Archive For The “Uncategorized” Category
Today we’re announcing two new sketches in Western Massachusetts Families in 1790. The new sketches focus on John Watkins of Partridgefield (married Elizabeth Bowker) and Samuel Dibble of Mount Washington, MA (married first Lydia Lord, second Sarah Downs).
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.
Today we have 13 new and updated volumes for the Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include St. Augustine and Saints Peter and Paul, both in South Boston. This update includes 11 volumes, 1,400 pages, and 111,000 searchable names.
St. Augustine’s Chapel in South Boston dates to 1819, built to accompany the purchase of a Catholic cemetery in South Boston. It is the oldest Catholic structure in Massachusetts. Catholics worshiped there until the congregation grew big enough to build another church (Saints Peter and Paul). The old chapel fell out of regular use. By 1868 the Catholic population continued to grow, so that they were again in need of another church. The pastor suggested that the old chapel be used until a new church could be built. The first Mass in the new church was offered in 1871, and they named the new parish in honor of the old chapel.
In 1848 Saints Peter and Paul’s church was almost completely destroyed by fire. The reconstruction took until 1853. On Thanksgiving Day in 1853 the impressive new Goth structure was opened. The grand ceremony had forty priests and the Bishops of Albany and Hartford in attendance of the service led by Bishop Fitzpatrick.
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 through December 31, 1920:
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Baptisms, 1899-1912 *
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Baptisms, 1912-1916 (Part 1)
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Baptisms, 1916-1919 (Part 2)
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Baptisms, 1919-1920 (Part 3)
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Confirmations, 1896-1917 *
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Confirmations, 1919-1920
• St. Augustine (South Boston) First Communions, 1919-1920
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Marriages, 1900-1913 *
• St. Augustine (South Boston) Marriages, 1913-1920
• Sts. Peter and Paul (South Boston) Baptisms, 1911-1916
• Sts. Peter and Paul (South Boston) Baptisms, 1917-1920
• Sts. Peter and Paul (South Boston) Confirmations, 1910-1920
• Sts. Peter and Paul (South Boston) Marriages, 1910-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
The database Watertown, MA: Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery Burials, 1854-1980 provides two volumes with over 3,300 pages of information about the burials in Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery between 1854 and 1980 and includes over 46,000 searchable records and names.
In 2011, William A. McEvoy met with representatives of the Historical Society of Watertown at the Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown, Massachusetts. Starting with a map of the cemetery and a 310-page notebook of burials, Mr. McEvoy then started a project to record burials in this historic cemetery. The initial goal was simply to post information on FindaGrave.com. By September of 2012, he discovered that the number of burials greatly exceeded initial estimates, and the available sources were incomplete. The project was expanded to include lot sales information and vital records.
The detailed results of this project are captured in the two volumes of this online database. The first volume, titled “Burials” contains all discovered information for each person buried in the cemetery, including birth years and birth places, parent’s names, street addresses at their death, cause of death and the location of the burial plot. The second volume “Civil War and Military” identifies burials for soldiers who served in the Civil War and others. It includes information on their military units and service dates.
Mr. McEvoy has also written a book entitled “Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery: East Watertown, MA”. The full text of the book is available online in the Digital Library and Archive. Additionally, Mr. McEvoy has created a recording of his book and you can see it as a YouTube Video. The book can be found in the library catalog as F74.W33 M348 2020.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we’ve added 22 new volumes and updated four volumes in Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park), Sacred Heart (Boston), St. Aidan (Brookline), St. Margaret of Scotland (Beverly) and St. Mary of the Assumption (Brookline). This update adds over 54,600 records and over 207,100 names to search.
Usually we add all the records of a single parish at once. Most parishes contain less than 10 volumes for the 20 year time period we’re currently working on (1901-1920). However, Sacred Heart in Boston’s North End consists of 37 volumes. So in this special case, I will upload this parish in pieces over the next few weeks. This week I’ve updated 1 volume and added 9 new volumes. They are all listed below. I will work to be as clear as possible in each Database News post so that interested researchers know what is available in each update. This current update includes baptisms from 1901-1910 (but the year 1910 is not yet complete–baptisms from this year continue in two more forthcoming volumes).
We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his work on the Brookline and Beverly parishes.
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:
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Baptisms, 1896-1901*
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Baptisms, 1901-1906
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Baptisms, 1906-1910
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Baptisms, 1910-1916
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Baptisms, 1916-1920
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Confirmations,1880-1920*
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Marriages, 1889-1915*
Most Precious Blood (Hyde Park) Marriages, 1915-1920
Sacred Heart (Boston) Baptisms, 1898-1901 (Part 2)*
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
St. Aidan (Brookline) Baptisms, 1911-1920
St. Aidan (Brookline) Marriages, 1911-1920
St. Margaret of Scotland (Beverly) Baptisms, 1905-1920
St. Margaret of Scotland (Beverly) Confirmations, 1908-1920
St. Margaret of Scotland (Beverly) Marriages, 1905-1920
St. Mary of the Assumption (Brookline) Baptisms, 1900-1913
St. Mary of the Assumption (Brookline) Baptisms, 1913-1919
St. Mary of the Assumption (Brookline) Marriages, 1897-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have updated the database Newtown, CT: Vital Records, 1704-1850. This update provides the original images from the manuscript and the index includes full names, including parents and spouses where available. In total this database now includes 155 pages, 3,900 records, and 9,000 searchable names.
Newtown, Connecticut is located in Fairfield County in southwestern Connecticut not far from the New York border. The land was purchased from the natives in 1705 but not really settled until 1708. In 1711 the town was incorporated by the legislature. A part of the town was set off to form part of the town of Brookfield in 1780. They primarily cover events through 1850. Some events occurring prior to 1850 were not registered until as late as 1892 but are included here.
This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteers Collen Alm, Ron Wilson, and Charlie Watson. 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.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we are releasing updated version of four databases for the state of Massachusetts. In each case, the updated database includes the original images from the manuscript and the index includes full names including parents and spouses where available. The updated volumes are:
• Attleboro, MA: Church Records of the Old Town Church, Attleboro First Church, 1740-1856
• Attleboro, MA: Church Records of the Second Congregational Church, 1748-1851
• Pembroke, MA: Baptisms in the Second Religious Society, 1749-1825
• Salem, MA: Members of the East India Marine Society, 1799-1870
In total these four databases now include 160 pages, 6,000 records, and 12,000 searchable names.
This update is made possible by the wonderful efforts of our volunteers. Max Agigian, Tim Belgrad, Linda Weaver, and Ida Nystrom delivered the Attleboro First Church update; Max Agigian, Ria Bhandarkar, and Nell Nies indexed the Attleboro Second Church update; Tate Lehmann, Michael Giannetti, Linda Weaver, and Nell Nies produced the Pembroke update; and Ria Bhandarkar and Kay Sencabaugh re-indexed the East India Marine Society. 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.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we’ve added five new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Agnes (Arlington), St. James the Apostle (Arlington), St. Joseph (Amesbury), and St. Mary (Ayer). This update adds over 7,000 records and over 27,500 names to search.
Prior to the establishment of St. Malachi (or Malachy) in Arlington in 1872, Arlington Catholics had to travel to St. Peter’s in Cambridge. When the parish began, it also included territory in Belmont and Lexington (which later became their own parishes). In 1900, St. Malachi’s was renamed to honor St. Agnes.
As more Catholics moved into Arlington, St. James the Apostle was established in 1914 to serve people in the Arlington Heights neighborhood.
The first iteration of St. Joseph’s church in Amesbury was dedicated in 1866. Ten years later, the church was already ready to expand, and a second, new church was dedicated in 1876. Many French Canadians attended this parish.
Prior to the establishment of St. Mary in Ayer, Catholics in this region worshipped in Fitchburg. St. Mary’s was established in 1858. Before Pepperell became an independent parish, Catholics from Pepperell worshipped at St. Mary’s in Ayer.
We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making this parish available online.
The new volumes are listed below:
St. Agnes (Arlington) Baptisms, 1902-1912
St. James the Apostle (Arlington) Baptisms, 1914-1920
St. Joseph (Amesbury) Baptisms, 1901-1920
St. Mary (Ayer) Baptisms, 1902-1909
St. Mary (Ayer) Baptisms, 1914-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we’ve added eight new sketches to Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784, highlighting families who lived in Brattleboro. The new sketches are listed below:
Wells, Henry (Brattleboro)
Wells, Jonathan (Brattleboro)
Wells, Samuel (Brattleboro)
Wilder, Elias (Brattleboro, Dummerston)
Wilder, John (Brattleboro)
Wilder, Joshua (Brattleboro)
Wilder, Tilly (Brattleboro)
Wilder, Tilly, Jr. (Brattleboro)
With this study project, Scott Andrew Bartley researches heads of families who lived in Vermont prior to the Revolutionary War. These sketches illustrate major players on political and religious fronts, uncover the migration patterns for this period in the region, and identify all those just looking to better their lives on the new frontier. This project is proceeding in two series, settlers to 1771 and 1772-1784. The work so far has been geographical, focusing on Windsor and Windham Counties.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 11 new volumes for the Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include St. Lazarus in East Boston and Sacred Heart in Amesbury. This update includes 11 volumes, 1,300 pages, and 30,000 searchable names.
There was a large Italian population in East Boston, and Masses were said at Orient Heights as early as 1892. Soon after, they built the church of St. Lazarus on Leyden Street, and it was dedicated on June 18, 1893.
In early 1903 Archbishop Williams created Sacred Heart Parish in Amesbury so serve the growing French-Canadian population there. The original place of worship was a remodeled Protestant meeting house. Father Joseph H. Cote replaced it with a handsome, Gothic, red-brick church, which as dedicated at Christmas in 1928.
The 11 new volumes in this release are:
• St. Lazarus (East Boston) Baptisms, 1904-1917
• St. Lazarus (East Boston) Baptisms, 1919-1920
• St. Lazarus (East Boston) Confirmations, 1907-1920
• St. Lazarus (East Boston) Interments, 1904-1920
• St. Lazarus (East Boston) Marriages, 1904-1920
• Sacred Heart (Amesbury) Baptisms, 1903-1917
• Sacred Heart (Amesbury) Baptisms, 1918-1920
• Sacred Heart (Amesbury) Confirmations, 1908-1920
• Sacred Heart (Amesbury) Deaths, 1907-1920
• Sacred Heart (Amesbury) First Communions, 1905-1920
• Sacred Heart (Amesbury) Marriages, 1908-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Last month we announced a new database of Catholic cemetery records: Massachusetts: Catholic Cemetery Association Records, 1833-1940. Today we’re adding 4 new cemeteries to this database: Calvary (Winchester), Catholic Mount Auburn (Watertown), St. Patrick (Stoneham), and St. Paul (Arlington). We’re also adding two new volumes from Holy Cross in Malden (Holy Cross (Malden) Burials, 1868-1885 and Holy Cross (Malden) Lot Sales and Burials, 1868-1870 (Book 1)).
This update adds 48 new volumes, 212,900 records and 223,400 searchable names.
When complete, this database will feature 20 cemeteries administered by the CCA in eastern Massachusetts. 13 cemeteries are available to search now; 7 more will be added throughout the year. Most cemeteries are being added all at once. Holy Cross in Malden is the only cemetery coming online sequentially. Some volumes are available now and more will be added soon.
These volumes contain records of lot sales and interments, and 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.
We’d like to thank the following volunteers and interns for their work on these volumes of this database: Alida Baker, Angela Napolitano, Arlys LaFehr, Bill Fenton, Bill Morse, Bill Wolfendale, Bob Rainville,
Bruce McKeeman, Carol Zimmerman, Carolyn Jack, Daria O’Connor, David Anderson, David Fredette, Eileen McCarthy, Eldon Gay, Elizabeth Handler, Erin Canzano, Gail Delfosse, Gail Wine, Helen Fredell, Jaimie Williams-Peterson, Jane Himmel, Jessica Powers, John Hagarty, Julie Esposito, Julie Roffo, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Kathy Oberley, Katie McNally, Linda Matthews, Linda Weaver, Lisa Butler, Lisa Donovan, Liz Barnett, Liz Jones, Lois Houghton, Mary Alice Yost, Mary Jo Donzella, Matt Murphy, Maureen Keillor, Meg Mill, Merrill Hill, Michael Giannetti, Michelle Kearns, Nancy Johnson, Patty Ryburn, Paula Hines, Pauline Cusson, Peg Camp, Phyllis Day, Rebecca Searl, Renda Smith, Rhonda Wilson, Rick Lagueux, Ross Weaver, Sandy Murphy Mauer, Sara Stinson, Sharon Dorrity, Susan Dickinson, Therese Mosorjak, Tom Clements, Violet Hurst and Virginia Vaught.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership