Spratts from Maine by Gertrude Lundberg

Local genealogist, Gertrude Lundberg notably published several collections of cemetery records but she also wrote family histories. In Spratts from Maine written in 1968, Lundberg chronicles the Spratt family.

Mercy Ward Spratt, 1803-1879

The history begins with the story of George Spratt from Wexford County, Ireland who emigrated to America around 1760 and follows various family lines until 1968. Photographs and transcriptions of original documents complement the family trees.

In addition to basic familial facts, Lundberg includes relevant social history and interesting anecdotes about the family. She adds traditions and family lore to the story: George Spratt supposedly survived a shipwreck on his way to America. There is also an early history of Maine and an account of the towns of China and Palermo where the Spratt family settled. Lundberg includes maps and diagrams of the family's properties and the surrounding areas.

This is a very nice example of how to write and research a succinct, well-documented but still interesting family history.