Berkshire County, Massachusetts
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| − | {{Nowrap|[[Franklin County, Massachusetts|Franklin]] {{!}}}} {{Nowrap|[[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden]] {{!}}}} {{Nowrap|[[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire]] }}<br> {{Nowrap|'''Connecticut County:''' | + | {{Nowrap|[[Franklin County, Massachusetts|Franklin]] {{!}}}} {{Nowrap|[[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden]] {{!}}}} {{Nowrap|[[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire]] }}<br> {{Nowrap|'''Connecticut County:''' }} {{Nowrap|[[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield]] }}<br> {{Nowrap|'''New York Counties:''' }} {{Nowrap|[[Columbia County, New York|Columbia]] {{!}}}} {{Nowrap|[[Dutchess County, New York|Dutchess]] {{!}}}} {{Nowrap|[[Rensselaer County, New York|Rensselaer]] }}<br> {{Nowrap|'''Vermont County:''' }} {{Nowrap|[[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington]] }} |
=== Resources === | === Resources === | ||
Revision as of 15:39, 21 March 2013
- This article is about a western Massachusetts county. For other uses, see Berkshire.
United States
Massachusetts Berkshire County
| Berkshire County, Massachusetts | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Massachusetts | |
 Location of Massachusetts in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | 1760, May 28 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Pittsfield |
| Courthouse | |
| Address | Berkshire County Courthouse 76 East Street Pittsfield, MA 01201; Phone. 413.448.8424 Berkshire County Website |
Contents |
County Courthouse
Court clerk has divorce records 1761-1922 and court records from 1761; probate judge has divorce records from 1922 and probate records from 1761; register of deeds has land records.[1]
Towns Organized Before 1800:
Adams 1778,
Alford 1773,
Becket 1765,
Cheshire 1793,
Clarksburg 1798,
Dalton 1784,
Egremont 1760,
Great Barrington 1761,
Hancock 1776,
Lanesborough 1765,
Lee 1777,
Lenox 1767,
Mount Washington 1779,
New Ashford 1781,
New Marlborough 1759,
Otis 1773,
Peru 1771,
Pittsfield 1761,
Richmond 1765,
Savoy 1797,
Sheffield 1733,
Standisfield 1762,
Stockbridge 1739,
Tyringham 1762, Washington 1777, West Stockbridge 1774, Williamstown 1765
http://lwvma.org/govcounty.shtml
- In 1997, the county governments of Essex, Berkshire, Hampden, Middlesex and Worcester were abolished. Pittsfield acts as a county seat for the area.
- Their functions were turned over to state agencies.
- Sheriffs in these counties still administer jails but their employees are state employees.
- The legislation to abolish these county governments transferred Registeries of Deeds to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk county governments remain substantially unchanged.
Quick Facts
Parent County
28 May 1760: Created from Hampshire County. [1]
Boundary Changes
Record Loss
Places / Localities
Cities: North Adams | Pittsfield
Towns: Adams | Alford | Becket | Cheshire | Clarksburg | Dalton | Egremont | Florida | Great Barrington | Hancock | Hinsdale | Lanesborough | Lee | Lenox | Monterey | Mount Washington | New Ashford | New Marlborough |Otis | Peru | Richmond | Sandisfield | Savoy | Sheffield | Stockbridge | Tyringham | Washington | West Stockbridge | Williamstown | Windsor
Ceded Districts: Bethlehem District | Boston Corner District | Southfield District
Villages: East Otis | Lenox Dale
Communities: Housatonic
Neighboring Counties
Franklin | Hampden | Hampshire
Connecticut County: Litchfield
New York Counties: Columbia | Dutchess | Rensselaer
Vermont County: Bennington
Resources
Cemeteries
Census
For tips on accessing Berkshire County, Massachusetts census records online, see: Massachusetts Census.
State Census
1855 Massachusetts State Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1855 Massachusetts State Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1855, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors
1865 Massachusetts State Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1865 Massachusetts State Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1865, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.
Church
Court
Gazetteers
Land
Local Histories
Maps
Military
Newspapers
Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Pittsfield, MA newspapers (1858-1977) and North Adams, MA newspapers (1895-1977) covering local news that included Hampden County residents.
Probate
Taxation
Vital Records
Societies and Libraries
Family History Centers
Web Sites
- The Berkshire County MAGenWeb Project, an member of The MAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for Berkshire County.
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for Berkshire County (backup site)
- FamilySearch.org Family History Library catalog for Berkshire County
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 329. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
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