Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell discusses the genealogical capabilities of the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds during a speaking event at Thayer Public Library in Braintree as part of his ongoing efforts to bring the Registry of Deeds directly to the residents of Norfolk County.
Braintree, MA- Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell appeared as a guest speaker for the Thayer Public Library Genealogy Club in Braintree as part of his ongoing efforts to bring the Registry of Deeds directly to the residents of Norfolk County.
“The speaking event was excellent, we learned a lot about different types of land records and that the Registry has transcribed so many of its older records,” said Moira Cavanagh, Reference Librarian at Thayer Public Library.
During the speaking program, Register O'Donnell discussed the genealogical research capabilities of the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds available to the public.
“According to an ABC News report, genealogy is ranked the second most popular hobby in the United States,” said Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell. “Researchers may just find that their hunt for clues leads them right to the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds. Thanks in part to our History Comes Alive program.”
The Registry of Deeds has made the genealogy research process easier through its History Comes Alive transcription program, where all the Registry documents from 1793 to 1900 are transcribed from old cursive writing into easy-to-read and print documents.
“A lot of people do seem to be interested in researching their house, especially if it is an older one,” said Cavanagh. “Knowing that the Registry is an additional resource for research and that the records go as far back as they do is great.”
Register O’Donnell also gave an overview of the Registry of Deeds, which is the principal office for real property records in Norfolk County, cataloging and housing more than 10 million land documents dating back to 1793.
“I welcome the opportunity to speak with a group like the Thayer Public Library Genealogy Club about the research resources at the Registry of Deeds and some consumer issues that homeowners might face,” said Register O'Donnell.
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds possesses approximately 10,000,000 land records, recorded in 41,416 Registry books dating back to when the county was created in 1793. Some of these records include deeds, liens, foreclosures, mortgages, conveyances, trusts, and mortgage discharges.
“If someone is doing their geological research at the Registry and it involves property records, that’s great because they will have the records, and if they have questions, they can ask someone right there,” said Cavanagh.
Concluding his remarks, O’Donnell stated, “I first want to thank those who attended the event. They asked incisive questions, and their attendance was greatly appreciated. I also want to thank Moira Cavanagh for inviting me to speak, the Genealogy Club for their enthusiastic interest, and the staff at the Thayer Public Library for all they do for the Braitree community.”