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
Holden was formed in 1741. The area was originally settled in 1723.
Land Records / Deed Research
Deeds are found at the county level in Massachusetts. Holden is in Worcester County. Deeds for Holden, Massachusetts are available online in two places:
- The Worcester County, Massachusetts Registry of Deeds (1731 – present)
- FamilySearch.org (1731-1865) [access with free account]
All Worcester County deeds are available online. If you visit the Worcester Registry of Deeds in person, you will only have access to the deeds on computers. They no longer provide access to the deed books.
Worcester County Registry of Deeds
90 Front Street, Worcester, MA 01608, Suite C201
(508) 368-7000
Worcester County was formed in 1731. If your house was built before 1731, then you will need to look for the older deeds in the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds or the Middlesex 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 ($) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
Vital Records
Vital records provide the details about births, marriages and deaths for the people who previously lived in your house.
Find Holden 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 Holden, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849 (Internet Archive)
- Holden Historical Society – Births, Deaths, Marriages and Military Service
Probate Records
Probate records for the town of Holden are found in Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court records (1731-present) which are available both online and in-person.
In-person
Worcester County Probate Court
225 Main Street, Worcester, MA 02021 01608
(508) 831-2200
Check website for hours
Online
- Ancestry.com ($) – Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991
- AmericanAncestors.org ($) – Worcester County, MA: Index to Probate records, 1731-1881 and Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Massachusetts, Worcester County, probate case files, 1731-1925
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
Holden specific maps:
- 1795 Plan of Holden by Jonathan Peirce (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1831 Plan of Holden by Charles Chaffin (Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center)
- 1832 Map of the Town of Holden by Charles Chaffin (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1857 Map of Worcester County, Massachusetts (Library of Congress)
- 1857 Map of Worcester County, Massachusetts (Yale University Library)
- 1870 Atlas of Worcester County (Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center)
- 1892 Map of Holden by O.H. Bailey (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1898 Atlas of Worcester County (Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center)
- 1910-1921 Holden Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps (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.
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. The Ancestor Hunt website is also great for finding more newspaper resources.
Cemetery Information
Holden, Massachusetts cemeteries:
- Grove Cemetery
- Old Burying Ground
- Park Avenue Cemetery
- Saint Mary Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Local Resources
- Holden Historical Commission
- Holden Historic District Commission
- Holden Historical Society
- Holden Historical Society – Holden History
- Gale Free Library – Local History
Further Reading
Borst, Marilyn Hahn. The True Housewives of Holden: from ladies of leisure to women of the world : the 100 year history of the Holden Woman’s Club. Holden, Mass.: Holden Women’s Club, 2015.
Estes, David Foster. The History of Holden, Massachusetts. 1684-1894. Worcester, Mass.: Press of C.F. Lawrence, 1894. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyofholdenm1684este/page/n7/mode/2up
Hurd, D. Hamilton, History of Worcester County, Massachusetts: with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men.. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1889. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyofworcest02hurd/page/n3/mode/2up
Prouty, Florence Newell. History of the town of Holden, Massachusetts, 1667-1941. Worcester, Mass.: 200th Anniversary Committee, 1941. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofh00prou/page/n9/mode/2up
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
Skillings, Charles T., Clare M. Nelson and Ross W. Holden. A Pictorial History of Holden, Massachusetts. Holden, Mass.: Holden Historical Society, 1991.
