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Subject: FRANKLIN/HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
Date: 25 Aug 2006 03:44:24 -0600
This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: Franklin & Hampshire Counties
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EB.2ACE/1049
Message Board Post:
Several times, over the years, in response to queries that have involved specific Franklin County, MA towns, I have attempted to educate people about the historical genealogy of the town or county itself. I am prompted to do so again due to some recent postings. Herein is some pertinent information.
Let me begin with this example. Greenfield was incorporated as a town in 1753, having been broken off from Deerfield at that time. In 1753 Greenfield was still in Hampshire County until Franklin County was formed from Hampshire in 1812. Here then are the implications: It is incorrect to state that someone was born. married or died in Greenfield prior to 1753 or that it was in Franklin County prior to 1812. IF someone was suppossedly born "in Greenfield" in say 1749, more than likely the actual location was Deerfield and the record would be found in Deerfield, NOT in Greenfield. Also, any probate or land/deed record relating to Greenfield prior to 1812 would be housed in Hampshire County with those from 1812 to the present being in Franklin County.
Franklin County DID NOT exist before 1812 (actually a few months earlier but 1812 is the accepted date). Before that it was part of Hampshire County, as were ALL the other counties of Western Massachusetts (Hampden, Berkshire and Franklin) before their specific founding. Hence, Hampshire is known as the mother county for W. Mass. This is significant as ALL the county records (especially PROBATE and DEEDS) are housed in the county in which the town was part of AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
Accordingly, it is crucial to know this as the ACTUAL location is necessary to know where to find records. Massachusetts, through the Secretary of State's office has occasionally published a history of counties, cities and towns that provides the founding dates of the counties, cities and towns and from whence they came. Anyone doing Massachusetts genealogy is strongly encouraged to inquire about obtaining this excellent resouce for this information. I'm sure this information exists (it must!) on a WEB site somewhere. Perhaps someone knows of such a site and can post it here.
Too often I see where people refer to a specific town as being in Franklin County even before that town or the county was in existence. Further, for example, its possible that someone was born in Deerfield in 1749 in an area of Deerfield that later became Greenfield which by 1812 would now be Franklin County but was initially Hampshire County. Genealogically it is incorrect to state that they were born in Greenfield when it was really Deerfield even though it became Greenfield later. The same is true for the county.
So please, when referring to a specific town or county which presently exists, MAKE SURE it actually existed during the time/year specified in the query.
Feel free to contact me with any comments. Thank you.
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