Massachusetts Vital Records: Difference between revisions

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== Massachusetts Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online  ==
== Massachusetts Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online  ==


The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Massachusetts Vital Records which consist of [[United States Birth Records|births]], adoptions, [[United States Marriage Records|marriages]], divorces, and [[United States Death Records|deaths]]. Check [[Massachusetts_Vital_Records|Massachusetts Vital Records&nbsp;Online]] for more information about the resources listed below. Most online resources for Massachusetts Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to [[Contradictions and discrepancies|confirm the information]] in the index. '''<br>'''
The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Massachusetts Vital Records which consist of [[United States Birth Records|births]], adoptions, [[United States Marriage Records|marriages]], divorces, and [[United States Death Records|deaths]]. Check [[Massachusetts Vital Records|Massachusetts Vital Records&nbsp;Online]] for more information about the resources listed below. Most online resources for Massachusetts Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to [[Contradictions and discrepancies|confirm the information]] in the index. '''<br>'''


*[http://fhlfavorites.info/Links/USA_States/States_Frames/Massachusetts/massachusetts.htm Massachusetts Links] from [http://fhlfavorites.info/ fhlfavorites.info] -&nbsp;Free  
*[http://fhlfavorites.info/Links/USA_States/States_Frames/Massachusetts/massachusetts.htm Massachusetts Links] from [http://fhlfavorites.info/ fhlfavorites.info] -&nbsp;Free  
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Many of the births and marriages recorded in the town records have been extracted and are listed in the [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true International Genealogical Index] at [http://www.familysearch.org/ FamilySearch.org]. The Clarence Torrey collection of New England marriages prior to 1700 is at the [http://www.newenglandancestors.org/ New England Historic Genealogical Society] and on microfilm at the Family History Library:  
Many of the births and marriages recorded in the town records have been extracted and are listed in the [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true International Genealogical Index] at [http://www.familysearch.org/ FamilySearch.org]. The Clarence Torrey collection of New England marriages prior to 1700 is at the [http://www.newenglandancestors.org/ New England Historic Genealogical Society] and on microfilm at the Family History Library:  


*''New England Marriages Prior to 1700''. <ref>Torrey, Clarence Almon. ''New England Marriages Prior to 1700''. Andover, Massachusetts: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=146171&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=New+England+marriages+prior+to+1700%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 film 1320548] item 14; for source notes, see [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=290345&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=New+England+marriages+prior+to+1700%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 films 929494–500] [films do not circulate to Family History Centers].) </ref>Lists 17th-century marriages of Colonial New England with approximate dates.
*''New England Marriages Prior to 1700''. <ref>Torrey, Clarence Almon. ''New England Marriages Prior to 1700''. Andover, Massachusetts: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=146171&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=New+England+marriages+prior+to+1700%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 film 1320548] item 14; for source notes, see [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=290345&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=New+England+marriages+prior+to+1700%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 films 929494–500] [films do not circulate to Family History Centers].) </ref>Lists 17th-century marriages of Colonial New England with approximate dates.


*''Torrey's Bibliography to His Source Notes for New England Marriages Prior to 1700''. <ref>N.l.: Williams Word Processing, 1984. </ref>Has an alphabetical list of his source notes indicating book title, author, publication date, and manuscript titles.
*''Torrey's Bibliography to His Source Notes for New England Marriages Prior to 1700''. <ref>N.l.: Williams Word Processing, 1984. </ref>Has an alphabetical list of his source notes indicating book title, author, publication date, and manuscript titles.
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Writing to the [http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ELE/eleclk/clkidx.htm town clerk]can be the quickest way to get birth, marriage, and death information. The Family History Library has some of the vital records on microfilm:  
Writing to the [http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ELE/eleclk/clkidx.htm town clerk]can be the quickest way to get birth, marriage, and death information. The Family History Library has some of the vital records on microfilm:  


*''Births, Marriages (1841–1895); Indexes to Births and Marriages (1841–1905), Deaths (1841–1971)''. <ref>Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts. ''Births, Marriages (1841–1895); Indexes to Births and Marriages (1841–1905), Deaths (1841–1971)''. (On 398 rolls of film, beginning with Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=23177&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Births%2C+marriages+%281841%2D1895%29%2C%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 film 961262].) </ref>Microfilms of original records are in the Division of Vital Statistics, Massachusetts.
*''Births, Marriages (1841–1895); Indexes to Births and Marriages (1841–1905), Deaths (1841–1971)''. <ref>Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts. ''Births, Marriages (1841–1895); Indexes to Births and Marriages (1841–1905), Deaths (1841–1971)''. (On 398 rolls of film, beginning with Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=23177&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Births%2C+marriages+%281841%2D1895%29%2C%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 film 961262].) </ref>Microfilms of original records are in the Division of Vital Statistics, Massachusetts.


For copies of birth, marriage, and death records from 1916 to the present, write to:  
For copies of birth, marriage, and death records from 1916 to the present, write to:  
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== Marriage Records  ==
== Marriage Records  ==


Many '''eloping couples '''went to Lowell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts to be married avoiding the waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage.  
Many '''eloping couples '''went to Lowell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts to be married avoiding the waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage.


=== Divorce Records  ===
=== FamilySearch Record Search Collection  ===
 
A name index and images of Massachusetts marriage records&nbsp;are available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search. To access the collection, see [http://10.72.24.201:8080/recordsearch/start.html?datestamp=1202231398203#p=collectionDetails;c=1469062 Massachusetts Marriage Records, 1841-1915] . A description of this collection is available at the Family Search Wiki article: [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Massachusetts_State_Marriage_Records Massachusetts State Marriage Records].
 
== <br>Divorce Records  ==


From 1738 to about 1888, divorce records may have been filed in the county court, governor's council records, superior court of judicature, or supreme judicial court. After 1888 proceedings were usually filed at the county probate court and superior court. The library has some of these court records, including:  
From 1738 to about 1888, divorce records may have been filed in the county court, governor's council records, superior court of judicature, or supreme judicial court. After 1888 proceedings were usually filed at the county probate court and superior court. The library has some of these court records, including:  


*''Divorce Index, 1952–1970''. <ref>Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth. ''Divorce Index, 1952–1970''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=76413&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Divorce+index%2C+1952%2D1970%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 films 959804-5.)] </ref>
*''Divorce Index, 1952–1970''. <ref>Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth. ''Divorce Index, 1952–1970''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=76413&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Divorce+index%2C+1952%2D1970%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 films 959804-5.)] </ref>


== Death Records  ==
== Death Records  ==
3,961

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