New England Facts

Connecticut

• Town clerks began recording vital records in 1650.

• Military census exists for 1917.

• Probate, court and cemetery records are located at the Connecticut State Library.

Maine

• The Maine Old Cemetery Association is indexing cemetery transcripts.

• Probate records relating to wills, adoptions and guardianships exist on the county level.

• Only five towns (Biddeford, Kittery, Kennebunkport, York and Wells) have vital records from the 17th century.

Massachusetts

• Early vital records (pre-1850) have been published for most towns.

• The earliest Massachusetts newspaper was published in 1704.

• The city of Boston neglected to record birth records from 1800 to 1849.

New Hampshire

• County system first established in 1769.

• Frontier conditions existed into the 19th century with a highly mobile population.