Derry, Rockingham County, New Hampshire Genealogy

Brief History
The history of the town of Derry is best described by Richard Holmes. See Town Website.

Nutfield:
Nutfield was established in 1719 and then incorporated as the town of Londonderry in 1722. Nutfield originally comprised the towns of Derry, Londonderry, Windham and parts of Manchester. To find out how to begin your Nutfield History, a good resource is available from the Derry Public Library local history page: https://dplnhroom.wordpress.com/nutfield-research/

Cemeteries
Derry's major Cemetery is the Forest Hill Cemetery. If arriving via GPS, input Taylor Library. When arriving, turn onto the road between the Taylor Library and the First Parish Church. Drive to the end and enter at the gate.

For information about cemetery plots, view the Forest Hill Cemetery Project at the Derry Public Library.

The public library also holds a map of the Forest Hill Cemetery in the map case.

A large number (and counting) of headstones are on findagrave.

Church Records
Most surviving church records are located at the churches, themselves.

St. Thomas Aquinas:(603) 432-5000

First Parish Church: (603) 434-0628

First Baptist Church: (603) 432-3482

St. Luke's Church: (603) 434-4767

City Directories
The Derry Public Library holds a limited number of historical city directories. Digital copies can be found here.

House History Resources
See Derry Public Library for the best local resources on hunting down your house history.

Land Records
Navigate to https://www.nhdeeds.org/ and click on Rockingham County > Search County Records > Accept Disclaimer Agreement > *AVA*. This will bring you to the search page.

Online Records


 * 1827-1902 at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Libraries and Historical Societies
The Derry Public Library houses a local history room as well as online archives. You can access information about the New Hampshire Room Collections on the Derry Public Library's New Hampshire Room page. The Derry Public Library also subscribes to AncestryLibrary and is a Family Search Affiliate Library. The Derry Public Library is at 64 E. Broadway, Derry, NH and can be reached by phone by calling 603-432-6140.

The Derry Museum of History houses many historical objects of Derry. The Derry Museum of History is at 29 W Broadway #6, Derry, NH 03038 and can be reached by phone by calling (603) 434-1247

Maps
Maps of Derry can be found in multiple places.

The Derry Public Library has a map case. Search their catalog here: https://findit.gmilcs.org/polaris/?ctx=9

Sanborn Fire Maps

David Rumsey Collection

Newspapers:
The Derry Public Library has an ongoing Derry News Project 1880-present. Accessible at http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/

The Derry Public Library also holds microfilm of past Derry News from 1880-Present

Obituaries
The Derry Public Library holds a digital obituary index that can be searched and then cross-referenced to the digital Derry News Archive.

Abstracted information can also be found in the Forest Hill Cemetery Project by the Derry Public Library.

Town Histories
Major town histories include

Willey's Book of Nutfield can be found on Archive.org.

The Derry Public Library holds many books on the history of Derry including:

Brief History of Derry by the Derry Historic District Commission

Nutfield Rambles by Richard Holmes

The Road to Derry: A Brief History by Richard Holmes

Derry Revisited by Richard Holmes and William Dugan

The History of Londonderry, comprising the towns of Derry and Londonderry, N.H. by Edward Parker

Trolley's to Beaver Lake: A History of the Chester & Derry Railroad Association 1891-1928 by O.R. Cummings

From Turnpike to Interstate, 1827-1977 : the 150 years of Derry, New Hampshire by Derry Historic Research Committee

Houses of Derry Village, N.H., Houses of West Derry, NH, Houses of the Double Range and East Derry, NH, Outlying Districts of Derry, New Hampshire, Houses of the English Range and Beaver Lake, and Houses of Derry Village, N.H. by Harriett Chase Newell

Online Records


 * 1636-1947 at FamilySearch - index and images
 * 1827-1902 at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Town Clerk
The town clerk is responsible for town records, and most originals can be found at the town clerk's office. Derry Town Office 14 Manning Street Derry, NH 03038

Website

Vital Records
Requesting vital records can be done at the Derry Town Clerk's office. Find more information on their website.

Births

 * 1636-1947 at FamilySearch - index and images
 * 1827-1902 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1916 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1901-1915 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1636-1947 at FamilySearch - index and images
 * 1637-1947 New Hampshire, U.S., Marriage Records Index at Ancestry
 * 1827-1902 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1851-96 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1916 at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Deaths

 * 1636-1947 at FamilySearch - index and images
 * 1654-1949 New Hampshire, U.S., Death and Burial Records Index, 1654-1949 at Ancestry
 * 1827-1902 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1916 at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Town Reports
The town of Derry kept annual town reports. These reports often contained birth, marriage, and death information. Below is a list of years when Derry kept town reports. (NOTE: Occasionally, these town reports missed vital statistic information from the end of the year. If you don't find your ancestor's vital information, check the following year's town report to see if your ancestor's information was recorded later.)