Author Archive
We are very happy to announce a new database today that comes through a partnership with the Boston Athenaeum; Boston, MA: Provident Institution for Savings, 1817-1882 .
This database currently contains a single volume; Signature Book 10, 1854-1858. When complete, the database will contain 6 Signature books and 6 “Waste” books. This volume contains 380 pages and over 54,000 new searchable names. The additional books are actively being indexed, and new volunteers are welcome. Email Rachel.Adams@nehgs.org for more information.
The Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston was the first savings bank to be incorporated in the United States. In 1817 the bank was founded by James Savage, and other prominent Bostonians including William Elery Channing, Josiah Quincy, Elisha Ticknor, Thomas Dawes, Samuel Elliot, and Thomas Handasyd Perkins among others.
The institution was predicated on the idea that savings banks would encourage thrift and self-improvement of the poor of Boston without subjecting them to the so-called moral corruption associated with outright charity. By offering their customers dividends on savings, the Provident would encourage them to keep their money in the bank for longer periods of time, rather than spend as they earned it.
Over the course of the 19th century, the Provident expanded, investing in industries such as textiles, as well as real estate. The Provident became a subsidiary of Hartford National Corporation in 1986 and continued to operate as the Provident Institution until it was merged with Shawmut Bank in 1992, which subsequently donated the Provident’s records to the Boston Athenaeum.
About 80% of the records are for immigrants to Boston. 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 and will be for the location of Boston, Massachusetts.
This database is the result of partnership with the Boston Athenaeum. The Boston Athenaeum has the original books for Provident and performed the digitization of all the images. The full collection at the Boston Athenaeum is Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston Records(https://catalog.bostonathenaeum.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=365780). They have partnered with NEHGS to index these books and make them available online.
This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers; Dan Breen, Loretta Brown-Aldrich, George Carter, Susan Dickinson, Barbara Macken, Katie McCarver, Liz Odell, Blaine Parker, Julie Roffo, Wendy Sheppard, Gayle Smalley, Chris Soohoo, Gale Stevenson, Sam Sturgis, and Judy Welna. 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 Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 6 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s addition provides the parish of Our Lady of Pompeii in Boston. This update includes over 1,800 pages, and over 102,000 searchable names.
Father Pasquale Di Milla was one of the first active Italian priests in Boston. In 1901, he was in charge of the Italian communicants of St. James Parish on Harrison Ave. Within three years he was able to build the Our Lady of Pompeii church which was dedicated on 25 October 1903.
Boston College’s Global Boston project describes Our Lady of Pompeii: “Moving out from the North End, many immigrants from southern Italy lived in the New York Streets and worshipped at Our Lady of Pompeii on Florence Street, founded in 1902.” The New York Streets were one of Boston’s first areas targeted for urban “renewal” and most of the neighborhood was razed in the 1950s.
The new volumes are:
• Our Lady of Pompeii (Boston) Baptisms, 1903-1911
• Our Lady of Pompeii (Boston) Baptisms, 1912-1914
• Our Lady of Pompeii (Boston) Baptisms, 1914-1918
• Our Lady of Pompeii (Boston) Baptisms, 1918-1920
• Our Lady of Pompeii (Boston) Confirmations, 1909-1920
• Our Lady of Pompeii (Boston) Marriages, 1903-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we are releasing volumes 11, 12 and 13 (1857-1859) of the in-depth re-indexing of all the genealogical records in the database Vital Records from The NEHGS Register. This update includes 25,000 records and 54,000 searchable names and has about four times the number of records previously indexed for these volumes.
This ongoing project will unlock the value of all the information captured in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register since the first publication in 1847. We are reviewing every published article add extracting a broad set of records for those articles that are genealogical in nature. So, in addition to birth, marriage, and death records there are now records of type; residence, immigration, military records, church dismissals, and more. The indexing we create is at the same level we have used for the Archdiocese of Boston and the Mayflower Silver Books. It includes spouses, parents, and locations.
Users of American AncesTREES will also benefit by being able to get hints from the newly indexed volumes in their family trees.
We will release each re-indexed volume of the register as it is completed. If you would like to become part of the team working on this rewarding project to revamp the index to the NEHGS Register, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator via email at rachel.adams@nehgs.org. This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers: Emma Patricia Alvarez Reyes, Diane Arbuckle, Tim Belgrad, Ria Bhandarkar, Nancy Borman, Carol Botteron, Tom Clements, Pat Dalpiaz, Fran Danico, Greta Gaffin, Randy Hube, Karen Jarret, Toni Lattimer, Tate Lehmann, Kit Loomis, Jennifer Lozano, Ginny Marshall, Paula Muggleton, Julie Nathanson, Ida Nystrom, Margaret Parker, Karen Ristic, Ray Ristic, Julie Roffo, Kay Sencabaugh, Renda Smith, Olga Tugarina, Rich Turnblom, Susan Van Allen, Charlie Watson, Jaimie Williams-Peterson, and Rich Wood.
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.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 8 new volumes, and 2 extended volumes, to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include the parishes of St. Cecelia in Boston, and St. John The Baptist in East Boston. This update includes over 1,700 pages, and over 66,000 searchable names.
St. Cecilia was established in 1888 in Back Bay on the corner of Belvidere and Bothnia streets with Rev. Richard J. Barry as the first pastor. Many of the congregants were Irish immigrants who worked as servants for the wealthy Protestant families who lived in that neighborhood.
St. John the Baptist in East Boston ministered to Boston’s Portuguese Catholics. In 1872 the archdiocese bought church on North Bennett Street in the North End, and in 1874 this parish became the home of the Portuguese Catholics with Rev. John Ignatius as the first pastor.
We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including Mirca Sghedoni, Diana Beltrao de Macedo, Debbie Lansing, Franck Bili, and Sam Sturgis. 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.
The new volumes are:
• St. Cecilia (Boston) Baptisms, 1919-1920
• St. Cecilia (Boston) Confirmations, 1901-1920
• St. Cecilia (Boston) Marriages, 1911-1919
• St. Cecilia (Boston) Marriages, 1919-1920
• St. John the Baptist (East Boston) Baptisms, 1893-1905
• St. John the Baptist (East Boston) Baptisms, 1873-1888
• St. John the Baptist (East Boston) Baptisms, 1888-1893
• St. John the Baptist (East Boston) Marriages, 1873-1902
The two expanded volumes have records added beyond 1900 and are:
• St. Cecilia (Boston) Baptisms, 1889-1919
• St. Cecilia (Boston) Marriages, 1888-1911
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added six new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 , for the parish of St. Joseph in Haverhill. This update includes over 1,500 pages and over 135,000 searchable names.
In 1876 Rev Gather Casgrain, of Fall River, was instructed by the Archbishop to go to Haverhill and erect a church for the people who spoke the French language. In March of 1877, St. Joseph’s Church was dedicated by Archbishop Williams, Bishop de Goesbriand, of Burlington, Vermont, and Bishop La Fleche of Canada. In 1885, Father Bouche, who succeeded Father Casgrain, enlarged the church and a school was added. For more history of the church, see One hundred years of progress : a graphic, historical, and pictorial account of the Catholic Church of New England, Archdiocese of Boston, pages 420-423.
We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including; Liz Barnett, Tim Belgrad, Mouna Blila, Kiera Breitenbach, Holly Caughlan, Eileen Convey, Pauline Cusson, Lisa Elvin-Staltari, Janet Essency, Patrick Henehan, Kate , Maureen Keillor, Arlys LaFehr, Debbie Lansing, Eileen McCarthy, Paul McCool, Stacey-Rae McCue, Gig Moineau, Matt Murphy, Christohe Semamz, Maddy Silberman, Frederique Van Moortel, and Laura Versmee. 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.
The new volumes are listed below:
St. Joseph (Haverhill) Baptisms, 1899-1904
St. Joseph (Haverhill) Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1880-1887
St. Joseph (Haverhill) Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1894-1898
St. Joseph (Haverhill) Marriages, 1894-1906
St. Joseph (Haverhill) Mixed, 1871-1879
St. Joseph (Haverhill) Mixed, 1887-1893
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 10 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include the parishes of St. Casimir in Brockton, St. Brigid in Lexington, and Our Lady of Czestochowa in South Boston. This update includes over 1,350 pages, and over 66,000 searchable names.
St. Casimir Catholic Church dated back to 1898, a parish established by Lithuanian immigrants. The church was originally named St. Rocco, and it was the founding home of the national Knights of Lithuania which was organized in 1913. The building is between Ames Street and St. Casimir Avenue in Brockton.
The Lexington parish began as a mission of St. Peter’s in Cambridge, then became a mission of Arlington. In 1865, a building was bought to serve as the first Catholic church in Lexington. In 1886 St. Brigid’s became their own parish.
Our Lady of Czestochowa is the Polish parish in Boston, which began in 1893 when a Polish priest, Father John Chmeilinski came to Boston. Initially this congregation worshiped at Holy Trinity, the German parish, before building a church of their own. The parish is named after a prominent icon of the Virgin Mary that hangs in a monastery in Czestochowa, Poland.
We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including; Loretta Brown-Aldrich, Becki Clarke, Cathy Corricelli, Gail Delfosse, Amelia Devin Freedman, Rosie Gellene, Nancy Johnson, Stacey-Rae McCue, Bruce McKeeman, Erin Nantais, Kathy Oberley, Bob Rainville, Sam Sturgis, Bill Wolfendale, and Joseph Zajac. 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.
The new volumes are listed below:
- St. Casimir (Brockton) Baptisms, 1900-1909
- St. Casimir (Brockton) Deaths, 1900-1920
- St. Casimir (Brockton) Marriages, 1900-1906
- St. Brigid (Lexington) Baptisms, 1886-1910
- St. Brigid (Lexington) Baptisms, 1911-1920
- St. Brigid (Lexington) Confirmations, 1908-1920
- St. Brigid (Lexington) Marriages, 1886-1916
- St. Brigid (Lexington) Marriages, 1916-1920
- Our Lady of Czestochowa (South Boston) Baptisms, 1893-1902
- Our Lady of Czestochowa (South Boston) Marriages, 1893-1903
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 13 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include the parishes of St. Joseph in Lynn and St. John the Baptist in Quincy. This update includes nearly 3,000 pages, and over 330,000 searchable names.
St. Joseph (Lynn) began as an offshoot of St. Mary (Lynn) in 1875; the cornerstone of the church was laid on the 4th of July of that year. Construction completed in 1885, and on June 21st Archbishop Williams dedicated the church.
St. John the Baptist (Quincy) was situated in the center of Quincy, and the cornerstone was laid by Archbishop Williams November 24th, 1872. The church was completed and dedicated on June 14, 1874.
We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including; Alida Baker, Bonnie Barnes, Jennica Bayne, Tim Belgrad, Bernadine Bernavil, Kiera Breitenbach, Linda Breveleri, Loretta Brown-Aldrich, Sarah Collins, Cathy Corricelli, Gail Delfosse, Amelia Devin Freedman, Janet Essency, Eldon Gay, Rosie Gellene, Jane Himmel, Paula Hines, Carolyn Jack, Carolyn Jack, Nancy Johnson, Michelle Kearns, Arlys LaFehr, Rick Lageux, Toni Lattimer, Ben Lewis, Barbara Macken, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Maureen McCarthy, Jack McCellen, Meghan McDonagh, Katie McNally , Matt Murphy, Erin Nantais, Conall O’Cathain, Kathleen Oberley, Jane Papa, Jeananne Piper Grady, Stacey- Rae McCue, Bob Rainville, Susie Souza, Sam Sturgis, Sage Suorsa, Fran Weaver, Judy Welna, Rhonda Wilson, and Mary Alice Yost. 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.
The new volumes are listed below:
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Baptisms, 1885-1903
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Baptisms and Marriages, 1863-1871
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Marriages, 1872-1900
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Baptisms, 1872-1879
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) First Communions, 1882-1904
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Confirmations, 1882-1918
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Baptisms, 1879-1885
• St. John the Baptist (Quincy) First Communions and Confirmations, 1868-1881
• St. Joseph (Lynn) Baptisms, 1874-1899
• St. Joseph (Lynn) Baptisms, 1900-1920
• St. Joseph (Lynn) Confirmations, 1877-1920
• St. Joseph (Lynn) Marriages, 1874-1908
• St. Joseph (Lynn) Marriages, 1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 8 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include The Boston Harbor Island Mission, and the parishes of St. Bernard in Concord and St. Catherine of Siena in Norwood. This update includes over 620 pages, and over 105,000 searchable names.
Priests traveled to the Boston Harbor Islands to say Mass and administer sacraments, hence the categorization of a mission. The illustration above provides a map showing of many of the Boston Harbor Islands.
St. Bernard’s records in Concord begin in 1868. In One Hundred Years of Progress, James S. Sullivan recounts the slow but steady growth of this parish compared to other parishes in more industrial towns.
St. Catherine of Siena in Norwood was established as a mission of St. Mary (Dedham) in 1863. It became its own parish in 1890.
We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including; Bill Fenton, Helen Fredell, Amelia Devin Freedman, Eldon Gay, Carolyn Jack, Nancy Johnson, Arlys LaFehr, Rick Lagueux, Aidan Largey, Tate Lehmann, Ben Lewis, Jennifer Lozano, Barbara Macken, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Sandy Murphy Mauer, Eileen McCarthy, Paul McCool, Stacey-Rae McCue, Matt Murphy, Angela Napolitano, Jane Papa, Bob Rainville, Marie Wells, Rhonda Wilson, Mary Alice Yost, and Carol Zimmerman. 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.The new volumes are listed below:
- Boston Harbor Islands Baptisms and Marriages, 1877-1920 (Mission)
- Boston Harbor Islands Baptisms, 1877-1920 (Mission)
- Boston Harbor Islands Sick Calls, 1894-1920 (Mission)
- Bernard (Concord) Baptisms, 1868-1900
- Bernard (Concord) Marriages, 1868-1920
- Catherine of Siena (Norwood) Baptisms, 1890-1908
- Catherine of Siena (Norwood) Confirmations, 1890-1917
- Catherine of Siena (Norwood) Marriages, 1890-1908
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 7 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include the parishes of Immaculate Conception in Lowell and St. Brigid in Maynard. This update includes over 1,300 pages, and over 150,000 searchable names.
Immaculate Conception in Lowell was run by the Oblate Order. The church was dedicated in 1877 as Lowell’s Catholic population grew.
St. Brigid (Maynard) was variously a mission of Marlborough and Concord before becoming its own parish in the 1890s.
We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including; Colleen Alm, Liz Barnett, Tim Belgrad, Ria Bhandarkar, Lisa Donovan, Amelia Devin Freedman, Carolyn Jack, Aidan Largey, Sandy Murphy Mauer, Stacey-Rae McCue, Eileen McCarthy, Maureen McCarthy, Paul McCool, Matt Murphy, and Bob Rainville. 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.
The new volumes are listed below:
- Immaculate Conception (Lowell) Baptisms, 1879-1895
- Immaculate Conception (Lowell) Baptisms, 1896-1900
- Immaculate Conception (Lowell) Baptisms and Marriages, 1868-1878
- Immaculate Conception (Lowell) Marriages, 1879-1895
- Immaculate Conception (Lowell) Marriages, 1896-1920
- St. Brigid (Maynard) Baptisms, 1871-1908
- St. Brigid (Maynard) Marriages, 1871-1917
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 7 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include the parishes of St. Michael in Hudson and St. Edward the Confessor in Medfield. This update includes over 1,500 pages, and nearly 96,000 searchable names.
Hudson was originally served by the parish in Marlborough. In January 1876, the Hudson Parish was formed under Father McKenna. Construction of Saint Michael’s church started in 1889 and it was dedicated by Archbishop Williams.
St. Edward the Confessor in Medfield began as a mission from Sacred Heart in Natick. It was named for St. Edward the Confessor, a Medieval king of England who ruled in the 1000s.
We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including; Kim Bonner, Becki Clarke, Gail Delfosse, Greta Gaffin, Eldon Gay, Violet Hurst, Michelle Kearns, Arlys LaFehr, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Kathy Oberley, Bob Rainville, Joan Sullivan, and Rhonda Wilson. 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.
The new volumes are listed below:
- St. Michael (Hudson) Baptisms, 1875-1897
- St. Michael (Hudson) Baptisms, 1898-1914
- St. Michael (Hudson) Baptisms, Marriages, and Confirmations, 1912-1919
- St. Michael (Hudson) Baptisms and Marriages, 1920
- St. Michael (Hudson) Marriages, 1876-1914
- St. Edward the Confessor (Medfield) Baptisms, 1890-1908
- St. Edward the Confessor (Medfield) Various, 1889-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.