Basics of Early New England Research 2024

Thank you for registering for Basics of Early New England Research!

As a group, 17th-century New Englanders are arguably one of the most studied groups on the planet, and thus descendants are blessed with a multitude of resources. In many cases, town vital records, church, colony, court, probate, land, military, and tax records not only have survived, but have been abstracted and published. And yet, early New England is not without its challenges and idiosyncrasies. This five-week course will discuss the settlement of and migrations within New England, how to locate and utilize original and published records, and strategies for breaking down brick walls. This course will cover the colonial period (1620–1776) in the area of what is today Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

This course includes:

Five+ hours’ worth of pre-recorded lectures
Exclusive access to handouts, slides, templates, and other materials
An in-depth Q&A session with the instructors
Access to all materials for the foreseeable future

Q&A WITH EXPERTS

Live broadcast: March 16, 2024
Presented by Christopher C. Child, David Allen Lambert, and Melanie McComb
Running time: 1:30:31

Resources shared in Q&A chat

RECORDED PRESENTATIONS & INSTRUCTION

Class 1: Settlement of New England
Presented by David Allen Lambert

From Plymouth Colony to the frontiers of northern New England, early migration and settlement patterns are complex. By understanding how and why New Englanders settled where they did, you will understand the development of the town as the focus of New England life and genealogical records. This understanding may also inform genealogical conclusions about your own ancestors.

Running time: 40:48

Class 1 Handout
Class 1 Slides Worksheet
Class 1 Slides (Large)

Class 2: Seventeenth-Century Published Resources
Presented by Melanie McComb

Don’t reinvent the wheel! Many of New England’s early records and families have been researched, transcribed, or compiled as published sources. This class will direct you to essential finding aids, study projects, and scholarship.

Running time: 36:57

Class 2 Handout
Class 2 Slides Worksheet
Class 2 Slides (Large)

Class 3: Working in and Understanding Original Records
Presented by Melanie McComb

While much has been transcribed and published, there are still instances in which you will need to locate original records, decipher old handwriting, and understand the jurisdictions specific to your ancestor’s time and place. This class helps you identify what records exist for each early New England region.

Running time: 43:41

Class 3 Handout
Class 3 Slides Worksheet
Class 3 Slides (Large)

Class 4: Researching Colonial and Revolutionary War Soldiers
Presented by David Allen Lambert

From colonial conflicts to America’s fight for independence, military service was a part of life for many early New Englanders. Chief Genealogist David Allen Lambert will provide historical context for the major colonial conflicts, discuss what records are available to family historians, and how to compile the story of your early veteran ancestors.

Running time: 1:10:43

Class 4 Handout
Class 4 Slides Worksheet
Class 4 Slides (Large)

Class 5: Thinking Outside the Box: Breaking Down Brick Walls in Early New England
Presented by Christopher C. Child

As with most areas of family history, early New England is not without its challenges. Common names, missing maiden names, and unknown origins are just some of the issues facing family historians for this period. In this class, Christopher C. Child will bring to light some lesser-known resources, discuss strategies for breaking down genealogical brick walls, and highlight a case study using DNA to solve a genealogical brick wall.

Running time: 49:36

Class 5 Handout
Class 5 Slides Worksheet
Class 5 Slides (Large)

INSTRUCTOR BIOS

Christopher C. Child, Senior Genealogist of the Newbury Street Press and Editor of The Mayflower Descendant has worked for various departments at American Ancestors since 1997 and became a full-time employee in July 2003. He has been a member of American Ancestors since the age of eleven. He is the editor of the genetics & genealogy column in American Ancestors magazine and has written several articles in American Ancestors, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and The Mayflower Descendant. He is the co-editor of The Ancestry of Catherine Middleton (American Ancestors, 2011), co-author of The Descendants of Judge John Lowell of Newburyport, Massachusetts (Newbury Street Press, 2011) and Ancestors and Descendants of George Rufus Brown and Alice Nelson Pratt (Newbury Street Press, 2013), and author of The Nelson Family of Rowley, Massachuestts (Newbury Street Press, 2014). Chris holds a B.A. in history from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. His areas of expertise include Southern New England, especially Connecticut; New York; ancestry of notable figures, especially presidents; genetics and genealogy; African-American and Native-American genealogy, 19th and 20th Century research, westward migrations out of New England, and applying to hereditary societies.

David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist, has been on the staff of American Ancestors since 1993 and is an internationally recognized speaker on the topics of genealogy and history. Lambert has published many articles in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Rhode Island Roots, Mayflower Descendant, and American Ancestors magazine. He has authored and or co-authored in the published genealogies presented to David McCullough, Ken Burns, Angela Lansbury, Michael and Kitty Dukakis, Nathaniel Philbrick, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. He has also published eleven books including A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (American Ancestors, 2018), and Vital Records of Stoughton, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1850 (Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2008). David received his B.A. in History from Northeastern University. David is an elected Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, Mass., and a life member of the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati and the General Society of the War of 1812. David also serves as the tribal genealogist for the Massachusett Tribe at Punkapoag in Massachusetts. His areas of expertise include New England and Atlantic Canadian records of the 17th through 21st century; American and international military records; DNA research; and Native American and African American genealogical research in New England.

Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities. Her areas of expertise include Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.