The Chelmsford Historical Society has a photo library which includes images of  family life, homes, businesses and celebrations from the time of the Civil War to the mid 1900's. The photo library index is included here with reduced size files for research and enjoyment. If digital print quality masters are needed, they can be acquired by arrangement through chelmhist@comcast.net, provided the source is appropriately credited.

The Society archives also contain genealogical information on many of the early families who lived in town and historical information regarding the town of Chelmsford from its founding.

Local History

• 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

Some biographical information on our earliest families is provided here through the associated links.

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.

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. For genealogical information, please see: 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. The family genealogy of Simon Fiske and his descendants can be found here.

Fletcher

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 museum shop.

The archives include many items relating to the Spalding family, including the Spalding Memorial by Charles Warren Spalding published in 1896.

The archives also include a list of internments in the Forefathers Burying Ground. See our publications for additional materials that are available from the museum shop.

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