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Sullivan County,
New Hampshire Charlestown Genealogy |
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Sullivan County,
New Hampshire Charlestown Genealogy |
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| Charlestown has a new web site host and a new look. Up until now, Mr. James Streeter, had created and maintained this Charlestown site for almost 10 years. Now Mr. Streeter has decided to retire, We are grateful to him for all of his good work and dedication. The Streeter family is well-known in the community, so his name will not be forgotten. Enter Joyce Higgins....... |
| We are most fortunate that the President of the Charlestown Historical Society has agreed to become our NEW host. This is an extension of her present duties at the Historical Society.. We are now able to offer, site users, and researchers, a dream situation. Joyce Higgins a local resident, and she is already involved, in Charlestown history and genealogy. Now you will see new additions, facilities, up-to-date reference material, and new reference sources. Welcome to Joyce Higgins, our NEW host. |
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Charlestown National Register District of Historic Places--Main Street |
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Charlestown’s Main Street is the longest National Register
District in New Hampshire. Wonderful old homes and buildings,
dating to the 1700s and early 1800s line the street. The
district was placed on the register in 1987. Information is
available online at
www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/NH/sullivan/state.html
and
Two “Walkabout” booklets are available to anyone wanting a guide to the Main Street houses. Both the original “Walkabout” booklet (primarily concerned with buildings’ exteriors), and the “Walkabout--Second Time Around” (primarily concerned with buildings’ interiors) are available from the Charlestown Historical Society for $2.00 each plus postage. More information about these houses will be found in the Second History of further down on this web site. |
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North Charlestown National Register District of Historic Places |
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.History of Charlestown, N. H. Plantation No. 4, which eventually became Charlestown, was originally chartered by Massachusetts in 1735. No. 4 was the farthest north, and the most exposed, in a chain of four settlements which were created primarily to protect the western Massachusetts towns that were often the target of Indian attacks. When the French and Indian Wars took place, the settlers in this vulnerable outpost pulled several houses together, built a palisade to protect them, and created the Fort at No. 4--a fortified village, not a military fort. Life at the fort was dangerous and hard until King Philips’s War finally ended. Since the area settled was actually in New Hampshire, the town was chartered by New Hampshire in 1753, and named Charlestown. At one time, so many noted lawyers and judges resided in the town that it was known as the most important law center north of Boston. The rude frontier outpost became a cultured village of gracious homes. During the 1800s, the town was a destination for summer visitors who stayed in the many large hotels. Today, Charlestown is located in what is called the “Quiet Corner” of New Hampshire, surrounded by hills, beside the Connecticut River. It is still a small town with under 5,000 people. It is a fine place to live or visit, and the town retains many of its wonderful historic features. Proud of its history, the town has retained many records of its earlier days, and has many resources for those seeking information about their forebears.
Two
histories have been written about the town, and plans are being
made for a third volume. Anyone with ties to Charlestown
should have both volumes of its history. A real feel for
the past and the times our ancestors lived in, as they built the
town and the country are recorded, as well as many personal
sidelights about various people in the village. It is
fascinating reading. |
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Rev. Henry H. Saunderson wrote and published this history of early Charlestown in 1876. This volume is an invaluable resource, beginning in the days of the first settlers, and the French and Indian Wars, and continuing through the 1800s. It has a well-researched genealogical section. The history has been reprinted in hard cover, and is available from the town. To order, send $30.00 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling to the Town of Charlestown, Attn: Marlene, P.O. Box 385, Charlestown, NH 03603. Some of the pages are available online.
A
comprehensive index to Saunderson’s History of Charlestown,
prepared by Jan Marasch in May 1999, is available online at
www.usroots.com/~usgwnhus/sullivan/chrstwn1.htm. This is a
large file and may take a little time to load. A great
genealogical resource, this index lists every mention of
individuals named in Saunderson’s History. |
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Frizzell’s
Second History of Charlestown Martha Frizzell, and others, wrote and published this second history in 1955. This book briefly covers the early period detailed by Saunderson, then continues on from 1876 to 1955. It covers the growth of the town, property ownership from early days, organizations, businesses, and has a genealogical section that emphasizes the inhabitants during the 1876-1955 time period. This history has been reprinted in hard cover, and is available from the town. To order, send $20.00 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling to the Town of Charlestown, Attn: Marlene, P.O. Box 385, Charlestown, NH 03603. A comprehensive Index to Frizzell’s Second History of Charlestown was prepared by Robin Van Mechelen in 2006, is currently being printed and will be available from the Charlestown Historical Society. This index taps into the rich sources of genealogical information scattered throughout the book under various headings. Contact the Charlestown Historical Society for price and availability. |
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Charlestown
Selectboard Offices (Town Offices) |
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Charlestown
Heritage Commission |
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History, Genealogy, and Town:
Charlestown Historical Society, P.O. Box 159, Charlestown,
NH 03603 Joyce Higgins, President, email
Joycehnh@cs.com,
phone 603-826-9726 Our Archives Room, at the Town Hall, Summer
Street, is open every Tuesday morning from 9:00 a.m. to noon
for researchers. We have many research sources, including
all the cemetery listings for Charlestown. Written, emailed, or phoned inquiries to the society will be researched through the sorted materials and the town histories for a small donation, as time permits. The society holds monthly meetings with programs of historical interest, and has occasional special events. Guests are always welcome. For a brochure of programs, contact the historical society. The society does not have a web site.
Membership dues, annually, are $5.00 per individual or $8.00 per
family. Other membership categories are: $25 Contributing
Member, $100 Sustaining Member, and $500 Lifetime Member.
The society has some old Town Reports ($2.00), Walkabout
Booklets ($2.00), and postcards ($1.00), plus postage, for
sale. Two postcards are available: Charlestown Schoolhouse No.
8 or Scenes of Charlestown. See more about the Walkabout
Booklets under the Charlestown Main Street National Register
District heading. |
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Open houses at the schoolhouse are scheduled for October 8, 2006, May 27, 2007, and October 7, 2007. The society is also always glad to open the school for tours by groups or individuals. Contact the society for information. |
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Charlestown Vital Records (births, marriages, deaths)
These
records, from the 1700s to present, are located in the Town
Clerk’s office. Records are incomplete due to several factors,
including a fire. Town Reports often contain vital records, and
Saunderson’s History lists early marriages and marriage bonds.
The genealogy sections of both town histories contain much
information. The Charlestown Historical Society maintains files
of local newspaper clippings of births, marriages, obituaries,
and miscellaneous information clipped from local sources. |
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Charlestown Town Reports
Annual Town
and School Reports are available at the Town Clerk’s Office,
Silsby Free Public Library, and the Charlestown Historical
Society. Reports from 1852 to 2006 are available (a few years
are missing), and the historical society will do lookups. Many
of the reports contain vital records (births, marriages, deaths)
for the previous year. The earliest printed reports do not list
vital records. Town reports prior to 1852 are in hand-written
volumes in the Town Clerk’s office.
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Walking Trails
The Elms Hotel circa 1868 |
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OTHER LINKS OF
INTEREST
Claremont Chamber of Commerce - click on the name..... |
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Charlestown's Fort at No. 4
Springfield Road,
P.O. Box 336, Charlestown, NH 03743 603-826-5700
Information available via US
Mail:
The Old No. 4, embracing the part borne by its inhabitants in the Indian, French And Revolutionary Wars, and the Vermont Controversy. Also Genealogies and Sketches of Families, from its settlement to 1876. by Rev. Henry H
Saunderson, printed for the Town by The Claremont Manufacturing Company,
Claremont, N. H. 1876, reprinted 1985. |
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Town Archives
Silsby Free Public Library also has historical resources and photos of the town. Historic photos and other archival material are in the process of being stored electronically and will be available to the public via an online index at some time in the future. Call 603-826-7793 for library hours and services available. Information on early families and the French and Indian War period may be found at the Fort at No. 4 |
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Deed Research
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If you know a Charlestown link that would be appropriate to add to this page, please mailto:joycehnh@cs.com
The Fort at No. 4
Springfield Road, P.O. Box
336
Charlestown, NH 03603
603-826-5700 |
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Charlestown Military Information
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Other Charlestown Historical
Information Online |
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Charlestown Cemetery Records
The photo shows "Voices From the Past", a
cemetery walk event the Charlestown Historical Society held in June 2006 to
bring former Charlestown residents to life. The characters told of their lives
in the past in Charlestown. Over 100 visitors came to meet their former
"neighbors.
It was very
successful. No doubt that it will be
repeated in the future. Attendees also came from other New England states. |
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Additionally,
there is a North
Charlestown National Register District of Historic Places.
North Charlestown Village on River Road (Route 12-A) in North
Charlestown was placed on the National Register in 2005. This
small farming village is notable for its early buildings (late
1700s, early 1800s), and for surviving the centuries with very
little change. Further information is available
online.
Information can also be obtained at other places like the Town Offices, Silsby Free Public
Library, and the Charlestown Historical Society. Frizzell’s Second History
Charlestown also has information about this area.
Silsby
Free Public Library Hours vary
seasonally. 
Little Red
Schoolhouse, District No. 8 
Sullivan County Genealogy Project 
