Vital Records of Methuen, Massachusetts to the Year 1850
Published by the Topsfield Historical SocietyTopsfield, Mass., 1909
Newcomb & GaussPrintersSalem, Massachusetts
EXPLANATIONS.The following records of births, marriages and deaths include
all entries to be found in the books of record kept by the town clerks; in the church
records; in the cemetery inscriptions; and in many private records found in family
Bibles. These records are printed in a condensed form in which every essential particular
has been preserved. All duplication of the town clerks' record has been eliminated,
but differences in entry and other explanatory matter appear in brackets. Parentheses
are used when they occur in the original record; also to indicate the maiden name
of a wife.When places other than Methuen and Massachusetts are named
in the original records, they are given in the printed copy. Marriages and
intentions of marriage are printed under the names of both parties. In all records
the original spelling of names is followed and in the alphabetical arrangement the
various forms should be examined, as items about the same family may be found under
different spellings.
METHUEN.The town of Methuen is composed of a part of what was formerly Haverhill,
together with adjoining common lands. On December 8, 1725, the General Court
passed an Act "That the West part of said Town of Haverhill with the land adjoining
be, and hereby are set off and constituted a separate Township by the name of Methuen."The first town meeting was held March 9, 1725-6, and in 1728-9 Rev.
Christopher Sargent, the first minister, was settled.April 17, 1847, a part of the town was included in the new town of Lawrence,
and April 4, 1854, a part was annexed to Lawrence.
The population of Methuen at different periods was as follows :
1765, 933.
1820, 1,371.
1776, 1,326.
1830, 2,006.
1790, 1,297.
1840, 2,251.
1800, 1,253.
1850, 2,538.
1810, 1,181.
1900, 7,512.
ABBREVIATIONS
a.-age.
abt.-about.
b.-born.
bef.-before.
bet.-between.
bp.-baptized.
bur.-buried.
C. R. 1.-First Congregational Church Records.
ch.-child.
chn.-children.
Co.-county.
d.-daughter; day; died.
Dea.-deacon.
dup.-duplicate entry.
G. R. 1.-gravestone record, Old Burying Ground, on Meeting House
Hill.
G. R. 2.-gravestone record, Village Burying Ground.
G. R. 3.-gravestone record, Elmwood Cemetery.
h.-husband ; hour.
inf.-infant.
int.-intention of marriage.
jr.-junior.
m.-male; married; month.
P. R. 1.-Record kept by Dr. Alfred Poor, now in possession of the Essex
Institute.
P. R. 2.-Record now in possession of Daniel H. Sawyer.
P. R. 3.-Bible record now in possession of Daniel H. Sawyer.
P. R. 4.-Bible record now in possession of Miss Albianna H. Howe.
P. R. 5.-Bible record now in possession of Miss Annette Corliss.
P. R. 6.-Bible record now in possession of Miss Emma Gage.
P. R. 7.-Bible record now in possession of John Clark.
P. R. 8.-Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Mary Griffin.
P. R. 9.-Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Mary Bailey.
P. R. 10.-Family record now in possession of Mrs. Granville Foss.
P. R. 11.-Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Aaron Huse.
P. R. 12.-Family record now in possession of Mrs. Enoch Griffin.
P. R. 13.-Bible record now in possession of Charles Sawyer.
P. R. 14.-Record now in possession of Mrs. Helen S. Gordon.
P. R. 15.-Family record now in possession of Mrs. Hugh Smith.
P. R. 16.-Manuscript record now in possession of Mrs. Enoch Griffin.
P. R. 17.-Bible record now in possession of Historical Society of Methuen.
P. R. 18.-Bible record now in possession of Josiah W. Bodwell.
P. R. 19.-Bible record now in possession of Mrs. M. A. Hildreth, Yonkers,
N. Y.
P. H. 20.-Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Abby Kenison.
P. R. 21.-Family record now in possession of Mrs. Charles Goldsmith.
P. R. 22.-Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Charles Goldsmith.
P. R. 23.-Bible record now in possession of Mrs. Rebecca Whittier.
rec.-recorded.
s.-son.
sr.-senior.
T. C.-town copy.
unm.-unmarried.
w.-wife; week.
wid.-widow.
widr.-widower.
y.-year.