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

Marriages 1902-1906, pp 49-53

FICHE 97

Index to Marriages 1844-1856, A-W

FICHE 94

Index to Marriages 1856-1918; A-Z, B

FICHE 97

Bolton Register of the Births [1864-1918] and Deaths [1869-1919]. Vol II.
Also referenced as Vol. 2^nd (Folio). Though this book contains 86 pages of births and 51 pages of deaths, note that the last 13 pages or so of each are not included in this fiche publication. Indexes reference names to page.

Voters 1868-1869, 1874, 1820, 1836; pp 2-12

FICHE 98

Index to Births 1864-1918, pp 11-36

FICHE 98

Births 1864-1873, pp 37-40

FICHE 98

Births 1873-1897, pp 41-65

FICHE 99

Births 1898-1905, pp 66-73

FICHE 100

Deaths 1869-1882, pp 1-13

FICHE 100

Deaths 1882-1906, pp 14-38

FICHE 101

Voters 1876, 1 pp

FICHE 102

Index to Deaths 1869-1919, pp 62-74; B-W, B

FICHE 102

Interments from Other Towns 1855-1917, pp 77-84

FICHE 102

Bolton Marriages, Births, & Deaths [1728-1782]. Vol 1.

Births & Deaths 1728-1760 (1-66)

FICHE 1T

Births & Deaths 1741-1782 (66-143)

FICHE 2T

Marriages 1746-1769 (143-158)

FICHE 2T

Marriages 1763-1781 (158-172)

FICHE 3T

Bolton Book of Records of Births, Deaths, & Marriages [1761-1845]. Vol 2.

Births & Deaths 1761-1845 (30-73)

FICHE 3T

Marriages 1781-1798 (32-73)

FICHE 3T

Marriage Intentions 1787-1797 (40-74)

FICHE 3T

Marriages 1805-1821 (83-89, 117-122)

FICHE 4T

Births & Deaths 1782-1821 (90-121)

FICHE 4T

Marriage Intentions 1803-1821 (98-123)

FICHE 4T

Intentions 1821-1836 (123-163)

FICHE 5T

Births & Deaths 1782-1845 (125-152)

FICHE 5T

Marriages 1803-1836 (128-165)

FICHE 5T

Bolton Births & Deaths 1835-1844. Vol 3A.

Births & Deaths 1811-1840 (1-5)

FICHE 5T

Births & Deaths 1743-1848 (6-12, 32-51)

FICHE 6T

Bolton [Marriages & Intentions 1836-1844]. Vol 3B.

Intentions 1836-1850 (1-27)

FICHE 6T

Marriages 1835-1844, 1791, 1818, 1846 (92-102)

FICHE 6T

Bolton Births & Deaths from Revised Records 1804-1844.
Compiled by the town clerk to supplement and correct earlier records.

Births & Deaths 1796-1849 (17, 61-77, 109-137, 162-165)

FICHE 7T

Births & Deaths 1775-1843 (165-192)

FICHE 7T

Bolton Revised Records of Marriages 1738-1844, Intentions 1738-1753.
Note that the title differs from the actual contents. Further, while most listings of out-of-town marriages stop at 1799, a few later entries are included here.

Out-of-Town Marriages 1739-1799+ (4-167)

FICHE 7T

Bolton Register of Births, Marriages, Deaths 1844-[1849]. Vol 1.

Births 1836, 1844-1849, (1-5)

FICHE 8T

Marriages 1844-1849; Deaths 1844-1849

FICHE 8T