Hampden County, MassachusettsEdit This Page

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United States Massachusetts Hampden County

Modern town and city borders in Hampden County, Massachusetts.

County Courthouse

• In 1997, the county governments of Hampden, Berkshire, Essex, Hampden and Worcester were abolished.
• Their functions were turned over to state agencies.
• Sheriffs in these counties still administer jails but their employees are state employees.
• The legislation to abolish these county governments transferred Registeries of Deeds to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
• Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk county governments remain substantially unchanged.

Hampden County Courthouse;
50 State Street;
Springfield, MA 01103
Phone: 413.,748.7759 

Clerk Courts has divorce records 1812-1932 and court records;
Probate Judge has probate records; Register of Deeds has land records^[1]

Towns Organized Before 1800:
Blandford 1741,
Brimfield 1714,
Chester 1765,
Granville 1754,
Holland 1783,
Longmeadow 1783,
Monson 1760,
Montgomery 1780,
Palmer 1752,
Southwick 1770,
Springfield 1641,
Wales 1762,
West Springfield 1774,
Westfield 1669,
Wilbraham 1763

History

Parent County

• Created 25 February 1812 from Hampshire County. ^[2]

Boundary Changes

Record Loss

Places / Localities

Populated Places

Cities:

Agawam | Chicopee | Holyoke | Palmer | Springfield | West Springfield | Westfield

Towns

Blandford | Brimfield | Chester | East Longmeadow | Granville | Hampden | Holland | Longmeadow | Ludlow | Monson | Montgomery | Russell | Southwick | Tolland | Wales | Wilbraham

Neighboring Counties

Berkshire | Hampshire | Worcester | Connecticut counties: Hartford | Litchfield | Tolland

Resources

Cemeteries

Census

For tips on accessing Hampden County, Massachusetts census records online, see: Massachusetts Census.

State Census

1855 Massachusetts State Census—a free searchable index and images to the 1855 Massachusetts State Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1855, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

1865 Massachusetts State Census—a free searchable index and images to the 1865 Massachusetts State Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1865, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

Church

Court

• Court Records, Book A - via the Internet Archive

Gazetteers

Land

Local Histories

Maps

Military

Newspapers

Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has North Adams, MA newspapers (1895-1977) and Pittsfield, MA newspapers (1858-1977) covering local news that included Hampden County residents.

Probate

Taxation

Vital Records

Societies and Libraries

Family History Centers

• Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
• Springfield Massachusetts Family History Center

Web Sites

• The Hampden County MAGenWeb Project, an member of The MAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Hampden County
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Hampden County (backup site)
• FamilySearch.org Family History Library catalog for Hampden County

References

1. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002)Hampden County, Massachusetts, p.329.
2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 181. [FHL book 973 D27e 2002].

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