Archive For The “Uncategorized” Category

Western Massachusetts Families in 1790: new sketches from New Marlborough

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New Marlborough, MA (image by Tony Webster / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0))

Today we’re announcing two new sketches in Western Massachusetts Families in 1790.  These new sketches focus on Ezra Knapp and Zenas Wheeler, both of New Marlborough.

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 these updates possible.

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: new searchable records from Salem

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St. Joseph in Salem, from James Sullivan’s One Hundred Years of Progress, page 465.

Today we’ve added 7 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Joseph in Salem. This update adds over 27,900 records and over 279,800 names to search.

In 1872, the French Canadians of Salem gathered for Mass as their own congregation for the first time. St. Joseph’s grew out of Immaculate Conception in Salem. Their church building was completed in 1883.

We’d like to thank Debbie Lansing, Liz Barnett, Mouna Blila, Loretta Brown-Aldrich, Eileen Convey, Pauline Cusson, Lisa Elvin-Staltari, Janet Essency, Nancy Johnson, Michelle Kearns, Rick Lageux, Maryanne LeGrow, Julie McConville, Stacey-Rae McCue, Bruce McKeeman, Gig Moineau, Kathy Oberley, Susie Souza and Alicia Svenson for their help with this update.

The new volumes are listed below:

St. Joseph (Salem) Baptisms, 1873-1887
St. Joseph (Salem) Baptisms, 1887-1892
St. Joseph (Salem) Baptisms, 1892-1906
St. Joseph (Salem) Burials, 1890-1914
St. Joseph (Salem) Confirmations, 1888-1920
St. Joseph (Salem) Marriages, 1873-1890
St. Joseph (Salem) Marriages, 1890-1908

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: new searchable records from Dorchester

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Plate 24 from the 1894 Atlas of the city of Boston, showing the original location of St. Matthew’s Church (in yellow, center, in between Codman Square and “Second Parish of Dorchester Cemetery”)

Today we’ve added 8 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Matthew in Dorchester. This update adds over 9,900 records and over 37,600 names to search.

St. Matthew grew out of St. Gregory’s parish in Dorchester. In 1900 it became a parish of its own. By 1923, a new church had been built and dedicated. You can view a picture of the original church on the website of the Dorchester Historical Society.

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

The new volumes are listed below:

St. Matthew (Dorchester) Baptisms, 1900-1912
St. Matthew (Dorchester) Baptisms, 1900-1916
St. Matthew (Dorchester) Baptisms, 1912-1920
St. Matthew (Dorchester) Baptisms, 1920
St. Matthew (Dorchester) Confirmations, 1903-1920
St. Matthew (Dorchester) Marriages, 1900-1915
St. Matthew (Dorchester) Marriages, 1900-1920
St. Matthew (Dorchester) Special Marriages, 1912-1920

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: New searchable records for Brockton, Lexington, and South Boston

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Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa at The Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

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.

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Archdiocese of Boston: Blessed Sacrament in Walpole now searchable

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1876 Comstock & Cline map of Walpole, MA from the Atlas of Norfolk County (Public domain)

Today we’ve added five new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from Blessed Sacrament in Walpole. This update adds over 7,300 records and over 27,500 names to search.

James Sullivan describes the beginnings of this parish which was originally called St. Francis in One Hundred Years of Progress. In about 1876, enough Catholics lived in Walpole to begin organizing the parish. By the early 1900s, this parish had grown large enough to build a new church, which was renamed Blessed Sacrament in 1913. The Walpole Library has a very extensive history of the parish available.

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

The new volumes are listed below:

Blessed Sacrament (Walpole) Baptisms, Marriages, and Confirmations, 1872-1901
Blessed Sacrament (Walpole) Baptisms, Marriages, and Confirmations, 1901-1916
Blessed Sacrament (Walpole) Baptisms, 1908-1920
Blessed Sacrament (Walpole) Marriages, 1896-1900 and Confirmations, 1920
Blessed Sacrament (Walpole) 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: St. Patrick in Stoneham now searchable

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St. Patrick’s in Stoneham by Daderot

Today we’ve added four new volumes and updated one volume in Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from St. Patrick in Stoneham. This update adds over 6,600 records and over 21,700 names to search.

St. Patrick’s began in 1868 when the Bishop assigned a priest to minister to this region. Before gaining their own churches, the territory of St. Patrick in Stoneham initially included the towns of Reading, Melrose, and Wakefield.

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

The new volumes are listed below:

St. Patrick (Stoneham) Baptisms, 1903-1920
St. Patrick (Stoneham) Confirmations, 1884-1920
St. Patrick (Stoneham) First Communions, 1911-1920
St. Patrick (Stoneham) Marriages, 1868-1920
St. Patrick (Stoneham) Baptisms, 1868-1902 (updated volume–records added for 1901 & 1902)

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: New searchable records for Lynn and Quincy

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Church images
Early images of St. Joseph of Lynn and St. John the Baptist of Quincy, from pages 187 and 510 of One Hundred Years of Progress. Public Domain.

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.

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Archdiocese of Boston: New searchable records for Boston Harbor Islands, Concord, and Norwood

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Map of Boston Harbor Islands
Map of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. This image was produced by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. As a product of the US Government, it is in the public domain and not protected by copyright restrictions.

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

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New sketches in two New England study projects

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Muddy Pond, Rutland, VT by William Henry Jackson (1861)

Today we’re announcing two new sketches and five updated sketches in two of our New England study projects: Western Massachusetts Families in 1790 and Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784.

George Butler of Pittsfield was added to our database Western Massachusetts Families in 1790.

This study project focuses on 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’ve also added Jonathan Bell of Tinmouth and Rutland to Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784.

We’ve updated the following sketches:

Emmons, Benjamin (Woodstock)
Kellogg, Joseph (Fort Dummer)
Sprague, Elkanah (Hartford)
Taylor, Samuel (Hartland)
Tilden, Stephen (Hartford)

Scott Andrew Bartley’s study project tracks heads of families who lived in Vermont prior to the Revolutionary War.  His sketches so far have focused on Windham and Windsor counties.

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

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

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Archdiocese of Boston: 5 new searchable parishes

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1895 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Lawrence, MA showing St. Anne’s Church (pink building, lower right)

Today we’ve added 22 new volumes to Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 from five different parishes: Immaculate Conception in Weymouth, Sacred Heart in Natick, St. Anne in Lawrence, St. John the Evangelist in Wellesley and St. Lawrence in Brookline. This update adds over 49,100 records and over 203,300 names to search.

We’d like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for their work on this, including Aidan Largey, Alicia Svenson, Amelia Devin Freedman, Angela Napolitano, Arlys LaFehr, Becki Clarke, Bob Rainville, Bonnie Barns, Bruce McKeeman, Carolyn Jack, Conall O’Cathain, Debbie Lansing, Eileen McCarthy, Eldon Gay, Erin Canzano, Gail Delfosse, Helen Fredell, Jane Papa, Jennifer Lozano, Katharine Loomis, Kathy Oberley, Kim Bonner, Lisa Donovan, Liz Barnett, Loretta Brown-Aldrich, Marie Wells, Mary Alice Yost, Matt Murphy, Michelle Cohen , Michelle Kearns, Nancy Johnson, Paul McCool, Pauline Cusson, Rick Lageux, Rosie Gellene, Sandy Murphy Mauer, Shaune-Marie Berg, Stacey-Rae McCue, Sam Sturgis, Toni Lattimer and Violet Hurst. 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 (Weymouth) Baptisms, 1882-1892
Immaculate Conception (Weymouth) Baptisms, 1892-1906
Immaculate Conception (Weymouth) Marriages, 1892-1907
Immaculate Conception (Weymouth) Marriages, First Communions, and Confirmations, 1882-1920

Sacred Heart (Natick) Baptisms, 1890-1920
Sacred Heart (Natick) Confirmations, 1893-1920
Sacred Heart (Natick) Marriages, 1890-1907

St. Anne (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1883-1889
St. Anne (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1890-1898
St. Anne (Lawrence) Baptisms, 1899-1904
St. Anne (Lawrence) Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1871-1885
St. Anne (Lawrence) Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1878-1885
St. Anne (Lawrence) Confirmations, 1880-1920
St. Anne (Lawrence) Deaths, 1890-1912
St. Anne (Lawrence) Marriages, 1883-1897
St. Anne (Lawrence) Marriages, 1898-1906

St. John the Evangelist (Wellesley) Baptisms, 1890-1914
St. John the Evangelist (Wellesley) Baptisms, 1914-1920
St. John the Evangelist (Wellesley) Confirmations, 1892-1920
St. John the Evangelist (Wellesley) Marriages, 1890-1920

St. Lawrence (Brookline) Baptisms, 1898-1920
St. Lawrence (Brookline) Marriages, 1898-1920

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

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