15 Top Tips for Colonial New England Research

In her insightful presentation, “Finding Your Colonial New England Ancestors: 15 Proven Strategies,” Diane MacLean Boumenot, a leading expert in Southern New England family history, provided genealogists with a rich toolbox for uncovering early American lineage. As part of the 24-Hour Genealogy Marathon, Boumenot offered a practical guide to navigating the complexities of Colonial New England research, where sparse records, elusive ancestors, and unique regional practices can challenge even seasoned genealogists. With a focus on methodology, source awareness, and creative problem-solving, Boumenot's strategies empower researchers to move beyond roadblocks and uncover long-lost family connections.

• Don’t Wait for a Single Answer—Assemble the Clues: Boumenot emphasized that elusive answers rarely lie in one source. Researchers should aim for a reasonably exhaustive search, collecting small pieces of information across a range of materials—deeds, probate, town records, naming patterns, and more—before drawing conclusions.
• Go Beyond the Obvious Sources: Many valuable genealogical resources remain outside of major platforms like Ancestry and FamilySearch. Boumenot highlighted underutilized tools such as full-text search in FamilySearch Labs, Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700, historic journals via AmericanAncestors.org, and rare manuscripts found through tools like ArchiveGrid and Open Library.
• Use Local Context to Reconstruct Lives: Deeds, probate, church records, and town meeting notes can offer surprising biographical details. Boumenot encouraged researchers to build contextual timelines and utilize maps, local directories, and Revolutionary War pensions to better understand the economic, social, and familial forces that shaped ancestors' lives and migrations.

Be sure to download the detailed syllabus accompanying this presentation—it's packed with links, record guides, and research strategies tailored to New England genealogy. This essential resource will help you move beyond vague connections and toward documented, meaningful family history.