Hampshire Council of Governments
Hampshire Council of Governments Records, 1667-195290 volumes, 17 boxes (80 linear feet).
The Hampshire Council of Governments is a voluntary association of cities and towns and the successor to the former government of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, that was abolished in 1999. A body politic and corporate, its charter ratified by Massachusetts General Law 34B, ยง20(b), the Council oversees roadways, the electricity supply, building inspection, tobacco control, cooperative purchasing, and other services for member communities.
The HCOG collections contains a remarkably dense record of county level governance in western Massachusetts from the colonial period through the mid-twentieth century. The collection contains extensive bound volumes of Session records from the Court of Common Pleas going back to 1677, along with associated dockets and maps. (25 volumes predate 1800). In addition to containing records of legal proceedings relating to disorderly conduct (fornication, Sabbath breaking) the Sessions include much on settlement of estates, governance, public works, and local and regional politics. The early records in the collection include materials relating to Franklin and Hampden Counties, which until 1811-1812 were part of Hampshire County. More recent records remain with the Council and can be consulted at their offices in Northampton.
Sessions Records
- General Sessions and Common Pleas, Vol. 01: 1677-1728
- (lib. A). Record A, Vol. 02: 1728-1735
- (lib. B). Inferior Court, Court of Sessions, Vol. 03: 1735-1741
- (lib. C). Inferior Courts, General Sessions, Vol. 04: 1741-1745
- (lib. D). General Sessions and Common Pleas, Vol. 05: 1746-1757
- (lib. E). General Sessions and Common Pleas, Vol. 06: 1758-1762
- (lib. F). General Sessions and Inferior Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 07: 1762-1774
- (lib. G) General Sessions and Common Pleas, Vol. 08: 1764-1766
- (lib. H). Inferior Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 09: 1766-1770
- Court of Sessions, Hampshire County, Vol. 10: 1766-1771
- (lib. I). Inferior Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 11: 1770-1773
- (lib. K). Inferior Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 12: 1773-1780
- (lib. M). Inferior Courts. General Sessions, Vol. 13: 1771-1781
- (lib. L). Sessions Records, Vol. 14: 1776 May-1790 Jan.
- (lib. N). Inferior Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 15: 1782-1783
- (lib. O). Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 16: 1783-1784
- (lib. P) Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 17: 1784-1785
- Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 18: 1785 Aug.-1788 Sep.
- Sessions records. Court of General Session. Vol. 19 not scanned due to fragility of original
- No. A Executions 1715-1764, pages 1 to 80 inclu. Common Pleas, Vol. 20: 1715-1790
- (lib. S) General Sessions and Common Pleas, Vol. 21: 1791-1794
- (Book T) Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 22: 1794-1795
- Court of Common Pleas, Vol. 23: 1796-1797
- (Book W). General Sessions and Common Pleas, Vol. 24: 1797-1798
- Sessions records, no. 1, Vol. 25: 1800-1823
- Records of the Court of Sessions, Commissioner of Highways, County Commissioners, Vol. 26: 1824 Mar.-1837 Apr.
County Commissioners Records
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 03: 1837-1844
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 04: 1844-1852
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 05: 1852-1860
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 06: 1860-1867
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 07: 1868-1871
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 08: 1871-1875
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 09: 1876-1880
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 10: 1881-1882
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 11: 1883-1886
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 12: 1887-1889
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 13: 1890-1894
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 14: 1895-1900
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 15: 1901-1906
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 16: 1907-1910
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 17: 1911-1916
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 18: 1917-1923
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 19: 1923-1929
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 20: 1929-1935
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 21: 1935-1940
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 22: 1940-1945
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 23: 1945-1950
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 24: 1950-1954
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 25: 1954-1958
- County Commissioners Records, Vol. 26: 1958-1961
- Bridges--Massachusetts--Hampshire County.
- Dams--Massachusetts--Hampshire County.
- Hampshire County (Mass.)--History.
- Indians of North America--Massachusetts.
- Northampton (Mass.)--History.
- Roads--Massachusetts--Hampshire County.
- Springfield (Mass.)--History.
- Hampshire Council of Governments.
- Hampshire County (Mass.). County Commissioners.
- Massachusetts. Court of Common Pleas (Hampshire County).
- Civil court records.
- Maps.
