Queries

Please post questions you have about the history of Hanson or genealogy of Hanson residents on the Hanson Historical Society Facebook page. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion, or provide answers to posted questions!

And make sure to read the “Frequently Asked Questions” section below to see if your question has already been answered!

Frequently Asked Questions About Hanson History and Genealogy

How can I research the history of my house in Hanson?

First, type your home’s address in www.zillow.com, a real estate website which provides free statistics about homes and properties. Importantly, look for the “year built” statistic, which is pulled from Plymouth County land records. Although this year is not always accurate, it is a great starting point. If your house was built prior to 1932, I always recommend that Hanson homeowners to the classic book History of Houses in Hanson, Mass. (Hanson, MA: 1932), written by Joseph B. White, which is located in the history room at the Hanson Public Library. Between 1900-1932, Joseph White spoke with Hanson homeowners and the “oldtimers”, collecting stories about each of the houses, and occasionally looked at deeds or other records. He compiled his research into this book, which divides the town up into divisions called “Plans”, then wrote a paragraph about the history of every house in Hanson. Looking at the map, you will be able to see all of the homes on your street which were there in 1932. Determining which home is yours can sometimes be difficult if numerous homes have been built up between the old houses since then. If you have an old house, also review the Hanson history books at the Hanson Public Library’s historical room, for possible photographs or additional stories about your home. If you want to be ambitious, you can also research to discover every family who has lived in your home, by working backwards through the deeds of your home, which you can do online at the Plymouth County Registry of deeds for free. Visit Plymouth County Deed Search to search for your current deed, which will list the previous owner’s deed book and page number for their deed at the time of purchase. Each deed will reference the previous’ owner’s deed, which you can search backwards through time. As you compile a list of all the families who resided in your house, you can perform further genealogical research by searching Hanson vital records, census records, etc. and create biographies for each of the families who lived in the home. This can be a very rewarding way to look at your house and its place in history – if you have the time! And remember to search the 1929-1935 Hanson Assessor’s Maps that are searchable at From The Assessor’s Office: 1929-1935 Hanson Assessor’s Maps.