Biography Topics – Access Genealogy

History of Pembroke New Hampshire

Nathan Carter and Trueworthy Ladd’s “History of Pembroke, N.H. 1730-1895” chronicles the town’s journey from its early settlement as Suncook to the close of the nineteenth century. Documenting key events and societal developments year by year, the authors emphasize accuracy and detail, covering land divisions, local conflicts, and the town’s involvement in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The volume preserves vital records and offers insight into Pembroke’s public life, industries, religious institutions, and education, establishing a comprehensive reference for its historical narrative.

History of Rindge New Hampshire

Second Meeting House in Rindge New Hampshire

The History of the Town of Rindge, New Hampshire by Ezra S. Stearns, was published in 1875, and covers the period from the original Rowley Canada grant or Massachusetts charter through the year 1874. Stearns traces the legal, territorial, and institutional development of Rindge, beginning with colonial land grants and boundary disputes and proceeding through settlement, incorporation into a town and development into a small manufacturing hub. More than half the volume is devoted to genealogical material. The genealogical register of Rindge families includes thousands of names compiled from a wide range of sources and assisted by contributions from residents and researchers beyond the town.

History of Newport New Hampshire

Bird's Eye View of Newport New Hampshire 1877

The History of Newport, New Hampshire, from 1766 to 1878 is a record of Newport’s growth from its early settlement through the close of the nineteenth century. It opens with the original charter and proprietary arrangements and follows the development of Newport’s physical setting, transportation routes, and economy. Particular attention is given to mills, banks, hotels, manufacturing, and the coming of the railroad, all of which shaped the town’s commercial life. The concluding genealogical section identifies families connected with Newport and other chapters provide biographical details that might otherwise be lost.

Material for a History of the Sessions Family

The Old School House of Robert Sessions, District

Materials for a History of the Sessions Family in America was compiled by Francis C. Sessions and published in 1890 as a documentary record of the descendants of Alexander Sessions of Andover, Massachusetts, who is recorded there in 1669. The volume consists largely of transcribed correspondence, genealogical notes, lineage charts, biographical sketches, and reminiscences.

Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society

The Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society is a 15 publication series documenting the state’s history through various primary sources, including manuscripts, letters, and public records. It collates valuable narratives that were previously difficult to access, providing insight into events, individuals, and communities in New Hampshire. Each volume offers focused topics and historical analyses, and most volumes contain individual indexes.

History of Shelburne New Hampshire

Mrs. R. P. Peabody’s *History of Shelburne, New Hampshire*, published in 1882, chronicles the town’s evolution from its 1770 colonial land grant to the late 19th century. The narrative is divided into two parts, detailing the region’s topography, original settlers, and key economic developments such as the Shelburne Lead Mine. Peabody illustrates the challenges of frontier life, highlighting significant events, community structures, and the transition brought by the Grand Trunk Railroad, thus preserving the town’s heritage amidst population decline.

History and Genealogy of Hartford Vermont

George W Smith's Cracker Factory, White River Junction, Vermont

History of Hartford, Vermont, July 4, 1761–April 4, 1889, published in 1889, is a comprehensive town history compiled by William Howard Tucker and issued by The Free Press Association of Burlington. The work covers the period from the chartering of Hartford in 1761, shortly after the close of the French and Indian War, through the late nineteenth century. It was undertaken to preserve, in permanent form, the documentary and narrative record of the town’s origin, settlement, organization, and development. It also includes biographical sketches and extended genealogies of prominent Hartford families, along with an 1889 business directory and detailed indexes.

History of the town of Acton Massachusetts

1751 The Brabrook Homestead in Acton Massachusetts

Acton’s story is laid out here as a careful account of how the town grew from a 17th century land grant tied to Concord into an independent community by 1735. Rather than listing events and dates, the author looks closely at the lives of leading families and early freemen, showing how daily concerns shaped the town’s course. The narrative gives special attention to the role of the church, disputes over land and authority during the time of royal governors such as Sir Edmund Andros, and the practical work of putting up meetinghouses and schools in a frontier setting. Drawing on deeds, ministerial agreements, and other early records, and mixing in bits of local tradition such as the tale of the “Count of the Rocky Guzzle,” the book captures something of the character and customs of the period.

Acton Massachusetts History

Acton in History traces the town’s development from its beginnings as Concord Village in the seventeenth century through its emergence as a modest industrial community. It gives particular attention to the religious life of the town, including the building of early meetinghouses and the long ministries of figures such as the Rev. John Swift and the Rev. James T. Woodbury. The work devotes substantial space to Acton’s role in the Revolution, especially the events at the North Bridge in 1775 and the loss of Captain Isaac Davis and his company of minute-men. It also follows the growth of local industries, from blacksmithing and cooperage to the far-reaching effects of the Fitchburg Railroad after its arrival in 1844. Later chapters include brief sketches of notable residents in the 1880s. Throughout, the narrative weaves in discussions of Acton’s everyday life, civic engagement, and social values.

New Hampshire Men

New Hampshire Men presents 407 biographical sketches, with portraits, of men who were active in commercial, professional, and political life in New Hampshire in 1893.

New Hampshire Men of Progress

New Hampshire Men of Progress contains 289 biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in and of the state of New Hampshire. It was edited by the staff of the Manchester Union under the supervision of Richard Herndon.

New Hampshire State Builders

Birthplace of George Franklyn Willey in the Summer

State Builders, published in 1903, serves as a historical and biographical account of New Hampshire at the turn of the twentieth century. Authored by local writers, it covers the state’s development across various sectors including politics, education, and industry, while documenting the lives of notable residents. The volume reflects both continuity and change in the state’s traditions, making it a valuable reference for understanding New Hampshire’s institutions and influential figures during this pivotal period.

1932 New Hampshire Notables

New Hampshire Notables,” published by the Concord Press in 1932, is a biographical compilation that follows a previous work by Henry H. Metcalf. It contains 474 brief sketches of notable individuals, both natives and residents of New Hampshire, recognized for their contributions across various fields such as public life, business, and education. This edition focuses on living subjects as of 1932, with an alphabetical index for easy reference. While not exhaustive, it serves as a valuable resource for researchers and libraries, preserving important biographical data.

1919 New Hampshire Notables

One Thousand New Hampshire Notables is a biographical compilation prepared by Henry Harrison Metcalf and Frances Matilda Abbott and published in Concord in 1919. It contains brief sketches of one thousand men and women identified with New Hampshire through birth or residence who achieved prominence in public affairs, business, education, the professions, and civic or benevolent activities. The editors limited the work to living subjects, with only rare exceptions, and recorded subsequent deaths and corrections in an addenda section.

History of Bedford, New Hampshire

This volume, titled History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737, was compiled by Peter P. Woodbury, Thomas Savage, and William Patten. It was published in Concord, N.H., by The Rumford Printing Co. in 1903. The primary objective of this edition was to incorporate all facts from the predecessor’s work, along with additional details and events that occurred since its publication, documenting the town’s history up to the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation on May 15, 1900. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to Genealogies of 157 families, furnished largely by family representatives and compiled by Miss Mary E. Manning. The book also includes Biographies of notable figures associated with Bedford and a chapter on Vital Statistics (births, deaths, and marriages) compiled from town records, with recognized limitations due to the incompleteness of earlier record-keeping.

Online Research at Genealogical Forum of Oregon

Main Street looking north Baker City Oregon

The GFO Research Library has more than 60,000 holdings for all of the United States and many locations around the world, with particular strengths in the Pacific Northwest, Virginia, and French Canada. They have also placed online a variety of different indexes which users can search. While largely focused on Oregon and the communities within the state, it does have some non-Oregon based genealogy information online.

History of Sabine Parish, Louisiana

This volume presents a documentary history of Sabine Parish, Louisiana. The opening chapters summarize broader historical circumstances involving Louisiana’s early exploration and settlement. The remainder of the book focuses on the parish’s own institutions, events, and leading figures. Information concerning local government has been compiled chiefly from courthouse records, supplemented by the recollections and contributions of long-time residents. Every effort has been made to present the parish’s history accurately and without unnecessary reference to matters that might renew past disputes. The result is a straightforward account of Sabine Parish’s formation, customs, civic life, and the individuals and communities that shaped its progress.

The history of Medway Massachusetts

The History of Medway, Massachusetts, 1713–1885, covers the entire period of local history, embracing two hundred and twenty-five years, from 1660 to 1885; or, from the first appearance of a white settler within the territory, to the recent date of the incorporation of the town of Millis. The book is divided into ten sections, and gives, in consecutive order, an account of the first settlement, the municipal doings, the churches, the schools and other institutions, the industries, the military service, the miscellaneous matters, the cemeteries, the biographies of many persons, and the genealogies of numerous families.

History of Amherst New Hampshire

Residence of Isaac Brooks in Amherst New Hampshire

The history of Amherst, New Hampshire, unfolds from its 1675 land grant to veterans of the Narraganset War, marking the impetus for settlement along the Souhegan River. From its early governance and incorporation in 1760 to territorial adjustments that birthed Mont Vernon and Milford, this narrative encompasses local geography, economy, and Indigenous presence. Key military engagements, civic institutions, and genealogical records are explored up to 1882, offering a comprehensive view of the town’s evolution and its prominent figures.

History of New Boston New Hampshire

In 1864, Rev. Elliott Colby Cogswell compiled a comprehensive history of New Boston, New Hampshire, in honor of the town’s Centennial. This undertaking, prompted by a community vote during the July 4, 1863, celebrations, aimed to preserve the town’s rich history, including its civil, ecclesiastical, and educational development, as well as biographical accounts of early settlers. Funded by local subscriptions, the volume documented the events of the Centennial and served as an important record of the town’s first hundred years.