INDEX
Vital Records Of
Methuen, Massachusetts
To The End Of The Year 1849

Published By The
Topsfield Historical Society
Topsfield, Mass.
1909

Newcomb & Gauss Printers
Salem, Massachusetts
New York


[transcribed by Coralynn Brown]








EXPLANATIONS

The following records of births, marriages and deaths include all entries to be found in the books of record kept by the town clerks ; in the church records ; in the cemetery inscriptions ; and in many private records found in family Bibles. These records are printed in a condensed form in which every essential particular has been preserved. All duplication of the town clerks' record has been eliminated, but differences in entry and other explanatory matter appear in brackets. Parentheses are used when they occur in the original record ; also to indicate the maiden name of a wife.

When places other than Methuen and Massachusetts are named in the original records, they are given in the printed copy. Marriages and intentions of marriage are printed under the names of both parties. In all records the original spelling of names is followed and in the alphabetical arrangement the various forms should be examined, as items about the same family may be found under different spellings.

The town of Methuen is composed of a part of what was formerly Haverhill, together with adjoining common lands. On December 8, 1725, the General Court passed an Act " That the West part of said Town of Haverhill with the land adjoining be, and hereby are set off and constituted a separate Township by the name of Methuen."

The first town meeting was held March 9, 1725-6, and in 1728-9 Rev. Christopher Sargent, the first minister, was settled.

April 17, 1847, a part of the town was included in the new town of Lawrence, and April 4, 1854, a part was annexed to Lawrence.

The population of Methuen at different periods was as fellows :
  • 1765, 933.
  • 1776, 1,326.
  • 1790, 1,297.
  • 1800, 1,253.
  • 1810, 1, 181.
  • 1820, 1, 371.
  • 1830, 2,006.
  • 1840, 2, 251.
  • 1850, 2, 538.
  • 1900, 7,512.


ABBREVIATIONS
  • a.—age.
  • abt.—about.
  • b.—born.
  • bef—before.
  • bet —between.
  • bp.—baptized.
  • bur.—buried.
  • CR1—First Congregational Church Records.
  • ch.—child.
  • chn.—children.
  • Co.—county.
  • d.—daughter; day; died.
  • Dea.—deacon.
  • dup.—duplicate entry.
  • GR1.—gravestone record, Old Burying Ground, on Meeting House Hill.
  • GR2.—gravestone record, Village Burying Ground.
  • GR3.—gravestone record, Elmwood Cemetery.
  • h.—husband ; hour.
  • inf.—infant.
  • int.—intention of marriage.
  • jr.—junior.
  • m.—male; married ; month.
  • PR1.—Record kept by Dr. Alfred Poor, now in possession of the Essex Institute.
  • PR2.—Record now in possession of Daniel H. Sawyer.
  • PR3.—Bible record now in possession of Daniel H. Sawyer.
  • PR4.—Bible record now in possession of Miss Albianna H. Howe.
  • PR5 - Bible record now in possession of Miss Annette Corliss.
  • PR6.—Bible record now in possession of Miss Emma Gage.
  • PR7.—Bible record now in possession of John Clark.
  • PR8. - Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Mary Griffin.
  • PR9.—Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Mary Bailey.
  • PR10—Family record now in possession of Mrs. Granville Foss.
  • PR11.—Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Aaron Huse.
  • PR12—Family record now in possession of Mrs. Enoch Griffin.
  • PR13.—Bible record now in possession of Charles Sawyer.
  • PR14.—Record now in possession of Mrs. Helen S. Gordon.
  • PR15.—Family record now in possession of Mrs. Hugh Smith.
  • PR16.—Manuscript record now in possession of Mrs. Enoch Griffin.
  • PR17.—Bible record now in possession of Historical Society of Methuen.
  • PR18—Bible record now in possession of Josiah W. Bodwell.
  • PR19.—Bible record now in possession of Mrs. M. A. Hildreth, Yonkers, N. Y.
  • PR20.—Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Abby Kenison.
  • PR21.—Family record now in possession of Mrs. Charles Goldsmith.
  • PR22.—Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Charles Goldsmith.
  • PR23.—Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Rebecca Whittier.
  • rec.—recorded.
  • s.—son.
  • sr.—senior.
  • T. C.—town copy.
  • unm.—unmarried.
  • m.—wife ; week.
  • wid.—widow.
  • widr.—widower.
  • y.—year.

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