Berkshire County, Massachusetts Genealogy

Guide to Berkshire County, Massachusetts ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Berkshire County has always been at the crossroads of settlers on the move. As the western side of the Berkshire Mountains, those moving west from all other Massachusetts counties, Rhode Island, and much of Connecticut, and occasionally from very southern New Hampshire and Vermont would converge here. Many would continue west into New York state or up the western side of Vermont following the first roads that allowed easy travel through this region. It was never a populous county, but the rugged terrain was often where "lost" ancestors called home. Berkshire's county government was abolished on 1 July 2000, but its former jurisdiction is used for state offices as a district. The county was named for Berkshire, England. It is located in the western area of the state.

County Courthouse
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission 76 East St. Pittsfield, MA 01201 Phone: 413-499-7487 Berkshire Courthouse

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline
The basic data are from the historical county boundary series with additions from various sources.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

Census Records

 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
The court system can appear to be complex. The system was reorganized in 1686/1692, 1859, and 1978. Described below are the most commonly used records for history and genealogy, but realize that this list is incomplete. For more detailed information regarding court structure, see Understanding the Massachusetts Court System.
 * Supreme Judicial Court Archives (older records) (administration - records stored in several off-site facilities and the Mass. Archives) 16th Floor, Highrise Court House 3 Pemberton Square Boston MA 02109 Phone 617-557-1082 Email [mailto:Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us]

Quarterly Court of General Sessions of the Peace This court was active from 1761 to 1827. The court heard criminal cases and had authority over county affairs that included levying taxes, reviewing town bylaws, highways, licensed liquor, regulated jails, supervised the administration of the poor laws, and appointed some county officials. There are no records microfilmed. Contact the Supreme Judicial Court Archivist above for the location of the original records. Inferior Court of Common Pleas This court was active from 1761 to 1859. The court heard all civil cases over 40s unless a case involved freehold or was appealed from a justice of the peace. Online Court Index and Records: Superior Court The Quarterly Court of General Sessions was merged into the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in 1827, and that court was reorganized in 1859 to created the Superior Court as the new lower (i.e. trial) court. It covers both criminal and civil matters.
 * 1760-1860 (*) Berkshire County Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog - images.

Online Court Index and Records:
 * 1847-1916 (*) Berkshire County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1847-1940 (*) Berkshire County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1888-1927 (*) Berkshire County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1888-1927 Divorce docket books, v. 1-8, 1888-1927 at Massachusetts Archives

Supreme Judicial Court The Supreme Judicial Court was established by the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 that combined the former Governor and Council with the Superior Court of Judicature creating the highest state court. This court hears appeals, writ of error, capital offenses, and crimes against the public good. That included divorces until that action was moved to the lower court in 1887. Online Court Index and Records:
 * 1877-1887 (*) Berkshire County Supreme Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Insolvency Court Online Court Index and Records:
 * 1860-1899 (*) Berkshire County Insolvency Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1879-1899 (*) Berkshire County Insolvency Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Land and Property Records
Land transfers, commonly called deeds, are recorded on the county level in Massachusetts. Not all deeds were recorded as is common practice today. The earliest transactions were charters or grants from the English Crown. Once local government was established, the colony would grant land to settlers directly or to towns to dole out. Some towns first start out as proprietorship and records were recorded there. Once towns were established, deeds were recorded on the county level. Berkshire County is divided into three land districts:

Northern Berkshire District Registry of Deeds 65 Park Street Adams MA 01220 Phone 413-743-0035 Email [mailto:nbrd@sec.state.ma.us nbrd@sec.state.ma.us] This district covers Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, Lanesborough, New Ashford, North Adams, Savoy, Williamstown, and Windsor.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1960 Recorded Land (i.e. deeds), Pre-1960 at Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds; indexed by grantor and grantee, book, and page number
 * Pre-1960 Grantee Index and Grantor Index, Pre-1960 at Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1761-1985 Berkshire County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1770-Current Recorded Plans, 1770-present at Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1899-Current Registered Land Plans, 1899-present at Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1944-Current Registered Land [i.e. land court, 1944-present] at Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1960-Current Recorded Land (i.e. deeds), 1960-present at Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds; indexed by grantor and grantee, book, and page number
 * (*) Northern Berkshire Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds 44 Bank Row Pittsfield MA 01201 Phone 413-443-7438 This district covers Becket, Dalton, Hinsdale, Lee, Lenox, Otis, Peru, Pittsfield, Richmond, Stockbridge, Tyringham, and Washington.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1969 Grantee Index and Grantor Index, Pre-1969 at Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds; Instructions
 * Pre-1970 Recorded Land (i.e. deeds), 1970-Present at Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds; indexed by grantor and grantee, book, and page number; Instructions
 * 1761-1925 Berkshire Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog images; Early Middle District grantee and grantor indexes are those titled as covering the years 1761-1830.
 * 1761-1925 Land Records - Middle District, 1761-1925, and Indexes, 1761-1907 at New England Historic Genealogical Society
 * 1761-1969 Unindexed Property Search, 1761-1969 at Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds, Instructions
 * 1800-Current County Commissioner Plans, 1800-Present at Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds; Instructions
 * 1899-Current Registered Land Plans, 1899-Present[ at Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds; Instructions
 * 1970-Current Recorded Land (i.e. deeds), 1970-Present at Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds; indexed by name, book and page number; Instructions
 * (*) Middle Berkshire Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Southern Berkshire District Registry of Deeds 334 Main Street - Suite 2 Great Barrington MA 01230 Phone 413-528-0146 Email [mailto:SBRD@sec.state.ma.us SBRD@sec.state.ma.us] This district covers Alford, Egremont, Great Barrington, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Sandisfield, Sheffield, and West Stockbridge.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1960 Recorded Land (i.e. deeds), Pre-1960 at Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds; indexed by grantor and grantee, book, and page number
 * Pre-1960 Grantee Index and Grantor Index, Pre-1960 at Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1731-1959 Unindexed Property Search, 1731-1959 at Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds, by book and page
 * 1790-1923 Berkshire County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1847-Current Recorded Plans, 1847-present at Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1908-Current Registered Land (i.e. land court), 1908-present at Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1908-Current Registered Land Plans, 1908-present at Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds
 * 1960-Current Recorded Land (i.e. deeds), 1960-present at Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds; indexed by grantor and grantee, book, and page number
 * (*) Southern Berkshire Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories
Works written on the county include:
 * Biographical Review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Berkshire County, Massachusetts (Boston, 1899), 596 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); . No digital version found.
 * Hamilton Child, comp., Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885 (Syracuse, N.Y., 1885), 2v. in 1. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Index; (with digital link). Digital versions at Internet Archive and Google Books.
 * "Early Superior Court History: Origin in Berkshire County" in Berkshire Hills, New Ser., 2 [1905/6]: 134. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. No digital version found.
 * David Dudley Field and Chester Dewey, eds., A History of the County of Berkshire, Massachusetts (Pittsfield, Mass., 1829), iv, 468 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); and . Digital versions at Internet Archive and Google Books.
 * Joseph Hooper, "The Protestant Episcopal Church in Berkshire" in Berkshire Historical and Scientific Society. Collections, 1: 3 [1890]: 185-212. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. No digital version found.
 * Pink Horwitt and Bertha Skole, Jews in Berkshire County (Williamstown, Mass., 1972), viii, 74 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
 * Cathy Kelly, "Marriage Migration as a Measure of interaction in Massachusetts," Ph.D. Dissertation, Syracuse Univ., 1982, ix, 328 pp. Note: Berkshire County study, mid-18th to mid-19th centuries. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
 * Alice P. Kenney, "Lost Colonists: The Dutch in Berkshire County" in The New-England Galaxy, 19 [Summer 1977), 3-16. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * S. P. Parker, "History of Episcopal Church in Berkshire County" in Collections of the Berkshire Historical and Scientific Society, 2: 2 [1895]: 83-92. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. Digital versions at Internet Archive, Google Books, and Hathi Trust.
 * "Pioneer Colored Folks of Berkshire, mostly fugitives from slavery" in Berkshire Hills, 3 [1902/3]: 101-104. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. No digital version found.
 * Henry W. Taft, "Judicial History of Berkshire" in Collections of the Berkshire Historical and Scientific Society, 1: 1 [1886]: 89-115. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. Digital versions at Internet Archive and Hathi Trust.
 * The Berkshire County MAGenWeb Project, an member of The MAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Berkshire County.
 * Massachusetts Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.berkshire/ Berkshire

Maps and Gazetteers
There are so many published maps of interest to genealogists and historians that this list will not be recreated here. The focus is with resources you can access online and in the Family History Library.
 * A Map of Berkshire County Mass. (ca. 1830) at the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library.
 * F. W. Beers, County Atlas of Berkshire, Massachusetts (New York, 1876),.
 * Henry F. Walling, Map of the County of Berkshire, Massachusetts (1858), at the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library, and.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Migration routes for early European settlers to and from Berkshire County included:
 * Hudson River a navigable river stretching from north of Albany then flowing south to empty into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City
 * Albany Post Road from New York City to Albany, New York 1669
 * Alford and Egremont (MA) Turnpike 1812
 * Ancram (NY) Turnpike 1805, also sometimes called the Catskill Road, from Salisbury, Connecticut to Catskill, New York
 * Catskill Road 1750s from Springfield, Massachusetts to Catskill, New York
 * Catskill Turnpike  (aka Susquehannah Turnpike ) from Catskill, NY to Unadilla, NY; route travelled by Europeans by 1792; toll booths opened by 1804.
 * Columbia (NY) Turnpike 1799
 * Great Barrington and Aford (MA) Turnpike 1812
 * Greenwood Road 1799 from Hartford, Connecticut to Albany, New York
 * Hampden and Berkshire (MA) Turnpike 1826
 * Hillsdale and Chatham Turnpike 1805 from Alford, Massachusetts to Albany, New York
 * Housatonic River (MA) Turnpike 1809
 * Massachusetts 10th Turnpike 1800
 * Massachusetts 12th Turnpike 1812
 * Minsi Path 1766 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Kingston, New York
 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail  1722 from Boston, Massachusetts to Fort Oswego, New York
 * Old Connecticut Path  1630 from Boston, Massachusetts to Hartford, Connecticut
 * Rensselaer and Columbia (NY) Turnpike 1799
 * Salisbury and Canaan (CT) Turnpike 1801-1829
 * Ulster and Delaware Turnpike 1802 from Salisbury, Connecticut to Bainbridge, New York

Military Records
Revolutionary War
 * 1775-1783 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1805-1845 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1818-1825 Revolutionary War Pension Papers, 1818-1825, Berkshire County, Massachusetts at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 also known as Civil War Research Database, at Ancestry — Index, ($)

World War I
 * 1917-1918 F.L. Couch. Dalton and the World War : being the story of the service rendered their country by the people of Dalton, Massachusetts in the world war of 1917-1918. Dalton, Massachusetts :, 1922

Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records were created on a variety of governmental levels from the Federal down to the city at the same time. The county records for all levels are outlines below. For more information, see the Massachusetts state page for more on naturalization.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records - Covering Multiple Courts
 * 1871-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1906-1817 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Online Federal Naturalization Indexes and Records for Various Federal Courts in Berkshire County Various Federal Courts - Originals at NARA M1299, National Archives - Waltham Indexes
 * 1791-1906 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1791-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Records
 * 1787-1860 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1787-1876 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1885-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1886-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1891-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1895-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1900-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Online County Courts Naturalization Indexes and Records Indexes
 * 1815-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1815-1985 at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Records
 * 1826-1945 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1829-1945 at FamilySearch Catalog - images; index in each volume
 * 1843-1856 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1848-1885 at FamilySearch Catalog - images; index in each volume
 * 1856-1887 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1866-1941 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1885-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Probate Records
Probate and Family Court is organized on a county level in Massachusetts since the creation of the counties. The main records genealogists seek are testate (wills), intestate (administrations), guardianships, and divorces (since 1922), though there are many more that are valuable to any researcher, too. See a further discussion of the topic in general on the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide. Berkshire Probate and Family Court 44 Bank Row Pittsfield MA 01201 Phone 413-442-6941 Original Records The original indexes, dockets, records, and files from 1761 to 1865 are at the Judicial Archives in Boston. Records after 1865 are at the courthouse. The file papers exist, but have never been microfilmed or digitized. The first docket book [i.e. the key to the recorded records] was never microfilmed and represents a major obstacle for probates before 1835. Online Probate Indexes and Records Original Records on Microfilm at New England Historic Genealogical Society:
 * 1635-1991 Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records 1635-1991 at Ancestry.com — index and images, ($)
 * 1761-1900 Berkshire County Probate Index, 1761-1900 at The Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants - index
 * 1761-1917 (*) Berkshire County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1761-1917 Berkshire County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1761-1917 at American Ancestors - index & images ($)
 * 1860-1899 (*) Berkshire County Court of Insolvency at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1878-1910 (*) Berkshire County Court of Insolvency at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1879-1899 (*) Berkshire County Court of Insolvency at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1884-1917 (*) Berkshire County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1894-1907 (*) Berkshire County Probate Court and Court of Insolvency at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1907-1921 (*) Berkshire County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * Probate Index, 1761-1930 [i.e. index to docket books]
 * Probate Dockets, #5575-30403, 1835-1917 [Note: First docket book never filmed]
 * Probate Records, v. 1-224, 1761-1916 [Note: v. 1-58, 1761-1865, also at Massachusetts Archive]
 * Inheritance Tax Records, v. 1-2, 1907-1921
 * Record of adjournments, 1894-1907
 * Court of Insolvency, dockets, v. 3-4, 1860-1899
 * Court of Insolvency, records of assignments, v. 2, 1878-1910
 * Court of Insolvency, certificates of discharge, 1879-1899

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Town Records

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Birth

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1753-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1840-1910 Massachusetts, Birth Index, 1840-1910 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Marriage

 * 1600-1961 Massachusetts, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1841-1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1841-1915 Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Death

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1840-1910 Massachusetts Death Index at MyHeritge - index only ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Divorce

 * 1847-1916 (*) Berkshire County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1847-1940 (*) Berkshire County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1877-1887 (*) Berkshire County Supreme Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1888-1927 (*) Berkshire County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1888-1927 Divorce docket books, v. 1-8, 1888-1927 at Massachusetts Archives

Family History Centers

 * Albany New York Family History Center
 * Bennington Vermont Family History Center
 * Kingston New York Family History Center
 * Worcester Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Berkshire Family History Association, Inc. - an affiliate library
 * Worcester Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Berkshire Athenaeum One Wendell Avenue Pittsfield MA 01201 Phone 413-499-9480 Email [mailto:pittsref@cwmars.org pittsref@cwmars.org] Premier genealogical collection and recipient of the NARA Pittsfield microfilm. Website Berkshire Family History Association PO Box 1437 Pittsfield MA 01202 Website For information on additional archives and repositories, see: Massachusetts Archives for information on additional archives and repositories

Societies
Berkshire Historical Society 780 Holmes Road Pittsfield MA 01201 413-442-1793 E-mail: [mailto:melville@berkshirehistory.org melville@berkshirehistory.org] Website

Berkshire County Historical Societies CountyOffice.orgWebsite

Websites

 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

 * Massachusetts Genealogy Guide