A union list is a guide to the physical locations of primary
resources on a given topic. In our case we are researching Dracut's
town history as it relates to Claypit Cemetery. The Dracut Public
Library, Dracut Historical Society, Dracut Town Hall, and the
Center for Lowell History house all the known primary resources
for the town's history. The following is a detailed listing of
what primary sources are available in Dracut and where to locate
them.
| Title |
Location(s) |
| Dracut Proprietor’s Book, 1710-1733 |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library, Dracut Historical Society |
| Contains records of 1710, 1715-1716, 1721-1723,
and 1733/4. Microfiche at Dracut Public Library
and Boston Public Library. Original books
are at the Dracut Historical Society. |
| Dracut Town Records 1711-1749. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Includes minutes of town meetings, vital
records, reports of stray animals, treasurer’s records, perambulations,
and proprietors’ records—including a listing of the first
land owners. It also dates the comings and goings of some
residents. Births range from 1697-1750, deaths from about
1717-1750, and marriages or intentions from about 1736-1749."
(archivepublishing.com)
Seven volumes of microfiche (numbered 2-7) |
| Dracut Index of the Births, Deaths, and Marriages from
1710-1840 |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| Index only. Two microfiche volumes (numbered
8 & 9) |
| Dracut Town Records 1714-1736. Book 1. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Minutes of town meetings, as well as vital
records, accounts of lot sales and taxes, town expenses, highway
descriptions, perambulations, lists of men paid for work on
the meetinghouse at various times, reports of stray animals,
proprietors of 1710--and other interesting records. Births
range from 1697-1750, deaths from 1717-1750, marriages/intentions
from 1715-1751." (archivepublishing.com)
Six volumes of microfiche (numbered 10-15) |
| Dracut Town Records 1749-1780.
Book 2. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Most births seem to range from about 1750-1785;
deaths are few; marriages and/or intentions extend from about
1749-1790. Note, on page 351, the bill for minutemen's bayonets;
and, on page 489, the town's 1778 donation of shoes, stockings
and shirts to soldiers serving in Continental army. See page
476 for the assessor's warning that residents are "Liable
to be Doomed" if they do not deliver to him an invoice
listing their taxable personal estate." (archivepublishing.com)
Ten volumes of microfiche (numbered 16-25) |
| Dracut Town Records 1780-1792.
Book 3. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Besides births, deaths and marriages ranging
from 1756-1821, these pages contain records as diverse as
the forced resignation of the minister because of a scandal
over digging up and "anatomizing" a dead body; John
Hancock's visit in 1772; and transients 1784-1792." (archivepublishing.com)
Eight volumes of microfiche (numbered 26-33) |
| Dracut Town Records 1792-1798. Book 4. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Includes lists of property owners 1782-1792,
petitioners against the building of a new meetinghouse, workers
building the meetinghouse , members of the West Congregational
Society, and pew owners . Birth and death records consist
mostly of births circa 1790-1805." (archivepublishing.com)
Nine volumes of microfiche (numbered 34-42) |
| Dracut Town Records 1788-1815. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "In this transcript to Book 5 below, town
records include minutes of town meetings, oaths of office,
property transfers, pew sales and transfers of church membership;
as well as vital records. Births range from 1757-1821, deaths
from about 1778-1822, and marriages or intentions from 1786-1822.
" (archivepublishing.com)
Eight volumes of microfiche (numbered 43-50) |
| Dracut Town Records, Births, Etc. 1784-1822. Book 5. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Consult the transcript above when in doubt
about dates obscured because of the tight binding on this
book. Births range from 1757-1822, deaths about 1778-1822,
and marriages/intentions from 1786-1822." (archivepublishing.com)
Seven volumes of microfiche (numbered 51-57) |
| Dracut Town Records 1823-1830. Book 6. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Town meeting minutes and miscellaneous
records extend from 1821-1835. Births range from 1776-1840,
deaths from 1796-1840, marriages or intentions from 1822-1832."
(archivepublishing.com)
Seven volumes of microfiche (numbered 58-64) |
| Dracut Town Meeting Records, Etc., 1834-1850. Book 7.
|
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Oaths of office and jury lists provide
names of many town residents. Marriages and intentions extend
from 1831-1840." (archivepublishing.com)
Seven volumes of microfiche (numbered 65-72) |
| Dracut Militia Records 1807-1819 |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| Seven volumes of microfiche (numbered 73 &
74) |
| Dracut Records of the State of the Poor 1855-1867. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| Microfiche 75 includes: Militia list of all
male residents aged 18-44. Pauper Reports 1855-1865; Militia
List, ca 1862. Microfiche 78 includes: Paupers 1861-1890,
1899-1900. |
| Dracut Index to Births 1848-1905 |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "This indexes births in the register of
1840-1861, as well as those in the birth volume of 1861-1905.
In the register, however, it indexes only those births on
pages 41-116." (archivepublishing.com)
Two volumes of microfiche (numbered 77 & 78) |
| Dracut Index to Marriages 1848-1896. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Indexes pages 133-144 of the 1840-1861
register, as well as the 1853-1896 marriage book--referenced
here as Vol 2." (archivepublishing.com)
Microfiche number 79 |
| Dracut Index to Deaths 1848-1896. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Indexes pages 153-198 of the 1840-1861
register, as well as the 1861-1896 death volume." (archivepublishing.com)
Microfiche number 80 |
| Dracut Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages 1840-1861.
|
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| "Birth dates earlier than 1840 appear in
this register, some perhaps as early as 1824 or 1834; e.g.,
pages 9, 17, 37, 53, 57. Also, birth dates in the 1840's are
sometimes interspersed with those after 1850; e.g., 1844 birth
listed on page 113 with entries of 1861." (archivepublishing.com)
Four volumes of microfiche (numbered 81-84) |
| Dracut Deaths 1861-1896. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| Two volumes of microfiche (numbered 85 &
86) |
| Dracut Marriages 1853-1896. [Vol 2.] |
Dracut Public Library Boston
Public Library |
| Two volumes of microfiche (numbered 87 &
88) |
| Dracut Marriages 1897-1934. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| Two volumes of microfiche (numbered 88 &
89) |
| Dracut Deaths 1896-1922. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| Three volumes of microfiche (numbered 89, 94,
& 95) **volume 94 is missing from Dracut
Public Library. |
| Dracut Births 1861-1905. |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| Four volumes of microfiche (numbered 90-93)
**volume 93 is missing from Dracut Public Library. |
| Dracut Vital Record Transcripts to 1850 |
Dracut Public Library, Boston
Public Library |
| FICHE 1T: Marriage Intentions 1710-1722. FICHES
1T-4T: Births & Deaths 1687-1822. FICHE 2T: Marriages
1730-1738. FICHES 2T-7T: Marriage Intentions 1736-1822.
FICHE 4T-8T: Marriages 1765-1822. FICHE 8T: Births & Deaths
1776-1825. FICHE 9T: Births 1801-1840. FICHES 9T-10T: Deaths
1796-1840. FICHE 10T: Marriages 1822-1840. FICHES 10T-11T:
Marriage Intentions 1822-1840. FICHES 11T-13T: Births 1843-1849.
FICHE 13T: Marriages 1844-1849. FICHE 14T: Deaths 1844-1849 |
| Middlesex Land Records Index, 1629-1855 |
Dracut Historical Society |
|
| |
| Documents relating to Barzillai Lew and descendents |
Center for Lowell History |
|
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| Vital Records, post-1850 |
Dracut Town Hall |
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Dracut's early town records are no longer extant in their original
form. They were ruined in a flood while they were being housed
in the Library's basement. Fortunately, they were copied into
microfiche form by ArchivePublishing.com and a complete set of
microfiche was donated to the town. The microfiche can now be
found in the Reference Section of the Dracut Town Library. If
you use the microfiche ask the Reference Librarian; the microfiche
is stored in her office. There is only one microfiche machine
available in the Library. Also, the Library subscribes to the
database ancestry.com which provides access to United States census
records; this may only be accessed at the Library not at home
even if you have a Dracut Public Library card. The HeritageQuest
database may be accessed at home via the Library's home page.
An inventory of the microfiche did indicate some records are
missing. Missing microfiche are numbers 94, 93, 1T-14T (these
are transcripts of vital records to 1850). The Boston Public Library
also has these same microfiche available or they may be ordered
through archivespublishing.com.
The Historical Society is open on Sundays from 1-3 or by appointment.
In the Society's safe are the Proprietor's Books. They also have
the Middlesex Land Records Index 1629-1855 on CD and the Land
Records also on CD.
Town Hall has the Vital Records Index which was published in
1907 by the New England Historic Genealogical Society (also
available online through Google books) . They only have the
index not the actual records. This index only covers those vital
statistics 1850 and earlier. Vital records post-1850 are found
in the Town Clerk's Office. There is no index for post-1850 entries.
The Center for Lowell History has many documents related to Barzillai
Lew and his descendents.
