips, Rangeley (town), Rangeley Plantation, Sandy River Plantation, Strong, Temple, Weld, Wilton.
Franklin County has Federal Census Schedules to aid in exploring your family tree. Government Population Schedules can be found for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Franklin Co. Franklin Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Franklin Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Franklin Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. You can find free online and printable census forms to aid with your research.
Franklin County Society and Family History Resources
A list of Franklin County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.
- Maine State Genealogy Network
- Franklin County, Maine Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Franklin County, Maine Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
- State Archive Collections, 1790-1966 (familysearch.org) Collections from the Maine State Archives consisting of court, military, naturalization, land and other record sets. This collection is being published as images become available.
- USGenWeb Archives for Franklin County
Franklin County Courthouse and Government Records
Genealogist typically overlook the significance of Franklin County court, probate, and land files as a resource of genealogical information and facts. Buried away in Maine courthouses and archives everywhere tend to be the dreams and frustrations of many Maine inhabitants. The odds are great that your chosen forefathers have left a in-depth document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Franklin County court records. Even if your ancestors is not discussed in a Court case, take into account all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her appearing in court records.
The following specifics shows whatever birth, death, marriage, property, probate, and court records are usually in Franklin County. The years pointed out below are the first known records with this county.
- Franklin County Courthouse, 140 Main St, Farmington, ME 04938
- Phone: (207) 778-6614
- Franklin County Registry of Deeds is the place where all transactions of a Real Property nature are recorded so that the public is made aware of their existence. Deeds, mortgages, tax liens, water liens, declaration of homestead and many other kinds of documents regarding the title and ownership of real estate are noted permanently in official records.
- Land Records: 1838
- Franklin County Clerk of Probate Court has has had several relating definitions over the years: the Widows and Orphans Court; the Poor Court; and the Court of Protection. All of these terms fit the description of the Probate Court.The Probate Court carries out the following procedures: Adoptions, Guardianship of Minors, Guardianships, Conservatorships, Change of Names, Estates, Trusts and Beginning Sept. 18, 1999 – Support of Enforcement.
- Probate Records: 1838
- Franklin County Town Clerks has copies of vital records (birth, marriage, divorce and death records). Clerks respond to inquiries regarding vital records, since most have indexes available. Some of the Clerks records have been transfered to the Maine State Archives.
- Maine Office of Vital Records has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Maine for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events.
- Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Maine Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.
Franklin County Links
The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Franklin County. Most of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a fee. This is just a list that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to present your own most popular Franklin County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.
Franklin Co. ME Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Maine Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Maine historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Maine (1785–1945)
- Franklin County, Maine Books
- Search Maine Obituaries (1985 to current)
- Franklin County Genealogy Books
Franklin Co. ME Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Franklin Co. ME Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
- Maine Court Records Research Guide
- Inventory of the town and city archives of Maine, no. 4, Franklin County.
- Inventory of the town and city archives of Maine, no. 4, Franklin County.
- Inventory of the town and city archives of Maine, no. 4, Franklin County.
- Inventory of the town and city archives of Maine, no. 4, Franklin County.
- Maine Court Records, 1696-1854
- Maine Will Abstracts, 1640-1760
- Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979 (familysearch.org) Images of county probate books. The record content and time period varies by county.
- BLM Land Records
Franklin Co. ME Census Records
- Maine Census Records Research Guide
- Franklin County, ME Census Records
- Maine Census, 1800-90 (search.ancestry.com) This collection contains the following indexes: 1800 Federal Census Index; 1810 Federal Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedules; Early Census Index.
- Census QuickFacts for Franklin County, ME
Franklin Co. ME Church & Cemeteries
- Maine Church & Cemetery Research Guide
- Franklin Co., Maine Graves
- Franklin County Tombstone Transcription Project
- Franklin Co., Maine Cemeteries
- Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Franklin County, Maine
- Franklin Co., Maine Cemetery Books
- Topographic Church List and Map for Franklin County, Maine
- Franklin County, Maine Church Books
Franklin Co. ME Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Franklin Co. ME General and History Websites
- See Also State History for Maine
- Franklin County, Maine Wikipedia
- A history of the town of Industry, Franklin County, Maine : from the earliest settlement in 1787 down to the present time, embr
- A history of Farmington, Franklin County, Maine : from the earliest explorations to the present time, 1776-1885
- Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Franklin and Oxford Counties, Maine.
- History of the State Normal School, Farmington, Maine : with sketches of the teachers and graduates
- Jay, Franklin County, Maine History
- Franklin County, Maine Wiki
- Franklin Co. ME Genealogy
- Family History Library
- Franklin County, Maine
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Maine – Counties – Franklin
- Franklin Co. MEGenweb
- Franklin County Genealogy Queries
- Franklin Co. Data Collections
Franklin Co. ME Immigration & Naturalization
- County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990 (familysearch.org) Naturalization records and digitized indexes.
Franklin Co. ME Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Franklin Co. ME Military Records
- Maine Military Records Research Guide
- Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918 (familysearch.org) Card file of veteran cemetery records located at the Maine State Archives. Cards are arranged by war then alphabetical by surname. The index cards may contain dates of birth, death and place of death and burial. The Index covers King Philip’s War through World War I.
- Maine Military Records gives you easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Maine men and women which served. Perfect for Franklin County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
Franklin Co. ME Schools & Directories
- The Town register, Farmington, Wilton, Chesterville, New Sharon
- 1902 Kingfield register
- Maine City Directories (search.ancestry.com) This database is a collection of city directories for various years and cities in Maine. Generally a city directory will contain an alphabetical list of its citizens, listing the names of the heads of households, their addresses, and occupational information. Sometimes the wife’s name will be listed in parentheses or italics following the husband’s. Often, dates of deaths of individuals listed in the previous year’s directory are listed as well as the names of partners of firms, and when possible, the forwarding addresses or post offices of people who moved to another town. In addition to the alphabetical portion, a city directory may also contain a business directory, street directory, governmental directory, and listings of town officers, schools, societies, churches, post offices, and other miscellaneous matters of general and local interest.
- The Maine register and business directory for the year 1856