Adoption between 1850-1855 in Massachusetts

[Menika]

My 3x great grandparents, James and Ann Tuttle, adopted a girl sometime between 1850-1855. She appears in their household on the 1855 Massachusetts State Census, and it is specifically noted that she is adopted. In 1855, she was approximately 12 years of age, and her name was given as Harriet. She does not appear in the 1860 Census, when she would have been approximately 17. The 1855 census also states she was born in MA. I would dearly love to learn more about my aunt Harriet. Can someone help point me in a direction to uncover birth information, death information and marriage? Thank you!

 

[Daft Bat]

The Adoption of Children Act was passed in MA (the first State to do so ) in 1851, so there should be some records somewhere - if she was adopted after 1851.

Do you have any clues as to which county in MA she was born in?

 

[Sis]

They may be able to help you here:

http://www. sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcgen/genidx.htm

 

[GrannyBarb]

The Adoption of Children Act was passed in MA (the first State to do so ) in 1851, so there should be some records somewhere - if she was adopted after 1851.

Do you have any clues as to which county in MA she was born in?

Ward 02, Charlestown, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Image is available on FamilySearch.

Charlestown is now in Suffolk County (suburb of Boston). If we can find the probate records for that place and timeframe... don't see them on FS, will look around.

 

[GrannyBarb]

Menika, would James or Ann have siblings or other close family members to whom Harriet would belong? That might help narrow the search... or not.

 

[GrannyBarb]

Looking on NEHGS found nothing useful for Harriet Tuttle, aside from the 1855 Census above. James was b. in New Hampshire and Ann was b. in Maine. I found their Aug 24, 1833 marriage intention in Charlestown, she's Ann McElroy. It lists them as "both of Charlestown," so they would have both lived there awhile and met there, I guess.

 

[GrannyBarb]

NEHGS - Death record for James E Tuttle, age 18 years, 10 months, 10 days, single, Mason, son of James and Ann Tuttle, on Dec 15th 1854 from Consumption.

 

[Menika]

The Adoption of Children Act was passed in MA (the first State to do so ) in 1851, so there should be some records somewhere - if she was adopted after 1851.

Do you have any clues as to which county in MA she was born in?

Jan,
Unfortunately, no, I have no clues as to which county in MA she was born. I only have the state, and approximate year of birth as well as her name. Whew, thankfully she was adopted in MA!

 

[Menika]

Menika, would James or Ann have siblings or other close family members to whom Harriet would belong? That might help narrow the search... or not.

GrannyBarb: James definitely does have siblings that Harriet may belong to. But, I haven't truly researched them, so I'm not sure they ever left NH. Ann is another "Brick Wall".......... I have not been able to locate exact birth information for her, parents, brothers/sisters, anything of this nature.

 

[Menika]

NEHGS - Death record for James E Tuttle, age 18 years, 10 months, 10 days, single, Mason, son of James and Ann Tuttle, on Dec 15th 1854 from Consumption.

And, you'll also find a death record for Eliza Brackett Tuttle, daughter of James and Ann Tuttle, on June 28, 1854, from Consumption. They had another daughter, Lydia Ann Turner Tuttle, whom I believe may be a clue as to Ann's family's identity, but have yet to turn up anything using Turner as a surname. May be a close family friend, or in Eliza's case, the maiden name of a sister-in-law.