BERKSHIRE COUNTY, MA HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

A History of the County of Berkshire, Massachusetts by Dewey, Chester And Berkshire Association Of Congregational Ministers (1829) – 498 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2024.05.06.2323.CD.AR

History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men Volume 1, Part 1 by Joseph Edward Adams Smith; Thomas Cushing (1885) – 726 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.15.1936.AR

History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men Volume 1, Part 2 by Joseph Edward Adams Smith; Thomas Cushing (1885) – 758 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.15.1940.AR

History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men Volume 2, Part 1 by Joseph Edward Adams Smith; Thomas Cushing (1885) – 772 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.15.1945.AR

History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men Volume 2, Part 2 by Joseph Edward Adams Smith; Thomas Cushing (1885) – 824 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.15.1949.AR

Berkshire County, Its Past History and Achievements by Charles James Palmer (1900) – 40 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.27.1918.AR

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Berkshire County, Massachusetts: A Genealogical Overview

Situated in the westernmost part of Massachusetts, Berkshire County is a scenic region of rolling hills, mountains, and picturesque valleys, known as “The Berkshires.” Renowned for its natural beauty and vibrant cultural scene, including world-class music, dance, and art festivals, the county also possesses a deep history rooted in its past as a rugged frontier. Its story transitions from the homeland of the Mahican people through colonial settlement, agricultural growth, industrial innovation, and its emergence as a premier cultural destination.

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I. County Formation and Evolution

Understanding Berkshire County’s formation from a much larger parent county and Massachusetts’s unique system of record-keeping is essential for successful genealogical research.

• 1761: County Formed: Berkshire County was officially incorporated on April 21, 1761.
• Parent County: It was created from the western portion of Hampshire County, which at the time covered nearly all of western and central Massachusetts. Records for ancestors in this region prior to 1761 are located in the Hampshire County records, primarily housed in Springfield and Northampton.
• Subsequent County Formations: The boundaries of Berkshire County have remained largely stable since its formation in 1761.
• Name Origin: The county was named for the county of Berkshire in England, the home of the then-Royal Governor of Massachusetts, Sir Francis Bernard.
• County Seat History: The county seat is Pittsfield. However, in 2000, the Berkshire County government was abolished by state law, and its administrative functions were transferred to state agencies. While Pittsfield remains the geographic and judicial center, the record repositories like the Registry of Deeds and Probate Court are now state-operated entities.

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II. Settlement and Early History

• Early Inhabitants: The region was the ancestral homeland of the Mahican (also spelled Mohican) people, an Algonquian-speaking tribe. The town of Stockbridge was established in the 1730s as a Christian mission for the Mahican, who became known as the “Stockbridge Indians.” Their history is a fundamental part of the county’s heritage.
• Colonial Settlement and Economy: Due to its mountainous terrain and frontier location, widespread European settlement began later than in eastern Massachusetts, primarily starting in the 1720s. The first towns were established in the Housatonic River Valley, like Sheffield and Great Barrington. The early economy was based on subsistence farming, timber, iron mining, and charcoal production. Following the American Revolution, the county became a center for agriculture, particularly sheep raising and wool production, and industry, with numerous paper, textile, and lumber mills powered by its rivers.

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III. Genealogical Records and Resources

This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records within Massachusetts’s specific system.

• Registry of Deeds & Probate Court: Unlike a single consolidated courthouse, key records are held in separate, specialized offices.
  • Land Records: Berkshire County is divided into three districts for land records. Researchers must know the location of their ancestor’s property to use the correct registry:
    • Northern District: 65 Park Street, Adams, MA 01220
    • Middle District: 445 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
    • Southern District: 334 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230
  • Probate Records: All probate and family court records (wills, administrations, guardianships, divorces) since 1761 are held at the Berkshire Probate and Family Court, located at 445 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.
• Vital Records:
  • Birth, Marriage, and Death Records: For events that occurred before 1850, the official records are held by the Town Clerk’s office in the individual town where the event took place. Many of these have been published in a series of books often called “Tan Books.”
  • For events from 1850 to the present, records are held by both the Town Clerk’s office and, at the state level, by the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics in Boston. Records from 1850-1925 are also available at the Massachusetts State Archives.
• Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
  • The Berkshire Athenaeum: Located at 1 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201. The library’s Local History Department is the premier research center for Berkshire County genealogy and history, with extensive collections of manuscripts, books, newspapers, and photographs.
  • Stockbridge Library Association: Its historical collection contains important archives related to the town of Stockbridge and the Stockbridge Mohicans.
  • New England Historic Genealogical Society (American Ancestors): Located in Boston, this is the most important genealogical society and repository for all of New England research.
• Bordering Jurisdictions:
  • Bennington County, VT
  • Franklin County, MA
  • Hampshire County, MA
  • Hampden County, MA
  • Litchfield County, CT
  • Columbia County, NY
  • Rensselaer County, NY