Author Archive

Ten New Volumes of the General Society of Colonial Wars Membership Applications, 1893-1949

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Photo of the Color Guard of the Sons of the Society of Colonial Wars and the 9th and 7th regiments, N.Y.N.G., parading in New York City, 1918. (Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.)

Today we have added ten new volumes to our General Society of Colonial Wars Membership Applications, 1893-1949 database. These volumes include application numbers 3640-5264 and contain 279,496 records, 655,852 names, and 26,402 pages. This database is searchable for given names and surnames, and includes records for provided births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials listed for persons in the line of eligibility for membership on the application forms.

This database will eventually include all original and supplemental applications to the General Society of Colonial Wars starting from their formal founding in 1893, and currently includes applications 1-5264. Material is not included, however, for individuals listed in the applications who were born after January 1, 1950. If an application in the current range is excluded, it is either due to the privacy policy, or it has been deemed as missing from the archive.

This database was created through a partnership of the General Society of Colonial Wars and American Ancestors.  The Society of Colonial Wars was founded in New York in 1892 (the General Society was founded a year later in 1893) for the purpose of furthering the interest in, and study of, America’s Colonial history for the period between the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia on May 13, 1607 and the battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.

Through the years, the General Society of Colonial Wars has established a large network of Colonial War descendants all over the United States. For more information about this society, visit the General Society of Colonial Wars webpage here.

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

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Update: General Society of Colonial Wars Membership Applications, 1893-1949

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Photo of the Color Guard of the Sons of the Society of Colonial Wars and the 9th and 7th regiments, N.Y.N.G., parading in New York City, 1918. (Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.)

Today we have added five new volumes to our General Society of Colonial Wars Membership Applications, 1893-1949 database. These volumes include application numbers 2630-3469 and contain 136,367 records, 316,653 names, and 14,244 pages. This database is searchable for given names and surnames, and includes records for provided births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials listed for persons in the line of eligibility for membership on the application forms.

This database will eventually include all original and supplemental applications to the General Society of Colonial Wars starting from their formal founding in 1893, and currently includes applications 1-3469. Material is not included, however, for individuals listed in the applications who were born after January 1, 1950. If an application in the current range is excluded, it is either due to the privacy policy, or it has been deemed as missing from the archive.

This database was created through a partnership of the General Society of Colonial Wars and American Ancestors.  The Society of Colonial Wars was founded in New York in 1892 (the General Society was founded a year later in 1893) for the purpose of furthering the interest in, and study of, America’s Colonial history for the period between the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia on May 13, 1607 and the battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.

Through the years, the General Society of Colonial Wars has established a large network of Colonial War descendants all over the United States. For more information about this society, visit the General Society of Colonial Wars webpage here.

This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteer, Sam Sturgis. If you would like to get involved in the database digitization and indexing process, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator, at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.

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

Read more »

Update: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 176

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Cover of Vol. 176, No. 1

We have added Volume 176 to our New England Historical and Genealogical Register database. This update contains the 2022 Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall issues, and it adds 502 pages, 8,798 records, and 8,675 searchable names.

Published quarterly since 1847, the New England Historical and Genealogical Register is the flagship journal of American genealogy and the oldest journal in the field. The Register has featured articles on a wide variety of topics since its inception, including vital records, church records, tax records, land and probate records, cemetery transcriptions, obituaries, and historical essays. Authoritative compiled genealogies have been the centerpiece of the Register for more than 150 years. Thousands of New England families have been treated in the pages of the journal and many more are referenced in incidental ways throughout. These articles may range from short pieces correcting errors in print or solving unusual problems to larger treatments that reveal family origins or present multiple generations of a family.

The indexing for these records includes full names, publication year (not the year of the record), and article titles, and authors.

This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers David Anderson and Sam Sturgis. If you would like to get involved in the database digitization and indexing process, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator, at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.

The entire run of New England Historical and Genealogical Register is available in our research library, call number F1.N56.

Please note: This database is available to all NEHGS members, including Guest members, at no cost. Consider membership.

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Update: Mayflower Descendant, Volume 70

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Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor, William Halsall, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We are happy to announce that we have added Volume 70 (2022) to the Mayflower Descendant database. This update adds 224 pages, 4,488 records, and 4,435 searchable names.

The Mayflower Descendant was originally published by the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants starting in 1899. In 2015, New England Historic Genealogical Society assumed stewardship of the venerable journal. It is an essential source of information on many New England families, and its focus is not limited to those with Mayflower lineage. The journal includes transcriptions and abstracts of deeds, wills, vital records, and other original documents. In addition, it features compiled genealogies and analytical studies of genealogical problems.

The indexing for these records includes full names, publication year (not the year of the record), and article titles, and authors.

This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers David Anderson and Sam Sturgis. If you would like to get involved in the digitization and indexing process, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator, at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.

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

Read more »

Update: Rhode Island Roots, Volumes 43-45

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Providence, Rhode Island, 1858; John Badger Bachelder (1825-1894). Publisher: W. Endicott & Co., New York, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We are happy to announce that we’ve added Volumes 43-45 (2017-2019) to our database Rhode Island Roots. This update adds 772 pages, 7,046 records, and 6,869 names.

The Rhode Island Genealogical Society publishes Rhode Island Roots quarterly. It features many Rhode Island records, such as cemetery and tax lists, General Assembly petitions, civil and military records, and genealogical articles — all focusing on Rhode Island families. Other features include articles about Rhode Islanders in other state census records, queries and a list of RI research volunteers. The authors include well-known genealogists as well as RIGS members with stories of their own families to tell.

The indexing for these records includes full names, publication year (not the year of the record), and article titles and authors.

This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers David Anderson and Sam Sturgis.

The entire run of Rhode Island Roots is available at the NEHGS Boston research library, call number F78 .R2.

Please Note: This database is available to all NEHGS members, including Guest members, at no cost. Consider membership.

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Update: The Maine Genealogist, Volumes 39-41

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History of York County, Maine; Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons

We are very happy to add volumes 39-41 (2017-2019) to The Maine Genealogist database. This update adds over 701 pages, 11,693 records, and 11,486 searchable names.

Published since 1977, The Maine Genealogist is the quarterly journal of Maine Genealogical Society, founded in 1976. Beginning as a newsletter for the society, the publication evolved into The Maine Seine, published until 1990. The title was changed to The Maine Genealogist in 1991, and each issue, now 48 pages, contains scholarly articles on Maine families, emphasizing the solving of long-standing problems and primary source documentation.

The indexing for these records includes full names, publication year (not the year of the record), and article titles and authors.

This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers David Anderson and Sam Sturgis. If you would like to get involved in the database digitization and indexing process, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator, at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.

Please note: This database is available to all NEHGS members.

Read more »

Update: Old Stone Bank, 1844-1897, Volumes 26-29

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Page 18 of Volume 29

We are so excited to announce that the last four volumes of Providence, RI: Old Stone Bank Records, 1844-1897 are now up!

This database now contains all 29 volumes of signature books from the Old Stone Savings Bank. The additional 4 volumes contain 58,537 records, 157,940 names, and 761 pages from 1894-1897.

The Old Stone Bank of Providence, Rhode Island was founded in 1819, as The Providence Institution of Savings. Following the 1854 construction of the iconic domed building located at 86 South Main Street in Providence, it became known as the “Old Stone Bank,” and was officially renamed as the Old Stone Savings Bank in 1967. The institution operated under the name “Old Stone Savings Bank” until it was absorbed as a part of Citizens Bank in 1993, which subsequently donated the Old Stone Bank Savings Bank records to the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Many of the records pertain to immigrants to Providence. This is particularly valuable for Irish immigrants as the native county is provided which is critical information for additional research in Ireland. All records will be of type “Residence” for the location of Providence, Rhode Island and the surrounding communities. For more information regarding specifically Irish Immigrants appearing the Old Stone Bank records, check-out researcher Ray McKenna’s project, Federal Hill Irish, where he explores genealogical and regional connections from Providence to the Emerald Isle.

This database is the result of partnership with the Rhode Island Historical Society. The Rhode Island Historical Society has the original books for Old Stone Savings Bank. Additional context for the full collection at RIHS can be found here. RIHS has partnered with NEHGS to digitize and index these books and make them available online.

This database is made possible by the efforts of not only our NEHGS volunteers, but volunteers working with the Rhode Island Historical Society under the direction of Ray McKenna.  

We would like to extend our gratitude towards Ray’s team: Casey Zahn, David Adams, Donna Adkins, Heather Anderson, Karen Apple, Jamie Babcock, Holly Barrick, Donna Burgess, Marcia Carr-Carvalho, Michael Carragher, Greg Casey, Patty Crowley, Rosemary Danforth, Shawn Driscoll, Deborah Esborn, Beth Feltus, Susan Fougstedt, Susan L. Griffith, Jeff Hartley, Mike Kenyon, Kathy Kittredge, Stacy McCue, Jeff Poulton, Maria Tilford Hunter, and Helena Zurowski. Without their hard work, this project would not have been possible!

We would also like to thank the team of NEHGS volunteers who have also dedicated their time to this project: Sam Sturgis, Gale Stevenson, Mirca Sghedoni, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Ross Weaver, and Eileen McCarthy. If you would like to become part of the team working on this or other 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 all NEHGS members, including Guest members, at no cost. Consider membership.

Read more »

American Ancestors Magazine, Volume 23

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Volume 23, Issue 1 Cover

Today we’ve added Volume 23 (2022) to our American Ancestors Magazine database. This update includes 264 pages, 2,838 records, and 2,689 searchable names.

The themes for each of the new issues are listed below:

23.1: The new AmericanAncestors.org: Expanding our reach
23.2: Gravestones and Genealogy
23.3: Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Family History Research
23.4: Reaching the Next Generation of Genealogists

These records are indexed by full names, publication year (not the year of the record), article titles, and authors.

American Ancestors features a wide range of article topics and styles including coverage of a particular region or group of people; case studies; descriptions of particular record sets; “how-to” articles; historic accounts that illuminate the past; research strategies and methodology; and accounts of migration and immigrant groups.

We update this database once a year, when the entire volume of the magazine is complete.  If you would like to view online issues of current Volume 24, be sure to visit our publications page where you can view the newest issue.

Interested researchers may also want to consult New England Ancestors, the publication that preceded American Ancestors magazine.

The entire run of American Ancestors is available in our research library, call number F1.N49.

This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers David Anderson and Sam Sturgis. If you would like to get involved in the database indexing process, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator, at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.

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

Read more »

New Database: Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut

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Statue of Captain Nathan Hale by Bela Lyon Pratt (statue), Christopher De Coro (photograph), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We are excited to announce a new database! Connecticut: Society of the Cincinnati.

This three-volume database, which was created from Biographies of Original Members and Qualifying Officers – Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut, edited by J. Michael Phelps, contains 715 fully cited genealogical and biographical sketches of all qualified propositi of the Connecticut Society of the Cincinnati, including renowned heroes such as Capt. Nathan Hale, Gen. Jedediah Huntington, Gen. Samuel Holden Parsons, Gen. Israel Putnam Sr., Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge, and Gen. David Wooster. These sketches contain 36,049 records and 35,831 names.

In May 1783, as the Revolutionary War was nearing its end, the Society of the Cincinnati was formed by its officers, some of whom had served together for as long as eight years, as a way for them to maintain their friendships and provide for their widows and orphans. The Society was named for Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman general who had left his farm and family to fight for his country, as did George Washington centuries later. It includes all Original Members and all who qualify under some other basis of the original or amended Institution, including, but not limited to, Died in Service, Rule of 1854, Deranged (retired by consolidation), or Served to End of War.

The volumes are divided as follows:

Volume 1: Thomas Abbe – Cornelius Higgins

Volume 2: Joseph Higgins – Samuel Sanford

Volume 3: Abijah Savage – John Yates/Yeats

We are grateful to our volunteers, David Anderson and Sam Sturgis, for their help in making this database.

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

Read more »

Update: Providence, Rhode Island: Old Stone Bank Records, 1844-1897

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Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

We are happy to announce that the next five volumes of Providence, RI: Old Stone Bank Records, 1844-1897 are now up!

This database now contains the first 25 volumes of signature books from the Old Stone Savings Bank. When complete, the database will contain all 29 Signature books. The additional five volumes contain 81,846 records, 220,804 names, and 1,047 pages from 1893-1894.

The Old Stone Bank of Providence, Rhode Island was founded in 1819, as The Providence Institution of Savings. Following the 1854 construction of the iconic domed building located at 86 South Main Street in Providence, it became known as the “Old Stone Bank,” and was officially renamed as the Old Stone Savings Bank in 1967. The institution operated under the name “Old Stone Savings Bank” until it was absorbed as a part of Citizens Bank in 1993, which subsequently donated the Old Stone Bank Savings Bank records to the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Many of the records pertain to immigrants to Providence. This is particularly valuable for Irish immigrants as the native county is provided which is critical information for additional research in Ireland. All records will be of type “Residence” for the location of Providence, Rhode Island and the surrounding communities. For more information regarding specifically Irish Immigrants appearing the Old Stone Bank records, check-out researcher Ray McKenna’s project, Federal Hill Irish, where he explores genealogical and regional connections from Providence to the Emerald Isle.

This database is the result of partnership with the Rhode Island Historical Society. The Rhode Island Historical Society has the original books for Old Stone Savings Bank. Additional context for the full collection at RIHS can be found here. RIHS has partnered with NEHGS to digitize and index these books and make them available online.

This database is made possible by the efforts of not only our NEHGS volunteers, but volunteers working with the Rhode Island Historical Society under the direction of Ray McKenna.  

We would like to extend our gratitude towards Ray’s team: Casey Zahn, David Adams, Donna Adkins, Heather Anderson, Karen Apple, Jamie Babcock, Holly Barrick, Donna Burgess, Marcia Carr-Carvalho, Michael Carragher, Greg Casey, Patty Crowley, Rosemary Danforth, Shawn Driscoll, Deborah Esborn, Beth Feltus, Susan Fougstedt, Susan L. Griffith, Jeff Hartley, Mike Kenyon, Kathy Kittredge, Stacy McCue, Jeff Poulton, Maria Tilford Hunter, and Helena Zurowski. Without their hard work, this project would not have been possible!

We would also like to thank the team of NEHGS volunteers who have also dedicated their time to this project: Sam Sturgis, Gale Stevenson, Mirca Sghedoni, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Ross Weaver, and Eileen McCarthy. If you would like to become part of the team working on this or other 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 all NEHGS members, including Guest members, at no cost. Consider membership.

Read more »