Discover the stories of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) who lived and worked in Kennebunk through the middle of the 20th century.
The goal of this database is to not only identify as many BIPOC who lived and/or worked in our four local towns up to the middle of the 20th century, but also to tell their personal stories and provide access to primary source documentation whenever possible. The Brick Store Museum will be adding to the database as new information is discovered.
Using the database
The Towns
The towns covered by this project were chosen because of their historical links in York County. Kennebunk was part of Wells until 1820. Ogunquit was also part of Wells until 1980.
A town by the name of Arundel was incorporated in 1719 from the earlier settlement known as Cape Porpoise. In 1821, the name Arundel was changed to Kennebunk Port. In 1915, a new town was split off from Kennebunkport to be known as North Kennebunkport. Its name was changed to Arundel in 1957.
In this database, the locations stated generally refer to those that existed at the time cited. For example, an individual said to be located in Wells before 1820 may have been living in what is today Wells, Ogunquit or Kennebunk. An individual said to be residing in Arundel before 1820 may have been living in what is today either Arundel or Kennebunkport (including Cape Porpoise). If we have more specific knowledge of their location, we’ve included it.
Names
In historic sources, names were often spelled inconsistently. If your initial search is not successful, try alternate spellings in the First Name, Last Name or Alternate Names search fields. The database entries use the spelling that was most common in the documentary evidence, which also generally means using a woman’s married name.
In constructing the database, we did not assume that a Person of Color chose to use the surname of his or her enslaver. We only use a surname if it appears in a document specifically about an individual, such as a birth, death, or marriage record. When no such record exists, we use the last name “unknown.” Many early records do not have either a first name or surname, so they are listed as simply “unknown.”
Keyword Search
Use this search to find records containing such data as names of enslavers, locations, occupation, and military service. Note that this Keyword Search only locates the specific keywords that have been listed in the database file for each individual. It is not a complete search of the text.
Known Date Range
The years noted are only those for which we have documentary evidence, such as the year in which an individual was baptized, married, or listed in a census, will, or probate record. It is likely that, in most cases, the people included in the database lived and/or worked in this area before and after the dates that have been documented. For the individuals listed who are White, the years noted are the ones in which there is evidence that touches on their relationship to the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Missing People
There are countless people who are missing from this database. There are very few written accounts of the Indigenous people who made this area their home. Baptism, probate and other records exist for some of the People of Color in the 18 th century, but these records are inconsistent and limited.
Though 1840, U.S. Census records recorded only the name of the head of a household, along with counts of the household members. The 1850 Census was the first to record all the names of the household members. And, of course, the Census was only taken every ten years.
Our Research Continues
Our research continues, and information will be added as we learn more. We will continue to look for additional records and sources to make the database as complete as possible. We welcome your contributions and suggestions. Please check back periodically for updates.
Acknowledgements
The Museum’s great thanks go to Bill Grabin, who, for four years, has invested his time in exploring and researching the history of the people in this database, whose lives have been largely overlooked. Through his hours of volunteer research, Bill has invested in local learning and public access to the past, something the Museum holds in very high regard.
In turn, Bill Grabin extends his thanks to the following individuals and organizations which have been very generous in providing their support and assistance for this project: Kennebunk Town Historian Kathy Ostrander Roberts, Kennebunkport historian Sharon Cummins, The Prince Project founder Vana Carmona, the Kennebunkport Historical Society, the Historical Society of Wells and Ogunquit, the Kennebunk Free Library, the Wells Public Library, and the Maine Historical Society.
Citations and Contact
Citing this Resource: "The Database for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel." Brick Store Museum [JustHistory@brickstoremuseum.org].
If you have any questions or have information to be included, please email us at JustHistory@brickstoremuseum.org