By Nate Jones

Staff Writer 

 Do you have one of those common last names that leave you wondering if you might be related to a neighbor or co-worker? Most likely you are, said 81-year-old “genealogy junky” Sumner Thompson of Scarborough. 

“Once you get involved with this genealogy business you suddenly find a lot of relatives,” he said.

Thompson is the treasurer for the “low key, homespun” non-profit Ancient Landmarks Society of Parsonsfield (ALSOP), an organization which has maintained family and town records and traced the genes of residents from Maine and surrounding states for nearly 60 years. 

Currently the group is rallying for a May 18 meeting to boost interest and membership, which has declined over the years. 

“We have lost several of our older members,” 62-year-old ALSOP President Beatrice Fortin of Standish said. “We would like to see more people here.”

“When you get to be our age you know a lot of widows,” Thompson said. 

Fortin said she has had an interest in family genealogy ever since her older brother began researching their family lineage when they were children.

“He would tell our mother things about our family history,” she said. “He went as far back to trace our family to medieval times.”

Fortin said her interest in family histories “just took off” after her brother gave her the research he had done. He discovered family ties to the Whitney family of Gorham, who descended from British royalty. 

“There used to be a Whitney Castle on the Wye River in England,” Fortin said. “Of course now it’s ruins.”

Through continuing her brother’s work, Fortin said she has traced her family tree on her mother’s side as far back as you can go. 

“My mother’s side has ties to Adam and Eve,” she said. 

Researching and learning about the medieval era is thrilling for Fortin, who said she remembers her brother’s stories “bringing her way back” in time. Sharing these stories is a large part of the ALSOP meetings, she said.

“It’s just a fun thing to do,” she said. “We’re like one big family.” 

Although the group meets in Parsonsfield, Fortin said they encourage residents from near or far to stop in, and odds are, meet some extended family members.

“Almost everyone that comes there I find out we’re related,” she said.

Thompson, who has been involved with ALSOP for the past three years, said he has had an interest in his family history all his life. He said his extended relative Margorie Thompson Allen of Kennebunk, now 90 years old, first referred him to the group after they worked together to preserve the Thompson family legacy in the Kennebunk area.

“She used to clean up the cemeteries around town, and needed younger guys to lift the heavier stones,” he said. “She and I and a few other guys restored the Thompson Cemetery and tried to nail down a few of the smaller ones in Arundel too.”

Thompson said he has relied on historical societies in York County and ALSOP records going back more than 400 years to bring together 13 generations of family members for “cousin’s day” family reunions at his home.

“We called it ‘cousin’s day’ but anybody could come,” he said. “Last year we had 60 people, which was pretty good. If everybody came we’d have to move into a huge place.”

Thompson and his wife, Ruth, make a point of attending ALSOP meetings, where the group raises funds through book sales in addition to sharing stories and collecting records from other members to add to their library.

“There are a lot of research books there, I just wish more people would use them,” he said. 

Fortin said the library is open to the public during meetings, although the books have to be returned by the end of the meeting as some of them are very old and fragile and need to be kept safe. 

“Some books are older than others,” she said. “We have histories of cemeteries, towns and families in the area.”

The next meeting of the Ancient Landmarks Society of Parsonsfield is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 18 at the old Parsonsfield Seminary, located on Route 160 in Parsonsfield. 

Coffee will be provided and attendants are encouraged to bring a lunch. 

For more information about ALSOP call 838-5492, email sthompson6@maine.rr.com or visit their Web site home.psouth.net/~willy/mb.htm.