Lecture: Portrait of a Family Through Their 19th Century Letters

Writer Linda Snow McLoon will present “Portrait of a Family Through Their 19th Century Letters.” The lives of various siblings of the Googins family are described through their letters to their brother, William Hayes Googins of Scarborough. Lucy writes about her life working in one of the textile mills on Factory Island in Saco; Albion describes being a farmer in Hiram in the 19th century; Lydia tells the story of attending school in Harpswell before leaving with her husband to begin life in the West; and the youngest sibling, Charlie, shares details of serving in the Signal Corps during the Civil War. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of South Portland Historical Society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
The 2026/2027 lecture series is sponsored by SMRT Architects and Engineers, Portland, Maine