Massachusetts: Catholic Cemetery Association Records, 1833-1940: new cemeteries

Detail of grave marker at St. Paul Cemetery in Arlington, Massachusetts, 2020. (photographer unknown; public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Today we are excited to announce that we have added 4 new cemeteries to Massachusetts: Catholic Cemetery Association Records, 1833-1940: North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge), St. Mary (Lynn), St. Mary (Salem) and St. Patrick (Watertown). This final update adds 34 new volumes and over 177,000 records to this database and concludes our work on this project, which has been in process since 2019.

The records in this database are primarily lot sales and interments, and may include information about lot owners, date of burial and location of burial. Some of the people represented in these written records may not have purchased a grave marker or their marker may have eroded with time, making this collection essential for research into Catholic burials in this region.

In addition to the searchable database, maps of each cemetery are being made available to help locate burial plots. Where possible, maps include sections, ranges and in some cases narrative description of how headstones are arranged by row and lot number. Also included are points of interest such as entrances, exits, flag poles, monuments, offices and spigots. Special sections for the burials of infants, priests and religious are also noted.  Links to the cemetery maps can be found in the Database Description. Watch our how-to video for instructions on navigating to the database and using the cemetery maps. Included in this update we’ve also added links to new maps in the database description.

Newly available maps include):

The new volumes are listed below.  Books labelled Cambridge Catholic belong to the North Cambridge Catholic cemetery.

  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1846-1854
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1848-1851
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1851-1854
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1854-1855
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1856
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1856-1859
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1859-1861
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1862-1866
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1866-1875
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Assignments, 1846-1858
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Sales, 1845-1848
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Sales, 1849-1853
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Sales, 1853-1876
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot sales, 1859-1863
  • Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Sales, 1863-1881
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) A-Z Index Lot Owners, 1846-1934
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1852-1866
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1867-1877
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1881-1908
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1883-1892
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Burials, 1925-1940
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Assignments, 1846-1873
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Owners, A-S, 1847-1868
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Owners, S-Z, 1847-1868
  • North Cambridge Catholic (Cambridge) Lot Sales, 1846-1877
  • St. Mary (Lynn) Interments, 1860-1940
  • St. Mary (Lynn) Interments, 1919-1933
  • St. Mary (Lynn) Lot Locations and Owners
  • St. Mary (Lynn) Lot Sales, 1860-1884
  • St. Mary (Salem) Interments and Lot Sales, 1874-1900
  • St. Mary (Salem) Interments and Lot Sales, 1901-1927
  • St. Mary (Salem) Interments, 1928-1940
  • St. Patrick (Watertown) Burials, 1908-1918
  • St. Patrick (Watertown) Burials, 1928-1940
  • St. Patrick (Watertown) Burials, 1930-1940
  • St. Patrick (Watertown) Interments, 1908-1918
  • St. Patrick (Watertown) Lot Sales, 1860-1884

We’d like to thank the following volunteers for their work on these volumes of this database: Paul McCool, Mirca Sghedoni, Peg Camp, John Hagerty, Rick Lagueux, Lisa Butler, Kathy Oberley, Ross Weaver, Sandy Murphy Mauer, Daria O’Connor, Linda Martin Berke, Robyn Choate, Peggy Burchenal, Elaine Wood, Eileen McCarthy, Bill Morse, Jane Himmel, Jaime Williams-Peterson, Becki Clarke, Gail Delfose, Nancy Johnson, Renda Smith, Karen Jarret, Bob Rainville, Tom Clements, Mara Witzling, Jan Lundquist, David Fredette, Karen Buchinger, Nina Manno, Kathy Marshall-Mayer, Karen Ristic, Arlys LaFehr, Fran Danico, Susan Van Allen, Toni Lattimer, Sara Stinson, Elizabeth Handler, Linda Mathew, Melanie Nelson, Carolyn Jack, Pam Hugie, Jeanne Brown, Joan Koesterherm, Bill Kerrigan, Gale Stevenson, Michelle Kearns, Matt Murphy, Maryanne LeGrow, Conall O’Cathain, Sharon Dorrity, Alida Baker, Maureen Keillor, Helen Fredell, Janet Essency, Eldon Gay, Joyce McKenna, Mary Alice Yost, Lisa Bisio, Pam Johnson, Therese Mosorjak, Bill Fenton, Joan Sullivan, Judy Welna, Paula Hines, Nora Galvin, Patty Ryburn, and Becky Brownell-Smith.

Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.