Author Archive

Archdiocese of Boston: 8 new browsable parishes from Lynn, Newton, and Boston

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St. Mary’s in Lynn from One Hundred Years of Progress by James S. Sullivan

Today we’ve added 52 new volumes and updated thirteen volumes in Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton), Sacred Heart (Lynn), St. Jean Baptiste (Lynn), St. John the Evangelist (Newton), St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston), St. Mary (Lynn), St. Patrick (Lynn), and St. Theresa of Avila (West Roxbury). This update adds over 12,700 new pages to browse.

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

The new 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:

Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) Baptisms, 1898-1904*
Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) Baptisms, 1905-1908
Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) Baptisms, 1908-1913
Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) Baptisms, 1914-1920
Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) Baptisms, 1920
Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) First Communions and Confirmations, 1888-1920
Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) Marriages, 1885-1908*
Our Lady Help of Christians (Newton) Marriages, 1908-1920

Sacred Heart (Lynn) Baptisms, 1900-1917*
Sacred Heart (Lynn) Baptisms, 1917-1920
Sacred Heart (Lynn) First Communions, 1909-1920
Sacred Heart (Lynn) Marriages, 1894-1918*
Sacred Heart (Lynn) Marriages, 1918-1920

St. Jean Baptiste (Lynn) Baptisms, 1893-1903*
St. Jean Baptiste (Lynn) Baptisms, 1903-1909
St. Jean Baptiste (Lynn) Baptisms, 1910-1915
St. Jean Baptiste (Lynn) Baptisms, 1915-1920
St. Jean Baptiste (Lynn) Marriages, 1886-1907*
St. Jean Baptiste (Lynn) Marriages, 1907-1920

St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Baptisms, 1911-1920
St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Confirmations, 1914-1920
St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Deaths, 1914-1920
St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Marriages, 1911-1920

St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1900-1903*
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1903-1905
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1905-1906
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1906-1907
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1907-1908
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1908-1909
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1909-1910
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1910-1911
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1911-1912
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1912
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1912-1913
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1913-1914
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1914-1915
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1915
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1915-1916
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1916-1917
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1917-1918
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Baptisms, 1918-1920
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Confirmations, 1876-1920*
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Marriages, 1900-1906*
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Marriages, 1906-1908
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Marriages, 1908-1912
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Marriages, 1912-1916
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Boston) Marriages, 1916-1920

St. Mary (Lynn) Baptisms, 1897-1903*
St. Mary (Lynn) Baptisms, 1904-1905
St. Mary (Lynn) Baptisms, 1906-1908
St. Mary (Lynn) Baptisms, 1908-1913
St. Mary (Lynn) Baptisms, 1914-1920
St. Mary (Lynn) First Communions and Confirmations, 1881-1903*
St. Mary (Lynn) Marriages, 1907-1908
St. Mary (Lynn) Marriages, 1908-1920
St. Mary (Lynn) Sick Calls, 1906-1920

St. Patrick (Lynn) Baptisms, 1906-1910
St. Patrick (Lynn) Baptisms, 1911-1917
St. Patrick (Lynn) Baptisms, 1917-1920
St. Patrick (Lynn) Marriages, 1911-1920

St. Theresa of Avila (West Roxbury) Baptisms, 1896-1920*
St. Theresa of Avila (West Roxbury) Baptisms, 1920
St. Theresa of Avila (West Roxbury) Confirmations, 1902-1920
St. Theresa of Avila (West Roxbury) Marriages, 1896-1910*
St. Theresa of Avila (West Roxbury) 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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Boston, MA: Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Immigration Records, 1904-1929: 6 new volumes

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Page 99, Immigrants Detained and Deported, 1906-1907 (Folder 4)

 Boston, MA: Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Immigration Records, 1904-1929 presents the earliest records of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) in Boston, thanks to our partnership with the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at New England Historic Genealogical Society (JHC).  This database now contains 12 folders from the HIAS collection held by the JHC. Six new folders were added today. These folders are from Box 211; for a complete listing of boxes within the collection, see the finding aid.

This update to the database added over 15,700 records and 16,600 names, more than doubling the information that was previously available. Records include passenger lists, ship arrivals, correspondence, and lists of immigrants who were detained and deported.  The contents of each volume vary greatly.

The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) was founded in New York City in the 1880s by the Russian Jewish community of New York in response to the influx of Russian Jewish immigrants fleeing the pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. The Boston office of HIAS was chartered in 1904. HIAS in Boston operated autonomously from the national office in New York, even after their merger in 1916. HIAS ensured that Jewish immigrants had access to holiday and religious services and kosher food; provided shelter and social services; and assisted immigrants with finding employment and schools, often on short notice.

Starting in 1930, HIAS began to keep case files on the individuals whom they helped.  The Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center is digitizing these files and making them available in Digital Collections in the Harris Poorvu Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (Boston) Digital Archives.

Immigrants in this database simply traveled through Boston.  While Boston or another town in Massachusetts were the final destinations of many, immigrants to locations throughout the United States and Canada are represented in this database.  Far-flung or popular locations include New York (city and state); St. Louis, Missouri; Wisconsin; Winnipeg, Ontario; North Carolina; Maryland; California and more.

The creation of this database was funded by the family of Harris Poorvu, former president and treasurer of HIAS Boston. We’d like to thank the following their help scanning and indexing these folders: Eileen McCarthy, Max Agigian, Bill Wolfendale, Kristen Van Uden, Olga Tugarina, Emily Douglas, Goldie Davoudgoleh, Megan Szostak, David Anderson, and Richard Wood.

The new volumes are listed below:

Ship Passenger Lists, 1905 (Folder 3)
Immigrants Detained and Deported, 1906-1907 (Folder 4)
Lists of Arrivals, 1913 (Folder 6)
Lists of Arrivals and Correspondence re Arrivals, 1928-1929 (Folder 8)
Correspondence re Arrivals, 1916-1923 (Folder 11)
Passenger Lists and Correspondence, 1929 (Folder 12)

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

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Boscawen, NH: Records of the First Congregational Church, 1790-1970

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Wedding at the First Congregational Church in Boscawen, NH (photo from Ron Reed)

Today we’re announcing a new database, Boscawen, NH: Records of the First Congregational Church, 1790-1970. This database provides over 24,300 records and 24,500 names to search.

When the town of Boscawen was first settled in 1733, one of the first orders of business by the proprietors was to call a suitable person to preach. After a couple of years of interim preaching, the Rev Phineas Stevens settled in town and in 1740 the First Congregational Church in Boscawen was formed. Rev. Dr. Samuel Wood served as minister for over 50 years, and prepared many young adults for college, including the famed statesmen Daniel Webster and his brother Ezekiel Webster who were members of the church.

These church records provide useful vital record information for this area, and potentially some lifestyle information, such as involvement in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and Sunday School attendance.

This database contains the general record books for the church from 1781-1982 which contain births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, church admissions, church dismissals, and other information.

Baptisms are only presented on our site up to 1920. Other church records are only presented on our site up to 1970.

This database also presents Sunday School record books and Women’s Christian Temperance Union record books, offering further information about the lives of the congregants.

This database is made possible thanks to our collaboration with the First Congregational Church and Ron Reed, the Church Historian.

Many thanks to our volunteers who helped create this database including: Maureen McCarthy, Erin Canzano, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Judy Welna, Jane Himmel, Loretta Brown-Aldrich, Rick Lageux, Patty Ryburn, Toni Lattimer, Sandy Caldwell, Matt Murphy, Marie Wells, Mary Alice Yost, Carolyn Jack, Alicia Svenson, Arlys LaFehr, Eldon Gay, Max Agigian, Eileen McCarthy, Ross Weaver, Angela Napolitano, and Francis Alix.

The Boscawen First Congregational Church congregation (photo from Ron Reed)

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

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New England study projects: new & updated sketches

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Today we’re announcing two new sketches in Western Massachusetts Families in 1790.  The new sketches focus on Isaac Buck of Chesterfield and Noah Drake, also of Chesterfield.

This study project highlights individuals enumerated in the 1790 census in historic Berkshire and Hampshire counties, also including modern Franklin and Hampden counties.  Sketches for this project are submitted to editor Helen Schatvet Ullmann, CG, FASG by NEHGS members and other interested researchers.  If you are interested in submitting a sketch for Volume 5, please review our project home page.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making this update possible.

We’ve also updated four sketches in Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784: Richards, Jonas (Norwich), Marsh, Joel (Sharon), Church, Timothy (Brattleboro), and Child, Abijah (Pomfret).

Scott Andrew Bartley’s study project tracks heads of families who lived in Vermont prior to the Revolutionary War.

Please note: These databases are available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.

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Archdiocese of Boston: new searchable records from Charlestown

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St. Francis de Sales Church Courtesy of Reverend Wolcott Cutler from the Boston Public Library, Charlestown Branch

Today we’ve added two new volumes and updated two volumes in Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Francis de Sales in Charlestown. This update adds over 16,400 records and over 66,600 names to search.

St. Francis de Sales grew from St. Mary’s, the first Catholic church in Charlestown. The cornerstone was laid in 1859. The church was dedicated in 1862 and continued to grow.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making this parish 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 in their complete form:

St. Francis de Sales (Charlestown) Baptisms, 1893-1908*
St. Francis de Sales (Charlestown) Baptisms, 1908-1920
St. Francis de Sales (Charlestown) Marriages, 1862-1908*
St. Francis de Sales (Charlestown) Marriages, 1908-1920

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 Boston and Newton

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St. Columbkille (Brighton) from the Archdiocese of Boston Archives

Today we’ve added twelve new volumes and updated eleven volumes in Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Bernard (Newton), St. Columbkille (Brighton), St. Joseph (Boston), and St. Mary (Boston). This update adds over 2,700 new pages to browse.

We’d like to thank volunteers Bill Wolfendale, Kim Bonner, Angela Napolitano and Eileen McCarthy for their help making this update possible.

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

The new 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:

St. Bernard (Newton) Baptisms, 1894-1911*
St. Bernard (Newton) Baptisms, 1911-1920
St. Bernard (Newton) Marriages, 1876-1911*
St. Bernard (Newton) Marriages, 1911-1920

St. Columbkille (Brighton) Baptisms, 1901-1914
St. Columbkille (Brighton) Baptisms, 1914-1919
St. Columbkille (Brighton) Baptisms, 1919-1920
St. Columbkille (Brighton) Confirmations, 1897-1920*
St. Columbkille (Brighton) Marriages, 1857-1907*
St. Columbkille (Brighton) Marriages, 1907-1920

St. Joseph (Boston) Baptisms, 1900-1910*
St. Joseph (Boston) Baptisms, 1911-1920
St. Joseph (Boston) Confirmations, 1895-1920*
St. Joseph (Boston) Marriages, 1899-1907*
St. Joseph (Boston) Marriages, 1907-1912
St. Joseph (Boston) Marriages, 1912-1920

St. Mary (Boston) Baptisms, 1893-1908*
St. Mary (Boston) Baptisms, 1908-1920
St. Mary (Boston) Confirmations, 1911-1919
St. Mary (Boston) First Communions and Confirmations, 1866-1901*
St. Mary (Boston) First Communions and Confirmations, 1884-1915*
St. Mary (Boston) First Communions and Confirmations, 1902-1920
St. Mary (Boston) Marriages, 1894-1920*

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 browsable records from Wakefield

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Interior, St. Joseph’s in Wakefield, from James S. Sullivan’s One Hundred Years of Progress page 599.

Today we’ve added eight new volumes to Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Joseph in Wakefield. This update adds over 1,100 new pages to browse.

As early as 1854, Catholics were worshipping in Wakefield. In the 1870s, the congregation was expanding and a new church was built on Albion Street. During this time period, St. Agnes in Reading was also a mission of this parish.

We’d like to thank volunteer Eileen McCarthy for her help making this update possible.

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

The new volumes are listed below:

St. Joseph (Wakefield) Baptisms, 1873-1902
St. Joseph (Wakefield) Baptisms, 1903-1917
St. Joseph (Wakefield) Baptisms, 1917-1920
St. Joseph (Wakefield) Confirmations, 1879-1920
St. Joseph (Wakefield) First Communions, 1881-1920
St. Joseph (Wakefield) Marriages, 1873-1902
St. Joseph (Wakefield) Marriages, 1903-1908
St. Joseph (Wakefield) Marriages, 1908-1920

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

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Western Massachusetts Families in 1790: 2 new sketches

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Westfield River near Middlefield, MA (image by Benjamin Turon / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0))

Today we’re announcing two new sketches in Western Massachusetts Families in 1790.  The new sketches focus on Isaac Hemingway Streeter of Middlefield who married Hannah Alderman and Ebenezer Bird of Windsor who married Ruby “Lauri” Hayward.

This study project focuses on individual enumerated in the 1790 census in historic Berkshire and Hampshire counties, also including modern Franklin and Hampden counties.  Sketches for this project are submitted to editor Helen Schatvet Ullmann, CG, FASG by NEHGS members and other interested researchers.  If you are interested in submitting a sketch for Volume 5, please review our project home page.

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making this update possible.

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) now searchable

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St. Catherine of Siena in Charlestown, image from the Boston Public Library, Charlestown Branch

Today we’ve added four new volumes and updated three volumes in Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Catherine of Siena in Charlestown. This update adds over 11,600 records and over 43,900 names to search.

St. Catherine of Siena grew out of St. Francis de Sales parish in Charlestown, located at the base of Bunker Hill on Vine Street. The first Mass at St. Catherine’s was celebrated on Christmas 1887. 

We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making this parish available online.

The new volumes are listed below:

St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) Baptisms, 1902-1907
St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) Baptisms, 1907-1910
St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) Baptisms, 1910-1920
St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) Marriages, 1911-1920

Updated volumes (records added for 1901 +) :

St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) Baptisms, 1898-1902
St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) Confirmations, 1894-1920
St. Catherine of Siena (Charlestown) Marriages 1888-1910

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

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New browsable Archdiocese of Boston records: Sacred Heart in Boston’s North End

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Sacred Heart in Boston, from the Archdiocese of Boston archives

Today we’ve added 37 new volumes to Massachusetts: (Image-Only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from Sacred Heart in the North End of Boston. We’ve also updated two volumes from this parish. This update adds over 16,700 new pages to browse.

Sacred Heart was Boston’s second Italian parish, established in the North End in about 1889. This new parish grew out of existing St. Leonard of Port Maurice. In 1890, the church building (which had formerly been a Protestant meeting house) was dedicated. From its establishment, the parish continued to grow and grow, serving mostly Northern Italian immigrants and their subsequent American families.

We’d like to thank volunteers Kim Bonner, Katie McCarver, Bill Wolfendale, Michael Giannetti, Eileen McCarthy and Ross Weaver for their help scanning these volumes.

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

The new volumes are listed below:

Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1901-1903 (Part 1)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1901-1903 (Part 2)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1903-1904 (Part 1)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1903-1904 (Part 2)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1904-1905
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1906-1907
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1907-1908
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1908-1909
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1909-1910
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1910
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1910-1911
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1911-1912
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1912
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1912-1913
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1913-1914
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1914
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1914-1915
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1915
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1915-1916
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1916
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1916-1917
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1917-1918
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1918 (April-July)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1918 (July-December)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1918-1919
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1919-1920
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1920
Sacred Heart (Boston) Confirmations, 1901-1920
Sacred Heart (Boston) First Communions, 1920 (Book 1)
Sacred Heart (Boston) First Communions, 1920 (Book 2)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages, 1902-1905
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages, 1905-1908
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages, 1908-1911
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages, 1911-1913
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages, 1913-1916
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages, 1916-1918
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages, 1918-1920

The following volumes have been updated. Previously they were truncated to only display records from before January 1, 1901. Now they are presented on our site in their complete form:

Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms 1898-1901 (Part 2)
Sacred Heart (Boston) Marriages 1899-1902

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

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