This is the most complete collection of early Massachusetts marriages ever published, containing over 20,000 entries for the period 1643-1800. The marriages derive from records kept by the various county, city, and court clerks in compliance with Massachusetts law and give the full name of the bride and groom and date and place of marriage. The book is divided into four sections, and each section of the book is separately paginated and indexed, except for the last, which is arranged in chronological order.

This book is a reprint, originally published in 1914, of early marriages in Middlesex, Hampshire, Berkshire and Bristol Counties, Massachusetts, between the years of 1643 and 1795. Frederic W. Bailey, a prolific publisher of vital records, compiled several books between the years 1896 and 1914. In 1897 he began a series on early Massachusetts marriages, which is believed to be the most complete collection of early Massachusetts marriages ever published. This book, the Third Book, covers Middlesex, Hampshire, Berkshire and Bristol Counties between the years 1643 and 1795. Included are the full names of the bride and groom, the date and town of marriage. There are approximately 5,300 marriages, or 10,600 individuals listed in this Third Book. Following is a list of the Towns covered, by County: Middlesex County: Billerica, Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelmsford, Concord, Dunstable, Groton, Hilliston, Lancaster, Marlborough, Malden, Medford, Mendon, Newton, Reading, Sherborn, Stow, Sudbury, Watertown, Weston, and Woburn. Berkshire County: Adams, Cheshire, Dalton, Egremont, Great Barrington, Hancock, Lanesborough, Lenox, Mount Washington, Peru, Pittsfield, Tyringham, West Stockbridge, Williamstown, and Windsor. Plymouth County (Continued from Book Two): Middleborough, Plymouth, Rochester, Hanover, Bridgewater, Duxborough, and Marshfield. Hampshire County: Belchertown, Blandford, Charlemont, Deerfield, Greenfield, Hatfield, Monson, Northampton, Orange, Southampton, Sunderland, Wendell, Westfield, Westhampton, and Springfield (now Hampden Co.). Bristol County: Attleborough. Paperback, (1914), repr. 2011, Index, 211 pp.

Section describes examples of searches using computer databases, federal court records, indexes, justice of the peace records, and law library research, including how to search for people of color. The appendices list contact information for state and federal courts and other sources. Rapaport is a former trial lawyer and writes the column "Tales from the Courthouse" for New England Ancestors magazine. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).