Author Archive

The Connecticut Nutmegger: new volumes

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Bakers and chefs interested in old-fashioned recipes should read Olivia Patch’s short article in Volume 48, Page 103, 119, 163

Today, we have added three new volumes to The Connecticut Nutmegger database. This update covers Volumes 47-49 (2014-2016) adds over 800 pages and 8,700 searchable names.

The Connecticut Nutmegger has served as the “journal of record” for the Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Inc. (CSG) for forty years. During this time, it has captured a wealth of information for genealogists. Vital records, probate records, bible records, headstone records, memorials and other useful records have been published and made readily accessible for genealogical research. Well-documented family histories and genealogical articles, covering hundreds of families – mainly with Connecticut ties – have been presented. Published articles include commentary on and corrections to previously published family lines, vital records and town histories. Book reviews, research tips, queries and other valuable tools for genealogists have been presented.

The index 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 volunteer David Anderson. If you have some time and would like to get involved in the database digitization and indexing process please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator via email at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.

The entire run of The Connecticut Nutmegger is available at the NEHGS Boston research library, call number F91.C82.

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: New records from Ashland, Franklin, Lawrence, North Chelmsford, Plymouth, Quincy and Saugus

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Bird’s eye view of Franklin, O.H. Bailey for Bailey & Hazen, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Today we’ve updated both our browsable and searchable Catholic Records databases.

We’ve added 23 new volumes to Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Cecilia (Ashland), St. Mary (Franklin), St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford), St. Mary (Plymouth) and St. Peter (Plymouth). This update adds over 3,000 new pages to browse.

We’ve also added 5 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Mary (Lawrence), St. Joseph (Quincy) and Blessed Sacrament (Saugus). This update adds over 6,200 records and 24,600 new searchable names.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making these parishes available online.

If you need help navigating the image-only collection, please consult our most recent webinar, Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Records Project: We’re Expanding! 

The new volumes are listed below.

Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920
St. Cecilia (Ashland) Baptisms & Marriages, 1884-1910

St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford) Baptisms, 1893-1910
St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford) Baptisms, 1907-1916
St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford) Baptisms, 1907-1916 (Copy)
St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford) Baptisms, 1910-1919
St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford) Baptisms, 1919-1920
St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford) Marriages, 1893-1915
St. John the Evangelist (North Chelmsford) Marriages, 1910-1920

St. Mary (Franklin) Baptisms, 1877-1896
St. Mary (Franklin) Baptisms, 1896-1920
St. Mary (Franklin) Marriages, 1877-1920

St. Mary (Plymouth) Baptisms, 1915-1918
St. Mary (Plymouth) Baptisms, 1915-1918 (Copy)
St. Mary (Plymouth) Baptisms, 1918-1920
St. Mary (Plymouth) Baptisms, 1918-1920 (Copy)
St. Mary (Plymouth) Confirmations, 1915-1920
St. Mary (Plymouth) Marriages, 1915-1920
St. Mary (Plymouth) Marriages, 1915-1920 (Copy)

St. Peter (Plymouth) Baptisms, 1906-1910
St. Peter (Plymouth) Baptisms, 1910-1918
St. Peter (Plymouth) Baptisms, 1918-1920
St. Peter (Plymouth) Confirmations, 1910-1920
St. Peter (Plymouth) Marriages, 1908-1920

Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920
Blessed Sacrament (Saugus) Baptisms, 1917-1920
Blessed Sacrament (Saugus) Marriages, 1917-1920

St. Joseph (Quincy) Baptisms, 1917-1920
St. Joseph (Quincy) Marriages, 1917-1920

St. Mary (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1913-1920

Please note: Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, 1789-1920 is available to all NEHGS members.  Learn more about becoming a NEHGS guest member (free).

Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, 1789-1920 is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.

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Archdiocese of Boston: new searchable records from Belmont, Danvers and Quincy

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St. John the Baptist (Quincy), Photo by Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Today we’ve added 10 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Luke (Belmont), St. Mary of the Annunciation (Danvers) and St. John the Baptist (Quincy). This update adds over 12,200 records and more than 47,300 names to search.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help in making these parishes available online.

The new volumes are listed below:

St. Luke (Belmont) Baptisms, 1919-1920
St. Luke (Belmont) Marriages, 1919-1920

St. Mary of the Annunciation (Danvers) Baptisms, 1900-1920
St. Mary of the Annunciation (Danvers) Confirmations, 1902-1920
St. Mary of the Annunciation (Danvers) Deaths, 1916-1920
St. Mary of the Annunciation (Danvers) Marriages, 1916-1920

St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Baptisms, 1910-1917
St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Baptisms, 1917-1920
St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Marriages, 1900-1920
St. John the Baptist (Quincy) Marriages, 1920

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

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Norfolk County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1793-1900: database complete

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Today we’ve updated Norfolk County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1793-1900 to include probate file papers from 1895 through 1899. This database now contains over 42,600 records and 932,700 searchable names total. The new update added 129,153 pages. This database is now complete!

This database was created from digital images and index contributed to NEHGS by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.

If you have questions on how to search this database, please watch our video, How to Search Massachusetts Probate File Papers.  The Massachusetts Archives also have a very helpful website that serves as a directory for where you can find which pieces of the probate puzzle available in Massachusetts.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his work on this database as well as all of our other wonderful volunteers who have contributed to this project!

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

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Early New England Families, 1641-1700: new sketch

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Henry Bond’s A map of the original allotments of land and the ancient topography of Watertown (proper) including parcels of land owned by George Parkhurst (near the smaller pond underneath Fresh Pond)

Today we’ve updated Early New England Families, 1641-1700adding one new sketch. This new sketch features George Parkhurst and his family. George lived in Watertown and Boston before returning to England, although some of his family members ultimately remained in New England.

The Early New England Families, 1641-1700 study project is led by Alicia Crane Williams. This project highlights heads of families mentioned in Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700, focusing on individuals who immigrated from 1641 through 1700, grouped by year of marriage.

Interested researchers should also read Alicia’s recent Vita Brevis post “Never a dull moment” discussing her research process for this sketch.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help adding this sketch to our database.

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: new browsable records from Holbrook, Lawrence Marlborough and Maynard

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St. Mary’s Church in Lawrence, Courtesy of Lawrence Public Library

Today we’ve added 21 new volumes and updated 5 volumes in Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from 6 parishes across eastern Massachusetts. This update adds over 5,200 new pages to browse.

The new and updated parishes include Immaculate Conception (Marlborough), St. Bridget (Maynard), St. Casimir (Maynard), St. Joseph (Holbrook), St. Lawrence O’Toole (Lawrence) and St. Mary (Lawrence).

If you need help navigating the image-only collection, please consult our webinar, Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Records Project: We’re Expanding! 

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making these parishes available online.

The new and updated volumes are listed below. Volumes with an asterisk have been updated. Previously they were truncated to only display records from before January 1, 1901. Now they are presented on our site either in their complete form or with the records up to December 31, 1920:

Immaculate Conception (Marlborough) Baptisms, 1911-1920
Immaculate Conception (Marlborough) First Communions and Confirmations, 1915-1920

St. Bridget (Maynard) Baptisms, 1908-1917
St. Bridget (Maynard) Baptisms, 1917-1920
St. Bridget (Maynard) Confirmations, 1910-1920
St. Bridget (Maynard) Marriages, 1917-1920

St. Casimir (Maynard) Various, 1912-1920

St. Joseph (Holbrook) Baptisms, 1913-1920
St. Joseph (Holbrook) Confirmations, 1914-1920
St. Joseph (Holbrook) Marriages, 1907-1914
St. Joseph (Holbrook) Marriages, 1913-1920

St. Lawrence O’Toole (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1898-1904*
St. Lawrence O’Toole (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1908-1920
St. Lawrence O’Toole (Lawrence) First Communions, 1899-1918*
St. Lawrence O’Toole (Lawrence) Marriages, 1898-1908*
St. Lawrence O’Toole (Lawrence) Mixed Marriages, 1906-1920

St. Mary (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1900-1913*
St. Mary (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1913-1920
St. Mary (Lawrence) Confirmations, 1860-1920*
St. Mary (Lawrence) Index to Baptisms, 1887-1913
St. Mary (Lawrence) Marriages, 1908-1910
St. Mary (Lawrence) Marriages, 1911-1913
St. Mary (Lawrence) Marriages, 1914-1916
St. Mary (Lawrence) Marriages, 1917-1918
St. Mary (Lawrence) Marriages, 1919-1920
St. Mary and Missions (Lawrence) Marriages, 1919-1920

Please note: This database is available to all NEHGS members.  Learn more about becoming a NEHGS guest member (free).

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Archdiocese of Boston: new searchable records from Arlington, Everett, Lowell, Malden, Medford, Needham and Quincy

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Excerpt from “The townships of Dedham, Westwood, Needham, Dover, Sherborn, Norwood, Medfield, Millis, Walpole, Norfolk, Massachusetts” showing Needham, image from Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Today we’ve added 17 new volumes and updated 1 volume in Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Agnes (Arlington), St. Joseph (Everett), St. Joseph (Lowell), St. Joseph (Malden), St. James (Medford), St. Joseph (Medford), St. Joseph (Needham) and St. Mary (Quincy). This update adds over 30,000 records and more than 40,000 names to search. Updated volumes are indicated with an asterisk (*).

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help in making these parishes available online.

The new and updated volumes are listed below:

St. Agnes (Arlington) Baptisms, 1912-1920

St. Agnes (Arlington) Confirmations, 1887-1920


St. Agnes (Arlington) First Communions, 1897-1920

St. Joseph (Everett) Baptisms, 1912-1920

St. Joseph (Everett) Deaths, 1916-1920

St. Joseph (Everett) Marriages, 1912-1920

St. Joseph (Lowell) Baptisms, 1907-1920

St. Joseph (Malden) Baptisms, 1902-1915

St. Joseph (Malden) Baptisms, 1915-1920

St. Joseph (Malden) Confirmations, 1903-1920

St. Joseph (Malden) First Communions, 1917-1920

St. Joseph (Malden) Marriages, 1902-1920

St. James (Medford) Baptisms, 1919-1920
St. James (Medford) Marriages, 1920

St. Joseph (Medford) Confirmations, 1899-1920

St. Joseph (Needham) Baptisms, 1917-1920
St. Joseph (Needham) Marriages, 1917-1920

St. Mary (Quincy) Baptisms and Confirmations, 1900-1920*

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

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New database: MacRaes to America!!

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Eilean Donan Castle, image by Syxaxis Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Today we’re announcing a new database MacRaes to America, 1755-1930. This database contains over 9,500 entries pertaining to MacRae families across the United States.

This database presents Cornelia Wendell Bush’s ebook MacRaes to America!! A Brief History of the Clan MacRae, With Records of MacRae, Ray, MacRath, McGrath & Related Families which traces this surname through United States censuses.

Interested researchers should be sure to consult the introductory content:

How to Use this Book

Spelling Variants

MacRae Name and Early History

Below is an excerpt from “How To Use this Book”:

MacRaes to America!! combines my original research on the Clan’s history with my original research on the Spelling Variants of the name MacRae, and then uses the census to identify geographical locations in the United States for persons with the surname MacRae.

The records have been organized by State and listed alphabetically by first name regardless of how the last name was recorded.

Not all census enumerators were familiar with Scottish or Irish spellings, and even our ancestors themselves may not have been consistent. This means that the same person may have had many different surnames in the records. When a surname is spelled consistently here, it may be indicative of the way it was spelled overseas prior to arrival in America and may give indications as to where to look geographically to go further back.

When a record appears to be a duplication, it has been removed, which means that if you are told to look on a certain page of the Census of 1840, you must look at ALL of the persons on that page who are spelled similarly so as not to miss your [ancestor].

As to ethnicity, not all persons in this book appear to be members of our clan, as some have clearly Germanic associations in names as well as in places of birth, and this is particularly noticeable with the surname RATH. Perhaps there is a connection, yet to be discovered, so they have been included.

The MacRaes and MacGraths arrived in America in record numbers, and by the first Census of the United States in 1790, they accounted for approximately 400 persons. Of these, the largest number were called RAY (228 persons) and the next largest number were called MCRAE (51 persons), plus the other spelling variants.

By 1930, American members of our Clan totaled almost 120,000 persons. Of these, the RAYs accounted for 61,919 persons and the MCGRATHs accounted for 12,295 persons, followed by GRATHs at 8,003 persons, RAEs at 7,277 persons, WRAYs at 6,860 persons, REAs at 5,837 persons, RATHs 5744 persons, MCRAEs at 5,082 persons and so on.

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

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Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850: new towns

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Mount Tom (1865) Thomas Charles Farrer, National Gallery of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Today we’re announcing new vital records from 10 towns in western Massachusetts added to Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850.

This update includes over 79,600 records and 150,300 names.

Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 presents the vital records of many (but not all) towns in Massachusetts. The volumes that comprise this database come from a variety of different sources including vital records published by NEHGS, vital records published by other individuals or organizations (such as Franklin P. Rice, the Essex Institute, or the General Society of Mayflower Descendants), and manuscripts from the NEHGS collection.

The new records added in this update come from the Corbin Collection, specifically the 2003 CD that transcribes the contents of the original manuscript collection located in the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections here at NEHGS.

Walter and Lottie Corbin, the genealogists who created the Corbin Collection lived in Florence, MA. According to the introduction to the CD, Walter and Lottie “traveled throughout western Massachusetts transcribing and compiling records until they had assembled perhaps the largest and most valuable collection of materials ever created for this area. The Corbins traversed the countryside transcribing church records, vital records, cemeteries, probate records, and many private records. They visited individuals in their homes, traipsed through overgrown cemeteries, and carefully examined dusty, centuries-old volumes in clerk’s offices, libraries, and churches.” The Corbins’ collection of records, most of which pertain to the 1650-1850 time period was purchased by NEHGS in 1964.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help in making these towns available online.

The new volumes are listed below:

Easthampton – V1
Enfield – V1
Granby – V1
Hatfield – V1
Paxton – V1
Prescott – V1
South Hadley – V1
Ware – V1
Westhampton – V1
Williamsburg – V1

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: new browsable records from Foxborough, Quincy, South Boston and Roxbury

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St. Monica, Piero della Francesca, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Today we’ve added 24 new volumes to Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from 7 parishes across eastern Massachusetts. This update adds over 2,300 new pages to browse.

The new parishes include St. Mary (Foxborough), St. Mary (Quincy), St. Monica (South Boston), St. Peter (South Boston), St. Vincent de Paul (South Boston), St. John-St.Hugh (Roxbury) and St. Philip (Roxbury).

If you need help navigating the image-only collection, please consult our webinar, Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Records Project: We’re Expanding! 

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making these parishes available online.

The new volumes are listed below:

St. John-St. Hugh (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1901-1908
St. John-St. Hugh (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1908-1917
St. John-St. Hugh (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1917-1920
St. John-St. Hugh (Roxbury) Marriages, 1901-1910
St. John-St. Hugh (Roxbury) Marriages, 1908-1920

St. Mary (Foxborough) Baptisms, 1901-1920
St. Mary (Foxborough) Confirmations, 1902-1920
St. Mary (Foxborough) Deaths, 1907-1911
St. Mary (Foxborough) Marriages, 1902-1920
St. Mary (Foxborough) Various, 1901-1920

St. Mary (Quincy) Baptisms, 1919-1920
St. Mary (Quincy) Confirmations, 1901-1920
St. Mary (Quincy) First Communions, 1900-1920
St. Mary (Quincy) Marriages, 1900-1920

St. Monica (South Boston) Baptisms, 1908-1920
St. Monica (South Boston) Marriages, 1918-1920

St. Peter (South Boston) Baptisms, 1877-1913
St. Peter (South Boston) Baptisms, 1913-1915
St. Peter (South Boston) Baptisms, 1916-1920
St. Peter (South Boston) Deaths, 1909-1920
St. Peter (South Boston) Marriages, 1896-1904
St. Peter (South Boston) Marriages, 1904-1920

St. Philip (Roxbury) Marriages, 1908-1920

St. Vincent de Paul (South Boston) Marriages, 1910-1920

Please note: This database is available to all NEHGS members.  Learn more about becoming a NEHGS guest member (free).

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