Our library includes
published vital records for most of the 312 towns in Massachusetts. "The
History of Martha's Vineyard" and "The History of Nantucket" are
supplemented by a large collection of published and mss. genealogies. Often consulted
are the Martha's Vineyard Directories from 1897, 1907, 1910 and 1911.
- The Roy Norton Card File of Island
families continues the genealogical data published in Charles Banks' "History
of Martha's Vineyard." The card file initially prepared by Roy Norton covers
ca. 1820 to the current day and has been frequently updated. Islanders are invited
to look at their own family record and offer corrections to our files. All corrections
have source and date entered
- Published genealogies
and mss genealogies on Island and related families. We were selected to receive
"The Luce Genealogy" by Martha McCourt (in five large volumes). New
mss. works are "Jackson Family" by Herb Ward and "Baptiste Family"
by Kathryn Stewart. Both Island authors have written materials on other families,
cemetery records, and church history, also in our library.
- Transcripts
of gravestones and other records for Island cemeteries, including burials on private
property, most are indexed. Some town records are more extensive than others.
Collection also includes some off-Island cemeteries where early Islanders are
buried.
- Census records for the Island (County
of Dukes County) include 1790-1870. 1850 Census for Martha's Vineyard is indexed.
1860 and 1870 Censuses for Tisbury are indexed by C. Baer and for Edgartown by
C. M. Mayhew.) The Island (and the County) were composed of only the 3 towns of
Tisbury, Edgartown, and Chilmark until 1872.
- Important
to any genealogy collection are Indexes: "Deaths in Tisbury 1850-1875"
by Chris Baer, annotated. "Deaths in the Vineyard Gazette 1850-1875",
by C. Baer. "Index to marriages and deaths in the Vineyard Gazette from 1884
to 1939" (partially indexed by Chris Baer from data of Kathryn Stewart).
"Every Name Index" by Richard and Norma Hagen and by C. Mayhew. The
Hagens indexed large families such as Cottle, Coffin, Luce, Mayhew, Norton, Pease,
etc., found in Banks' Vol. III and Roy Norton Card File.
- Other
collections contain:
Harriet M. Pease material on various Island families,
transcribed by C.M.Mayhew and Anna Tomlinson. Wills and abstracts of wills. Obituaries
for Island natives as well as visitors and family records. Data found on local
Indian families. Portuguese American families on Martha's Vineyard. 110 whaling
captains of Edgartown. Results of research done on specific families The
MVM's archival collection include deeds, scrapbooks, newspapers, maps, and many,
many photographs. We have Bible Records and Marriage Certificates and Baptismal
Records and Diaries and Letters and more!  An
Index of the Museum's Quarterly Journal "The Dukes County Intelligencer"
is now available online.
Click
here to download as a .pdf file. 
Back
issues of the Intelligencer are available for $10 plus tax (MA) and $1.95
per issue shipping & handling. Back issues are also available in the Huntington
Research Library during open hours.
Genealogist Catherine
Mayhew will do Island research for a donation of $25 per hour ($50. per hour for
off-site research) plus copies and mailing costs. Museum members receive the
first hour of research free. If you cannot visit our library, you may email Catherine
at
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