Thank you for registering for the online seminar, Massachusetts Research: Four Centuries of History and Genealogy!
Whether your family connection to Massachusetts is 400 years old or 40, there is a treasure trove of genealogical resources waiting for you: vital records have been kept by towns since the early seventeenth century; newspapers have existed since colonial times; and there are thousands of published genealogies, local histories, study projects, and other references that exist for Massachusetts research. This online course will provide a century-by-century look at the records, resources, repositories, and research strategies that are essential to exploring your Massachusetts roots. We will also look at the historical context, settlement patterns, and migrations into—and out of—the state; from colony to Commonwealth.
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.
JOIN THE LIVE BROADCASTS
Click here to join the live broadcasts: https://zoom.us/j/93738974219
Wednesdays, April 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
If you are unable to attend the live sessions, you will be able to view recordings on this course page.
CLASS TOPICS
April 1 - Class 1: 17th-Century Massachusetts Research, presented by David Allen Lambert
17th-century Massachusetts colonists are some of the most researched and written-about group of people on the planet, but there remain research challenges: distinguishing people with the same name, understanding unique record sets, and more. This first class will look at the beginnings of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth Colony and the people who inhabited the lands prior to colonization, provide an overview of the many published genealogical resources and record transcriptions available, demonstrate how to locate and utilize primary sources, and discuss how to overcome common research challenges.
April 8 – Class 2: 18th-Century Massachusetts Research, presented by Melanie McComb
The 18th century was a transformative and foundational period for Massachusetts: continued colonial conflicts, movement westward, revolution, the abolition of slavery, and ultimately statehood. This session will look at just some of the many records of the era—pre and post American independence—including military records, tax lists, census records, newspapers, city directories, and more.
April 15 – Class 3: 19th-Century Massachusetts Research, presented by Hallie Kirchner
Massachusetts experienced even more transformation in the 19th century, from the industrial revolution to the Civil War to an increase of immigration from Canada, the British Isles, Germany, Italy, Eastern Europe, and beyond. This class will look at the start of the state census, the age of the passenger list, pension files, expanded vital records, published genealogies and local histories, and less commonly used records.
April 22 – Class 4: 20th-Century Massachusetts Research, presented by Rhonda R. McClure
Continued urbanization and industrialization characterized much of 20th-century Massachusetts. This final session will look at records that emerge in the 20th century—and the changes in records and record keeping that persisted since the 17th century, with particular attention to the topic of “access.”
April 29 – Class 5: Case Studies: Tracing a Family Through the Centuries, presented by Christopher C. Child
Using several examples tracing a single family in Massachusetts through the centuries , this final class will demonstrate some key strategies for breaking down genealogical brick walls in your Massachusetts research.
COURSE HANDOUTS
To come.
RECORDED PRESENTATIONS
To come.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
Christopher C. Child, Senior Genealogist of the Newbury Street Press and Associate Editor of the Register 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 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 and Alice Nelson Pratt (Newbury Street Press, 2013), and author of The Nelson Family of Rowley, Massachusetts (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.
Hallie Kirchner, Genealogist has a B.A. in History with minors in Art History and German Language and an M.A. in Historic Preservation. She joined American Ancestors in 2019 after several years of working in architectural restoration and preservation in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her previous work experience includes the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, the West Virginia Railroad Museum, and Bender Library at American University. While at the NYG&B, she was part of the research team who compiled the popular New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer. She is also a long-time volunteer for Unclaimed-Persons.org, assisting coroners in locating next-of-kin of deceased individuals. Her areas of expertise include, 19th-century America, Germany, New York, New York City, Norway, Italy, westward migration, immigration history, and descendancy research.
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.
OTHER RESOURCES
Research Guide: Massachusetts Research
Research Guide: Massachusetts Town Guide
Research Guide: 17th Century New England Research
Bookstore: Explore all titles related to Massachusetts
Webinar: Boston Historic Catholic Records Online
Webinar: Boston Research and Records
Webinar: Reading the Gravestones of Early New England
Webinar: Spilling the Tea: Researching Boston Tea Party Patriots