DNA Won’t Lie: Genealogists Do - Photo Credit: Photo provided by Dana Murch

DNA Won’t Lie: Genealogists Do

Anthony Coombs was a blacksmith who came to Wells in 1685. His descendants were among the earliest settlers of Islesboro and Vinalhaven in the 1770s and ’80s, and have been in Belfast since the early 1800s. But how many “origin stories” does Coombs have, and which one is the true story? Join Belfast author and genealogist Dana Murch to explore the many origin stories of Anthony Coombs and how a recent DNA study has separated fact from fiction.

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Events > DNA Won’t Lie: Genealogists Do
Maine Historical Society
489 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101 United States
About the Event
Presented by
Maine Historical Society
(207) 774-1822
October 16, 2025

Thursday, October 16, 2025 1 p.m.

In-Person Program at Maine Historical Society Free and open to the public. Registration is kindly requested.

About the speaker: A Caribou native, Dana Murch is a retired state environmental regulator, author, and a 13th-generation “Maine-ah.” He is a descendant of many early settlers of Acadia and Quebec and multiple Mayflower descendants. He is now working on the definitive genealogy and history of the entire Murch family of Maine, whose roots have been traced back to 17th-century Devonshire, England. He currently resides in Belfast with his wife, Meredith Jones.

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