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.
Establishment
Franklin was formed in 1778 from the town of Wrentham.
Land Records / Deed Research
Deeds are found at the county level in Massachusetts. Franklin is in Norfolk County. Deeds for Franklin, Massachusetts are available online in two places:
- The Norfolk County, Massachusetts Registry of Deeds (1793 – present)
- FamilySearch.org (1793-1900) [access with free account]
You can also visit the Registry of Deeds in person.
Norfolk Registry of Deeds
649 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026
(781) 461-6101
Norfolk County was formed in 1793. The first deed recorded in Norfolk County is dated September 24, 1793. If your house was built before 1794, then you will need to look for the older deeds in the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds.
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 ($)
- FindMyPast ($)
Massachusetts State Census Records (1855 & 1865)
Available from:
- Ancestry.com ($) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
Probate Records
Probate records for the town of Franklin, 1793- present, are found in Norfolk County, Massachusetts Probate Court records which are available both online and in-person.
In-person
Norfolk County Probate Court
35 Shawmut Rd, Canton, MA 02021
(781) 830-1200
Check website for hours
Online
- Ancestry.com ($) – Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 and Norfolk County, MA Probate Index 1793-1900
- AmericanAncestors.org ($) – Norfolk County, MA: Index to Probate records, 1793-1900 and Norfolk County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1793-1900
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Massachusetts, Norfolk County, probate case files, 1793-1900
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Probate docket books, and record books (1793-1916) [Norfolk County, Massachusetts]
Vital Records
Vital records provide the details about births, marriages and deaths for the people who previously lived in your house.
Find Franklin, MA Vital Records Online:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- FamilySearch.org (free with account)
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
- MyHeritage.com
- Online book (free) – The Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths in the Town of Franklin, MA 1778-1872
Maps
Historic Maps of Bellingham:
- 1795 Map of Wrentham and Franklin by P.M. Blake (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1832 Map of Franklin by John Groves Hales (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1853 Walling Map of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1858 Walling Map of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1858 Map of Franklin (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1876 Sherman Atlas of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1876 Map of Franklin (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1879 Bird’s Eye Map of Franklin by O.H. Bailey (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1888 Robinson’s Atlas of Norfolk County (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1888 Bird’s Eye Map of Franklin by O.H. Bailey (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1884 – 1919 Franklin Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps (Library of Congress)
Maps are available online from many website such as:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- Hathi Trust,
- David Rumsey Map Collection,
- Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library
- The Library of Congress
- Digital Commonwealth
Preservation Publications
The Massachusetts Historical Commission provides access to historic building surveys at is website MACRIS: Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System. Once at the site, search specifically by town. You can refine by address and historic name.
City Directories & Residents Lists
City Directories were typically published every year. Because of that they are great for filling in the gaps between the 10 year spread of census records. They are also helpful to identify when people move from place to place.
City Directories are available online at the major database sites like Ancestry.com ($), 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.
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). The Ancestor Hunt website is also great for finding more newspaper resources.
Cemetery Information
Franklin, Massachusetts has three cemeteries:
- City Mills Cemetery on Green Street (founded 1740)
- St. Mary’s Cemetery on Beaver Street
- Union Street Burying Ground on Union Street (founded 1725)
Cemetery Information
Local Resources
- Check the Franklin Library Genealogy Club webpage for many Franklin, MA related resources.
- Be sure to visit the Franklin Historical Museum for old photos of your home, old maps and other miscellaneous information.
- Franklin Historical Commission
- Town of Franklin, MA
- YouTube – Franklin, MA History
Further Reading
Blake, Mortimer. A history of the town of Franklin, Mass.; from its settlement to the completion of its first century. Franklin, MA: Town of Franklin, 1879. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyoftownoff79blak
Earls, Alan. Franklin Then and Now. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
Earls, Alan. Franklin Observer – “Finally, the Definitive Origin Story for Franklin, MA.” Franklin, MA, 2023
Gallison, Jefferson Cushing. New England Magazine [reprint] “Franklin and Wrentham.” Franklin, MA: Sentinel Press, 1904. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/franklinwrentham00gall/page/n5/mode/2up
Hurd, D. Hamilton, History Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1884. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyofnorfolk00hurd
Johnson, James C. Odyssey in the Wilderness: The History of the Town of Franklin. Medway, Mass.: Wayside Press, 1978.
Johnston, James C. Jr.. Franklin (Images of America series). Dover, NH: Arcadia Press, 1996.
Jones, Augustus F. A Franklin Album: A Collection of Pictures Portraying the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts over a Period of More than a Century. South Portland, ME: Pilot Press, 1982.
The One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts. Franklin, Mass.: Town of Franklin, 1928.
