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
Weymouth was established in 1635 and is one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts.
Land Records / Deed Research
Deeds are found at the county level in Massachusetts. Weymouth is in Norfolk County. Deeds for Weymouth, 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 County 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 ($) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
Vital Records
Vital records provide the details about births, marriages and deaths for the people who previously lived in your house.
Find Weymouth, MA Vital Records Online:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- FamilySearch.org (free with account)
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
- MyHeritage.com
- Book – Vital records of Weymouth, Massachusetts, Births, to the year 1850 (Volume I) (Internet Archive)
- Book – Vital records of Weymouth, Massachusetts, Marriages and Death, to the year 1850 (Volume II) (Internet Archive)
Probate Records
Probate records for the town of Weymouth, 1793- present, are found in Norfolk County, Massachusetts Probate Court records which are available both online and in-person. Prior to 1793 look for Weymouth Probate records in Suffolk County.
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]
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
Weymouth specific maps:
- c. 1760 Manuscript map of taverns in Braintree and Weymouth, Mass. (Digital Commonwealth)
- c. 1800 Map of the Town of Weymouth (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1853 Walling Map of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1853 Map of Weymouth by Henry F Walling (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1858 Walling Map of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1876 Sherman Atlas of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1880 Bird’s Eye View Map of Weymouth by E.H. Bigelow (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1880 Bird’s Eye View Map of Weymouth by Beck & Pauli (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1885 Bird’s Eye View of South Weymouth by Christian Jorgensen (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1888 Robinson’s Atlas of Norfolk County (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1888 to 1927 Weymouth Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps (Library of Congress)
- 1944 Atlas of the Town of Weymouth by Russell H. Whiting (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1949 Atlas of the Town of Weymouth by Russell H. Whiting (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1956 Atlas of the Town of Weymouth by Russell H. Whiting (Digital Commonwealth)
Maps are also available online from many website such as:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- Hathi Trust,
- David Rumsey Map Collection,
- Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library
- The Library of Congress
- Digital Commonwealth
- Internet Archive
City Directories & Residents Lists
City Directories were typically published every year. Because of that they are great for filling in the gaps between the 10 year spread of census records. They are also helpful to identify when people move from place to place.
City Directories are available online at the major database sites like Ancestry.com ($), 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
Weymouth, Massachusetts cemeteries:
- Alpheus Bates Cemetery (founded c. 1830)
- Ashwood Cemetery (founded 1819)
- Belcher Cemetery (founded 1811)
- Elmwood Cemetery (founded 1756)
- Fairmount Cemetery (founded 1795)
- Highland Cemetery (founded 1751)
- Lakeview Cemetery (founded 1751)
- Martin Woods Burying Ground (founded c. 1730)
- Mount Hope Cemetery (founded 1799)
- North Weymouth Cemetery (founded 1676)
- Olde Cemetery (founded 1730)
- Reed Cemetery (founded c. 1784)
- Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery (founded c. 1862)
- Waterman Cemetery (founded 1795)
- Village Cemetery (founded c. 1843)
Cemetery Information
- Town of Weymouth – Cemeteries
- FindaGrave.com – Weymouth, MA
- Weymouth Historical Society – Weymouth Cemeteries
Photos and Miscellaneous Items
- Weymouth Historical Society
- Weymouth Historical Commission
- Weymouth Historic Home or Building Plaque
- Town of Weymouth – History of Weymouth – Loads of history tidbits to check out
- Weymouth Public Libraries
- Weymouth National Register of Historic Places
- Weymouth Historical Records Assessment Report
Further Reading
Boddy, Maureen. Weymouth: An Illustrated History. Wimborne: Dovecote, 1983.
Clarke, Ted. Weymouth History. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2005.
Clarke, Ted. Weymouth: New Chronicles and Old Yarns from the South Shore. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2009.
Hurd, D. Hamilton, History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1884. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyofnorfolk00hurd
Kevitt, Chester B. Weymouth, Massachusetts: A New England Town. Weymouth, MA: 1981.
Nash, Gilbert. Historical Sketch of the Town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1622-1884. Weymouth, MA: Town of Weymouth, 1885. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch00nash/page/n9/mode/2up
Sullivan, Debbie Sargent and Joanne Palmieri Tighe. Weymouth (Images of America series). Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2001.
Sullivan, Debbie Sargent and Erica Jill Dumont. Weymouth Then and Now. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2016.
WETC. Weymouth History: Historic Homes. [Video] Weymouth, MA: WETC, 2013. Available from Weymouth Tufts Library.
Weymouth Historical Society. History of Weymouth, Massachusetts. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1923.
