RESEARCH AT

OLD COLONY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Taunton, Massachusetts

 

Andrew D. Boisvert, Archivist and Library Manager

 

 Return to OCHS Home Page 

 

The “Old Colony” refers to the old Plymouth Colony—today’s Plymouth, Barnstable, and Bristol Counties.  Our Society was founded to preserve the history of this entire geographic area, but today we specialize in the city of Taunton and the surrounding towns that were once part of Taunton.  Our research collections center on the Taunton region, and our genealogical holdings include families from southeastern Massachusetts.

 

Research by Mail 

MEMBERS:  $15.00 per hour, with a one-hour minimum, plus 15˘ per photocopy

NON-MEMBERS:  $20.00 per hour, with a one-hour minimum, plus 25˘ per photocopy

 

Whenever possible, we encourage patrons to visit the Society and undertake their own research. When patrons are not able to visit, we are able to conduct limited amounts of research for patrons by correspondence.

 

The patron’s authorization of the research fee is requested to accompany research projects; we will invoice patrons for services as rendered. Generally, inquiries require approximately one to two hours of investigation.  Patrons may set a time limit for their search.

 

When submitting a request, please be sure to supply all pertinent details, including names, dates and especially places, since events (birth, marriage, death) in Massachusetts are recorded in the town/city in which they occur. 

 

Written research requests by e-mail or postal mail are encouraged, though we are pleased to discuss the scope of our collections by phone or in person.  Patrons should supply their postal mail addresses, as many responses will include photocopies from our collections.

 

Genealogy and Local Research

Library staff will gladly assist patrons in locating source material from the Society’s collections on premises.  For research outside of our collections, a list of local professional genealogists is available upon request.

 

Please note that our records begin with the immigrant ancestor, and do not generally follow a family once it leaves the area.

 

The Society welcomes donations of patrons’ completed work to add to our collection for the benefit of future researchers.  Please contact the staff in advance of a proposed donation.

 

Images

Photographs, postcards, digital images and other types of pictures may be copied for patron use according to our Image Reprographic Policy.  Please ask the Director for more information.

 

Special Research Collections:

Holdings:  7,000+ volume, non-circulating library and 400+ linear feet of archival material including the following:

 

  • Basic genealogical reference materials: Torrey’s New England Marriages…, Savage’s Genealogical Dictionary…, Round’s Abstracts of Bristol County Probate Records…, Great Migration series

 

  • Vital Records for the Commonwealth of MA and the State of RI (prior to 1850)
  • Published and unpublished family histories for Southeastern MA families (especially before 1850)
  • Federal Massachusetts Census Indices, 1810-1850
  • Town/city/county histories, especially for Massachusetts
  • Taunton City Directories, 1850 to 2002
  • Maps and Atlases: Bristol County and Taunton
  • Taunton Daily Gazette and other newspapers on microfilm (1848-2001)
  • Historic property survey forms for Taunton and architectural history; Richard Upjohn
  • Selected court records
  • Wills, probate records, diaries, and early proprietor’s records
  • Military reference works:  Massachusetts Soldiers & Sailors… (Revolutionary and Civil Wars), regimental histories
  • Local militia records
  • GAR Post Records from Taunton (Civil War)
  • Sons of Union Veterans Post Records from Taunton

·       Mormon IGI on microfiche for all New England states, assorted others and Canada

  • Mason Machine Works (textile machinery, rifles and locomotives)
  • Glenwood Range Co. and the stove industry
  • Taunton Police Records (late 19th century)
  • Taunton Fire Department Records
  • Gen. Darius Nash Couch (Civil War) military and natural history
  • Taunton High School Yearbooks and Cadet Corps
  • Early Ironworks and the Leonard family
  • History of surveying the Colony line
  • Davol Glass Plate Negatives taken in Taunton and surrounding towns
  • Papers of Sen. John Parker; World War Two soldiers from Taunton
  • Rev. Samuel Hopkins Emery (author of The History of Taunton) diary and notebooks
  • Rev. Wilton E. Cross Collection of photographs, postcards, books and papers
  • John Daggett Collection (of Attleborough) manuscripts
  • Reed & Barton and the silver industry
  • Annual holiday displays on Taunton Green
  • Taunton cemetery records (not complete)
  • Decorative arts and architectural history
  • Over 5,000 postcards and 7,000 photographs

 

Equipment                           

Microform reader/printer (Copies 25 ˘ each)

Microfiche reader

Photocopying machine (staff operated)

 

Fees                           

Society members: no charge

Genealogical research on premises: $7.00 per day

All other research: $4.00 per day for adults, $2.00 for children 12-17, $2.00 for seniors 65+

Students researching assigned projects: no charge

 

Photocopy Rates from OCHS collections                     

Non-Members:         25˘ per page

Members:                  15˘ per page

Students:                   15˘ per page

Acid-free paper:       35˘ per page

Color copies (members)     $1.00 per page

Color copies (non-members)  $2.00 per page

(sales tax included where applicable)

 

The Society reserves the right to refuse to duplicate any historical material it deems too fragile to undergo the photocopying process.

 

The reproduction of entire works is generally not done; however, arrangements on a case by case basis may be made with the Director to duplicate uncopyrighted works for which we have living authors’ permission, contingent upon staff schedules. There is a labor charge for this service.

 

Thank you for your interest in research at the Old Colony Historical Society