Genealogy Resources
Shrewsbury Genealogy Club
The Shrewsbury Genealogy Club meets on the fourth Monday of every month, virtually via Zoom. Please email former Shrewsbury Public Library Assistant Director, George C. Brown, at geobrown1940@gmail.com for more information about the club.
Shrewsbury Public Library General Collection:
Our general book collection contains a large selection of genealogy guides and information concerning how to use online resources, how to write your family history, other "how to" resources including help for beginners, and specific books for researching specific heritages such as African American, Canadian, English, French, German, Irish, Scandinavian, Scottish, and more. Most of these books can be found under call number 929.1 in the general collection. All titles are listed in our online library catalog as well.
Shrewsbury Public Library Ward Room Resources
The Ward Room, located on the second floor and named after the family of General Artemas Ward, is the library's local history and rare books room. It contains many useful resources of both historical and genealogical materials, including histories of a large number of Massachusetts towns and counties. Many area authors, past and present, have donated copies of their books to the library's Ward Room. The room is climate controlled and is generally locked, but access is available by contacting the Reference Librarian for assistance.
Ward Family Publications: from descendants of William Ward, who settled in Sudbury, MA, in 1639
- Old Times in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts — Ward, Elizabeth. Published in 1892. Find it in the library: 974.43 WARD
- History of the Town of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, from its Settlement in 1717 to 1829 — Ward, Andrew Henshaw. Published in 1847. Find it in the library: 974.43 W21
Specialized Genealogy Resources
- Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors: Both Revolutionary War and Civil War; dates of enlistment, death or discharge, and other related information can be found through the State of Massachusetts. Please click here to learn more.
- Shrewsbury Annual Town Reports: The Annual Reports of the Town of Shrewsbury contain much information about the town, including government officials, town meeting decisions, school data, social programs, and more. Reports through the early 1900s often contain lists of births, marriages, deaths and burials, and other useful information for genealogists.
- Town reports from 2006 to present are available online through the Town of Shrewsbury. Printed reports are also available through the Town Clerk's Office at 508-841-8507.
- The library also holds printed reports for the years 1851–1868, and 1879–2020; inquire at the Reference Desk on the second floor. These volumes are located in our reference area under the call number R 352 S and in our microfilm collection in box number 11.