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Somerset County, Maine
Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links
Somerset County was founded on March 1, 1809 from part of Kennebec County (originally Somerset County, Massachusetts). This county was named for the county of Somerset in England..
The Somerset County Seat is situated in Skowhegan and the county government website is http://www.somersetcounty-me.org/
Locations adjacent to Somerset County happen to be Aroostook County, Penobscot County, Piscataquis County, Waldo County, Kennebec County, Franklin County.
Cities and towns found in Somerset County include Anson & North Anson, Athens, Bingham, Brighton, Cambridge, Caratunk, Dennistown, Embden, Harmony, Hartland, Highland Plantation, Jackman, Moose River, Moscow, New Portland, Palmyra, Pleasant Ridge Plantation, Ripley, St. Albans, Starks, The Forks, West Forks, Fairfield, Madison, Mercer, Norridgewock, Smithfield, Solon, Canaan, Cornville, Detroit, Pittsfield, Skowhegan.
Somerset County has Federal Census Schedules to aid in exploring your family tree. Government Population Schedules can be found for 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Somerset Co. Somerset Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Somerset Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Somerset Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. You can find free online and printable census forms to aid with your research.
Somerset County Society and Family History Resources
A list of Somerset County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.
- Maine State Genealogy Network
- Somerset County, Maine Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Somerset 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 Somerset County
Somerset County Courthouse and Government Records
Genealogist typically overlook the significance of Somerset 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 Somerset 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 Somerset County. The years pointed out below are the first known records with this county.
- Somerset County Courthouse, 41 Court St, Skowhegan, ME 04976
- Phone: (207) 474-5161
- Somerset 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: 1804
- Somerset 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: 1830
- Somerset 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.
Somerset County Links
The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Somerset 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 Somerset County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.
Somerset Co. ME Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Maine Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Maine historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Maine (1785–1945)
- Somerset County, Maine Books
- Search Maine Obituaries (1985 to current)
- Somerset County Genealogy Books
Somerset Co. ME Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Somerset Co. ME Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
- Maine Court Records Research Guide
- 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
Somerset Co. ME Census Records
- Maine Census Records Research Guide
- Somerset 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 Somerset County, ME
Somerset Co. ME Church & Cemeteries
- Maine Church & Cemetery Research Guide
- Somerset Co., Maine Graves
- Somerset County Tombstone Transcription Project
- Somerset Co., Maine Cemeteries
- Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Somerset County, Maine
- Somerset Co., Maine Cemetery Books
- Topographic Church List and Map for Somerset County, Maine
- Somerset County, Maine Church Books
Somerset Co. ME Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Somerset Co. ME General and History Websites
- See Also State History for Maine
- Somerset County, Maine Wikipedia
- Skowhegan on the Kennebec
- Embden town of yore : olden times and families there and in adjacent towns
- History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan : comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan and Bloomfield from thei
- The history of Norridgewock : comprising memorials of the aboriginal inhabitants and Jesuit missionaries, hardships of the pion
- New Portland register, 1902
- Somerset County, Maine Wiki
- Somerset Co. ME Genealogy
- Family History Library
- Somerset County, Maine
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Maine – Counties – Somerset
- Somerset Co. MEGenweb
- Somerset County Genealogy Queries
- Somerset Co. Data Collections
Somerset Co. ME Immigration & Naturalization
- County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990 (familysearch.org) Naturalization records and digitized indexes.
Somerset Co. ME Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Somerset 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 Somerset County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
Somerset Co. ME Schools & Directories
- 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