Guide to Historical Records and Genealogical Resources of Nantucket, Massachusetts
Town Clerk's Records
Town
Building, 16 Broad Street, First Floor
Contact information: 508/228-7217; Fax: 508/325-5313
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8-4 pm (except holidays)
Fees A fee of $15.50 per hour, prorated, will apply
for all research done by the staff involving more
than ½ hour of time. Photocopies are $ .25
per page for photocopies and $5.00 per record for
certified records.
History
The town clerk is an elected official who administers
elections; records the proceedings of all town meetings;
keeps official town records, including its vital
statistics; and maintains the municipal code, which
are the local laws governing the town. The town
clerk's office issues marriage licenses, certified
copies of vital records (such as birth, marriage
and death certificates) and other licenses and permits
determined by state statutes. It is also the repository
of many documents and artifacts of historical importance.
A wide assortment of records are in the custody
of the town clerk, from the earliest town records
to the minutes of current town boards. Since Nantucket
is also a county in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
as well as a town, most vital records are maintained
here. The Nantucket town records date from 1671,
when the town was incorporated, but some earlier
records are also held by the town clerk. The first
town clerk was elected in the first decade of the
seventeenth century.
Restrictions
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has statutory
limitations on access to records of births and marriages
from 1900 to the present; it is necessary, therefore,
for personnel from the Town Clerk's office to do
the research on these records. Other records are
usually available upon request. The following guidelines
for genealogical research have been established
by the town clerk:
Births
and Marriages before 1900: Research may
be done under staff supervision, subject to
availability of space. Records cannot leave
the office. Research is limited to 1 hour per
day if staff work load allows.
Records & Resources: Vital Records
Births
(Indices)
Birth indices provide the name of the child, the
parents' names, the date of birth and a reference
to the record from which the information was obtained.
It is a good reference to consult first when details
about the individual being searched are not complete.
Volumes exist for prior to 1850 and from 1850 to
1975.
Births
(Ledgers)
These ledgers list all the births recorded in the
town, generally in chronological order. The information
includes the name of the child, the parents' names
and the date of birth. For some years, information
on marriages and deaths was also recorded in a ledger.
Ledgers span the years 1662 to the present.
Births
(Certificates)
Birth certificates record the name, sex, color,
birth date, birth order and time of birth of the
child. They also record the names, ages, occupations,
birthplaces, color/race and current address of the
parents. Birth certificates exist for the years
from 1846 to the present.
Marriages
(Indices)
Marriage indices list the names of the bride and
groom, their ages, where they were born, their occupations
and their parents names (if known). The date the
marriage intentions were recorded, the date of the
marriage and a reference to the record from which
the information was extracted are also included.
The indices are a good first source when not all
the details about the parties are known. Records
exist for prior to 1850 and from 1850 to 1977.
Marriages
(Index to Marriage Intentions)
The index to marriage intentions lists the names
of the prospective bride and groom, their ages,
where they were born, their occupations, their parents
names (if known), and the date the marriage intentions
were recorded. This is a useful a secondary source.
Marriage intentions begin in 1862.
Marriages
(Intentions Books)
These books record entries made when a couple decided
to marry. Information includes the names of the
prospective bride and groom, their ages, where they
were born, their occupations, their parents names(
if known), and the date the marriage intentions
were recorded. Marriage intention books span the
years from 1862 to 1990.
Marriages
(Intentions - Originals)
These are the original certificates, which contain
the names of the prospective bride and groom, their
parents names (if known) and the date the certificate
was recorded. Records exist for 1935 to the present
day.
Marriages
(Certificates)
These are the original marriage certificates that
contain the names of the bride and groom, their
ages and occupations, where they were born, their
current addresses, their parents names, the date
and place of marriage, the name of the person officiating
at the marriage, and the names of witnesses. Certificates
exist from 1843 to the present day (with 1860 and
1861 omitted).
Marriages
(Ledger)
These ledgers list all the marriages recorded in
the town, generally in chronological order. The
information includes the names of the bride and
groom, the date and place of the marriage, the person
officiating at the ceremony, and the date the marriage
was recorded. For some years, information on births
and deaths was also recorded in the same ledger.
Ledgers span the years 1662 to the present.
Deaths
(Indices)
Death indices list the name, place of birth, age,
residence, occupation, the date of death, cause
of death, and the parents' names of the deceased.
The spouse's name, place of interment, and a reference
to the record(s) from which the information was
obtained are also included. Records exist for prior
to 1850 and from 1850 to 1977.
Deaths
(Certificates)
These are the official records of deaths and contain
the name, place of birth, age, residence, occupation,
date of death, cause of death and the parents' names
for the deceased, and the name of the person reporting
the death. Certificates containing death information
were not issued to the public before 1900. Death
certificates span the years from 1845 to the present
(with some years omitted).
Deaths
(Physicians certificate of death & burial permits)
These are the original permits for a burial. The
information includes the name of the deceased, the
date of death, the cause of death, the date and
place of burial, and the name of the person certifying
the death. Physician's certificates exist for the
years 1868 to 1898 (missing 1879).
Deaths
(Ledger)
The Death ledgers record the name of the deceased,
the date and cause of death, generally in chronological
order. For some years, information on births and
deaths was also recorded in the same ledger. Ledgers
span the years from 1662 to the present day (omitting
1836 to 1842).
Deaths
(Burial permits)
Burial permits record the name of the deceased,
the date of death, and the place of burial from
1986 to the present.
Affidavits
of Correction
Affidavits of correction correct official records.
Affidavits exist for birth, marriage, death and
non-resident records.
Records & Resources: Town Records
Town
Election Minutes
Minutes of town elections span the years 1807 to
1994.
Town
Meeting Records
The records of town meetings span the years from
1971 to 1986.
Town
Meeting Articles and Warrants
These articles (1899-1928) and warrants (1878 -
present) were presented at town meetings.
Town
Reports (Annual)
These reports, which span the years from 1880 to
1900, detail the operation of the town government.
Selectmens'
Journals
Selectmens' journals record the minutes of meetings
held by Nantucket's selectmen. They discuss such
items as bills, warrant articles, and general business
of the town. Journals span the years from 1784 to
the present. (Journals from 1784 to 1853 are kept
in the office of the clerk of the superior court.)
Early
Records
These records consist of lists of church members,
registers of voters, census books, and other miscellaneous
records. Town records for Sherburn exist from 1662
to 1837; town records for Nantucket exist from 1845
to 1894.
List
of Voters
Voter lists provide the names of all voters registered
in Nantucket from 1889 to 1945.
Poll
Tax Books
Poll tax books provide a list of voters in the town
from 1939 to 1963.
Register
of Voters
These lists record persons qualified to vote from
1877 to 1970 (with some omissions).
Plans
& Maps
A number of maps, plans, books and reports exist
dealing with roads, buildings, utility pole locations,
and water resources. Consult the Town Clerk for
specific details. The following is a sample of the
historic material available: Beach Street Railroad
Plans, 1890; Water Supply Map, 1893; Aerial Survey,
circa 1930; Map Book, Town of Nantucket, 1832.
Census
Censuses exist for 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840,
1850, 1860, 1865, 1870, 1880, and 1895. Some of
the forms are blank.
Street
Lists
Street lists list the residents of the town over
the age of sixteen as of January 1st of each year,
with corrections through June 1st of each year.
The information listed includes name, address, occupation,
date of birth and political party affiliation. Street
lists exist for 1938 to the present.
Financial
Documents
Personal property records, chattel mortgages, and
bills of sale were recorded in volumes maintained
by the town clerk. These volumes are kept in the
vault at Nantucket High School and span the years
from 1834 to the present.
Recordings
From 1981 to the present, all town meetings have
been recorded either on audio or video cassettes.
These recordings are stored in vault at the Nantucket
High School.
Microfilms
Records microfilmed include census records; town
meeting and election records; town records through
1903; birth, marriage and death records; and miscellaneous
historical records. Copies of these microfilms are
stored in the vault of the Nantucket High School
as a safeguard against the loss of the originals
by fire or theft. Generally, they are not available
for viewing by the public.