R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Massachusetts
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Maps
Military Records
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Obituaries
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Town Records
Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

PROBATE RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.

Probate records were under the jurisdiction of the general court and the county courts until probate courts were established in 1692. Probate courtsLook this term up in the glossary. exercised exclusive jurisdiction over guardianshipsLook this term up in the glossary., adoptionsLook this term up in the glossary., probates of willsLook this term up in the glossary., and administration of estatesLook this term up in the glossary..

The original records are at county courthouses, and many of the records and indexes through 1880 or 1900 are on microfilm at the Family History Library. These include probate docketsLook this term up in the glossary., willsLook this term up in the glossary., inventoriesLook this term up in the glossary., accountsLook this term up in the glossary., administrations, and guardianship records. For example, for Suffolk County the library has 439 microfilms of probate records, dockets from 1636 to 1901, and an index to 1910. Indexes of the probate records of Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Worcester Counties have also been published. Each county has its own probate court. Details can be found in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under MASSACHUSETTS, [COUNTY] - PROBATE RECORDS.

Records of cases that were appealed are in the office of the clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court.

A series of pre-1670 Suffolk County will abstracts, which originally appeared in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, have been reprinted in:

Suffolk County Wills. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, Inc., 1984. (FHL book 974.46 P2s; film 1320548 item 1; computer number 274674.)

Another source of early probate records is:

Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, 1620–1639. 3 vols. Carbon copy typescript. (FHL 974.4 P2p; computer number 332121.) Contains records of wills and property inventories extracted from these wills.


Return to top of page


SOCIETIESLook this term up in the glossary.

State genealogical and historical societies may have records and services to help you with your research. The following are important genealogical societies in Massachusetts:

  • General Society of Colonial Wars

1316 7th St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
Telephone: 504–895–5013
The Society's Lineage Records (with indexes) are on films (beginning with FHL film 528677; computer number 404247).

P.O. Box 3297
Plymouth, MA 02361
Telephone: 508–746–3188

376 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
Telephone: 617–266–1624
  • Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc.

P.O. Box 215
Ashland, MA 01721

1776 D Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006–5392
Telephone: 202–879–3263
This society has published:
DAR Patriot Index: Centennial Edition. 3 vols. Washington, D.C.: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 1994. (FHL book 973 C42da 1990; computer number 696544.)
  • The Pilgrim Society

75 Court Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Telephone: 508–746–1620
Fax: 508–747–4228

101 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116–3087
Telephone: 617–536–5740
Fax: 617–536–7307

Return to top of page

Previous Document   Next Document

©1998, 2001 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/9/2001]