Who do you think you are? Ellen Newton may have the answer.  

Newton is partnering with Boothbay Region TV and Media Center (BRTV) to create a show, “Relativity Speaking,” a collaborative interview program that provides guests with a deep dive into their family history.  

Newton’s goal is to foster a sense of interest in regional ancestry and strengthen the sense of community that was prevalent in the area. “I think all humans need to feel connected. We're a herd animal. That sense of belonging is innate in us, and I think that it's been sort of eroded,” she explained.  

For 57 years, Newton has been steadily compiling files on local families. It was a passion she inherited from her father, James Stevens, who would bring the young Newton along on his outings to graveyards or to the home of elderly residents to listen to their stories.  

“I'm fascinated with the strength that some of our ancestors had, and the things that they had to overcome, just to survive ... and (how they had) the will to do it.” 

While Stevens’ work focused on his own ancestral line, Newton expanded beyond that to see where families meet, diverge and cross paths again. Currently, about 60,000 local people are represented in her files. It turns out, most people who call the region home are related to one another in some way, she said. 

“Genealogy is like a virus. It just grows and grows. Every generation, you double the number of people.” 

Newton wanted a way to make this information accessible, and television seemed like a natural answer. She also hopes the show can be a record for the upcoming generation who may eventually want to know more about their ancestry.  

Newton sources her information in part from her extensive personal library, which includes anthologies of Maine families and the local genealogical must-have: Francis Byron Greene’s “History of Boothbay, Southport and Boothbay Harbor, Maine. 1623-1905.” As a member of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society in Boston, she also makes trips to the city for research.  

The internet has revolutionized the process, easing Newton’s access to censuses, land value records, probate documents, and more. “I couldn't possibly travel to all of these courthouses.”  

However, the internet has its pitfalls. For instance, the popular genealogical research website Ancestry.com allows users to review and connect their common ancestors to family trees created by other users, but these trees don’t have to undergo any authentication, Newton explained. “If (users) haven't done their sourcing correctly, then they can be handing off information that's just not true.” 

Mistakes are easy to make, especially when birth dates can be fuzzy or multiple persons with the same name lived in an area. This is partly why Newton doesn’t just focus on direct family lines but includes siblings, as a better known relative can help narrow down other gaps in the historical record.  

But, as much information as Newton may have, she isn’t an expert. Instead, she encourages anyone to come forward with their own research. “We can compare notes.”  

If you’re interested in being on the show or have genealogical information to share, contact Newton at rnewton7@roadrunner.com or (207) 633-7946.