Cheshire County, New Hampshire

Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links

Cheshire County was founded on March 19, 1771 one of the five original counties identified for New Hampshire in 1769. The county was named after the English county of Cheshire..

The Cheshire County Seat is located in Keene and the county government website is http://www.co.cheshire.nh.us/

Areas adjacent to Cheshire County are Sullivan County (north), Hillsborough County (east), Worcester County, Massachusetts (southeast), Franklin County, Massachusetts (southwest), Windham County, Vermont (west).

Cities and towns (date formed) situated in Cheshire County are Alstead (1763), Marlborough (1752), Dublin (1771), Fitzwilliam (1773), Gilsum (1763), Harrisville (1870), Hinsdale (1753), Jaffrey (1773), Keene (1753), Marlborough (1776), Marlow (1761), Nelson (1752), Richmond (1752), Rindge (1768), Roxbury (1812), Stoddard (1774), Sullivan (1787), Surry (1769), Swanzey (1753), Troy (1815), Walpole (1761), Westmoreland (1735), Winchester (1733).

Cheshire County does have Federal Census Schedules to help in researching your family tree. United states federal Population Schedules exist for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Cheshire Co. Mortality Schedules is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Cheshire Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Cheshire Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. There is free down-loadable and printable census forms to help with your research.

Cheshire County Society and Family History Resources

A list of Cheshire County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• New Hampshire State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Alstead Historical Society, P.O. Box 204, Chesterfield, NH 03443; Phone: 603-363-8018
• Chesterfield Historical Society, PO Box 204, Chesterfield , NH  03443-0204
• Dublin Historical Society, PO Box 415, Dublin , NH  03444-0415; Phone: 603-563-8545
• Fitzwilliam Historical Society, PO Box 87, 66 New Hampshire 119, Fitzwilliam, NH 03447; Phone:(603) 585-7742
• Friends of Pisgah, Inc., PO Box 134, Chesterfield , NH 03443-0134
• Gilsum Historical Society,   PO Box 216, Gilsum , NH  03448-0216
• Hinsdale Historical Society, PO Box 194, Hinsdale , NH  03451-0194; Phone: 603-336-8377
• Historic Harrisville, Inc., P.O. Box 79, Harrisville, NH 03450; 603-827-3722
• Historical Society of Cheshire County, PO Box 803, 246 Main St, Keene , NH  03431-0803; Phone: 603-352-1895
• Horatio Colony House Museum & Nature Preserve,  199 Main St, Keene , NH  03431-3780; Phone: 603-352-0460
• Jaffrey Center Village Improvement Society   PO Box 772, Jaffrey , NH  03452-0772
• Jaffrey Historical Society, 40 Main St, Jaffrey , NH  03452-6144; Phone: 603-532-6527
• Marlborough Historical Society,   PO Box 202, Marlborough , NH  03455-0202
• Nelson Town Archives, HCR 33, Box 660, Nelson , NH  03457-9703; Phone: 603-847-9945
• Park Hill Meeting House Society, PO Box 255, Westmoreland , NH  03467-0255
• Richmond Historical Society, 171 Fitzwilliam Rd, Richmond , NH  03470-4304; Phone: 603-239-6486
• Rindge Historical Society, PO Box 543, School Street, Rindge, NH 03461; Phone:(603) 899-2341
• Stoddard Historical Society, PO Box 213, Stoddard , NH  03464-0213
• Sullivan Public Library Archives, PO Box 92, Sullivan , NH  03445-0092; Phone: 603-847-3458
• Surry Historical Committee,   24 Village Rd, Surry , NH  03431-8314
• Swanzey Historical Museum, PO Box 416, 720 W Swanzey Rd, West Swanzey , NH  03469-0416; Phone: 603-352-4579
• Marlow Historical Society, PO Box 12, Marlow , NH  03456-0012; Phone: 603-446-2292
• Troy Historical Society, PO Box 593, Troy , NH  03465-0593
• Walpole Historical Society,   PO Box 292, Walpole , NH  03608-0292; Phone: 603-756-3449
• Westmoreland Historical Society, PO Box 105, Westmoreland , NH  03467-0105; Phone: 603-357-0966
• Winchester Historical Society, 403 Back Ashuelot Road, Ashuelot, NH 03441; 603-239-7399
• Cheshire County, New Hampshire Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Cheshire County (usgwarchives.net)

Cheshire County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist frequently forget about the great importance of Cheshire County court, Probate, and land records as a source of genealogy and family history information. Buried away in New Hampshire courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and frustrations of many New Hampshire citizens. The chances are great that your ancestors have left a detailed record of at least some aspects of their lives in the Cheshire County court records. Even if your ancestors and forefathers is not mentioned in a Court case, give some thought to all of the other methods which often can have lead to him or her appearing in court records.

Please speak to the clerk’s dept to verify hours, mailing address, fees and other facts in advance of visiting or inquiring about information because of occasionally changing contact details. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The records are available to interested parties, barring confidential issues. Many workers will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the person to complete the research.

The following indicates what vital, land, Probate, and court records are in Cheshire County. The years indicated below are considered the first noted records data in this county.

• Cheshire County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 12 Court St., Keene, NH 03431
• Cheshire County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1771
• Cheshire County Clerk of Probate Court has Probate Records from 1771
• Cheshire County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1771
• Cheshire County Town Clerks has copies of vital records (birth, marriage, divorce and death records) from 1771.
• New Hampshire Office of Vital Records has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in New Hampshire for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. Please be advised that in most cases you will receive your records more quickly from the City and Town locations than from the State Office
  • Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for New Hampshire Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Cheshire County Links

The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Cheshire County. Most of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some call for a fee. This is simply a collection that has been collected or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to furnish your own most liked Cheshire County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.

Cheshire Co. NH Books, Newspapers & Publications

• New Hampshire Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• New Hampshire historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from New Hampshire (1756–1891) (genealogybank.com)
• Keene Sentinel (nh.gov)
• Keene State Equinox (nh.gov)
• Cheshire County, New Hampshire Books (amazon.com)
• Search New Hampshire Obituaries Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Cheshire County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Cheshire Co. NH Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• New Hampshire Vital Records Research Guide
• New Hampshire, Births and Christenings Index, 1714-1904  (search.ancestry.com)
• New Hampshire, Marriage Records Index, 1637-1947  (search.ancestry.com)
• New Hampshire, Death and Burial Records Index, 1654-1949  (search.ancestry.com)
• Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)

Cheshire Co. NH Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• New Hampshire Court Records Research Guide
• Inventory of the county archives of Cheshire County, New Hampshire and its Record System  (search.ancestry.com)
• New Hampshire, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1636-1947 (familysearch.org)
• New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, 1769-1936 (familysearch.org)
• New Hampshire Probate Records, 1635-1753  (search.ancestry.com)
• New Hampshire, County Probate Records, 1660-1973 (familysearch.org)
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Cheshire Co. NH Census Records

• New Hampshire Census Records Research Guide
• Cheshire County, NH Census Records Links
• Cheshire County, NH Census QuickFacts

Cheshire Co. NH Cemeteries & Church Records

• New Hampshire Cemetery Research Guide
• Cheshire Co., New Hampshire Graves (findagrave.com)
• Cheshire County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Cheshire Co., New Hampshire Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Cheshire County, New Hampshire
• Cheshire Co., New Hampshire Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• New Hampshire Church & Bible Research Guide
• The confession of faith, and catalogue of officers and members of the Congregational Church, in Rindge, N.H. : January 1848.  (search.ancestry.com)
• Topographic Church List and Map for Cheshire County, New Hampshire
• Cheshire County, New Hampshire Church Books (amazon.com)

Cheshire Co. NH Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• New Hampshire Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Cheshire Co. NH General and History Websites

• See Also State History for New Hampshire
• Cheshire County, New Hampshire Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917  (search.ancestry.com)
• The history of Dublin, N.H. : containing the address by Charles Mason, and the proceedings at the centennial celebration, June  (search.ancestry.com)
• History of Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire  (search.ancestry.com)
• A history of the town of Keene : from 1732, when the township was granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, when it became a city  (search.ancestry.com)
• History of the town of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire : from its first settlement, to 1882  (search.ancestry.com)
• Cheshire County, New Hampshire Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Cheshire Co. NH Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Cheshire County, New Hampshire (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – New Hampshire – Counties – Cheshire (cyndislist.com)
• Cheshire County New Hampshire (genealogytrails.com)
• Cheshire Co. NHGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Cheshire County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Cheshire Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Cheshire Co. NH Immigration & Naturalization

• See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for New Hampshire
• New Hampshire, County Naturalization Records, 1771-2001 (familysearch.org)

Cheshire Co. NH Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of New Hampshire Links and Information
• Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885  (search.ancestry.com)
• 1895 Cheshire County Map (livgenmi.com)

Cheshire Co. NH Military Records

• New Hampshire Military Records Research Guide
• New Hampshire Military Records (fold3.com) provides access to military records, stories, Photos, and personal documents of the New Hampshire men and women who served. Perfect for Perfect for Cheshire County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.

Cheshire Co. NH Schools & Directories

• Keene, New Hampshire Directory, 1890  (search.ancestry.com)
• New Hampshire City Directories  (search.ancestry.com)