New England Historic Genealogical Society
I recently received free access to NEHGS's website, NewEnglandAncestors.org, because of a survey I took. There was free access to their Register for a few days back in March, and they later emailed me offering free access to their whole website if I took a survey. I was very excited for this since I have many relatives from New England. And I was not disappointed. I found a lot of information at their site, including at least 10 maiden names for women in my file.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is the oldest genealogical society in the country and has been helping new and experienced researchers trace their heritage in New England and throughout the world for over 160 years. Their mission statement is as follows:
The New England Historic Genealogical Society advances genealogical scholarship and develops the capabilities of both new and experienced researchers of family history by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and communicating in a variety of accessible formats reliable genealogical data with emphasis on families and communities connected to the New England.
For me, the most helpful database on their website was the Massachusetts Vital Records. I recently posted about a site with free access to the MA Death Index, but you can't look at the actual image there. You are able to see the image for all vital records (birth, marriage, or death) at newenglandancestors.org and both parents' names are listed...usually including the mother's maiden name. This was very exciting for me. And this is why I didn't post many blog entries last week, because I was busy researching as often as I could before my free week expired.
This is an image I found with a death date for an ancestor from Ireland I hadn't been able to find until now.
Mary Toomey Bixby died 17 May 1902 in Boxford, MA. Further to the right it tells me that she died of cardiac disease and that she was born in Ireland to Cornelius and Ellen M. Toomey. I wasn't sure of her maiden name before and I certainly didn't know who her parents were.
To find out the different membership plans and fees to join the NEHGS, click here.