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== Birth, Marriage, and Death Records == | == Birth, Marriage, and Death Records == | ||
The original vital record resides in the town or city where the event occurred (in colonial times, a family group of birth can include events from other towns). The recording of these records was ordered by the government as early as 1639, though not all places followed the law. Both Massachusetts Bay and | The original vital record resides in the town or city where the event occurred (in colonial times, a family group of birth can include events from other towns). The recording of these records was ordered by the government as early as 1639, though not all places followed the law. Both [[Massachusetts Bay Colony|Massachusetts Bay Colony]] and [[Plymouth Colony|Plymouth Colony]] started to collect these records in a central location, but the practice died out by the mid-17th Century. The [[Massachusetts|Commonwealth of Massachusetts]] was the first state to create a permanent, statewide recording system starting in 1841. It is notable that the city of Boston lagged behind in reporting to the state and its records do not show up in the state system until a tougher regulation was implemented in 1850 (though the city did record these records locally). The only vital records closed to the public are the original births of amended records and those can be opened by a judge. | ||
The original record still is found with the clerk of the town or city. All these records back to the earliest settlement of a town can always be viewed at the [http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleclk/clkidx.htm town or city clerk’s office]. Most all town and city vital records have been microfilmed by the Family History Library and microfiched by the Holbrook Research Institute of Oxford, Mass. [now Archive Publishing of Provo, Utah]. This tends to be the most complete record of the event. Since 1841, there should be a second copy with the state and sometimes has abbreviated information from the original. This second copy is the most widely available source for researchers. It has been preserved by the same two vendors listed above and can be found on online in a variety of places and forms as listed below. | The original record still is found with the clerk of the town or city. All these records back to the earliest settlement of a town can always be viewed at the [http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleclk/clkidx.htm town or city clerk’s office]. Most all town and city vital records have been microfilmed by the Family History Library and microfiched by the Holbrook Research Institute of Oxford, Mass. [now Archive Publishing of Provo, Utah]. This tends to be the most complete record of the event. Since 1841, there should be a second copy with the state and sometimes has abbreviated information from the original. This second copy is the most widely available source for researchers. It has been preserved by the same two vendors listed above and can be found on online in a variety of places and forms as listed below. | ||
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[http://www.americanancestors.org/home.html '''New England Historic Genealogical Society''']<br>99 - 101 Newbury Street<br>Boston MA 02116<br>Phone 888-296-3447 | [http://www.americanancestors.org/home.html '''New England Historic Genealogical Society''']<br>99 - 101 Newbury Street<br>Boston MA 02116<br>Phone 888-296-3447 | ||
The NEHGS has two online databases at their American Ancestors website for 1841 to 1910 and 1911 to 1915. You must be a member of the Society to access these indexes and the actual records which are linked from this index. The records are searchable in the same manner as the Mass. Archives above, though the last name can be searched by Soundex. If you go to the library, there are book indexes in five-year blocks for births, 1900-1950, marriages, 1900-1955, 1966-1970, and deaths, 1900-1980. They also have the amended birth records indexes for to 1929 (1 v.), to 1944 (2 v.), to 1962 (3 v.), to 1965 (1 v.), and to 1968 (1 v.). | The NEHGS has two online databases at their American Ancestors website for 1841 to 1910 and 1911 to 1915. You must be a member of the Society to access these indexes and the actual records which are linked from this index. The records are searchable in the same manner as the Mass. Archives above, though the last name can be searched by Soundex. If you go to the library, there are book indexes in five-year blocks for births, 1900-1950, marriages, 1900-1955, 1966-1970, and deaths, 1900-1980. They also have the amended birth records indexes for to 1929 (1 v.) [going back to 1841], to 1944 (2 v.), to 1962 (3 v.), to 1965 (1 v.), and to 1968 (1 v.). These indexes beyond 1920 are not generally available elsewhere. | ||
*[http://www.americanancestors.org/Search.aspx?Ca=344&Da=191 Massachusetts Vital Records], 1841-1910 ($)<br>[all indexes, records, and amended births]<br> | |||
*[http://www.americanancestors.org/Search.aspx?Ca=344&Da=192 Massachusetts Vital Records], 1911-1915 ($)<br>[all indexes, records, and amended births] <br> | |||
[https://familysearch.org/ '''Family History Library''']<br>35 North West Temple Street<br>Salt Lake City UT 84150<br>Phone 866-406-1830 | [https://familysearch.org/ '''Family History Library''']<br>35 North West Temple Street<br>Salt Lake City UT 84150<br>Phone 866-406-1830 | ||
This library and its many branches (where you can borrow the microfilm for a small fee) will have all the same records as listed above. You can access online for free: | This library and its many branches (where you can borrow the microfilm for a small fee) will have all the same records as listed above. You can access online for free: | ||
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1536925 Births, 1841-1915]<br>[index and records from 1909 to 1915 ONLY]<br> | |||
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1469062 Marriages, 1841-1915]<br>[index and records from 1905(?) to 1915 ONLY]<br> | |||
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1463156 Deaths, 1841-1915]<br>[index and records from 1910(?) to 1915 ONLY]<br> | |||
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1928860 Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920]<br>[ACTUALLY, only 1916 to 1920, browsable by volume and page only]<br> | |||
<center>[[Massachusetts Vital Records#top|Top of Page]]</center><br> | |||
=== 1921 - present === | === 1921 - present === | ||
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This office only makes certified copies of vital records. There are several ways to [http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/basic-needs/vitals/obtaining-certified-copies-of-vital-records.html purchases copies] both online and in person. This office also has the amended birth records after v. 42 (1900) and a statewide index to divorces from 1952 to the present (though the record itself will be with the probate court). There is a computerized index for the most recent records and five-year block indexes for births, marriages, and deaths onsite. | This office only makes certified copies of vital records. There are several ways to [http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/basic-needs/vitals/obtaining-certified-copies-of-vital-records.html purchases copies] both online and in person. This office also has the amended birth records after v. 42 (1900) and a statewide index to divorces from 1952 to the present (though the record itself will be with the probate court). There is a computerized index for the most recent records and five-year block indexes for births, marriages, and deaths onsite. | ||
Every five years, another block of five years is transferred to the State Archives and at the same time is made available through the New England Historic Genealogical Society and to the Family History Library. This office restricts access only by the fact that they are the only ones with the records. These records are open to the public. The original town copies are always open to the public.<br> | |||
Ancestry.com has the following index only: | |||
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7457 Death Index, 1970-2003] ($)<br> | |||
<center>[[Massachusetts Vital Records#top|Top of Page]]</center> | |||
== Divorce Records == | == Divorce Records == | ||
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The Supreme Judicial Court created a fact sheet for the public '''in 2004''' and the summary of it is below: | The Supreme Judicial Court created a fact sheet for the public '''in 2004''' and the summary of it is below: | ||
{| | {| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! width="125" scope="col" | Dates | ! width="125" scope="col" | Dates | ||
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For the location of the records, use the chart below that was created by the Supreme Judicial Court Archives '''in 2004''': | For the location of the records, use the chart below that was created by the Supreme Judicial Court Archives '''in 2004''': | ||
<center>Location of Massachusetts Divorce Records </center> | <center>Location of Massachusetts Divorce Records </center> | ||
{| | {| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! width="125" scope="col" | County | ! width="125" scope="col" | County | ||