About the Index to Vital Records listed in Amherst Town ReportsAmherst, Hillsborough County, New HampshireBy Jackie
Marshall 2003
In Amherst, New Hampshire, an annual report is published containing information about the management of the town affairs. Beginning with the 1885 issue (containing the report for the year ending 1884), a list of the births, marriages, and deaths that had been registered with the town clerk was included. Over the years this list fluctuates with varying amounts of information as outlined below.
On this Web site we have included indexes to the vital records as published in the town reports. We have not verified any data against the primary records in the town hall. A quick comparison to headstones in the cemetery indicates that there are frequent differences regarding exact dates and the spelling of names. These unofficial indexes are a finding-aid for people who are researching their family history. If your ancestor is found in this index, there is a good chance that there is a record of the event at the Amherst Town Hall or at the Office of Vital Statistics in Concord, New Hampshire. We recommend that you always consult the primary record.
A decision was made by the board of the Historical Society of Amherst to limit this index on our Web site, though the Town Reports have been published each year continuously to the present date and are available to the public at the Amherst Town Library. We are following the example set by the federal government. The US Census through 1930 and the Social Security Death Index are both open to the public and available on-line. We have indexed births and marriages from 1884 to 1930 and deaths from 1884 to 1984. As time permits these may be extended.
Please note that even though the record of a birth, marriage or death was registered in the town of Amherst, the event did not always take place in Amherst. Some of the lists do not indicate the name of the place where the event occurred; seemingly indicating that it took place in Amherst. After reviewing the lists that do record the exact name of the place, it is obvious that we must take care not to make this assumption. Generally speaking almost all of the births from 1899 – 1923 took place in Amherst. The birthplace is not listed from 1924 - 1930, but many people eventually went to Nashua and Manchester hospitals for the births of their children. Death places are similarly reflected in this trend. Marriage places are the most unpredictable throughout the years. There are some years when the majority of the registered marriages in Amherst took place somewhere else, another good reason to search for the primary document.
A word about using the indexes; we found it too time consuming to index each entry by every name. For example: a woman’s death record is indexed by her surname at the time of her death, it may also include both of her parent’s surnames. Use the ‘Find (on this page)’ menu option under the Edit menu (Microsoft Internet Explorer) to locate names that are not in alphabetical order. Press Ctrl F and type the name you are searching into the box, click ‘Find Next’ and it will lead you through the index highlighting every entry with the surname you have entered. Remember to check spelling variations and to search every page.
We hope that this index will give you many clues to further your
research. Good luck!
Amherst
Town Reports, Vital Records, Specific Data by Year
BIRTHS1884: birth date; name of child; names of parents including mother’s maiden name 1885 – 1897: birth date; name of child; names of parents, mother’s maiden name not included 1898: birth date; name of child; sex; living/stillborn; number of child in the family [first, second, third, etc]; name of father; mother’s maiden name; race; residence of parents; occupation of father; birthplace of father; birthplace of mother 1899 – 1921: birth date; birthplace; name of child; sex; living/stillborn; number of child in the family; name of father; mother’s maiden name; race; residence of parents; occupation of father; birthplace of father; birthplace of mother 1921 – 1923: birth date; birthplace; name of child; name of father; mother’s maiden name; birthplace of father; birthplace of mother 1924 – 1930: birth date; name of child; name of father; maiden name of mother
MARRIAGESThe bride’s surname is her name at the time of marriage, not necessarily her maiden name. Marriages registered in Amherst did not always take place in the town. 1884 – 1897: date of marriage; names of groom & bride; residence of each 1898 – 1917: date and place of marriage; names of groom & bride; residence of each at time of marriage; age; race; occupation of each; birth place of each; names of their parents; occupation of parents [not always recorded]; number of marriage [first or second etc]; name, residence & official station of person by whom married. 1918: date and place of marriage; names of groom & bride; residence of each at time of marriage; age; occupation of each; place of birth of each; names of parents; birthplaces of parents; condition [single or widowed]; name, residence & station of person by whom married. 1919: date and place of marriage; names of groom & bride; residence of each at time of marriage; age; occupation of each; place of birth of each; names of parents; birthplaces of parents; occupation of parents [when noted]; name, residence & station of person by whom married. 1920 – 1921: date and place of marriage; names of groom & bride; residence of each at time of marriage; age of each; occupation of each; place of birth of each; names of parents; birthplace of parents; occupation of parents; number of marriage; name, residence & station of person by whom married. 1922 – 1923: date and place of marriage; names of groom & bride; residence of each at time of marriage; age; name of parents; birthplace of parents; name, residence & station of person by whom married. 1924 – 1930: date and place of marriage; names of parties; name of party performing ceremony.
DEATHS – Registered in the town of AmherstDeaths registered in Amherst may not all have taken place in the town. 1884 – 1897: date of death, name, age [1886 gives some relationships] 1898 – 1917: date of death, name, age, place of birth, sex, race, marital condition, occupation, name of father, maiden name of mother, place of birth of parents 1918 – 1921: date and place of death, name, age, place of birth, sex, marital condition, occupation, name of father, maiden name of mother, place of birth of parents. 1922 – 1923: date and place of death, name, age, name of father, maiden name of mother, place of birth of parents 1924 – 1943: date of death, name, age, name of father, maiden name of mother 1944 – 1948: date and place of death, name, age, name of father, maiden name of mother, birth place of parents [1946 includes an * indicating persons buried in Amherst] 1949 – 1989: date and place of death, name, age, name of father, maiden name of mother
DEATHS - Brought from away & buried in Amherst1884 – 1887: date, place of death, name, age1888: no list of out of town deaths 1889 – 1890: name, place of death, date 1891 – 1892 & 1894: name, place of death 1893: no list of out of town deaths 1895 – 1901: name only 1902 – 1932: no list out of town deaths 1933 – 1943: name, place of death 1944 – 1997: date of death, place of death, name of deceased, age, name of cemetery
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