Charlestown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Genealogy

United States Massachusetts  Middlesex  Charlestown

This is a historical and genealogical guide to the town and city of Charlestown. You will find help with town histories, vital records, city directories, cemetery records and cemeteries, churches, deeds (i.e. land records), town and city records, newspapers, maps, and libraries. There are detailed guides for the town and city of Boston that annexed Charlestown, and the daughter towns of Malden, Somerville, Stoneham, and Woburn. Charlestown (1630-1874) Charlestown was  a town in Middlesex County before it was annexed to Boston in Suffolk County. This guide discusses the records created by this town and includes references to material of present-day Charlestown (the neighborhood of Boston) as well. Be careful of the time period you are researching here as the records you need may be in one of two counties or one of two towns.

Brief History
Men exploring from Naumkeag (now Salem) arrived a place called Mishawum by the local Indians in 1628. A group of more than one hundred persons from Naumkeag moved to Mishawum to settle in 1629. Its population and importance grew from there as its location proved advantageous. The revolutionary Battle of Bunker Hill (actually fought on Breed's Hill) in 1775 has kept the town alive in the minds of today's U.S. citizens. Its strategic importance was evident by the United States' purchase of harbor land that became the Charlestown Navy Yard and the home of the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat (1797). The town and later city saw many waves of immigrants settling and calling it home. The Irish Catholic community has remained a strong presence in the city, but there are large Latin American communities now in the city. It is the mother town for Burlington, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Somerville, Stoneham, and Woburn. To see a summary of the town history, see the online timeline.

Historical Data
The basic data is from the "Historical Data" publication series with additions from various sources. Associated names Charlestown at one time was Charlton and Mishawum.

Village or section names include. Border changes Top of Page

Town Histories
Works written on the town include:


 * Richard Forthingham Jr., The History of Charlestown, Massachusetts (Boston, 1845), vii, 368 pp. Notably, there is a census of the heads of household for the year 1659 on pages 152 to 154. Digital version at Internet Archive. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Thomas Bellows Wyman, The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1629-1818 (Boston, 1879; rep. Somersworth, N.H., 1982), 1178, [3] pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries) (1879 ed.); WorldCat (Other Libraries) (1982 ed.); (1879 ed.).


 * Sketches include (* are more than a page): ==A== Abbott*, Aborn, Abrahams, Acock, Acuter, Adams*, Addinton, Agar, Akerman, Akers, Albree, Alby, Alcock, Alcott, Alden, Aldrich, Alexander, Alford, Alger, Allam, Allent, Allen*, Alley, Allisett, Allison, Alvas, Ambrose, Amee, Ames, Amesbury, Amidon, Amory, Anderson, Andoe, Andrew(s), Angier, Annabal, Annesley, Annis, Anthony, Appleton, Apthorp, Apy, Archer, Armistead, Armitage, Armour, Armstrong, Arnold, Arrington, Arundel, Asbury, Ashfield, Ashley, Aspinwall, Athaton, Athy, Atkins, Atkinson, Atwater, Atwell, Atwood, Aubin, Auchmuty, Audley, Augur, Auld, Austin*, Auver, Averell, Avery, Avis, Axson, Ayer, Ayling, Alywin ==B== Babb, Babbet, Babbidge, Babcock, Bachelder, Backalegg, Bacon, Badden, Badger*, Baeth, Bagnall, Bailey*, Baker*, Balch, Balcom, Baldwin, Balfour, Ball(s)*, Ballantine, Ballard, Ballett, Balloin, Bancroft, Bandon, Banfield, Bangs, Banister, Banton, Barber*, Bard, Barjona, Barker*, Barlow, Barnard, Barnes, Barnett, Barnwell, Barrell, Barrett*, Barrington, Barron, Barrow, Barruce, Barry, Barstow, Bartholomew, Bartlett*, Barton, Bartram, Bass, Bassett, Baston, Bateman, Bates, Bathe (Beath), Bathrick, Batt, Batten, Baxter, Beacham, Beadle, Beal, Beaman, Bean, Beard, Beaverstock, Beazor, Beck, Beckford, Bedford, Bedworth, Beecher, Beers, Beho, Belcher*, Beleithe, Belknap, Bell, Bellows, Belville, Bellingham, Bemis, Bemsley, Benard, Benckley, Benjamin*, Bennett*, Benning, Benson, Bent, Bentley, Beresford, Berry, Bess, Beste, Bettely, Betton, Betts, Bewford, Bicknal, Bidwell, Bigelow, Biggs, Bill, Billings, Bilton, Binford, Bingham, Binney, Birch, Birchmore, Bird, Biscum, Bish, Bishop, Biskey, Bispham, Bissell, Bixby, Blachford, Black, Blackbridge, Blackler, Blackleech, Blacklock, Blackman, Blackmore, Blacsitone, Blagdon, Blagrove, Blair, Blasdell, Blake, Blanchard*, Blaney, Blanford, Blew, Bligh, Blodgett, Blood, Blott, Blowers, Blunt, Boardman, Bodfish, Bodge*, Bodman, Bogman, Bolderson, Bolles, Bolter, Bolton, Bond, Bonham, Bonner, Bonney, Booth, Bootman, Borland, Bosdet, Bosworth, Bott, Bottrell, Boucher, Bourne, Boutell, Boutineau, Boutwell, Bouve, Bowden, Bowdoin, Bowe, Bowen, Bowers*, Bowleer, Bowland, Bowles, Bowman, Bowdy, Box, Boyce, Boyd(e), Boyden, Boyken, Boylston*, Boynton, Brackenbury, Bracker, Brackett, Bradbury, Bradford, Bradish*, Bradlee, Bradley, Bradshaw*, Bradstreet*, Brady, Braish, Branch, Branson, Branstome, Brasier*, Bratcher, Brate, Brattle, Bray, Breed*, Breeden, Breese, Breillatt, Brenton, Bretan, Breet, Brewer, Brewster, Brickford, Bricknell, Bridge(s)*, Bridgham, Brigden*, Briggs, Brigham, Bright, Brightman, Brilliant, Brimsmead, Brinkley, Brinley, Brinthall, Briskoe, Britton, Brodbent, Bromfield, Bronsdon, Brooker, Brookhouse, Brooks*, Brookwell, Broughton, Brown*, Bruce, Bryan, Bryant, Buchannan, Buck, Bucket, Buckley, Buckmaster, Buckminster, Bucknam*, Budd, Budge, Bulfinch, Bulkley, Bull, Bullard, Bullis, Bullock, Bunker*, Bunn, Bunnell, Burbank, Burbeen, Burcham, Burchstead, Burckes, Burden, Burditt, Burge, Burgess, Burley, Burlin, Burnell, Burnett, Burnham, Burns, Burr, Burrage*, Burrill, Burroughs, Burt, Burton, Busby, Bushel, Bushnal, Bussell, Butcher, Butler, Butman, Butterfield, Buttrick, Butts, Buxton, Byfield, Byran ==C== Cabot, Caddall, Cade, Cadogan, Cahoone, Caible, Caine, Calder*, Caldwell, Calef, Call*, Callender, Calley, Calihan, Callum, Camblet, Cammett, Cammon, Campanel, Campbell, Campfield, Camphere, Campion, Canady, Candage, Cannoway, Canterbury, Cape, Capen*, Capt, Carey*, Carleton*, Carly, Carnel, Carnes, Carogan, Carpenter, Carr, Carriage, Carrell, Carriel, Carrington, Carter*, Carteret, Carthrick, Carver, Carwithen, Case, Caswell, Cater, Catland, Catmur, Cawood, Cehe, Center, Chadbourne, Chadwell, Chadwick, Chaffey, Chalkley, Chamberlain*, Chambers*, Chamblet, Champney, Chandler, Channell, Chapman*, Charles, Charnock, Charteris, Chase, Checkley, Cheever*, Chenery, Cheney, Cherrieholme, Chesley, Chester, Chickering*, Child, Chipman, Chittenden, Chitty, Choate, Christian, Christy, Chubb, Chubbuck, Church, Churchell, Cise, Clapp, Clark*, Classen, Cleasby, Cleaveland*, Cleaves, Clemence, Clennen, Cleverly, Clifford, Clifton, Cloise, Cloues, Clough, Cloutman, Cluly, Clutterbuck, Clyme, Coates, Cobb, Cobbett, Cobham, Cochran, Cockrum, Coddington, Codman*, Coffin,Coffson, Cofran, Cogan, Cogswell, Coite, Coitmore, Coke, Colburn, Colby, Cole(s)*, Coleduck, Coleman, Coliner, Collier, Colliham, Collins, Collis, Colly, Colon, coltman, Colton, Combes, Comer, Comrin, Conant*, Condy, Conn, Connelly, Connett, Conroy, Converse, Conwell, Cook*, Coolidge, Cooling, Coombs, Cooper*, Copp, Copper, Coppin, Corbet, Corbin, Cordis*, Cordy, Corey, Corke, Cornell, Corney, Corning, Cornish, Corser, Coster, Costigan, Cotney, Cotta, Cotting, Cotton, Cottrell, Couch, Coult, Coultman, Counce, Courage, Cousens, Covel, Coverly, Cowdry, Cowell, Cowen, Cox, Crackbone, Cradock, Craft(s), Craigie, Cramer, Crance, Cranch, Crane, Craval/Cravat, Crawford, Crawley, Creese, Creeson, Crequi, Crisp, Cromwell, Crook, Crooker, Crosby, Crosse, Crossman, Crosswell*, Crouch*, Crouder, Crowe, Crowell, Crowninshel, Cruft, Cullick, Cumbey, Cummings, Cumrita, Cunnabell, Cunningham, Curbee, Curtis, Curwen, Cushing, Cushman, Cutler*, Cutlove, Cutter*, Cutting, Cutts ==D== Dadey*, Dadley, Daily, Dakin, Dalton, Daly, Dam, Damon*, Dana, Danforth, Daniel, Darling, Darrell, Dart, Dashwood, Dasset, Davenport, Davidson, Davie, Davies, Davis*, Davison*, Davoy, Dawes, Day, Dayton, Dead, Deal, Deane, Dearborn, Deardes, Deblois, Decos(s), Decosta, Deering, Degrush, Deland, Delane, Delano, Delavan, Delhonde, Deming, Dench, Denmark, Dennie, Dennis, Dennison, Densmore, D'Obleville, Derby, Desbrisay, Desenne, Deshon, Devens*, Deverix, Devonshire, DeWit, Dexter*, Diamond, Dickee, Dickerman, Dickerson, Dickinson, Dicks / Dix, Dickson / Dixon*, Didson, Dikey, Dill, Dillaway, Dinsdale, Diser, Dispa, Ditmar, Dobin, Dobson, Dodd, Dodge, Dogget, Dolbear, Dolbery, Doleway, Dollison, Dolover, Dolton, Doolittle, Dorotny, Dorr, Dorrell, Doubleday, Douglas, Dowdney, Dowell, Downes, Downing, Dowse*, Drake, Draper, Drayson, Drew, Drinker, Drown, Drury, Drummond, Duchee, Dudley, Duker, Dummer, Dummitt, Dumslin, Dunawen, Dunbar, Duncan, Dunker, Duncklee, Dunklin, Dunlap, Dunn, Dunnell, Dunster, Dunton, Dupee, Durant, Durell, Durffee, Durgie, Dutton, Duty, Dwight, Dyer ==E== Eager, Eaglesfield, Eagleston, Eagon, Eames, Earle, East, Easterbrook, Eastman, Easton, Eaton*, Ecles, Eddenden, Eddy, Edes*, Edgell, Edmands*, Edminster, Edwards, Elasson, Elder, Elethrop, Ellery, Elliott*, Ellis, Ellsworth, Els, Elson, Elwell, Emerson, Emery, Emmett, Emmons, Emms, Encas, Engleshie, English, Engs, Ennys, Ensign, Ephraim, Eppes, Errington, Erving, Eskrin, Esty, Etheridge, Eustace / Eustis, Evans, Evarts, Eveleth, Evered, Everett, Everton, Eville, Ewer, Exter, Eyre ==F== Faber, Fadre, Fairfield, Fairservice, Fairweather, Falkner, Fall, Fallshaw, Farley, Farmer, Farnam, Farnsworth, Farr, Farrar, Farrell, Farrie, Farrington, Farwell, Fasset, Fay, Felch, Felt, Fellows, Felton, Fenecum, Fenn, Fennecy, Fenno, Fenolly, Fenton, Ferguson, Fernald, Fernside, Ferrand, Ferrill, Ferrett, Ferrin, Ferris, Fessenden, Field, Fifield, Fillebrown*, Filton, Finch, Finney, Fish, Fiske, Fitch, Fitt, Flagg, Fletcher, Flinn, Flint, Florence, Floyd, Flucker, Fluriet, Fobes, Folger, Folk, Foord, Foote, Forbes, Ford*, Forester / Forster, Forsythe, Fortune, Fosdick*, Fosket*, Fosset, Foster*, Founell, Fowle*, Foxcroft, Foye*, Fraile, Francis*, Franck, Franklin, Frazer, Free, Freeland, Freeman, French, Fretcher, Frink, Friser, Frizell, Frost*, Frothingham*, Fry, Fulker, Fuller, Fullerton, Fullington, Fulton, Funnell, Furbur, Furbush, Furmath, Furnell, Furss ==G== Gabbet, Gage, Gager, Gale, Galleshon, Galloway, Gallup, Galpin, Gamage, Gammell, Gamming, Gammon, Gannett, Gardner*, Garey, Garfield, Garland, Garner, Garrett, Gaskall, Gatchell, Gates, Gathems, Gattcomb, Gault, Gay, Gayer, Geddes, Gee, Gellume, Gelston, Geohagan, George, Gerrill, Gerrish, Gerry, Geyer, Gibbons, Gibbs, Gibson, Giddings, Gilbert, Gile(s), Gill*, Gillien, Gillingham, Gilloms, Gilmore, Gilson, Glasier, Gleison, Glenn, Glodge, Gloss, Glover, Goble, Godbold, Goddard, Godden, Godfrey, Godly, Goffe, Gohen, Going, Golding, Goldsmith, Goldthwait, Gooch, Goodall, Goodenow, Goodhue, Godding, Goodrich, Goodwin*, Gookin, Goose, Gordon, Gore, Gorham*, Goss, Gossom, Gouge, Gould*, Gove, Gowen*, Grace, Grafton, Gragg, Graham, Grant, Graupner, Gravener, Graves*, Gray, Greele, Green(e)*, Greenland, Greenleaf, Greenough, Greenwood, Greer, Gregory, Gretlan, Grew, Gridley, Griffin*, Griffiths, Griggs, Grimes, Grimsditch, Grissell, Gross, Grover(s)*, Grubb, Guard, Gullifer, Gullin, Gunnison, Guppy, Gurdee, Gurley, Gurney, Guttridge, Gwin, Gyler ==H== Hackburne, Hackleton, Hadley, Hadlock, Hagar, Hagget, Hague, Haynes, Hale*, Haley, Hall*, Hallard, Hallaway, Hallett, Halley, Hallowell, Hallyday, Halsey, Halsteed, Ham, Hamilton, Hamlet, Hamlin, Hammatt, Hammock, Hammond*, Hancock*, Hands, Hanson, Harbard, Harding, Hardy, Harley, Harlow, Harnden, Harper, Harridon, Harrington, Harries / Harry, Harris*, Harrison*, Harrod, Hart, Hartgrove, Hartifan, Hartley, Hartshorn, Hartwell, Harvard, Harvey, Harwood, Hasey, Haskell, Haskins, Hassell, Hastings, Haswell, Hatch, Hathorne, Haugh, Hauker, Haven, Hawes, Hawkes, Hawkins*, Hawley, Haxtone, Hay*, Hayes, Hayden, Hayman, Hayward*, Hazelton, Hazen, Heag, Healy, Heath, Heathersye, Heaton, Hedge, Hedman, Helyar, Hemenway, Henchman, Henct, Hender, Henderson, Hendy, Henley*, Henry, Henshaw, Hepburne, Herbert, Herrick, Hershcel, Hersey, Hesilrige, Hett, Hewes, Hewett, Hewins, Hewlett, Hewson, Heylett, Hibbins, Hibbs, Hichborn, Hickling, Hicks, Higgins, Higginson, Hilderike, Hill*, Hills, Hiller, Hilliard, Hillman, Hilt, Hilton, Hinckley, Hindes, Hitchcock, Hitchens, Hittenger, Hoadley, Hoar, Hobbs, Hobby, Hobson, Hodgdon, Hodgson, Hodges, Hodgman, Hoffens, Hoffman, Hogans, Holbrook, Holden*, Holland, Hollard, Holley, Holliday, Holliman, Hollis, Holloway, Holman, Holmes, Holsworth, Holt, Holton, Holyoke, Homer, Hoockey, Hood, Hooper*, Hooten, Hopkins*, Hopman, Hoppin*, Horn, Horten, Horter, Hosely, Hosier, Hosmer, Hough, Houghton, House, Housen, Hovey*, Howard*, Howe*, Howes, Howlet, Hoyle, Hoyte, Hubbard, Hudson, Huggines, Hugo, Hull, Humphrey, Hunnewell*, Hunscot, Hunt*, Hunter, Hunting, Hurd*, Hurry, Hurst, Huse, Huson, Hussey, Hutchins, Hutchinson*, Hutton, Hyde, Hymes ==I== Ibrook, Indicutt, Ingalls, Ingersool, Ingolson, Ingraham, Innis, Ireland*, Ireson, Ive, Ivory ==J== Jack, Jacklin, Jackson, Jacob, Jaffrey, James, Jameson / Jamison, Janes, Jaques, Jaquith, Jarrett, Jarvis, Jeffers, Jeffreys, Jeffs, Jenkins, Jenks, Jenner*, Jennings, Jennison, Jepson, Jewell, Jewett, Jewks, Jigles, Johnson*, Jones*, Jordan, Josselyn, Joy, Joyner, Judkins ==K== Kane, Kathreen, Keating, Keayne, Kebbey, Keeling, Keen, Keep, Keith, Kellar, Kellen, Kelley, Kelton, Kemble, Kemp, Kempthorn, Kempton, Kendall, Kenkan, Kennedy, Kennel, Kenney, Kennicut, Kenrick, Kent*, Kerbey, Kerley, Ketchering, Kettell*, Kew, Keyes, Kidder*, Kilcup, Killam, Killen, Killuck, Kilton, Kimball, Kindness, King, Kingman, Kingsley, Kingsley, Kingston, Kirk, Kittredge, Knapp, Kneeland, Knight*, Knill, Knoleman, Knower, Knowles, Knowlton, Knox ==L== Lacore, Ladd, Lafleur, Lahorne, Lake, Lakeman, Lamb, Lambert, Lamson*, Lancaster, Land, Landman, Landon, Lane, Lang, Langdon, Langley, Langmand, Langstaff, Langwit, Laniges, Lankford, Lapham, Lapthorn, Larey, Largin, Larkin*, Larrabee, Laten, Latham, Lathrop, Latimer, Lawrence*, Lawton, Leach, Leadbetter, Leager, Learned, Leasing, Leathe, Leatherby, Leathers, Leavitt, Lebosquet, Lechmere, Lecoster, Le-crass, Lee*, Leeky, Lees, Leeson, Lefavour, Legg, Legorss, Legorwell, Leigh, Lema, Leman*, Lemmon*, Lennon, Lenox, Leonard, Lepere, Leppington, Lerow, Leverett, Leveston, Lewis*, Lidgett, Lidiard, Lilley, Linch, Lincoln, Lindall, Lindsey, Linge, Linmire, Linn, Linnen, Lisley, Lithgow, Little, Littlefield, Livermore, Livingston, Lloyd, Loader, Lobb, Lobdell, Lobden, Lochan, Locke*, Lodge, Logan*, Lombard, Long*, Longfellow, Longley, Lopans, Loprean, Lord*, Loring, Lorthorn, Lothrop, Lovejoy, Lovell, Lovering, Lovett, Low, Lowd, Lowden*, Lowell, Lucas, Luck, Luddington, Ludkin, Luen, Luist, Luke, Lumas, Lund, Lunengun, Lusher, Luttrell, Luxford, Lyburn, Lyde, Lyman, Lynde*, Lyndon, Lyon ==M== Macomey, MacLaren, MacNeese, MacQueddy, Mack, Mackey, Mackdugle, Mackfarland, Macfassy, Mackintire, Mackintosh, Macknay, McCarty, McClan, McClentick / McClintock, McCloud, McCluer, McCoon, McDaniel, McDonoghue, McGrath, McGregory, McInierny, McKeen, McKim, McKlennin, McKollows, McKoone, McKown, McLean, McMillen, McMinnis, McNamara, McNiel*, McSwain, Magree, Maggafasset, Mahonie, Major, Makepeace, Makloney, Malcolm, Malden, Mallard, Mallesie, Malleson, Mallet*, Maly, Mambry, Mander, Manley, Mann, Mannell, Manner, Manning*, Manser, Mansfield, Manson, Mapes, Marable, March / Marsh, Marcy, Mardlen, Marean / Marian, Marion, Mark, Markham, Marple, Marrett, Marryman, Marshall, Marson, Marston, Martin*, Mason*, Massyfield, Masterman, Masters, Mater, Mather, Matson, Matthew(s), Mattis, Mattocks, Maul, Maverick, Maxey, Mawell, May, Mayer, Mayhew, Maylem, Maynard, Maze, Mead, Mears, Mercum, Medford, Meech, Meedham, Melendy, Mellens, Mellows, Melony, Melville, Melvin, Menzies, Meran, Mercer, Merchant, Merriam, Merrick, Merrifield, Merrill, Merrinton, Merritt, Merrow, Merry, Metcalf, Mico, Middleton, Miles, Milke, Millard, Miller*, Millett, Millins, Mills, Milner, Milnes, Mingham, Minor, Minot, Mires, Mirick*, Mitchell*, Mixter, Mode, Moffitt, Moge, Mold, Molton, Monaane, Money, Monk, Monroe / Munroe*, Montfort, Montgomery, Montjoy, Moody, Moore*, Moorey, Moors, Morandi, More, Morey, Morecock, Morehead, Morgan, Morlaugh. Morley, Morrice / Morris, Morse*, Mortimer, Morton, Mosely, Mosse, Mountain, Mouran, Mousall*, Mower, Mudd, Mudge, Mugey, Muirhead, Mulberry, Mullen, Mullett, Mullican, Mumforth, Munger, Mungey, Munhire, Munnings, Murch, Murdoe, Murfet, Murphy, Murray, Muzzy ==N== Nannay, Naramore, Nash, Nason, Naylor, Neal, Needham, Negels, Negro, Neibours, Nelson, Nevers, Nevinson, Newby, Newcomb, Newell*, Newgate, Newhall, Newman, Newton, Nicholas, Nichols*, Nicholson, Nick, Nickerson, Niles, Nipkins, Nisbet, Nix, Nizer, Noah, Noaks, Noble, Norcross, Norris, North, Northey, Norton, Norwood, Noseitor, Nowell*, Noyes, Nurse, Nutt, Nutter, Nutting ==O== Oakely, Oakes / Oak, Ober, Obridge, Odat, Odel, Odin, Odiorne, Odlin, Ogelby, Oker, Oldham, Oliver, Olney, Orcut, Orgain, Orgrave, Orne, Orr, Orris, Orton, Osborn*, Osgood, Osieph, Osland, Osment, Oswell, Otis, Over, Overy, Oyer ==P== Paddison, Paddock, Padoxy, Page*, Paine*, Painter, Palfrey, Palgrave, Palmer*, Palmes, Papot, Paraway, Parcy, Pardoe, Paris, Parish, Park, Parker*, Parkman, Parks, Parling, Parnall, Parruck, Parson, Partridge, Patch, Patefield, Pattee, Parren, Patterman, Patterson, Paul, Paynter, Payson, Peabody, Peachie, Peacock, Peak, Peark, Pearson / Pierson, Peartree, Pease, Peasley, Peat, Peack, Peckar, Peggy, Pelham, Pell, Pemberton, Penhallow, Penn, Penney*, Penniman, Penniwell, Penticost, Pepperell, Perksins, Perory, Perreel / Ferrell, Perry, Peters, Peterson, Pharez, Pharus, Phillips*, Phinney, Phippenne, Phipps*, Pickard, Pickering, Picket, Pierce*, Pierpont, Pigeon, Pike, Piles, Pilsbury, Pine, Pinkham, Pinson / Pynson, Piper, Pitcher, Pitt(s), Pittman, Plympton, Pocorney, Pollard, Polley, Pomory, Pool(e), Poor(e), Pope, Popell, Portengal, Porter, Pottarton, Potterfor, Pottem, Potter, Powell, Power(s)*, Pownall, Praro, Pratt*, Prebell, Prentice / Prentiss*, Prescott, Presley, Preston, Price, Pri(t)chard, Prideaux, Priest, Prigg, Prince, Pringle, Prior / Pryer, Proctor, Propert, Prosser, Prout, Pulsifer, Purrington, Pusley, Putnam*, Putt ==Q== Qua(y), Quarls, Quick / Quirk, Qunicy, Quiner ==R== Radford, Rainsboro, Rainsford, Rallion, Ralston, Ramsdell, Rand*, Randall, Randolph, Ranger, Rankin, Ranks, Rappalyea, Rash, Ratchell, Rawlings, Rawson, Ray / Rea, Raymond*, Raynard, Rayner*, Razor, Read / Reed*, Reape, Records, Redding, Redknap, Redman, Reeve, Remick, Remington, Reneuf, Renolph, Revere, Reyley / Royley, Reynolds, Rhodes, Ribaro, Rice, Rich, Richards, Richardson*, Richbell, Ricks, Riddle, Rider, Ridgeway, Ridland, Ridley, Riga, Riggs, Rine, Rindge, Ripley, Risdon, Roach, Robb, Robbins*, Roberchau, Roberts, Robertson, Robinson, Roby, Rockwell, Rockwood, Roden, Rogers, Rolen / Roten, Rolland, Rollins, Rolfe, Room, Roper, Rose, Rosemorgie, Ross, Roswell, Rotman, Roulstone, Rouse*, Row(e), Rowland, Roy, Royal, Ruck, Rudberg,, Ruddock, Rudge, Rue(y), Rugg, Ruggles, Rumney, rumrill, Runey, Rupling, Rushenan, Russell*, Rust, Rutherfor, Rutridge, Ryan, Ryland ==S== Sadie / Sady, Sadler, Saffin, Safford, Saise, Saith, Sale(s), Sal(i)sbury, Salla, Sallee / Sally, Salter, Saltmarsh, Sampson, Sanbron, Sanders, Sanderson, Sands / Sandy, SanFord / Sandiford, Sarazan, Sargent / Sergent*, Sartell, Satley, Savage, Sawtell, Sawyer, Saxton, Says, Scammell, Scammon, Scarlett, Scental, Schultz, Scollary, Scoller, Scotchford, Scott, Scottow, Screech, Scripture, Scudder, Searle, Sears, Seaton, Seaver, Se(a)vernes, Sedgwick, Seger, Segors, Solden, Sennett, Sever, Sewall, Seymour, Shahan, Shalsea, Shapley, Sharpe, Shatswell, Shattuck, Shanesberg, Shavelin, Shaw, Shazzard, Sheafe*, Shed*, Sheldon, Shepherd*, Shepherdson, Sherburne, Sherman*, Sherwin, Sherwood, Shillcock, Shimmin, Shippie, Shirley, Shoerin, Shore, Short, Shorthus, Shove(s), Shrimpton, Shuman, Shurt, Shurtliff, Shute, Sibley, Sickes, Sigourney, Silk, Sill, Silsbee, Simmons, Simonds, Simpkins, Simple, Simpson / Simson, Sisson, Sivret, Skeech, Skift, Skillings, Skilton, Skimmer, Skinner*, Skipper, Slade, Slater, Slaughter, Slavensale, Sloane, Sloper, Small, Samllidge, Smart, Smiley, Smith*, Snell, Snodegrass, Snooke, Snow, Soley*, Solis, Somes, Souche, Soule, Southack, Souther, Southwick, Sowerbuts, Sowersby, Spare, Sparhawk, Sparkes, Sparrow, Spaulding, Spear, Speed, Spencer, Spigh(t) / Spike, Spofford, Sooner, Spowel, Sprague*, Spriggs, Spring, Spurrier, Squire, Stacey, Stackpole, Stafford, Stanford, Staniford, Stanhope, Stanley, Stanton, Stanwood, Staples, Starkie / Starky, Starling, Starr, Stearns*, Stebbins, Stedman, Steel, Stetson, Stephens / Stevens*, Stevenson, Stewart, Stickline, Stickney, Still, Stilson, Stimpson*, Stinson, Stitts, Stockbridge, Stockman, Stockton, Stoddard, Stodder, Stogle, Stokes, Stone*, Stonehouse, Storer, Story, Stoughton, Stow, Stowell, Stower*, Strachan, Strapin, Stratford, Stratton, Streeter, Stride, Stubbs, Stud, Sturdivant, Sturgis, Stuttin, Sulden, Sullandine, Sullivan, Summers, Summerset, Sumner, Sunderlin, Sutton, Swain, Swan*, Sweet, Sweetman, Sweetser*, Swett, Swier / Swyer, Swift, Swilloway, Swinford, Sinstead, Sylvester, Symmes* ==T== Taintor, Talbot, Talby, Tamplin, Tapley, Tappen, Tarball, Tarbitt, Tarbox, Taten, Tavarnour, Tay, Taylor*, Teal / Teel*, Templar, Temple, Tenney, Terry, Tewksbury, Thatcher, Thaxter, Thayer, Thomas, Thompson*, Thoreau, Thorndike, Thorning, Thornton, Thorp(e), Thwing, Tibbetts, Tidd, Tidmarsh, Tileston, Ting / Tyng, Tingle, Tirrell, Tobey, Tollwood, Tolman, Tomlinson, Tompkins, Toockie, Tool, Toop, Toothaker, Topin, Topp, Torrey, Totman, Touro, Tower, Towne, Townsend*, Tracy, Traill, Train, Tranavre, Trask, Travis, Treadway, Treadwell, Treat, Treble, Trecker, Tree, Trent, Trerice, Trevet / Trivett, Treworgia / Trueworthy, Tripelin, Trott, Trounce, Trout, Trow, Trowbridge, Truman, Trumbull*, Tuck, Tucker, Tuckerman, Tudor, Tufts*, Tuke, Turbitt, Turell, Turlington, Turner*, Tuter, Tuttle, Twichell, Twist, Twycross, Tyler, Tyzick ==U== Umpraville, Underhay, Underwood, Unthank, Upham*, Usher ==V== Valentie, Vallere, Valpy, Vance, Vanvoorhis, Varney, Vassall, Vaughan, Vee, Velvin, Verein, Vergoose, Vernon, vially, Viaux, Vibert, Vickers, Viles, Vinal, Vincent, Vine, Vinton, Viscount, Vittery, Vose ==W== Wade*, Wadland, Wadsworth, Waffe, Wager, Wainwright, Waite*, Walcot, Waldo, Waldron, Walford, Walker*, Wall, Wallace / Wallis, Walley, Walters, Ward*, Warden, Wardwell, Ware, Warner, Warren*, Wasgatt, Washburn, Wason, Waterman, Waters*, Watkins, Watson*, Watts, Way, Webb*, Webber*, Webly, Webster, Wedge, Wedgewood, Weir, Welch*, Weld, Welden, Weldman, Weelington, Wellman, Well(e)s, Wellstead, Wentworth, Werney, West, Weston, Wetherbee, Wetherell, Whalley, Wharton, Wheat, Wheatley, Wheeler*, Wheelock, Wheelwright, Wherry, Whinyard, Whipple, Whippo, Whitcomb, White*, Whitehand, Whitehead, Whitel, Whiting*, Whitman, Whitmarsh, Whitmore, Whiteny, Whiton, Whittecor, Whittemore*, Whittier, Whitrance, Whitwell, Wicker, Wickham, Wicks, Widdefield, Widger, Wiggin, Wigglesworth, Wignal, Wikcom, Wilcox, Wilder, Wildman, Wiley, Wilkins, Wilkinson, Willard, Willcot, Willett, Willey, Williams*, Williamson, Williers, Willis*, Willmarth, Willoughby*, Wilmot, Wilson*, Winch, Winchester, Windet, Windover, Wines, Wingate, Winn, Winship*, Winslad, Winslow, Winsor / Windsor, Winter, Winthrop, Wise, Wiser, Wissendunk, Wiswall, witherage, Withington, Woart, Wolcott, Wood(s)*, Woodbury, Wooden, Woodey, Woodgate, Woodhale, Woodhead, Woodhouse, Woodmansey, Woodside, Woodward, Woodwell, Woolrich, Woorey, Worcester, Wormstead, Worrow, Worsmiley, Worth, Worthen, Worthilake, Worthington, Wott, Wovel, Wright*, Wrigley, Wyer*, Wyeth, Wyman* ==Y== Yeaton, Yeend, Yelling, Yendall, Yeomans, York, Younge ==Z== Zouberbuhler.

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 * James F. Hunnewell, A Century of Town Life: A History of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1775-1887 (Boston, 1888), xiv, 316 pp. This includes an historical sketch of the First Church and the records of admissions, baptisms, marriages, and deaths printed on pages 193 to 260. Digital versions at Internet Archive and Google Books. WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link).
 * Roger Thompson, From Deference to Defiance: Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1629-1692 (Boston, 2012), xxix, 593 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
 * Charlestown Wikipedia page.

Vital Records
The town's vital records are available in many locations: Original records Published records Top of Page
 * Boston Registry Division 1 City Hall Square Room 213 Boston MA 02201 Phone 617-635-4175 Email [mailto:Registry@cityofboston.gov Registry@cityofboston.gov]
 * Microfilm of the originals created by the Family History Library, Vital records (1629-1873) and indexes (1725-1874), ; Index to births, 1829-1873; registered births, 1843-1873, . Manuscript index at Boston City Hall: Susan Blanchard Kidder, "Index of births ..., 1843 [i.e. 1829]-1873" (ms., n.d.),, "Index of deaths ..., 1843-1873" (ms., n.d.), , "Index of marriages ..., 1843-1873 [i.e. 1874]" (ms., n.d.), , "Index of marriage intentions ..., 1725-1873 [i.e. 1874]" (ms., n.d.), . Most of these records are browsable (i.e. not yet indexed as of Nov. 2012) on FamilySearch.
 * Microfiche of the originals created by Archive Publishing covering town records that included vital records, 1629-1874, and church records, 1632-1889 [published First Church, 1632-1789, Second Congregational Church, 1817-1827, and Harvard Church, 1840-1889], on 258 fiche. NOT part of Massachusetts, Town Vital Collections, 1620–1988 at Ancestry ($); Index. Also available at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.
 * "Charlestown Archives, Births, Marriages, Deaths, and Intentions, 1629-1801" (Cambridge, Mass., 1980). At the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.
 * Official state copy of vital records started in 1841. See the online guide for more information.
 * Roger D. Joslyn, Vital Records of Charlestown, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 (Boston, 1984, 1995), 2 v. in 3 pts. These volumes are in a database at American Ancestors ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries);.

City Directories
Charlestown was published in 1831, 1834, 1836, 1838, 1840, 1842, 1845, 1848 (bus. &amp; city), 1850 (bus.), 1852, 1854, 1856, 1858, 1860, 1862, 1864, 1866, 1868, 1870, 1872, 1874.

The Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.) has one of the largest collections of city directories in the country. They are likely to own most of the years listed above. Their collection is in microfiche, microfilm, and books, but there is no online inventory of their holdings except for microfilm. See their guide online.

Other holdings:

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 * Ancestry ($) has all except 1850 (and their 1869 is another copy of 1870).
 * Boston Public Library has all of them.
 * Family History Library (Salt Lake City) has all (except 1862) on.
 * fold3 ($) does not have Charlestown directories.
 * Massachusetts State Library has all except 1831, 1836-1838, 1850.
 * New England Historic Genealogical Society (Boston) ($) has all except 1840, 1850, 1870.

Cemeteries
Charlestown has only three cemeteries. To learn more about these cemeteries, and others nearby, see Boston Cemeteries.


 * Bunker Hill Burying Ground, 1807. (A)
 * Phipp's Street Burying Ground, 1638. William R. J. Griffin, "Epitaphs on Old Burial Hill (Phipps Street Burial Ground), Charlestown, 1622 to 1952" (Charlestown, Mass., 1952), mss. ([126] leaves). Available at New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston. "Old Burial Hill, Charlestown" (S.l., s.n.), mss. (215 leaves). Available at New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston. "Charlestown Burying-Ground: Charlestown Chronicle Excerpts, Sept. 1873-Oct. 1873" (S.l., s.n.), mss. ([10] leaves). Available at New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.
 * Bunker Hill Catholic Cemetery, 1830. Archdiocese of Boston Archives has the records of lot sales, 1834-1859, and burials, 1833-1890. Marie E. Daly, "Inscriptions of the Bunker Hill Catholic Cemetery, Charlestown, Massachusetts" (mss.) covers the 155 inscriptions and some of the estimated 11,000 buried there (six people per grave site) through the use of burial, vital, census, city directory, probate, etc. records. Contact the Fourth Floor reference desk at the New England Historic Genealogical Society to learn more.

Abstracts of the cemeteries above are marked and keyed to: (A). New England Historic Genealogical Society, Manuscripts Dept., Boston, Mass. Top of Page

Churches
The following is a list of churches established in town in order of organization date (if known) and condition of records in the 1889 survey if listed. A brief history of the churches in Charlestown can be found in pdf or html.

"Records of marriages, baptisms and funerals, 1822-1875" from an unknown church in Charlestown by Rev. Arthur Caverno (1801-1876) who many have been Freewill Baptist (these records include 28 different churches), 1 v. (mss.). Available at New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.


 * First Church, 1632, records good. First Church records, 1631-1980, held at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Records also published, see listing under town histories and also microfiche under vital records. Joseph Stevens (1682-1721) and Hull Abbot's "Memoranda book, 1682 [i.e. 1713]-1774" that includes baptisms (1713-1721, 1724-1732) and marriages (1714-1721, 1724-1774), mss. (86 p.) at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston. William Ives Budington, The History of the First Church, Charlestown, in Nine Lectures, with Notes (Boston, 1845), 258 pp. Digital versions at Internet Archiveand Hathi Trust. WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link). Records of the First church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1632-1789 (Boston, 1880), 168, xxvii pp. Digital version at Google Books. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * First Baptist Church, 1801, records good [location of records unknown, church extant in 1898].
 * First Universalist Church, 1812, records good. Records held by Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Harvard Divinity School.
 * Second Congregational Church (then New Church in Charlestown, 1818, then Harvard Unitarian Church, 1838), 1815-1902, records good. Records also published, see listing under microfiche under vital records. History of the Harvard Church in Charlestown, 1815-1879 (Boston, 1879), admissions from 1817 on pages 102 to 116. Digital version at Internet Archive. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. Church records, 1817-1827, 1840-1889, on microfiche - see listing under vital records above. Church records, 1817-1827,, 1840-1889,.
 * High Street Methodist Episcopal Church (moved and renamed Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in 1863), 1816-1924, records good from 1873 forward after fire (from 1889 survey). For an old image of the church, see the Boston Public Library's flickr site. High Street Methodist Episcopal Church records, 8v., 1819-1877, including baptisms, 1819-1840, marriages, 1837-1840, and membership, 1819-1867, at School of Theology Library, Boston University. Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, records, 19v., 1854-1924, including baptisms, 1865-1875, 1880-1924, marriages, 1864-1924, and membership, 1865-1877, 1886-1924, at School of Theology Library, Boston University. High Street Methodist Episcopal Church, membership records, ca. 1819-1841,, baptisms, 1819-1840, marriages, 1839-1840, , records, ca. 1820-1867, including baptisms, 1856-1863, marriages, 1859-1865, and membership, 1820-1867, . Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, records, 1861-1924, including baptisms, 1865-1875, 1880-1924, marriages, 1865-1877, 1886-1924, and membership, 1861-1924,.
 * Puritan Church (Baptist), 1809-1823 (location of chapel records is not known).
 * Saint Mary's Catholic Church, 1828-2006, records good. Merged with St. Catherine of Siena and formed St. Mary - St. Catherine of Siena in 2006.
 * Winthrop Church [Congregational], 1833, records good [merged with the First Church, 1913, and records included in the manuscript collection].
 * Saint John's Protestant Episcopal Church (now St. John's Church), 1841, record condition unknown.
 * High Street Baptist Church, 1844-1863, records good (location of records not given).
 * Union Methodist Episcopal Church (changed to Monument Square Methodist Episcopal Church in 1874), 1847-1899, records good. Union Methodist Epsicopal Church, records, 6v., 1847-1895, include baptisms, 1860-1884, marriages, 1865-1879, and membership, 1847-1883, at School of Theology, Boston University. Monument Square Methodist Episcopal Church, records, 4v., 1881-1899, including baptisms, 1881-1899, marriages, 1889-1899, and membership, 1883-1898, at School of Theology, Boston University. Records, 1847-1884,, records, 1837-1899, including baptisms, 1881-1899, marriages, 1883-1899, and membership, 1837-1898,.
 * Bethesda Congregational Church (later called Bunker Hill Baptist Church), 1851-1910, records good. Location of records is unknown. Images of the church from Boston Public Library are online: photo 1 and photo 2.
 * Saint Francis de Sales's Catholic Church, 1859, records good.
 * Monroe Memorial Mission Church, 1878-1882, only rented halls. Records, 1v., 1878-1882, at School of Theology Library, Boston University. Church records, 1878-1882,.
 * St. Catherine of Siena, 1887-2008. Merged with Saint Mary's Catholic Church and formed St. Mary - St. Catherine of Siena in 2006.
 * Beth Jacob (Jewish), 1907-1910.
 * Filipino Baptist Mission, 1924 [moved to Boston in 1941].
 * Salvation Army, 1919-1921.
 * First Brazilian Baptist Church, 1994 [moved from Cambridge].
 * All Nations Mission Church (Korean Baptist), n.d.

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Town Records
Originals City of Boston Archives and Records Management Division 201 Rivermoor Street West Roxbury MA 02132 Phone 617-635-1195 Email [mailto:Archives@cityofboston.gov Archives@cityofboston.gov] Link to the inventory. These originals were microfilmed by the city. The guide to the microfilm is available in Government Documents and at the Microtext Reference Desk where the microfilm can be used.

Published Microfilm Top of Page
 * Overseers of the Poor records, ca. 1790s, at Boston Public Library's Special Collections.
 * Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston, v. 3 (1878), Charlestown land records, 1638-1802 (i.e. Book of Possessions). Digital versions at Internet Archive and Google Books WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link).
 * Boston Public Library, Charlestown City Documents, 1801-1874 online collection. This is a guide to online, digitized copies of published town and city documents on the internet for annual treasurer's reports, school committee reports, taxed persons (1844), city documents (committee reports), and Charlestown Land Records, 1638-1802.
 * Town minutes, 1629-1847, and Book of possessions..
 * Harry H. Edes, "Charlestown Town Records, 1658-1719," 2 reels (19-?). At the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.
 * "Records of the Charles River Bridge," records, 1785-1842, 1 v. (288 p.). Manuscript at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.

Newspapers

 * American Recorder and Charlestown Advertiser, 1785-1787.
 * Franklin Monitor (name varied) or Bunker-Hill Sentinel (name varied), 1819-1820.
 * Bunker-Hill Aurora (name varied), 1827-1870.
 * Weekly Visitor, 1846.
 * Charlestown Advertiser (name varied), 1851-1876.
 * Charlestown Chronicle (name varied), 1868-1870.
 * Bunker Hill Times (name varied), 1872-1895.
 * Charlestown News, 1878-1886.
 * Charlestown Enterprise (name varied), 1882-1920.
 * Charlestown News, 1924-1942.
 * Charlestown Patriot (name varied), 1958-2006.
 * Charlestown Ledger, 1986-1990.
 * Charlestown Bridge, 2004-2006.
 * Charlestown Patriot-Bridge, 2006-present.

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Libraries and Historical Societies
The following is a list of research facilities in town:

Boston Public Library - Charlestown Branch 179 Main Street Charlestown MA 02129 Phone 617-242-1248

Charlestown Historical Society 43 Monument Square PO Box 291776 Charlestown MA 02129 Email [mailto:editor@charlestownhistoricalsociety.org editor@charlestownhistoricalsociety.org]