This is a collection of free vital records books, otherwise known as “Tan Books” for Massachusetts towns. Generally, these records go up to 1849/1850 at which, the genealogist can use the census records to assist in identifying the family connections further. Included with this article is an account of why and how these manuscripts were published along with links to all 198 books which can be freely read or downloaded.
Woodruff, Frederick O. (8), William B. (7), Hiram (6), David (5), Noah (4), David (3), Samuel (2), Matthew (1). m. Fannie Sturtevant, Feb. 18, 1880. Frederick Orr Woodruff was educated in the public schools of Chelsea, Massachusetts, and Wheelers Preparatory School. After completing his studies at the age of nineteen years, he entered the employ of the old Publishing House of Ira Bradley & Co. on Cornhill, which concern was established the year Mr. Woodruff was born. In a few years he became a partner of the firm, the style of which was then changed to Bradley & Woodruff. In … Read more
Sarah Titcomb over her years of study of various New England families had collected quite a bit of material of several early New England families. At the bequest of some of her friends, she prepared and published them in book form. When reading through the material I was impressed with the amount of material collected on each individual, and rather then a brief genealogical sketch, readers are provided an in-depth study of each early family: Ayer, Bartlett, Bradley, Chase, Dean, Dow, Dunster, Ellis, Fuller, Hope, Kilby, Martine, Les Dernier, Maverick, Mills, Montague, Pemberton, Pepperrell, Poore, Precott, Sewall, Longfellow, Spofford, Titcomb, Watmough, and Willard.
Frank P. Bowen is a veteran business man of Centralia, Kansas, where he located over forty years ago when it was a hamlet just beginning to show signs of business prosperity. While Mr. Bowen relieved himself of the more important business activities some years ago, he is still president of the First National Bank of Centralis. He is of old New England stock. The Bowens came out of England and settled in New Hampshire in Colonial times. His grandfather, Grove Bowen, was born in Lancaster, New Hampshire, and died at Piermont in that state in 1859, having spent his life … Read more
GEORGE HARVEY EMERSON. – It is ever with peculiar interest that we observe the career of one who has been a soldier of the union. It was noticed that in the England of 1670, if any man was an exceptionally industrious and sober mechanic or man of business, it usually proved that he was an old soldier of Oliver Cromwell. In much the same way the severe discipline and the exercise of elf-devotion in our great war educated the soldier and prepared him for large and difficult enterprises. The subject of this sketch was born in Chester, New Hampshire, in … Read more
Emery Moore Low, former mayor of Brockton, and one of that city’s most influential and highly honored citizens, is a native of Massachusetts, born at Roxbury March 29, 1849, son of the late Nathaniel and Abigail E. H. (Clouston) Low. Emery is descended from William Low and his wife Mary, of Chelsea, Mass. They arrived in Chelsea, before 1761, on June 17th of which year he purchased of David Jenkins a “dwelling house, barn and buildings” and eighteen acres of land, which was originally a part of the Hasey farm. He bought other property in 1763, 1774 and 1778.
The family bearing the name of Mitchell is one of the oldest in the New World, its progenitor being Experience Mitchell, who came over in 1623 in the “Ann,” and from that time to the present the records of various towns of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, chiefly Plymouth, Duxbury and the Bridgewaters, bear mute testimony of the prominence in peace and war of the members of the family in the different generations, and the present head of the family in Brockton, Isam Mitchell, president of Isam Mitchell & Co., lumber dealers and contractors, and his son, the late Herbert Isam Mitchell, active in business with his father and prominent in fraternal circles, have proved themselves firm in purpose and able in business.
Col. Charles William Durham is the principal assistant in the engineering office at Rock Island Arsenal. His father, Charles Durham, was born in Belfast, Maine; his mother, Dorcas C. Durham, was born in the town of Brewer of the same State. Mr. Durham, senior, was for the greater part of his life a lumber merchant and vessel owner. Both parents are now dead. Young Charles was a graduate of Chelsea (Massachusetts) High School in 1864, and graduated Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in 1868. Thence he went to Germany and studied in Heidelberg University for one year, returning to … Read more