Acton, Massachusetts — Books & Manuscripts

Unless otherwise noted, the following are available at the Acton Memorial Library.

Acton Congregational Church

A Brief history of the Acton Congregational Church
1982

Baptisms and list of persons admitted to the church, 1738-1820
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Records of parish meetings, 1738-1818
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Church records, 1832-1910
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Church records, 1832-1932
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Births, intentions, marriages, deaths, 1734-1853
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Acton Historical Commission

Acton Center Historic District: materials describing the properties included
1983

Acton, Massachusetts, two hundredth anniversary, 1735-1935
1935?

Acton's 250th anniversary, 1735-1985
1985

Historical houses of Acton
1973?

John Robbins House: National Register of Historic Places
2002

Jonathan and Simon Hosmer House
1999

Acton, a second look 1985

Acton Historical Society

Acton Historical Society Newsletter
1994-

Letters from Acton, 1861-1865
1985

A brief history of Acton
1974, also available at Concord Free Public Library

Acton School Dept.

Annual list of Acton High School graduates
1926-

Acton Memorial Library

Guide to Local History, Genealogy, and other Local Material
rev. 2005, Acton Memorial Library Reference Department

Acton, Town of

Vital statistics and records of the Town of Acton
1958 microfilm (10 reels)

Assessors' report of the polls, valuation and taxes of the Town of Acton
1850, 1875, 1890, 1900, 1926, 1966

Property valuation and taxes, 1777-1821
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Record of Acton Militia, 1810-1823
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Town records, 1735-1862
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Vital records, 1800-1857
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Maps of Acton: historical, topographic, zoning, and others

Account Submitted To The General Court By The Selectmen Of Acton For The Support Of French Neutrals 1759
Massachusetts Archives

Petition Submitted To The General Court By The Selectmen Of Acton Requesting That Francis Robichaux And Family, French Neutrals, Be Removed To Another Town. 1760
Massachusetts Archives

Letter To Samuel Danforth From The Selectmen Of Acton Listing The Names Of The French Neutrals Within Their Jurisdiction And The Expense Of Removing Them To Boston 1760
Massachusetts Archives

Petition Submitted To The Gov. And Council By The Selectmen Of Acton Seeking Reimbursement For The Support And Medical Care Of Lydia Perham And Her Removal To New Hampshire 1768
Massachusetts Archives

Tax assessment, 19 January 1767
Massachusetts Historical Society

Expenditures of the town of Acton, from Feb. 26, 1859 to Feb. 26, 1860
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Adams, Josiah

Letter to Lemuel Shattuck, Esq. of Boston, from Josiah Adams, Esq. of Framingham, in vindication of the claims of Capt. Issac Davis, of Acton, to his just share in the honors of the Concord Fight.: Also depositions of witnesses, stating the facts on which the claims are founded and other interesting papers
Boston: Damrell & Moore, printers, 1850
also available at Concord Free Public Library, and the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

An address delivered at Acton, July 21, 1835, being the first centennial anniversary of the organization of the town
Boston: Printed by J. T. Buckingham, 1835
also available at Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, Watertown Free Public Library, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Adams, Moses, Rev.

Sermon, delivered at Acton, Lord's day, Jan.1,1804: occasioned by the death of Col. John Edwards
Massachusetts Historical Society, and the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Sermon, delivered at the ordination of the Rev. Thomas Noyes, in Needham, July 10, 1799
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Adams, William Frederick

James Hayward, 1750-1775 with genealogical notes relating to the Haywards
Springfield, Mass., Priv. print., 1911
also available from the Cambridge Public Library, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Beacon Communications

The Beacon also known as The Assabet Valley Beacon, 1945-53,Mar7 1957-Feb26 1959,1963- [microfilm]
Acton, MA: Beacon Communications Corp
also available at State Library of Massachusetts

Boardman, Elizabeth

On Arthur F. Davis, her neighbor
1985 sound recording

Boutwell, George Sewall

Address of Gov. Boutwell at the dedication of the Davis Monument, at Acton, October 29th, 1851
Massachusetts Historical Society, and the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Brooks, Nathan

Deeds to property (in Concord, Mass., and elsewhere) gathered by Nathan Brooks through his legal practice, 1789-1860
Concord Free Public Library

Bunting, James

Acton's railroads
1972 sound recording

History of Acton's railroads
Minute-Man Publications, Inc., 1973
Concord Free Public Library

Chaffin, John

Account book kept by John Chaffin, a cobbler in Acton, Mass., 1821-34
Massachusetts Historical Society

Chisolm, ?

Davis' Monument clebration: order of procession, Oct. 29th, 1851
Boston: Chisholm's Fast Press, 1851
Massachusetts Historical Society

Choate, Isabella V.

Robbins Family Papers
Acton Historical Society, 1998

Concord Village proprietors
Acton Historical Society, 1994

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Index to the vital records of Acton, Massachusetts, 1850-1960
Littleton First Ward
1987

Collins, Stanton

On the Davis Guards audiotape
Acton Memorial Library 1990

Conant, Brewster

A History of the Acton Memorial Library, 1890-1990
Trustees of the Acton Memorial Library, 1990

Cover charge, early inns and taverns: a speech to the Acton Historical Society
Acton Historical Society, 1996

Powder Mills: a speech to the Acton Historical Society
Acton Historical Society, 1994

Arthur Fuller Davis
1982 sound recording

Collection of materials relating to the history of powder mills in Massachusetts
Concord Free Public Library

Concord, Town of

Arrangements for the 50th anniversary celebration in Concord of the Battle of Concord
Minutes of meetings, correspondence, etc. 1825
Concord Free Public Library

Arrangements for the Union Celebration in Concord of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Concord
Minutes of meetings, correspondence, etc. 1849-1857
Concord Free Public Library

Cram, Lowell

South acton in earlier days
1985 sound recording

Davis, Arthur F.

Arthur F. Davis pencil sketches, 1887-1929
Concord Free Public Library

Donovan, Warren F.

Interview with Warren F. Donovan, World War II veteran [videorecording]
Morse Institute Library, Natick, Mass.
2003

Durkee, Sidney

An interview
July 22, 1985 [sound recording]

Early Massachusetts Records

Early Massachusetts Records Inventory: Acton (2 reels microfilm)
Boston Early Massachusetts Records 1971-
Newton Free Library

Easterbrook, Mason C.

Acton Patriot
weekly newspaper " ... devoted to the local news of Acton, Stow, Littleton, Boxboro, Westford, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lincoln and Sudbury .... ", 1874-188u
South Acton, Mass.: M.C. Easterbrook & Co.
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Edwards, John Harrington

A condensed genealogy of one branch of the Edwards family of Concord and Acton, Massachusetts, and of the allied families of Harrington, Heald, Haven, Locke, Conant, Fletcher, Tower, Haskell, Clemens, Pierson, Starr, Van Veghten, Knickerbocker, Crandall, Smith, Chetlain, and others, with historical and biographical notices
Brooklyn, N.Y., 1907
Concord Free Public Library, Watertown Free Public Library, and the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Emerson & Hall, Drs.

Medical notice. A voice from nature's garden Drs. Emerson & Hall, independent vegetable physicians. Their diploma, success--their materia medica, the boundless forest--their general office West Acton, Mass
Gazette Mammoth Power Press: Dover, N.H. 1854
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Enterprise Company

Acton Enterprise newspaper [microfilm] Feb 10 1915-Oct 5 1921, Jan 21 1931-Sep 22 1937
Marlboro, Mass: Enterprise Company
Also available at Maynard Public Library

Evangelical Society of Acton

The Acton Monitor
newspaper, 1873-1874?

Fischer, John L.

The New Englanders of Orchard Town U.S.A.
Wiley, 1963

Flagg, Alden

Growing up in Acton: told by Alden Flagg and Forrest Bean
1985 [sound recording]

Fletcher, Jack

Talking about South Acton
1981 sound recording

Fletcher, James, Rev.

Acton in history / compiled for the Middlesex County history, with map and illustrations
Philadelphia: J. W. Lewis, 1890
also available at Bedford Free Public Library, Public Library of Brookline, Concord Free Public Library, Medford Public Library, Watertown Free Public Library, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Gleason, Herbert Wendell

Photographic negatives of Acton, Acton Centre
1899?-1937
Concord Free Public Library

Greenough, William, Rev.

A sermon, delivered May 10, 1820: at the ordination of the Rev. Marshall Shedd, as pastor of the church and congregation in Acton
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts Historical Society

Greenwood, Thomas Jefferson, Rev.

A sermon, delivered in Acton at the funeral of Mrs. Betsey Ann Wright, 1834
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Hahn, Virginia C.

Acton Garden Club, 1934-1994: a retrospective
1994

Heath, Anita L.

Five almshouses in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and their records: Acton, Boxborough, Chelmsford, Concord, Maynard, and Westford
UMass. Boston Archival Methods Program, 1998
Concord Free Public Library

At the Poor Farm: poverty in Acton and Concord, 1870-1920
1993 typescript of course paper

Holden Family

Holden family financial papers, 1814-1872
Concord Free Public Library

Hosmer, David and Simon

Hosmer family papers including Simon Hosmer's deeds to lands in Acton, Mass., his son David Hosmer's deeds to land in Groton and Acton, and letters of appointment to Simon Hosmer to act as Justice of the Peace for Acton
Massachusetts Historical Society

Houghton, Hayward

Index to Fletcher's Acton in history
1984?

Defense activities in World War II
audiotape 1989

An interview with Hayward and Betsy Houghton
audiotape 1985

Hudson, Alfred Sereno

Commemorative of Calvin and Luther Blanchard, Acton minute-men 1775
West Acton, Mass., L. Blanchard, 1899
also available at Concord Free Public Library, Bedford Free Public Library, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Huffmaster, James Taylor

Ancestry of Mrs. James T. Huffmaster: born Ellen Augusta Hapgood of Acton, Massachusetts
Galveston, Tex.: [Oscar Springer Print], 1925
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Ancestors of James Hapgood and Mary C. Estabrook of Acton, Mass.
Galveston? Texas: The Author?, 1925?
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Husbands, Charles R.

History of the Acton Minutemen and Militia companies: volume I (1754-1925); volume II (1926-1975)
Higginson, 2002, 2003

Iron Work Farm

A walking tour of Mill Corner
The Farm, 1979

Kaduboski, Madeleine C.

Blackouts, bombardiers and boogie-woogie: the Acton home front 1941-1945
Acton Historical Society, c2001

Kendrick, Gertrude M.

History of the Acton Woman's Club 1915-1990
1990

Kennedy, Fred

West Acton in pictures
1977 sound recording

Cemeteries of Acton
1977 sound recording

Kinsley, Kitty

Acton politics
1972 sound recording

Klauer, William A.

Images of America - Acton
also available at Goodnow Library, Sudbury
Charleston, SC: Arcadia, c2001

An interview, done by Tina Britton
1985 [sound recording]

Knowlton, Evelyn

Arthur Davis, his life and his work
1974 sound recording

Formation of the Town of Acton and the Knowlton Cigar Factory
1974 sound recording

Kotanchik, Jim

Acton postal history
Acton, MA, 2004

Lainhart, Ann Smith

1855 and 1865 Massachusetts state censuses for Acton
1989
also available from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Little, David B.

Arthur Davis
1975 sound recording

Long, John Davis

Dedicatory services of Memorial library building and soldiers' tablets; Acton, Mass., May 24, 1890
Boston, Mass.: L. Barta & Co., 1890
also available at Concord Free Public Library, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Lowden, Theron

Talking about South Acton in the early 1900's
sound recording, 1985

Massachusetts. Harbor and Land Commission

Atlas of the boundaries of the towns of Acton, Bedford, Concord, Lincoln, Maynard, Sudbury, Wayland, Weston, Middlesex County
Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1904
also available at Concord Free Public Library and Weston Public Library

McCarthy-Towne School

Under the cover of Kelley's Corner: the history & present of Kelley's Corner
1981

Miller, Marian Blackall

Subject index: a history of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts: and of the adjoining towns, Bedford, Acton, Lincoln, and Carlisle
1975 Bedford Free Public Library, Concord Free Public Library, Lincoln Public Library and the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Minute-Man Publications

Acton Minute-Man newspaper Microfilm 1975-May 28 1981
Acton, MA: Minute-Man Publications, Inc., -1981.

Moss, Marcia

Map of Acton, Mass. showing location of supplier of plumbago to Thoreau pencil factory, Concord, Mass.
Geo. H. Walker & Co., 1889
Concord Free Public Library

New England Historic Genealogical Society

Vital records of Acton, Massachusetts, to the year 1850
also available from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Noyes, Frederick Brooks

The tell-tale tomb, or, The Acton aspect of the Concord Fight
Leicester, Mass.: Published by the author, 192-
also available at Concord Free Public Library, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Noyes, Thomas, Rev.

Account book, 1823-1837, native of Acton, pastor of the Second Congregational Church in West Needham, Mass., 1799-1833
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Null, Wanda

Arthur Fuller Davis archives
2005

Arthur Fuller Davis: Works in private collections
2004

Nylander, Barbara

Mill Corner (South Acton Village), an architectural history
Iron Work Farm in Acton, Inc., 1989
also at State Library of Massachusetts

Nylander, Robert H.

Historical sketch of the Faulkner House: a running narrative
Iron Work Farm in Acton, 1969

The Iron Work Farm in Acton
1966

An interview with Donald and Barbara Nylander
July 1985 [sound recording]

Highlights of Acton architecture
1971 sound recording

Parker, James L.

Division in early nineteenth century Massachusetts congregationalism: a study of the church in the Town of Acton
1965

Phalen, Harold Romaine

History of the town of Acton
Cambridge, Mass., c1954
also available from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Pratt, Fran

OK/RJG: the life of Raymond J. Grey
Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, 1981

Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc.

A program of archaeological data recovery: the Pine Hawk site, Acton, MA
Pawtucket, RI: PAL, 2001

Pine Hawk Site: 7000 years of prehistory on the Assabet River, Acton, MA [videorecording]
Pawtucket, RI: PAL, 2001

Reed, Thomas

Papers of Thomas Reed of Littleton, Mass. including deeds to land in Acton
Massachusetts Historical Society

Ripley, Ezra, Rev.

Collection of papers written by Ripley while he was pastor of First Parish Church in Concord - Includes funeral sermons for Abigail Adams of Acton, 1812, and in 1819, her husband Rev. Moses Adams 1778-1837
Concord Free Public Library

The character and blessedness of those who die in the Lord: a sermon, delivered at Acton, Dec. 14, 1812: at the funeral of Mrs. Abigail Adams
Massachusetts Historical Society and the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Saco Valley Printing

Who lived where in 1875?: the old maps of Concord, Lincoln, Acton, MA
Fryeburg, Maine: Saco Valley Printing, [1991?]
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Sanborn Map Company

Sanborn fire insurance maps: Massachusetts [1867-1950] microfilm
Chadwyck-Healey, 1983
Also available at Watertown Free Public Library and The State Library of Massachusetts

Sharp, W. N.

Acton directory: embracing also a brief history of the town with the town clerks, representatives, physicians, etc., from the incorporation of the town to the present time; railroad time-table, church directory, secret societies, etc.
South Acton, 1883-1884
also available from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Shattuck, Lemuel

A history of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts: from its earliest settlement to 1832: and of the adjoining towns, Bedford, Acton, Lincoln, and Carlisle
1835, reprinted Baltimore, MD by Clearfield Co., 2002
Belmont Public Library, Needham Free Public Libary, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, State Library of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Historical Society

Shedd, Marshall

Church records of the Congregational Church in Acton, 1820-1834
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Shepard, May

Forest cemetery, North Acton Transcriptions, photographs, map
1991
also available at Concord Free Public Library

Smith, Ethel Mitchell

An interview, done by Tina Britton [sound recording]
1985

Smith, Perry C.

Peregrine White and descendants in Acton
Acton, Mass. 1968
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

A brief on the Indians of the Acton area in the years 1600-1675 A paper given before a joint meeting of the historical societies of Bedford, Littleton, Boxborough, Groton, Lancaster, Stow and Acton, 1966.
State Library of Massachusetts

Stow Historical Society

First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist of Stow and Acton: a brief history
Randall Library, Stow

Tuttle, Earl

A history of the Acton newspapers
1973 sound recording

Tuttle, Harlan

Stories of the friendship of his father and uncle with Arthur Davis, and of life in Acton in the early 1900's
1985 sound recording

On Arthur F. Davis as executor of his estate and as friend
1985 sound recording

Harlan Tuttle talking about his family and their part in Acton history
1979 sound recording

Walcott, Charles Hosmer

Title examinations for properties in Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk Counties
including some in Acton
ca. 1880-1901

Washburn, Ernest H.

Collection of photographs of Acton houses
1936-1939

Washburn, Robert M.

History of the Acton Fire Dept.
1996

Watson, Benjamin Frank

"Old Sixth" Mass.: oration delivered at Huntington Hall, Lowell, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the passage through Baltimore of the 6th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, April 19, 1861
New York: L. Middleditch, printer, 1886?
Somerville Public Library

Wheeler, Marian H.

Pratt's Powder Mills: alias "The Acton Powder Mills"
Concord, Mass.: Concord Women's Club, 1985
Concord Free Public Library
also available at Maynard Public Library.

Wheildon, William W.

A veteran journalist.: Mr. W.W. Wheildon celebrates his 85th birthday.: A family reunion at Concord and a tally-ho ride to Acton--three score years and ten of newspaper work lightly carried--his rise in his chosen profession
1890 newspaper clipping
Concord Free Public Library

Whipple, Dorothy

Life in Acton in the early 1900's
sound recording
interview done by Mary Hadley as a project for a Girl Scout badge

White, Bruce Faulkner

A Yankee heritage beginning with John Fuller of Newton: including some of his descendants and the Faulkners of Acton
1987
Newton Free Library

Whitwell, Caroline

The Davis family record: No. 6. The Davises of Acton, Mass.
Meridan, Conn.: Charles H.S. Davis, 1867-1868
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Wiltse, Robert H., Jr.

The Acton Citizen newspaper, Microfilm Mar 18 1994 - Oct 11 1996
Citizen Press, Inc., Dec. 23, 1994-

Wood Brothers

Concord Enterprise Apr 7 1888-Dec 26 1963 microfilm
also available at Concord Free Public Library

A Guide to Concord, Mass., and other historic places: Concord, Lexington, Sudbury, Bedford, Acton, Boston
Hudson, Mass.: Wood Publishing Company, [after 1896]
Concord Free Public Library and Cary Memorial Library, Lexington

Woodbury, James Trask, Rev.

Speech delivered in the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, February 3, 1851 : upon the question of granting two thousand dollars to aid the town of Acton in building a monument over the remains of Capt. Isaac Davis, Abner Hosmer, and Jas. Hayward, Acton Minute Men, killed at Concord fight, April 19, 1775
Boston: Bazin & Chandler, 1851

The American church and slavery!: From the Boston Liberator of August 28, 1857 a speech delivered before the New England Anti-slavery Convention, May 26, 1836
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

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