I'm wondering if the actual town records for Bellingham are available at the town hall or maybe a historical society. If someone knows, could you let me know and let me know how easy it is to get access to them? This is my mystery: A 1911 genealogy done as a wedding present for my grandparents shows the following information and gives as a reference "Bellingham, Mass Vital Records, pp.15, 37, 113, 187". That entry would indicate the researchers must have looked at the actual records (probably was possible in 1911) and that they found entries for the following information on four separate pages: pages 15, 37, 113, and 187. The paragraph reads: <quote> Benjamin Hall, son of Seth and Elizabeth Hall, was born at Bellingham, Mass., July 9, 1770, and died there Feb. 21, 1824. He married at Cumberland, R.I., April 20, 1797, Sarah Bates, born at Bellingham, Mass., May 1, 1777; died there Nov. 29, 1821. <unquote> Here's the mystery: When I posted a similar query some time ago, Susan Roe responded with information from what I think was a transcribed and printed record of Bellingham Vital Records, that Benjamin Hall of Cumberland RI and Mrs. Sarah Bates filed an intention of marriage at Bellingham on Jan 22, 1797. As Susan correctly pointed out, the reference to Mrs. Sarah Bates indicates she was probably a widow at the time, which could mean her maiden name was not Bates. The 1911 genealogy does not mention a title in front of Sarah Bates' name; it just says Sarah Bates. I've corresponded with Susan often and I know she is a careful researcher. I have to take her information as truthful. The problem is that I still have some doubt and I don't know if the printed records Susan is referring to are in error or if the researchers made a mistake in 1911 when they were looking at the actual town records. There are several possible conclusions: First, Sarah Bates was a widow, although she would have had to have been a very young widow and her maiden name was not Bates. Second, Sarah Bates was a widow and her maiden name was also Bates, due to the intermarrying of all of our wonderful Quaker ancestors in the Blackstone Valley. Third, the transcription in the 1911 genealogy said Benjamin Hall married Sarah Bates, when the actual record might say Mrs. Sarah Bates. And, fourth, the transcribed and printed Bellingham VR have a mistake in them and Sarah Bates was not a widow. I've been a member of the Bates Association for a long time, always based on the assumption that Bates was Sarah Bates' maiden name. That membership is erroneous if Sarah was not actually a Bates by birth. I'm hoping that by seeing the actual written town records, I might come up with something more definitive, maybe even Sarah's parentage. Please let me know if researchers can actually get access to the Bellingham records -- the original ones, rather than a transcription. I'm hoping to come to RI in the spring or summer and I'll make arrangements to see the records if I can. Thanks, Frank