Today we have added 3 new volumes and updated 9 volumes for the Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 database. Today’s addition provides the parishes of St. Ann in Dorchester, St. Mary Star of the Sea in Beverly, St. Peter in Cambridge. St. Mary in Randolph and Immaculate Conception in Malden. This update includes over 1,600 pages, 20,000 records and over 75,000 searchable names.
The first Mass at Immaculate Conception (Malden) was celebrated on Christmas Day in 1854. At the time, the parish attracted Catholics from many towns north of Boston including Medford, Melrose, Wakefield, South Reading, Stoneham, Winchester, and Everett.
The parish of St. Ann (Dorchester) celebrated its first Mass on Christmas in 1880 after breaking off from St. Gregory’s parish.
St. Mary’s in Randolph was built in 1849, as the Catholic population in Randolph expanded, no longer needing to travel to Quincy to worship.
St. Mary Star of the Sea in Beverly began as a mission of Immaculate Conception (Salem). The church was dedicated in Beverly in 1870, and in 1871 they became their own parish. St. Mary Star of the Sea in Beverly also ran missions in Manchester and Ipswich, and as the Catholic population grew, a second church was built in Beverly Farms, called St. Margaret.
St. Peter was established in 1848 as the Catholic population of Cambridge grew; it broke off from the parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the beginning, this parish not only served Catholics of Cambridge, but also Catholics from many towns in northeast inland Massachusetts. The church is located in between Fresh Pond and Harvard Square.
The volumes delivered are as follows:
• Immaculate Conception (Malden) Marriages, 1868-1904
• St. Ann (Dorchester) Baptisms, 1889-1904
• St. Mary (Randolph) Baptisms, 1888-1908
• St. Mary (Randolph) Marriages, 1888-1907
• St. Mary Star of the Sea (Beverly) Baptisms, 1895-1909
• St. Mary Star of the Sea (Beverly) Baptisms, 1909-1920
• St. Mary Star of the Sea (Beverly) Baptisms, 1920
• St. Mary Star of the Sea (Beverly) Confirmations, 1898-1920
• St. Mary Star of the Sea (Beverly) Marriages, 1871-1915
• St. Mary Star of the Sea (Beverly) Marriages, 1915-1920
• St. Peter (Cambridge) Baptisms, 1890-1920
• St. Peter (Cambridge) Marriages, 1893-1920
We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making these parishes available online. If you would like to become part of the team working on rewarding genealogical projects, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator via email at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.