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
Lincoln was originally settled in 1650 and was incorporated as a town in 1754 from Concord and Lexington.
Land Records / Deed Research
Deeds are found at the county level in Massachusetts. Lincoln is in Middlesex County. Deeds for Lincoln, Massachusetts are available online in two places:
- The Middlesex South Registry of Deeds (1643 – present)
- FamilySearch.org (1731-1865) [access with free account]
Deeds are searchable online back to 1900. Images of Book 1 – 1024 are available in the Unindexed Property Search under Search Criteria. When using Unindexed Property Search enter the book number and leave the page number blank. I was only able to pull up books through Book 999 (roughly 1867). Between the Registry of Deeds and FamilySearch most everything should be available online. Browsable Grantor Indexes 1896-1973 are available on the registry site. Pre-1900 indexes are available at FamilySearch.org. Plans are available online back to 1928. Prior to that you will need to call the plan department at the registry or visit in person.
NOTE: It is best to use the CHROME browser on the Middlesex South Registry website. I was not able to bring up unindexed property using Firefox.
Middlesex South Registry of Deeds
208 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02141
(617) 679-6300
Middlesex County was formed in 1643.
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 ($)
Vital Records
Vital records provide the details about births, marriages and deaths for the people who previously lived in your house.
Find Lincoln, MA Vital Records Online:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
- MyHeritage.com
- Vital Records of Lincoln, Massachusetts 1754-1811 (Digital Commonwealth)
- Vital Records of Lincoln, Massachusetts 1811-1845 (Digital Commonwealth)
- Vital Records of Lincoln, Massachusetts 1844-1875 (Digital Commonwealth)
Probate Records
Probate records for the town of Lincoln are found in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Court records (1643-present) which are available both online and in-person. In-person, Lincoln is serviced by the Middlesex County North Probate Court in Lowell.
In-person
Middlesex County North Probate Court
370 Jackson Street, 5th floor, Lowell, MA 01852
(978) 656-7700
Check website for hours and to contact via email or zoom.
Online
- Ancestry.com ($) – Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991
- AmericanAncestors.org ($) – Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Middlesex County, Probate Records 1648-1924
Preservation Publications
The Massachusetts Historical Commission provides access to historic building surveys at is website MACRIS: Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS). Once at the site, search specifically by town. You can refine by address and historic name.
Maps
Historic Maps of Lincoln:
- 1758 A Plan of the Town of Lincoln by S. Hoar (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1795 A Plan of the Town of Lincoln by S. Hoar (Digital Commonwealth)
- c. 1813 Plan of the new county road from Lincoln Meeting House to Watertown by Francis Bowman (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1830 Plan of Lincoln by John Groves Hales (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1830 Plan of Lincoln – 1862 of Hales map by D.W. Wood (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1856 Map of Middlesex County by Henry Francis Walling (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1866 Portion of map of the city of Boston and its environs by Henry Francis Walling (Digital Commonwealth) Sudbury, Wayland and Weston and portions of Lincoln, Waltham, Newton, Framingham, and Natick are shown.
- 1875 Atlas of Middlesex County, Massachusetts by J.B. Beers & Co. (Internet Archive)
- 1879 Plan of Middlesex County (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1889 Atlas of Middlesex County (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1906 Atlas of Middlesex County, Volume 2 -cities of Melrose & Woburn, towns of Bedford, Burlington, Concord, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Lexington, Lincoln, Wakefield & Winchester by Geo. H. Walker & Co.(Digital Commonwealth) [image 46 & 47]
Maps are also available online from many website such as:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- 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
The Fence Viewer is available online from the Lincoln Public Library. It covers the years 1959-1968.
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. Use the Newspaper Finder database to locate newspapers for a specific geogaphic area.
Cemetery Information
Lincoln, Massachusetts cemeteries:
- Arborvitae Cemetery
- Lincoln Cemetery
- Precinct Burial Ground
- Town Hill Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Local Resources
- Lincoln Historical Society
- Town of Lincoln Annual Reports (State Library of Massachusetts) – 1840-1879, 200-2026
Further Reading
Farrar, Edward Rogers and Samuel Farrar. Houses in Lincoln 100 years old and over with some of their owners (Farrar Historical Houses Manuscript). Linocoln, MA, 1935. Available at Digital Commonwealth https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:js957694g
Hurd, D. Hamilton, History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts: with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men.. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1890. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyofmiddles01hurdh/page/n5/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
