This page contains most of the resources you will need to research the history of your house. If you are new to house history research, please visit the Get Started section. For a quick overview of the process visit 10 Steps to Researching the History of Your House. These guides are also great for local historians and genealogists.
Establishment
Greenfield was settled in 1686. It was incorporated as a town in 1753 separate from Deerfield. It also became the county seat of Franklin County in 1812. Greenfield officially became a city on July 1, 2003.
Land Records / Deed Research
Deeds are found at the county level in Massachusetts. Greenfield is in Franklin County. Deeds for Greenfield, Massachusetts are available online in two places:
- The Franklin County Registry of Deeds (1650 – present)
- FamilySearch.org (1638-1901) [access with free account]
Name Search
Deeds are searchable online by name back to 1650.
Book & Page Search
Images are available back to 1650. You can typically find the a reference to a previous in each deed. If you do not have a book and page to view the image of a deed, then use the name search or scanned grantor or grantee indexes (linked above).
Franklin County Registry of Deeds Contact Info
email – franklinrod@sec.state.ma.us
(413) 772-0239
Franklin County was formed in 1811 from Hampshire County.
Census Records (and MA State Census Records)
The most common census records are the US Federal Census Records but Massachusetts also has state census records. Census records help you discover the families that lived in your house. Federal census records are available every 10 years from 1790 to 1950 with the exception of 1890.
U.S Federal Census Records (1790-1950)
Available from:
- Ancestry.com ($) – see if your local library has institutional access free for patrons
- FamilySearch.org (free with account)
- MyHeritage.com ($)
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
- FindMyPast ($)
Agriculture and Manufacturing Censuses 1850-1880
These were called Federal Census Non-Population Schedules. They provided detailed descriptions of farms and manufacturing businesses. These are available on Ancestry.com ($).
Massachusetts State Census Records (1855 & 1865)
Available from:
- Ancestry.com ($) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
Vital Records
Vital records provide the details about births, marriages and deaths for the people who previously lived in your house.
Find Greenfield, MA Vital Records Online:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
- MyHeritage.com
- Book – Vital records of Greenfield, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 (Internet Archive)
- FamilySearch – Town and vital records of Greenfield, Massachusetts, 1752-1861
Probate Records
Probate records for the town of Greenfield are found in Franklin County, Massachusetts Probate Court records (1812-present) which are available both online and in-person. In-person, Greenfield is serviced by the Franklin Probate and Family Court in Greenfield. Search for pre-1812 probate records in Hampshire County.
In-person
Franklin County Probate Court
43 Hope St., P.O. Box 590, Greenfield, MA 01302
(413) 774-7011
Check website for hours and to contact via email or zoom.
Online
- Ancestry.com ($) – Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991
- AmericanAncestors.org ($) – Franklin County, MA: Index to Probate records, 1812-1915
Preservation Publications
The Massachusetts Historical Commission provides access to historic building surveys at is website MACRIS: Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS). Once at the site, search specifically by town. You can refine by address and historic name.
Maps
Historic Maps of Greenfield:
- 1795 Plan of Greenfield by D. Hoit Jr. (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1830 Plan of Greenfield by Elisha Root (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1858 Map of Franklin County by Henry F. Walling (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1871 Atlas of Franklin County by F.W. Beers (Digital Commonwealth) [image26]
- 1877 Bird’s Eye View of Greenfield, MA by O.H. Bailey (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1884 Atlas of Greenfield Town, MA by Geo. H. Walker (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1891 Atlas of Massachusetts by Geo. H. Walker (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1918 Atlas of Greenfield, Mass. by Richards Map Co. (Digital Commonwealth)
Maps are also available online from many website such as:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- Hathi Trust,
- David Rumsey Map Collection,
- Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library
- The Library of Congress
- Digital Commonwealth
City Directories & Residents Lists
City Directories were typically published every year. Because of that they are great for filling in the gaps between the 10 year spread of census records. They are also helpful to identify when people move from place to place.
City Directories are available online at the major database sites like Ancestry.com ($), MyHeritage.com ($) and FamilySearch.org. They are also found in local libraries and archives.
Tax Records
Tax records provide the value of property through the years. These can be a great indicator of when changes were made to a property. Check your local library, Town Hall or Archive.org for Town Annual Reports which contain the tax records.
There are some tax records on FamilySearch:
- Poll Tax 1900 – https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/493593/
- Tax records, 1810-1850 – https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/catalog/koha:309614 (Must be accessed from a FamilySearch Affiliate library – the Greenfield Library is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library)
Newspapers
Many old newspapers are available online through Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, AmericanAncestors.org, GenealogyBank.com, Newspapers.com, OldNews.com, the Boston Public Library, the American Antiquarian Society (Worcester, MA), Community History Archives.
Cemetery Information
Greenfield, Massachusetts cemeteries:
- Calvary Cemetery
- Country Farms Cemetery
- Falls Fight Gravesite
- Federal Street Cemetery
- Green River Cemetery
- Greenfield Hebrew Congregation Cemetery
- Hebrew Congregation Interdenominational Cemetery
- High Street Cemetery
- Log Plain Cemetery
- Lower Meadow Cemetery
- Mater Dolorosa Cemetery
- North Meadows Cemetery
- Old Catholic Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Local Resources
- Historical Society of Greenfield, MA
- Greenfield, MA Public Library – Genealogy & Local Resources
- Greenfield, MA Public Library – Yearbooks (Internet Archive)
- Museum of Our Industrial Heritage
Further Reading
Early Maps in the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts. Springfield, MA: Wright & DeForest, 1911. Available at HathiTrust – https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049969846&seq=3
History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts. Philadelphia: Lois H. Everts, 1879. Available at Internet Archive – Volume 1 and Volume 2
Holland, Josiah Gilbert. History of Western Massachusetts. The Counties of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire. Springfield: Samuel Bowles and Company, 1855. Available at Internet Archive Volume 1 and Volume 2
Jenkins, Paul. The Conservative Rebel: A Social History of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Town of Greenfield, 1982.
Nason, Rev. Elias. A Gazetteer of the State of Massachusetts. Boston: B. Russell, 1890. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/gazetteerofstate00naso/page/n5/mode/2up
Thompson, Francis M. History of Greenfield: Shire town of Franklin County, Massachusetts. Greenfield, MA: T> Morey & Son Press, 1904. Volume 1 and
Volume 2
