Looking for a Mariner?

If you’re trying to find information on a mariner with a Maine connection-ship, port, etc.-you’ve got to take a look at the Merchant Mariners Muster, provided by the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. It’s truly amazing! The staff has been searching through thousands of in-house documents-over 6,500 to date-and compiling records into a huge online database. As of press time, the researcher can discover entries on more than 24,000 mariners, some fishermen. One may search by vessel name and by voyage as well! The time period begins with the late 1700’s. Just go to: www.mainemaritimemuseum.org , click on the “Research” tab, then “Merchant Mariners Muster”. In the search that I did, there was a birth year, birthplace, and physical description; and links to documents and vessels that the individual served on. It’s fantastic! When you visit the museum, be sure and thank the muster’s creator, Nathan Lipfert, if you can catch him before he retires this spring! Until next time!

Emily Schroeder

About Emily Schroeder

Greetings to everyone who’s into genealogy! I’m Emily Schroeder, and I’ve been at Maine State Library since 1980. I just retired this year. My latest incarnation transformed me into the genealogy specialist. I got to visit other libraries and do genealogy workshops, have classes onsite, teach adult ed., write newsletters, join genealogy groups, and generally try to keep myself “in the know”. I’m hoping that through this blog we can share ideas, review resources and databases, and maybe introduce something new to readers in the genealogy field. You can always e-mail me at: buffywg@yahoo.com.