Today we’ve added 3 more volumes to Boston, MA: Provident Institution for Savings, 1817-1882. This update adds over 40,000 records to search. This final update concludes this database project, which has been in process since 2019.
The new volumes are:
Signature Book 1, 1817-1823
Signature Book 4, 1836-1841
Signature Book 26, 1880-1884
The Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston was one the first savings banks to be incorporated in the United States. About 80% of the individuals represented in the early records of this bank were immigrants to Boston. The Waste Books provide lists of daily transactions that occurred at the bank – often one person is depositing money in benefit of another person. Residence locations are provided (usually a town), and occupations are often recorded.
If you are interested in the general subject of bank records, be sure to watch genealogist Eileen Pironti’s webinar, Using Bank Records in Family History Research.
This database is possible through our partnership with the Boston Athenaeum. The Boston Athenaeum holds the original record books and performed the digitization of all the images. The full holding information for the collection available at the Boston Athenaeum can be found here: Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston Records.
We’d like to thank our volunteers Leslee Johnston, Gale Stevenson, Judy Welna, Loretta Aldrich, Laura Crook Brisso, Gig Moineau, Rosemary Durica, Karen Buchinger, Paula Muggleton, Carol Demers, Alan Phelps, Gail Wine, Carol Farrington, Cece Lasley, Nancy Borman, Sandy Caldwell, Ida Nystrom, Charlie Watson, Margaret Parker, Diana Beltrao, Barbara Macken, Pat Dalpiaz, Rich Wood, Gayle Smalley, Lin Martin-Berke, Ann Sheparson, Elaine Wood, Ron Wilson, Ellie Witham, and Amanda Opalenik for their work on this update.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.