January 20, 2010 — The transcription of the History of Marshfield is now complete, thanks in large part to Linda Smith's transcriptions of the remaining history chapters.

March 15, 2008 — We have a new address!   Many USGenWeb sites have relocated, and we have, too.   Please bookmark our new address.

August 19, 2006 — I have added a listing of Marshfield Newspapers held on microfilm by the Boston Public Library Microtext Department.

February 3, 2006 — Burt Fuller has compiled an every-name index to volume 1 of the History of Marshfield, and has generously allowed me to post it here. It is available as a PDF file.

January 22, 2004 — The last set of gravestone transcriptions from Mayflower Descendant are now online.   They are from the town's largest cemetery, the Cedar Grove (Congregational Church) Cemetery.

January 20, 2004 — The newest gravestone transcriptions are from the Chapel Cemetery and the Plainville Cemetery as published in Mayflower Descendant.

January 18, 2004 — Now available are gravestone transcriptions are from the Two Mile Cemetery and the Little Cemetery as published in Mayflower Descendant.

January 17, 2004 — Cemetery information has been moved to a new Cemeteries Page.   Over the coming months I will be adding information on more cemeteries and expanding what is already there.   I am also revising and expanding the cemetery transcriptions listed on that page.   The newest transcriptions are from the Centre Marshfield Cemetery, the Marshfield Hills Cemetery and the Winslow Cemetery as published in Mayflower Descendant.

June 2, 2003 — The historic Judge Isaac Winslow House has a new web site. This home, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, was built by Isaac, grandson of Plymouth Colony Governor Edward Winslow of the Mayflower, and son of Col. Josiah Winslow, also Governor and a military leader in King Philip's War. Also located on the grounds of the house is Daniel Webster's law office. Visit the web site for details on these historic buildings.

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If you have any Marshfield material and would like to volunteer for lookups please send email to Dale H. Cook.

When requesting a lookup please use the email link following the listing for that book, limit your request to one or two specific names on separate lines, and please thank the volunteer for their time and effort.

Lookups Available

Robert M. Sherman and Ruth Wilder Sherman, Vital Records of Marshfield, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Warwick RI: Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 1970; Reprinted Camden ME: Picton Press, 1993) — Dale H. Cook.

Resources

Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, "A Few Facts in the Early History of the Town of Marshfield" (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 7 (1853):276-78).

Marcia A. Thomas, "Marshfield Inscriptions from the Burial-Ground on the Hill, Sometimes Called Winslow Burial-Ground" (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 4 (1850):315-18).

Marcia A. Thomas, "Marriages from the Early Records of Marshfield, Mass." (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 6 (1852):347-52).

Marshfield Records from Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, 12 volumes (Boston: The Press of William White, Printer to the Commonwealth, 1855-61; Reprinted in 6 volumes, New York: AMS Press, 1968).

Books and Journal Articles About Marshfield

You can find copies of books for sale by using the search engine at Bookfinder.com.

Books that are no longer in copyright can often be found online at Internet Archive Text Archive, Family History Books or Google Books. Additional books are available through two sites that many libraries offer access to - Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest Online.

Marcia A. Thomas, "Marshfield Inscriptions from the Burial-Ground on the Hill, Sometimes Called Winslow Burial-Ground" (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 4 (1850):315-18).

Marcia A. Thomas, "Marriages from the Early Records of Marshfield, Mass." (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 6 (1852):347-52).

Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, "A Few Facts in the Early History of the Town of Marshfield" (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 7 (1853):276-78).

Marcia A. Thomas, Memorials of Marshfield, and Guide Book to Its Localities at Green Harbor (Boston: Dutton & Wentworth, 1854).

Thomas Harrison Cummings, The Webster Centennial. Proceedings of the Webster Historical Society at Marshfield, Mass., October 12, 1882 with an Account of Other Celebrations on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of Daniel Webster (Boston: Webster Historical Society, 1883).

Lloyd Vernon Briggs, History of Shipbuilding on the North River, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, with Genealogies of the Shipbuilders, and Accounts of the Industries Upon its Tributaries, 1640 to 1872 (Boston: The Author, 1889).

Lysander S. Richards, History of Marshfield, 2 Volumes (Plymouth. MA: Memorial Press, Vol. I 1901, Vol. II 1905). See Books Online below.

John W. Willard, "Gravestone Records from the Winslow Cemetery at Marshfield, Mass." (Mayflower Descendant, 10 (1908):47-51).

George Ernest Bowman, "Heads of Families in Mr. Shaw's Precinct, Marshfield, Mass., October, 1765" (Mayflower Descendant, 5 (1917):41-43).

Joseph C. Hagar, Marshfield 70-40°W: 42-5°N: The Autobiography of a Pilgrim Town ... 1640-1940 (Marshfield, MA: Marshfield Tercentenary Committee, 1940, Reprinted 1956).

Cynthia Hagar Krusell, Of Tea and Tories: The Story of Revolutionary Marshfield (Boston: Marshfield Bicentennial Committee, 1976).

Ann S. Lainhart, 1855 and 1865 Massachusetts State Censuses for Marshfield (Boston: The Author, 1988).

Cynthia Hagar Krusell and Betty Magoun Bates, Marshfield, A Town of Villages, 1640-1990 (Marshfield Hills, MA: Historical Research Associates, 1990). A narrative history which explores Marshfield's nine villages - Green Harbor, Brant Rock-Ocean Bluff, Rexhame, Marshfield, Centre Marshfield, Sea View, Marshfield Hills, North Marshfield-Two Mile and Standish.

Robert M. Sherman and Ruth Wilder Sherman, Vital Records of Marshfield, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Warwick, RI: Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 1970; Reprinted Camden ME: Picton Press, 1993).

Charles Milton Thatcher, Old Cemeteries of Southeastern Massachusetts (Middleborough, MA: Middleborough Public Library, 1995). Contains transcriptions from eight Marshfield cemeteries made in the late 1880s. Although this is still a useful resource, many transcription errors have been discovered, so use Thatcher with care and check it against the actual gravestones or other transcriptions.

Captain Edward Baker and Helen M. Hill, A Proud and Fiery Spirit: Journals of Captain Edward Baker, 1846-1895, Memoirs of Crooked Lane, Duxbury, and Marshfield, Massachusetts (Duxbury, MA: Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, 1995). A view of rural Massachusetts life during the nineteenth century based on excerpts from Captain Edward Baker's 48 journals.

Christian Kimball and Linda Ramsey Ashley, Marshfield Cemetery Records to 1950 (Marshfield Hills: Meadow Geese Press, 2001). Portions of this book were published in Mayflower Quarterly, 66 [2000]:73-78, 123-30.

Linda Ramsey Ashley, In the Pilgrim Way: History of the First Congregational Church, Marshfield, Massachusetts (Marshfield, MA: The Author, 2001). Includes a brief biography of all 29 ministers since 1632, with Church and community events during their ministry.

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Books Online

Lysander S. Richards, History of Marshfield, 2 Volumes (Plymouth: Memorial Press, Vol. I 1901, Vol. II 1905). Parts are transcribed and much of the remainder is posted as images. Volume I - History, Volume II - Families.

Newspapers

A newspaper often had a succession of titles on its masthead during the course of its publication. Some libraries list newspapers by the last title used, followed by previous titles. Other libraries list all holdings under the most common, most familiar or most recent title. For each title the library's holdings are given.

Boston Public Library - Historical Massachusetts Newspapers - Microfilm

• Marshfield Mail / South Shore News  1964-1975
• Marshfield Mariner  1976 to present
• Marshfield Reporter  1987 to present

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Vital Records

SPECIAL NOTE: You need a free login to view the images at FamilySearch.

Massachusetts Vital Records Information from Ancestry.com.

Deeds and Probate

Plymouth County Registry of Deeds
50 Obery Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
508-830-9200
Fax: 508-830-9221
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Researchers can search grantor books or grantee books at no charge.
Images of the Plymouth County deeds are online at FamilySearch.org.

SPECIAL NOTE: You need a free login to to view the images at FamilySearch.

Plymouth Probate and Family Court
52 Obery Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
508-747-6204
Fax: 508-746-6826
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Images of the Plymouth County probate estate files are available online for NEHGS members.
Images of the Plymouth County probate records are online at FamilySearch.org in two groups of image sets, one consisting mainly of case files and one consisting mainly of record books. Navigating the image sets of the oldest probate records can be a bit confusing, so I have prepared A Brief Guide to the "Old Series" of Plymouth County Probate Records (1686-1881).

SPECIAL NOTE: You need a free login to to view the images at FamilySearch.

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Genealogical and Historical Societies and Libraries

Ventress Memorial Library
15 Library Plaza
Marshfield, MA 02050-4998
781-834-5535
Hours: Mon. - Weds. 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Thurs. - Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Marshfield Historical Society
65 Webster Street
Marshfield, MA 02050
781-834-7236

The Historic Winslow House Association
P.O. Box 531
Marshfield, MA 02050-0531
Several membership plans are available, and admission to the Winslow House is free to members.

Plymouth County Genealogists, Inc.
PCGI is a non-profit genealogical society whose monthly meetings are held the first Saturday of each month (except July and August) at 1:00 PM at the East Bridgewater Public Library. Meetings generally feature a guest speaker and the public is welcome.

Old Colony History Museum
66 Church Green
Taunton, MA 02780
508-822-1622
Hours: Tues. - Sat. 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed on holidays and on Saturdays preceding Monday holidays
Museum Admission: Adults - $4.00, Children 12-18 and Seniors - $2.00
Genealogical Research: $7.00 per day

South Shore Genealogical Society
PO Box 396
Norwell, MA 02061
Meetings: The second Saturday of each month (except July and August) at 1:30 p.m. at the John Curtis Free Library, Rte. 139, Hanover, MA.
For beginners, amateurs and professionals interested in genealogical research in Plymouth and Norfolk Counties.

Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215-3695
617-536-1608
Hours: Mon. - Weds. 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; Thurs. 9:00 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.; Fri. 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; Sat. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Closed Sunday.

New England Historic Genealogical Society
101 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116-3007
617-536-5740
Fax: 617-536-7307
Library Hours: Tues. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Weds. 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Thurs. - Sat. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Closed Sun. and Mon.
The library is closed for some holidays - call or see the website for details.
For non-members there is a daily admisssion fee for the research library.

NEHGS is nation's oldest genealogical society, founded in 1845. It offers unsurpassed resources for New England research including the Boston research library of over 200,000 volumes. Members not in the Boston area appreciate their extensive online resources including all issues of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the nation's oldest genealogical journal, published quarterly since 1847. Online resources also include member access to vital records through 1915, an ever-growing collection of online books, and databases derived from some of the Society's immense manuscript holdings.

Genealogical and Historical Locations

Judge Isaac Winslow House
644 Careswell Street
Marshfield, MA 02050-5623
781-837-5753
Hours: June 16 – Oct. 7, 2002 Weds. – Sun. 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Admission: Adult - $5.00, Senior - $3.00, Child - $1.00
Guided tours last approximately one hour. Special appointments, group tours, and group rates are arranged upon inquiry with the Resident Director.

Daniel Webster Estate & Heritage Center on Facebook
238 Webster Street
Marshfield, MA 02050
781-834-0548.

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Marshfield Town Web Site

School Department

First Congregational Church of Marshfield (Established 1632)

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Commonwealth Communities page for Marshfield

Marshfield Mariner (Weekly Newspaper)

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Plymouth County, MA - USGenWeb

Plymouth County Records Online - USGenWeb

Massachusetts Genealogy - USGenWeb

The USGenWeb Project - Home Page

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