<<<>>><<<>> Editor's Note: The following article, first published in Ancestry Newsletter (5:2, Mar/Apr 1987, pp. 1-3), has been edited and adapted for "The Ancestry Daily News." Since the article appeared, the revised edition of "Ancestry's Red Book," edited by the author of this article, has become one of the most important tools in American family history research. In a poll published in the January 1999 issue of "Family Chronicle" magazine, librarians and book distributors ranked "Ancestry's Red Book" as one of the top ten genealogy publications. It is one of today's featured product specials and you can now get it in the Online Store for only $29.95, along with a free fifteen-generation pedigree chart. (http://shop.ancestry.com/ancestry/anredbook1.html) <<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>> When our ancestors arrived on the sandy shores of New England over three hundred years ago, they brought with them some very advanced thinking about governmental life, which was to become the foundation of democracy in the United States. Unlike their "cousins" who settled the South in aristocratic fashion, New Englanders devised the concept of town in uniquely historic ways. The town meeting as the major form of government still remains in Vermont. But the vestiges of town government still remain in various forms in all of the New England states. Genealogical researchers in the South, Midwest, and West, where city and county divisions are the unit of government, often find it hard to adapt their research skills to the town unit with its primary source material. Here are some helpful guidelines for orienting research in New England. The six New England states have undergone several changes regarding the recording of primary source material--vital records, probate, and land records. How those records were maintained originally may be quite different today. For that reason, a brief description of each state's town records follows. New England research particularly requires the use of a map of each state's town structure. (Editor's note: "Ancestry's Red Book" contains maps of each of the New England States showing administrative divisions, and tables indicating town addresses, date formed and parent town, the county in which the town is located, and the location and starting dates of probate records in each town). MASSACHUSETTS Massachusetts originally recorded vital records only at the town level. Although it was optional to do so, it is suspected that the great majority of vital events were recorded in Massachusetts even before statewide recording began in 1841. When a town became incorporated as a city, the city clerk's office was the place of recording. After 1841, when recording of vital events became mandatory, town and city clerks were required to send a copy of the record to the State Registrar of Vital Records. A large percentage of Massachusetts' town vital records to 1850 have been published and may be available at large research libraries. That makes it possible to examine a birth, death, or marriage record in at least on of three places--the town (or city) clerk's office; the printed volume of vital records; or the State Registrar's statewide index. Probate and land records for Massachusetts were recorded at the county, not the town, level. Probates are indexed by estate name and land records by both grantor and grantee. Because there were changes in county divisions and some counties have more than one registry office, it is important to be specific about the location and time period of the search. MAINE Maine was, until 1820, a part of Massachusetts--something that the inexperienced researcher often forgets when trying to trace New England ancestry. After Maine became a state, vital records continued to be recorded in town or city clerk's offices until 1892 when recording became mandatory. The towns continued to maintain the original records, but after that date sent copies of the records to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics in Augusta where they were indexed statewide. Unfortunately, many of Maine's vital records in towns have been lost to fire, and it is not easy to get a town clerk to respond to inquiries in smaller, understaffed towns. Maine followed Massachusetts' pattern for probate and land records, centralizing them in the county seats. All of Maine was Massachusetts' York County until 1760. Published versions of the early (to 1737) deeds and wills (to 1760) might be found in large research libraries. After those dates, the county seat's index needs to be consulted. NEW HAMPSHIRE The pattern of recording vital, land, and probate records in New Hampshire is similar to that of Massachusetts and Maine. Each town records the vital events, even to the point of publishing them annually in town reports after 1902. All recorded births before 1901 and deaths, marriages, and divorces after 1838 are additionally recorded and indexed statewide at the Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. After those dates, a researcher has to demonstrate a direct interest in the event to view the record. Probate and land records can be located in the county seat where they are indexed by estate or grantor/grantee. These indexes usually contain a location for the land or place of probate, or an indication that the interaction was part of the county court proceedings. The "Sargent Index," located at the New Hampshire State Library, provides an unusual statewide index of all early (to c. 1800) town records, not just vital records. (See Town Meeting Records discussed later in this article.) RHODE ISLAND Rhode Island holds the distinction of being the state with the most centralized primary source materials. All of Rhode Island's vital, land, and probate records were recorded at the town or city hall. Counties have little genealogical significance. The vital records to 1850 have been published and distributed widely. After 1853, statewide recording of births, deaths, and marriages was mandatory through the Department of Health's division of Vital Statistics. That leaves only the years 1850 to 1853 not covered by either publication or statewide indexing. These records would have to be located at the town or city hall. CONNECTICUT In Connecticut, there is yet another pattern for recording vital, land, and probate records. Vital records are still kept by the town office, but after 1897 they were also recorded at the State Department of Health. To make research in Connecticut vital records easier, microfilm copies of the town vital records to approximately 1850, arranged alphabetically by surname across all town records in the state, are available in the Barbour Collection. It can be found at the Connecticut State Library and in many other genealogical libraries. The years contained within the Barbour Collection differ from town to town. Land records were recorded on the town level as well. Even today the purchase of a house gets recorded at the town clerk's office, not the county seat. Microfilm copies of town land records and their grantor/grantee indexes up to the middle of the 1800s can be found at the Connecticut State Library, but there is no statewide index. Probate materials are recorded at one of 130 local probate district offices. VERMONT Vermont uses the town system of government extensively. Probate records are found in probate districts (not entirely concurrent with county lines), but a trip to town hall was the essential step in recording vital events and land records, as well as numerous other aspects of local government--taxes, dog licenses, etc. For many reasons, vital, land, and probate records in the state are not entirely complete. After 1857 statewide recording of vital records became mandatory with the town maintaining the "original" records. The Bureau of Vital Records provides a statewide index of vital events recorded in the town records. Since everything in Vermont operates on a small basis, it is even possible to have personal access to all of the indexed vital records rather than having to rely on a staff search. Microfilm copies of land and probate records for the entire state, until at least 1850, are centrally located at the Division of Public Records in Montpelier, although there is no statewide index. In addition, yearly town meeting records in Vermont contain a wealth of primary source material. TOWN MEETING RECORDS Since the town form of government is the essential unit in New England (as it is today in Vermont and has been at various times in the rest of New England), each town recorded their yearly proceedings in what is called "Town Meeting Records." They usually contain many interesting aspects of our ancestors' lives. Also contained are tax records, elections of town officials, lists of children of school age, warnings out to poor families, church disputes, ear marks for cows or pigs, etc. Aside from New Hampshire's index to these town records, most have to be read thoroughly to unearth their marvelous sense of the quality of life recorded within them. Even if you can't take a trip to New England to see these wonderful records, microfilm collections of a good number of them are in the holdings of the LDS research library in Salt Lake City and through their network of local branch libraries. Certainly while the principle of working in the locale of your ancestor's former places of residence holds true for any geographic area, details of the lives of New Englanders are probably more open, available, and informative than that of most areas in the United States. ************************************************************>>><<<>>><<<>>> NEW ADVANCED SEARCH PAGE AT ANCESTRY.COM http://www.ancestry.com/dailynews/06_04_99.htm#3 Searching for Ancestors on Ancestry.com just got easier. The advanced search page on Ancestry.com has been redesigned to give users more control. =>>><<<>>><<<>>> You can see a full description, and order today's products through Ancestry's Online Store at: http://shop.ancestry.com. 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