Archive For The “Uncategorized” Category
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
Today we have added 10 new volumes for the Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 database. Today’s additions include St. Adalbert in Hyde Park, and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in South Boston, and St. Vincent de Paul in South Boston. This update includes 10 volumes, 750 pages, and nearly 30,000 searchable names.
Many of the Polish parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston were founded, at least in part, due to the missionary labors of the pioneer Polish priest, Father John Chmielinski. The considerable Polish community had been ministered to by Father Chmielinski and others, and a parish was created in 1913 under Father Alexander Syski. Within a year he erected a basement church, and in 1929 began building the superstructure, which as completed by his successor, Farther Sikora. The church was constructed at 1450 River Street in Hyde Park, and was dedicated as the Church of St. Adalbert on September 7, 1931.
The Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary was set off from Sts. Peter and Paul, and Rev. John J. McNulty became the pastor on June 8, 1884. Land was acquired on West Sixth Street between C and D Streets, and construction started in September. On October 18, 1885, the church was dedicated by Archbishop Williams.
Saint Vincent de Paul of South Boston is at the corner of E and Third Street, and was just one block from the water when it was built. The church was dedicated on the Festival of St. Vincent de Paul on July 19, 1874 in a ceremony performed by Bishop Williams.
The 10 new volumes in this release are:
• St. Adalbert (Hyde Park) Baptisms, 1912-1919
• St. Adalbert (Hyde Park) Baptisms, 1919-1920
• St. Adalbert (Hyde Park) First Communions, 1918-1920
• St. Adalbert (Hyde Park) Interments, 1913-1920
• St. Adalbert (Hyde Park) Marriages, 1912-1920
• Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (South Boston) Baptisms, 1911-1920
• Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (South Boston) Confirmations, 1903-1920
• Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (South Boston) Marriages, 1908-1920
• St. Vincent de paul (South Boston) Baptisms, 1910-2920
We thank our dedicated volunteer Sam Sturgis for his work on this release. 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.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 6 new volumes for the Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include two parishes in Roxbury: Blessed Sacrament, and St. Thomas Aquinas. This update includes 6 volumes, 1,000 pages, and 65,000 searchable names.
St. Patrick’s was established in 1836 to serve the Catholics of “Roxbury, Brookline, and Brighton” (Sullivan, p. 49). Originally the church was situated a little south of the South End, on Northampton Street in between Washington Street and Harrison Avenue. In the 1870s as the Catholic population grew, parish boundaries shifted. A new church (still in use) was built further south at the intersection of Dudley and Magazine Streets. The building of the new church began in 1873.
On December 10, 1894, Rev. Philip J. O’Donnell was appointed rector of a new parish which later received the name of St. Philip’s. Services were initially held in Old St. Patrick’s on Northampton Street, this young pastor quickly bought land between Harrison Avenue, East Lenox, and Reed Streets, on which he began the construction of a Gothic brick church. It opened for services in the basement by April 24, 1899, and was dedicated on May 4, 1913.
The 6 new volumes in this release are:
• St. Patrick (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1907-1920
• St. Patrick (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1920
• St. Patrick (Roxbury) Marriages, 1903-1920
• St. Philip (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1908-1914
• St. Philip (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1914-1920
• St. Philip (Roxbury) Confirmations, 1915-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we’ve added three new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from All Saints in Roxbury. This update adds over 5,000 records and over 20,600 names to search.
Construction of the All Saints Church in Roxbury started in 1893. It was dedicated in 1897. This parish grew out of St. Joseph in Roxbury as the Catholic population in this area grew.
We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis for his help making this parish available online.
The new volumes are listed below:
All Saints (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1908-1916
All Saints (Roxbury) Baptisms, 1916-1920
All Saints (Roxbury) Marriages, 1908-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we’ve added eight new volumes and updated four volumes in Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from Our Lady of Victories in Boston and St. Angela Merici in Mattapan. This update adds over 13,500 records and over 77,000 names to search.
Our Lady of Victories was Boston’s first French Canadian parish, established in 1880, and also know as Notre Dame des Victoires. In History of the Archdiocese of Boston in the Various Stages of Its Development 1604-1943, Lord Sexton, and Harrington relate, “By the end of the [Archbishop] Williams era [i.e. 1907], Notre Dame des Victoires was serving twenty thousand French-speaking people, scattered throughout Greater Boston” (Volume 3, 212).
St. Angela’s parish in Mattapan was founded in 1907 out of territory that had previously belonged to St. Gregory in Dorchester and Most Precious Blood in Hyde Park. Construction on the new church building began in 1909. It was dedicated in 1919.
We’d like to thank Sam Sturgis, Maryanne LeGrow, Janet Essency, Gig Moineau and Pauline Cusson for their work on these 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:
Our Lady of Victories (Boston) Baptisms, 1898-1905*
Our Lady of Victories (Boston) Baptisms, 1905-1917
Our Lady of Victories (Boston) Baptisms, 1917-1920
Our Lady of Victories (Boston) Deaths, 1889-1920*
Our Lady of Victories (Boston) Marriages, 1899-1911*
Our Lady of Victories (Boston) Marriages, 1911-1920
Our Lady of Victories (Boston) Various, 1880-1920*
St. Angela Merici (Mattapan) Baptisms, 1908-1918
St. Angela Merici (Mattapan) Baptisms, 1918-1920
St. Angela Merici (Mattapan) Confirmations, 1910-1920
St. Angela Merici (Mattapan) First Communions, 1909-1920
St. Angela Merici (Mattapan) Marriages, 1908-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we’ve updated four databases focusing on Maine and Vermont. These databases, based on manuscripts from the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections are now searchable by first name and last name, location, record type, and family members (where available). The page images from the original manuscripts were also added to these revamped databases. This update adds over 3,400 records and over 7,700 names to search across the four databases.
The updated databases include:
Maine: Marriages Performed by Rev. Enoch M. Fowler, 1840-1875
Skowhegan, ME: Marriages Perfomed by Eleazer Coburn, 1810-1844
Morgan, VT: Early Records, 1780-1932
Rutland, VT: Records of the Congregational Church (East Parish), 1788-1842
We’d like to thank the following volunteers for their work to make these updates possible: Greta Gaffin, Colleen Alm, Nell Nies, Tate Lehmann, Rich Wood and Margaret Parker.
Please note: These databases are available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
Today we have added 4 new volumes for the Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions are for St. John the Evangelist of Newton and includes over 500 pages, and 13,000 searchable names.
In the Nonantum section of Newton a French-speaking community developed, and starting in 1894, repeatedly petitioned to become a parish. In the spring of 1911, Archbishop O’Connell sent Father Joseph E. Robichaud who served for at least 30 years there. The first parish Mass was celebrated May 14, 1911, in Lafayette Hall on Dalby Street. This building was constructed in 1902, and after purchasing and repairing it, it became the Church of St. John the Evangelist.
The four new volumes in this release are:
• St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Baptisms, 1911-1920
• St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Confirmations, 1914-1920
• St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Marriages, 1911-1920
• St. John the Evangelist (Newton) Deaths, 1914-1920
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.
We have a brand-new database today, Newton, MA: St. Mary Episcopal Church Cemetery, 1815-1999.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and Cemetery are both listed in the Massachusetts State Register of Historical Places. Episcopal services were first held in New Lower Falls in 1811. The church was built in 1813, and Ebenezer Steadman, who fought in the Revolutionary War and was one of the signers of the Petition of Incorporation, was the first burial in the cemetery. For more information about St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, including directions on how to get there, see the website.
The book, St. Mary’s Cemetery Newton, Massachusetts Epitaphs, was compiled by Beverly E. Hurney and published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society in 2000. Beverly was elected as Superintendent of the Cemetery in 1994. This book is the result of her efforts to provide transcriptions of the epitaphs and the most complete listing of persons buried there.
In 2020, Lynn Farnell and volunteers from St. Mary’s Episcopal Church created an index of the birth and death information contained in this this book and generously donated it to NEHGS to create this online database. The database contains over 140 pages of the book and over 3,700 searchable names.
The vast majority of records in the database start in 1815, though there are some births that date back to 1767. When parent and spouse names are clearly documented in the source material, we have included them in this database. The record types in this database are Birth and Death.
This book is also available in the library F74.N56 H87 2000.
Please note: This database is available to all NEHGS members.
Today we have added 5 new volumes and updated 2 volumes for the Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. Today’s additions include two parishes in Jamaica Plain: Blessed Sacrament, and St. Thomas Aquinas. This update includes 17 volumes, over 2,600 pages, and nearly 143,000 searchable names.
As the population of Jamaica Plain grew, St. Thomas Aquinas was created out of St. Joseph’s parish in Roxbury. Mass was held for the first time here in 1869. Today, Jamaica Plain is a neighborhood of Boston. When the parish began, Jamaica Plain was still part of West Roxbury, which did not become part of the city of Boston until 1874.
Blessed Sacrament was established in 1892 as the Catholic population in Roxbury and Jamaica Plain grew and grew. It was offset from the territories of a few different parishes including Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Roxbury) and St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain). The Jamaica Plain Historical Society republished an article from 1913 in the Boston Daily Globe which describes the laying of the cornerstone for the new church building.
We thank our dedicated volunteer Sam Sturgis for his work on this release. 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.
There are six volumes that were updated in this release:
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1892-1903
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Confirmations, 1892-1910
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Marriages, 1892-1907
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1893-1901
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Confirmations, 1869-1911
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) First Communions, 1899-1920
The eleven new volumes in this release are:
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1903-1908
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1908-1915
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1916-1920
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Confirmations, 1913-1920
• Blessed Sacrament (Jamaica Plain) Marriages, 1908-1920
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1902-1907
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1908-1908
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1908-1915
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Baptisms, 1915-1920
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Confirmations, 1914-1920
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Jamaica Plain) Marriages, 1901-1907
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.