Bolton, formerly part of Lancaster, became a town in 1738. Besides Lancaster, the town is surrounded by Harvard, Stow, Hudson, Berlin, and Clinton. This collection includes twenty-seven volumes of town and vital records.

Bolton Town Meeting Records 1738-1778. Vol I. About 50 pages.
In its present form, the book contains town accounts of about 1781-1791. Perhaps it once was part of much larger book, about 420 pages, with records beginning 1738.

Town Accounts 1781-1784, pp 1-22

FICHE 1

Town Accounts 1783-1791, pp 23-ca 50

FICHE 2

Bolton Town Book of Records 1778-1812. Vol II. 659 pages.
This book contains town meeting minutes and associated records; including lists of jurors, town officers, political candidates, and perambulations. See page 115 for reference to a 1785 slave, and pages 203-204 for 1790 "warnings out". For topical indexing, see pages 1-2, 121, 242, 321, 343, and 658-659.

Town Records 1778-1781, pp 1-57

FICHE 3

Town Records 1781-1785, pp 58-126

FICHE 4

Town Records 1785-1789, pp 127-186

FICHE 5

Town Records 1789-1792, pp 187-246

FICHE 6

Town Records 1792-1794, pp 247-306

FICHE 7

Town Records 1794-1797, pp 307-365

FICHE 8

Town Records 1797-1800, pp 366-423

FICHE 9

Town Records 1801-1805, pp 424-573

FICHE 10

Town Records 1805-1810, pp 574-633

FICHE 11

Town Records 1810-1812, pp 634-659

FICHE 21

Bolton Town Records 1812-1846. Vol III. 538 pages.
Besides minutes of town meetings, this book includes perambulations, road descriptions, and other town business.

Town Records 1812-1816, pp 4-58

FICHE 12

Town Records 1816-1820, pp 59-118

FICHE 13

Town Records 1820-1824, pp 119-178

FICHE 14

Town Records 1824-1827, pp 179-237

FICHE 15

Town Records 1827-1830, pp 238-296

FICHE 16

Town Records 1830-1835, pp 297-355

FICHE 17

Town Records 1835-1839, pp 356-415

FICHE 18

Town Records 1839-1843, pp 416-475

FICHE 19

Town Records 1843-1845, pp 476-520

FICHE 20

Topical Index 1812-1845, pp 522-535

FICHE 20

Topical Index 1812-1845, pp 536-538

FICHE 21

Town Records 1810-1812, pp 634-659 (from above)

FICHE 21

Bolton Town Records 1846-1856. Vol IV. 264 pages.
This book include liquor licenses, fence agreements, and perambulations; as well as town meeting minutes. See pages 235-239 for a list of 1856 voters, and pages 228-238 and 249-252 for an 1856 inventory of books and documents in the town clerk’s office. Blank pages include 246-247 and 253-256.

Town Records 1846-1849, pp 1-55

FICHE 22

Town Records 1849-1852, pp 56-115

FICHE 23

Town Records 1852-1854, pp 116-175

FICHE 24

Town Records 1854-1856, pp 176-235

FICHE 25

Town Records 1856, pp 236-239

FICHE 26

Miscellaneous & [Topical] Index 1846-1856, pp 240-264

FICHE 26

Town Records 1857-1863; pp 232-254, 265-269 (from below)

FICHE 26

Topical Index 1856-1863, pp 255-264 (from below)

FICHE 26

Bolton Records 1856-1863. Vol V. 269 pages.
Besides minutes of town meetings, this book includes perambulations, liquor licenses, fence agreements, lists of jurors, roads descriptions, a list of 1859 voters (pp 237-241), and dog registrations of 1859-1861 (pp 247-254). Considerable space is devoted to the Civil War, including "war meetings" of 1861-1864 (pp 223-229) and names of 1861-1862 "volunteers" (pp 230-235). For a summary of "remarkable events" of 1855-1862, see page 267. Blank pages include 236, 244 and, perhaps, 262-263.

Town Records 1856-1858, pp 1-53

FICHE 27

Town Records 1858-1859, pp 54-111

FICHE 28

Town Records 1859-1862, pp 112-171

FICHE 29

Town Records 1862-1864; pp 172-219, 223-231

FICHE 30

Topical Index 1856-1863, pp 220-222

FICHE 30

Town Records 1857-1863; pp 232-254, 265-269

FICHE 26

Topical Index 1856-1863, pp 255-264

FICHE 26

Bolton Records 1864[-1872]. Vol VI. 365 pages.
List of town residents in this book include jurors, town servants, political candidates, 1864 voters ( pp 349-353); and Houghton school teachers of 1849-1877 (pp 357-358). Roads of 1867-1872 are described on pages 281-356, and the schedule for the 1861 school year appears on page 360. Blank pages include 348.

Topical Index 1864-1872

FICHE 31

Town Records 1864-1865, pp 1-29

FICHE 31

Town Records 1865-1866, pp 30-89

FICHE 32

Town Records 1866-1868, pp 90-149

FICHE 33

Town Records 1868-1870, pp 150-209

FICHE 34

Town Records 1870-1872, pp 210-269

FICHE 35

Town Records 1867-1868, 1871-1872, pp 270-329

FICHE 36

Town Records 1849-1872, pp 330-365

FICHE 37

Town Payments 1808-1809, 1793-1800, 1782-1788 (below)

FICHE 37

New Town Residents 1788-1795 (from below)

FICHE 37

Bolton Selectmen's Book of Orders for the Town 1784-1809. Abt 450 pages.
Most entries are payments to specific individual for providing town services or supplies.

Town Payments 1784-1790

FICHE 38

Town Payments 1790-1796

FICHE 39

Town Payments 1796-1801

FICHE 40

Town Payments 1801-1805

FICHE 41

Town Payments 1805-1808

FICHE 42

Town Payments 1808-1809, 1793-1800, 1782-1788

FICHE 37

New Town Residents 1788-1795

FICHE 37

Bolton Selectmen's Order Books 1809-1837. Abt 335 pages.
Payments to individuals for goods and services.

Town Payments 1809-1813

FICHE 43

Town Payments 1813-1816

FICHE 44

Town Payments 1817-1823

FICHE 45

Town Payments 1823-1830

FICHE 46

Town Payments 1830-1837

FICHE 47

Bolton Treasurer’s Records 1810-1846. Abt 55 pages.

Town Accounts 1810-1846

FICHE 48

Bolton [Town Accounts 1865-1886]. 290 pages.
Though mostly a record of selectmen’s orders for payment; this book also includes the town collector’s account of town receipts. The former identify many town residents, including those persons receiving state aid.

Town Payments 1865-1869, pp 1-53

FICHE 49

Town Payments 1869-1874, pp 54-113

FICHE 50

Town Payments 1874-1879, pp 114-173

FICHE 51

Town Payments 1879-1884, pp 174-231

FICHE 52

Town Payments 1884-1886; pp 232-259, 287-290

FICHE 53

Town Receipts 1865-1885, pp 260-280

FICHE 53

Bolton [Town Accounts 1791-1826]. Abt 275 pages.
These records of successive town treasurers show town income, tax abatements, and payments ordered by the selectmen for goods and services.

Town Payments 1791-1800

FICHE 54

Town Payments 1800-1810

FICHE 55

Town Payments 1810-1818

FICHE 56

Town Accounts 1818-1826, 1821-1822, 1810-1816

FICHE 57

Town Accounts 1816-1827, 1796-1808

FICHE 58

Bolton Day Book for the [Poor Farm] Establishment 1827-1834. Abt 185 pages.
Note that itemized expenses name each payee; the goods rendered; and services provided, including grave digging--sometimes with name of the deceased.

Poor Farm Expenses 1827-1830

FICHE 59

Poor Farm Expenses 1830-1833

FICHE 60

Poor Farm Expenses 1833, 1829-1831

FICHE 61

Poor Farm Expenses 1841-1844 (from below)

FICHE 61

Bolton [Poor Farm] Establishment Day Book 1834-1844. Abt 160 pages.

Poor Farm Expenses 1844, 1834-1838

FICHE 62

Poor Farm Expenses 1838-1845

FICHE 63

Poor Farm Expenses 1841-1844

FICHE 61

Bolton [Register of Mortgagees & Mortgagors 1806-1846]. Abt 88 pages.
Note that 1846 entries reference unpaid mortgages of earlier years.

Mortgagees & Mortgagors 1806-1845, pp 5-65

FICHE 64

Mortgagees & Mortgagors 1846, pp ca 66-88

FICHE 65

Personal Property Mortgages 1842, pp 142-149 (from below)

FICHE 65

Bolton Pew Deeds & Chattel Mortgages 1829-1842. 149 pages.

Pew Deeds & Index 1827-1842, pp 1-25

FICHE 66

Personal Property Mortgages 1832-1834, 1840-1841, pp <1-21

FICHE 66

Personal Property Mortgages 1834-1840, pp 22-81

FICHE 67

Personal Property Mortgages 1840-1842, pp 82-141

FICHE 68

Personal Property Mortgages 1842, pp 142-149

FICHE 65

Bolton [Personal Property] Mortgages 1842-1862. Vol. A. 241 pages.

Index to Personal Property Mortgages 1842-1862

FICHE 69

Personal Property Mortgages 1842-1843, pp 1-25

FICHE 69

Personal Property Mortgages 1844-1853, pp 26-85

FICHE 70

Personal Property Mortgages 1853-1857, pp 86-145

FICHE 71

Personal Property Mortgages 1857-1861, pp 146-203

FICHE 72

Personal Property Mortgages 1861-1862, pp 204-241

FICHE 73

Bolton Polls & Estates in 1860. Abt 40 pages.

Tax Valuations 1860

FICHE 74

Bolton Enrollment of Civil War Soldiers 1861-1865. Abt 19 pages.
Entries usually includes age, marital status, occupation, and state or country of birth. Though ages range from 20-44, most soldiers are younger than 35 years. Curiously, the last pages of this book contain a partial index to an unidentified volume of at least 410 pages; possibly it references Vol. 6 of the Bolton Town Records (1864-1872).

Military Enrollments 1862-1864

FICHE 75

Bolton [Church Certificates] 1817-1833. 36 pages.
In order to avoid the minister tax for the official town church, these residents obtained certificates of membership in other churches; e.g., Baptist, Methodist, Evangelical Congregational, and Universalist.

Tax-Exempt Church Members 1817-1833, pp 1-36

FICHE 76

Bolton Records: Births [& Deaths ca 1738-1844]. 201 pages.
The basis of these "revised" records are original volumes 1 (fiches 84-86), 2 (fiches 87-89) and 3A (fiche 90). Births were transcribed and arranged alphabetically in 1855; they extend from about 1727-1849. Deaths were reorganized in 1872, and range from about 1738-1870. For changes and additions to the original records, see the comments before each section. Supplementary data includes Houghton family data of 1658-1876 (pp 193-195), soldiers in the Revolutionary War (pp <188, 193-194, 198-201), deaths ca 1786-1829 (p 121), 1824 taxpayers (pp 197-198), ministers of the Baptist Society from 1832-1882 (p 196), and migration history of some townspeople (pp 189-190).

Births 1727-1849, pp 7-61, A-N

FICHE 77

Births 1738-1847, pp 62-121; N-W, B, F, G, H

FICHE 78

Births 1798-1847, pp 122-137; M, S, W

FICHE 79

Deaths 1738-1870, pp 141-187, A-W

FICHE 79

Deaths 1823-1834, pp 188 & 192, H

FICHE 83

Revolutionary War Soldiers; pp <188, 193-194, 198-201

FICHE 83

Bolton Records: Marriages [1739-1853]. 195 pages.
The basis of these "revised" records are original volumes 1 (fiche 86) and 2 (fiches 87-89); as well as now-missing volume 3B and, perhaps, other sources. They include marriages, marriage intentions, and out-of-town marriages.

Marriages 1742-1853, pp 1-55, Grooms A-M

FICHE 80

Marriages 1739-1853, pp 56-115, Grooms M-Y

FICHE 81

Marriages 1750-1853, pp 116-167; Grooms B-C, F-K, M, S, W

FICHE 82

Bride Index 1739-1853, pp 170-195, A-Y

FICHE 83

Deaths 1823-1834, pp 188 & 192, H (from above)

FICHE 83

Revolutionary War Soldiers; pp <188, 193-194, 198-201 (above)

FICHE 83

Bolton Record of Marriages, Births, and Deaths 1738-1781. Vol 1. 172 pages.
Note some dates before 1738 and after 1781. For alphabetized transcriptions that are documented to this volume, see fiches 77-83.

Births 1726-1761, 1789; pp 1-59

FICHE 84

Births 1742-1777, pp 60-130

FICHE 85

Deaths 1727, 1756-1777; pp 60-129

FICHE 85

Births 1738-1782, pp 131-143

FICHE 86

Deaths 1778-1781; pp 134, 140, 142

FICHE 86

Marriages 1745-1781, pp 143-172

FICHE 86

Bolton First Parish Book of Records 1778-[1836]. Book 2. 171 pages.
This book includes births of about 1759-1836, marriages of about 1781-1836, and marriage intentions of about 1787-1836. Additionally, deaths of 1785-1852, and perhaps earlier, are interspersed among the birth records. Miscellaneous records include reports of stray animals 1803-1837, Quakers of 1798-1802, and tax-exempt church members of 1812-1815. For alphabetized transcriptions that are documented to the vital records in this volume, see fiches 77-83.

Parish Meeting Minutes 1778-1784, pp 1-29

FICHE 87

Vital Records 1759-1794, pp 30-52

FICHE 87

Vital Records 1766-1845, pp 53-111

FICHE 88

Vital Records 1782-1852, pp 112-165

FICHE 89

Miscellaneous Records 1798-1837, pp ca 166-171

FICHE 89

Bolton Book of Records of Births and Deaths 1835-1844. Vol 3 A. 52 pages.
This book includes births of 1743-1763 and 1796-1848, and deaths of 1780 and 1823-1859. Find indexes on pages 14-25, but note that all births and deaths may not be referenced, especially the earliest dates. Lost pages include 30-31. A companion volume, 3B, is also missing. For alphabetized transcriptions that are documents to volumes 3A and 3B, see fiches 77-83.

Births & Deaths 1743-1859 & Indexes, pp 1-52

FICHE 90

[Bolton Book of Records of Marriages abt 1835-1844.] Vol 3B.
This book could not be located for filming.

Bolton Register: [Births] 1844-[1868, Marriages 1844-1856, Deaths 1844-1869]. Vol I.  Also referenced as "Volume the First (folio)".

Index to Births 1844-1868, pp <1, 34

FICHE 91

Births 1836, 1844-1861; pp 1-17

FICHE 91

Births 1861-1868, pp 18-34

FICHE 92

Marriages 1844-1855, pp 1-6

FICHE 92

Marriages 1855-1856, pp 7-8

FICHE 93

Deaths 1844-1866, pp 1-23

FICHE 93

Deaths 1867-1869; pp 24-27, 39

FICHE 94

Index to Deaths 1844-1869, pp 29-36

FICHE 94

Index to Marriages 1844-1856, A-W (from below)

FICHE 94

Bolton Marriages [1856-1918]. Folio Volume, the 2^nd. 65 pages.
Though names in the index below are referenced to all 65 pages of this book, note that this fiche publication includes only pages 1-53.

Marriages 1856-1876, pp 1-23

FICHE 95

Marriages 1877-1901, pp 24-48

FICHE 96