This work, compiled over a period of thirty years from about 2,000 books and manuscripts, is a comprehensive listing of the 37,000 married couples who lived in New England between 1620 and 1700. Listed are the names of virtually every married couple living in New England before 1700, their marriage date or the birth year of a first child, the maiden names of 70% of the wives, the birth and death years of both partners, mention of earlier or later marriages, the residences of every couple and an index of names. The provision of the maiden names make it possible to identify the husbands of sisters, daughters, and many granddaughters of immigrants, and of immigrant sisters or kinswomen.

"The present work ... is primarily an index to the major genealogical periodicals published since Torrey's death ... Covering the period from 1962 through the spring of 2003, the Third Supplement incorporates all of the information from the first and second supplements, plus an additional 80% of new material"--Introd., p. vii.