Historian Mike Bell plans to give a presentation about early settler Jonathan Whiting and his contribution to the town of Winthrop at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 12, at the Winthrop History and Heritage Center at 107 Main St.

In 1790 Jedediah Prescott made a plan for the town of Winthrop based on the work of Dr. John McKechnie and John Jones, according to a news release from the society.

This plan was updated by John Benjamin, and a copy was included in “The History of Winthrop, Maine” by the Rev. Everett Stackpole in 1925. The map included 156 lots granted to the early settlers of Winthrop by The Proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase from the late colony of New-Plymouth.

Since discovering that Whiting, a distant cousin, had a hand in establishing Winthrop, Bell was on the trail. It is a story that resonated in his love for colonial history, and it connected with others in the family tree.

An instructor at UMaine/Augusta for the senior college, Bell has spoken to civic and educational groups across the country.

His story about Whiting appeared in the last issue of the Kennebec-Androscoggin River Valley winter edition of Discover Maine Magazine.

A zoom link also is available at networkmaine.zoom.us/j/81096636540. The meeting ID is 810 9663 6540.

For more information, contact the society at 207-395-5199 or [email protected].