Thank you for registering for the on-demand seminar, Researching in New England Town Records: 17th Through 19th Centuries!
Among family history researchers, early New Englanders are famous for having created a wealth of records that provide insights into their lives. This was in large part due to the important role that the town played in early New England. Town and church records from the region can contain a wealth of genealogical information—including records of births, marriages, burials, mortgages, name changes, and more. In this five-session online seminar we’ll delve into these important resources for New England researching in the 17th through 19th centuries and demonstrate how you can get the most out of these records for your own family history.
This course includes five 90-minute classes and exclusive access to handouts and recordings of each presentation. These recordings and all course materials will be available for the foreseeable future.
CLASS TOPICS
Class 1: Introduction to the New England Town Meeting and Record Keeping, presented by David Allen Lambert
Town meetings played an essential role in the governance of New England towns, and the records from these meetings can reveal important details and stories from your ancestors’ lives. In this first class, David will provide an overview of the role of the New England town and town meetings, and how these records can assist you in your research.
Class 2: Vital Records in New England, presented by David Allen Lambert
New England vital records record the births, marriages, and deaths for each town. In this class, David will discuss how vital records were recorded and where to find them.
Class 3: The Foundations of Using Financial Records in New England Research, presented by Melanie McComb
When researching family history it is always a good idea to “follow the money” and analyze the financial records of your ancestors for important clues and information. In this class, Melanie will cover tips for researching in proprietor records, land deeds, tax records, and probate records.
Class 4: Diving Deeper: More New England Financial Records, presented by Rhonda R. McClure
Building upon the foundation of financial research covered by Melanie in class 3, in this fourth class, Rhonda will dive deeper into financial records. She will discuss how to leverage treasurer’s accounts, licenses, earmarks, warnings out, and pew deeds in your family history research.
Class 5: Records of Service to the Community, presented by Rhonda R. McClure
Because the town was so central to life in New England, your ancestors may have held official roles in service to the community. In this final class, Rhonda will discuss these records of service, including town officer records, meeting notes, and military records.
COURSE HANDOUTS
Class 1 Handout
Class 1 Slides (Large)
Class 1 Slides (Worksheet)
Class 2 Handout
Class 2 Slides (Large)
Class 2 Slides (Worksheet)
Class 3 Handout
Class 3 Slides (Large)
Class 3 Slides (Worksheet)
Class 4 Handout
Class 4 Slides (Large)
Class 4 Slides (Worksheet)
Class 5 Handout
Class 5 Slides (Large)
Class 5 Slides (Worksheet)
RECORDED PRESENTATIONS
Class 1: Introduction to the New England Town Meeting and Record Keeping
Original broadcast: 12/05/2025
Presented by David Allen Lambert
Running time: 1:50:02
Class 2: Vital Records in New England
Original broadcast: 12/09/2025
Presented by David Allen Lambert
Running time: 2:09:37
Demo: FamilySearch Full Text Search*
*This demo also appears in the full class recording above, at the end of the presentation. We have uploaded it separately as well for easy access.
Class 3: The Foundations of Using Financial Records in New England
Original broadcast: 12/11/2025
Presented by Melanie McComb
Running time: 1:42:04
Class 4: Diving Deeper: More New England Financial Records
Original broadcast: 12/16/2025
Presented by Rhonda R. McClure
Running time: 1:44:45
Class 5: Records of Service to the Community
Original broadcast: 12/18/2025
Presented by Rhonda R. McClure
Running time: 1:31:47
Demo: Limiting a Search When Using FamilySearch's Full Text Search*
*This demo also appears in the full class recording above. We have uploaded it separately as well for easy access.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
David Allen Lambert Chief Genealogist, has been on the staff of American Ancestors since 1993. David 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.
Rhonda R. McClure, Senior Genealogist is a nationally recognized professional genealogist and lecturer specializing in New England and celebrity research as well as computerized genealogy; is compiler of more than 120 celebrity family trees; has been a contributing editor for Heritage Quest Magazine, Biography magazine and was a contributor to The History Channel Magazine and American History Magazine. In addition to numerous articles, she is the author of ten books, including the award-winning The Complete Idiot's Guide to Online Genealogy, now in its second edition, Finding Your Famous and Infamous Ancestors, and Digitizing Your Family History. Her areas of expertise include: Immigration and naturalization, Late 19th and early 20th Century urban research, Missionaries (primarily in association with the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions), State Department Federal Records, New England, Mid-West, Southern, German, Italian, Scottish, Irish, French Canadian, and New Brunswick research as well as Internet research, genealogical software (FTM, RootsMagic, TMG, Reunion), digital peripherals, and uses both Mac and Windows machines.
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 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.
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Subject Guide: 17th-Century New England
Subject Guide: Native Nations of new England
State-by-State Subject Guides for New England
Subject Guide: English Genealogy
New England Town Guides
New England Study Projects
Mayflower Research & Resources
Archived Webinar: Basics of New England Research
Archived Webinar: Early Migrations Into and Out of New England
Archived Webinar: New England Town Records
Archived Webinar: Conventicles to Companies to Congregations
Archived Webinar: Mayflower Resources at AmericanAncestors.org
Archived Webinar: Northern New England Resources at American Ancestors
Archived Webinar: Boston Records and Resources
New England Resources at the American Ancestors Bookstore