New England, Corbin Manuscript Collection, Compiled Genealogies - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include records from1650-1850.

Images of the Corbin Manuscript Collection are housed at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, Massachusetts. The collection consists of records that were transcribed and compiled by Walter E. and Lottie S. Corbin, mainly of material from central and western Massachusetts for the period 1650-1850. The collection contains local records (including local histories, church records, town clerks' books, family bible entries and gravestone inscriptions), genealogies, and source notes. These images are courtesy of the society. The index covers the genealogies from the collection. The collection is fully described in the FamilySearch catalog Corbin Manuscript Collection

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Compiled genealogical and record transcriptions  may contain:
 * Birth dates
 * Marriage dates
 * Death information
 * The names and relationship information compiled in family groups

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The names of family members
 * Other identifying information such as their residence, age, names of other family members and relationships.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Record Type
 * 2) Select the Surname to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the age and location find the family in the compiled genealogies.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * If your ancestor used multiple names throughout their life, look for all their names.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For,What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.
 * Try alternative search methods such as filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then do the search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You can then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring locality.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.