Essex, Mass. Resources for Genealogical Research

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If you know of an Essex link that would be appropriate to add to this page, please e-mail Kurt Wilhelm

Bibliography Cemeteries Census Church Records

Deeds Directories Genealogical and Historical Societies Pictures, paintings, and postcards

Newspapers Probate Records, Wills Tax Lists Vital Records

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Essex Cemeteries


There are four marked burial blaces in Essex.

• Bishop's Grave - in Chebacco Woods
• Crane Cemetery - on Hog Island
• Old Burying Ground



Inscriptions from the Old Burying Ground

See the transcribed article from the 1903 Essex Antiquarian for inscriptions prior to 1800 at http://www.rootsweb.com/~maessex/archives/essexcem.htm].

• Spring Street Cemetery - records for this cemetery are maintained by the Essex DPW

Census


In addition to the transcribed census lists shown below, census records from 1870 through 1930 are available at NARA, Federal Records Centers. The Ipswich census records of 1800 and 1810 are listed alphabetically for the whole town. Residents of Chebacco Parish are not listed separately. The State Census of Essex for 1855 and 1865 has been published by Ann Lainhardt.

• 1782 List of Householders in Chebacco Parish
• 1814 Parish Census
• 1820 Federal Census
• 1830 Federal Census
• Description of the 1830 Population of Essex
• Index of Names
• Transcription
• Transcription - Text File
• 1840 Federal Census
• 1850 Federal Census
• 1860 Federal Census

Church Records
• Congregational Church papers 1683-1929

• Congregational Church members 1681-1937
  • Table of Surnames

Chronological list of members 1681 - 1747 1747 - 1827 1828 - 1872 1874 - 1937

Alphabetical lists of members A through B C through G H thorugh M N thorugh Z

Deeds
• Property transfers in the town of Essex are recorded at
  Southern Essex District
  Registry of Deeds
  32 Federal St.
  Salem, MA 01970
  (978) 741-0200
  http://www.salemdeeds.com/index.asp

  The Southern Essex district Registry of Deeds has a very helpful and content rich website. Currently (March 2007), the website offers images of deeds from 1641 to 1709 (Books 1 to 20), and from 1984 to present. The early deeds are not indexed, and they are difficult to read. An index can be purchased through the registry, or, locally, the Lynnfield Library has a copy of the index with citations to book and page numbers. Recent deeds, from 1974 to present, are searchable by date, street, grantee, or grantor on the registry website.

Town directories
• 1903 and 1912 Town directories

Genealogical and Historical Societies


• Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum.
  

• Essex Society of Genealogists (ESOG) - Concentrates on Essex County families
  

• New England Historical Genealogical Society
  

• Peabody Essex Museum - some of the old Chebacco records have been sent to the Peabody Essex Museum.
  

Pictures, paintings, and postcards


• Postcards
• Views of Old Essex. A collection of photographs by Elliott Hardy and E. J. Story

Newspapers

• Cape Ann Advertiser
• Essex Echo

Probate, wills


• Probate records from 1638 to 1882 are available at:
  • State Archives
    Massachusetts Archives at Columbia Point
    220 Morrissey Blvd.
    Boston, MA 02125
    

• Probate records from 1882 to 1896 are available at:
  • Newburyport Archives
    Newburyport Record Center
    188 State St.
    Newburyport, MA.
    (978) 557-1083
    

• Probate records from 1897 to present are available at:
  • Essex County Probate Court
    32 Federal St.
    Salem, MA 01970
    

• Old (1600 and 1700s) probate records can be found at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem [http://www.pem.org]

• "Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts; 1635-1681," In three volumes, The Essex Institute; Salem, MA; 1916 are available in some libraries and through LDS Family History Centers. These are also included on the Essex County VR CD.

• There is a published probate index for the years 1638 to 1840 which is, unfortunately, out of print. It can be found in some libraries.

• There are over 120 old Essex County Wills on line at: http://www.essexcountyma.org/wills

Tax Lists


• Chebacco / Essex tax lists

  • 1780 Chebacco tax lists

  • 1800 Chebacco Parish Tax Valuation List
  • 1800 - 1824 Chebacco Parish/ Essex Tax Lists

Vital Records


• Vital Records through 1849 - John Slaughter, a USGenWeb coordinator for Essex county, offers images, transcriptions and indices of Essex county vital records through 1849.

• For vital records before Essex incorporated in 1819, one should check the Ipswich records. For other towns in Essex county, and throughout Massachusetts, see Massachusetts Vital Records 1600-1849 Online

• Register of Births, Marriages, Deaths - An index and transcription of the Essex Clerk's first book of births (1843-1861), marriages (1843-1854), and deaths (1843-1855)
  

• The Essex town clerk maintains the town's registers of vital records. The earliest record is 1843. The various volumes are not indexed. In order to search the books, the clerk needs to know the year of the event. The clerk can be reached at:
  

  • Clerk's Office
    Town Hall
    30 Martin St.
    Essex, MA 01929
    (978) 768-7111
    
  The Town Clerk’s Office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.
  Town of Essex, Mass. website

• Vital records from 1850 to 1905 are available (for a fee) at
  

  • Massachusetts Archives at Columbia Point
    220 Morrissey Blvd.
    Boston, MA 02125
    Phone 617-727-2816
    The Massachusetts Archives -- Guide to the genealogy holdings
    - select "Archival Records" - "Family History Resources"

• Vital records from 1906 and later are available (for a fee) at
  

  • Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
    1st Floor
    150 Mt. Vernon Street
    Dorchester MA 02125-3105
    (next to the Bayside Expo Center)
    (617) 740-2600
    

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Copyright © 2007 by Kurt A. Wilhelm

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