The following exhibits include items which have been entered into our Past Perfect archival management data base:
Hint: To return here from this group of exhibits, select Home, then click on the Historical Society logo.

DOCUMENTS
(Available for research by appointment only.)

GLASS PLATE NEGATIVES
(High resolution masters are available. See our Use Policy for details.)

LIBRARY
(Available for research by appointment only.)

OBJECTS
(Available for viewing during scheduled tours.)

PHOTO PRINTS
(High resolution masters are available. See our Use Policy for details.)

POSTCARDS
(High resolution masters are available. See our Use Policy for details.)

These photographic prints were scanned as part of team effort between U-Lowell, Chelmsford Telemedia and the Chelmsford Historical Society:

PHOTO PRINTS
(High resolution masters are available. See our Use Policy for details.)

Oral History interviews were conducted by several groups over a number of decades:

ORAL HISTORY
(Listen to the .MP3 audio files here.)

The Chelmsford Public Library and Chelmsford Historical Society collaborated to digitize Annual Town Reports (1875 to the present):

TOWN OF CHELMSFORD ANNUAL REPORTS
(These are located on the archive.org website)

Local history regarding the town of Chelmsford from its founding:

Indians

Early Indian Deeds

The Social Library

Rules for Teachers  - 1872

Words of Wisdom from Ben Franklin

Forefathers Burying Ground

Name of Chelmsford

Historic Locations

Baseball

Adams and Liberty

The Parkhurst Sword

Diary of Daniel Byam

Genealogy Links for some of our earliest families:

Adams

Henry Adams was the progenitor of the Adams family in America. He was born in Barton David, England and died October 6, 1646 in Braintree, Massachusetts. Henry married Edith Squire and they had nine children. Three of his sons also emigrated, and later moved to Chelmsford: Thomas (1612-1688), Samuel (1616/17-1690), and John (1622-1706).

The Adams obelisk stands at the top of the hill in the center of the burying ground. Our town histories contain many references to the Adams family and Touring the Forefathers Burying Ground, has a brief sketch on the Adams family and numerous descendants  of Henry Adams are buried in the Forefathers Burying Ground.

Brackett

The Brackett family was said to be from Wales. Capt. Richard Bracket, born 1610, was a member of the Boston Church in 1631/2, dismissed to the Braintree Church, Oct. 5, 1641. He is also mentioned in the petition for land, Oct. 1, 1645, along with Edward Spalding. Richard's brother, Peter, born in 1612, Deputy & Magistrate, also lived in Braintree. See also, The Pioneers of Massachusetts, Pope, 1900 and the Brackett Genealogy, by H. I. Brackett.

Byam

In 1835, Ezekial Byam was the first to commercially produce Lucifer matches in this country, replacing the flint and tinder method of lighting fires. One hundred matches sold for 25¢. One lit the match by drawing it through a piece of bent sandpaper. His son, Ezekial, continued the business of manufacturing matches, which is still known as the Diamond Match Company. The following verse was printed on the wrapper:

For quickness and sureness the public will find
These matches will leave all others behind;
Without further remarks we invite you to try 'em,
Remember all good that are signed by
E. Byam

George Adams Parkhurst compiled a book, Nights at the Round Table, that contains a short sketch entitled the "Matchmaker." This publication is available through our Museum Shop, along with the Civil War diary of Daniel Byam.

Fiske

Rev. John Fiske was the first minister in the town. The History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts by Rev. Wilson Waters has been scanned and OCR'ed. This history provides wonderful information on both John Fiske and the early settlers of Chelmsford.

Fletcher

Samuel Fletcher was the son of William Fletcher and Lydia Bates, born in 1656 in Chelmsford. William was one of the proprietors of the town and the first town meeting was held at his house on Crosby Lane, Nov. 22, 1654. The society has genealogical data on the Fletcher family and the two histories of Chelmsford contain considerable information on the early Fletchers. Our publication, Touring the Forefathers Burying Ground, also has a short sketch on Oliver Fletcher.

Hildreth

Richard Hildreth, the ancestor of the New England Hildreths, was born in the north of England in 1605, the year of the Gunpowder Plot, a date fixed by the inscription on his gravestone in Chelmsford, Mass. He was therefore fifteen years
old at the sailing of the Mayflower.

The Early Hildreths of New England, written by Arthur Hildreth, was originally privately printed in 1894. It was read before the reunion of the Hildreth family at Chelmsford on June 16th, 1894.

Kidder

John Kidder of Chelmsford, MA, was born in Cambridge, MA in 1655/6 and died at Chelmsford before Oct. 7, 1731. Additional information was provide by members of this family.

Richardson

Ezekial Richardson was a follower of Anne Hutchinson and John Wheelwright in 1637 along with many members of the Boston Church during the Antinonmian Controversy. His name was included on the remonstrances in Wheelwright's favor, but was later "erased" when the Court found him guilty of sedition.  Although we do not currently have a copy of this document, it is likely that other persons from Chelmsford also supported Wheelwright.

Robbins

George Robbins was one of the first settlers of Chelmsford. George Robbins' farm was in the southern part of Chelmsford near Great Brook Farm is located. He owned a mill on Curve Street in Carlisle, MA.

Spalding

Edward Spalding was progenitor of this family and was residing in Braintree on May 13, 1640. On this day, he became a freeman, meaning he was a member of the established church, entitling him to serve in some governmental capacity, to be a magistrate, to receive land grants, and to serve on a jury. In 1645, his name appeared on the petition for the Chelmsford land grant and he was present at the first town meeting on Nov. 22, 1654. The Spalding Memorial, by Charles Warren Spalding (published in 1896, and republished as a centennial edition in 1996) is available through the Chelmsford Historical Society. Please see our publications page for price and ordering information.

If you have family information you would like to share with us, please feel to contribute!