Andover genealogists and historical researchers can celebrate a new digital collection of Saint Augustine's Parish Baptism and Confirmation records available through the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS). The collection spans from 1862 when the newly formed and rapidly growing parish was under the direction of Pastor Michael F. Gallagher, O.S.A. until 1892, by which time Father Maurice J. Murphy, O.S.A. led the church's move to its current Essex Street home.  Memorial Hall Library offers in-house access to the Historic Catholic Records Online Project through its subscription to the highly regarded American Ancestors genealogy database from NEHGS.

About the Historic Catholic Records Online Project

In 2017, NEHGS and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston announced a multi-year collaboration to create an online searchable database of millions of sacramental records from over 100 parishes across greater Boston. The project represents the first time a significant number of sacramental records from any U.S.-based archdiocese have been made available in an online digital format. To date the project includes indexed and image-only content from more than thirty parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston.  The Saint Augustine's historical documents are not indexed yet and are only available as browsable images. Name searchable records will be available at a later date. 

For help browsing and researching these valuable sacramental records, watch this helpful video from NEHGS or contact the Local History Librarian Stephanie Aude.