These are links to free, online Essex County histories and city and town histories for cities and towns within Essex County, Massachusetts.* 

County Histories generally give information on the settlement of an area, geography, government, and industry in an area, and sometimes include biographical sketches of citizens or other information about the local residents. Some even include genealogies.

Essex County 

• History of Essex County Massachusetts with Biographical Sketches of many of the Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 1, part 1 1888

• History of Essex County Massachusetts with Biographical Sketches of many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 1 part 2, 1888

• History of Essex County Massachusetts with Biographical Sketches of many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 2 part 1, 1888

• History of Essex County Massachusetts with Biographical Sketches of many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 2 part 2, 1888

• Biographical Review, volume XXVIII, Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1898

• The Essex Antiquarian, a monthly magazine devoted to the biography, genealogy, history, and antiquities of Essex County, Massachusetts multiple volumes

• The story of Essex County, by Scott H. Paradise

• Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume 1, 1922

• Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume 2, 1922

• Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume 4, 1922

• Essex County, Massachusetts probate records : part I.

• Essex–County historical & genealogical register, by M.V.B. Perley

• Genealogy of the Mercer-Garnett family of Essex county, Virginia. Supposed to be descended from the Garnetts of Lancashire, England. Comp. from original records, and from oral and written statements of members of the family, by James Mercer Garnett

• Nine generations in Essex County, by Diane Van Wormer

• The Indian land titles of Essex County, Massachusetts, by Sidney Perley

• Reminiscences of distinguished men of Essex County, by Nathan Crosby

• The Essex memorial, for 1836: embracing a register of the county, by James R. Newhall

• Historical sketch of ancient Redding, Massachusetts, to which has been added early Redding maps and town grants to early settlers, also an individual historical sketch of the first settlers of Redding and Middlesex and Essex county deeds and wills from 1638 for about 100 years., by William Eaton

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 1 (Jan. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 2 (Feb. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 3 (Mar. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 5 (May 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 6 (June 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 7 (July 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 8 (Aug. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 9 (Sept. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 10 (Oct. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 11 (Nov. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 12 (Dec. 1894)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 2, no. 1 (Jan. 1895)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 2, no. 2 (Feb. 1895)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 2, no. 3 (Mar. 1895)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 2, no. 4 (Apr. 1895)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 2, no. 5 (May 1895)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 2, no. 6 (June 1895)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 2, no. 7 (July 1895)

• Essex County historical and genealogical register, 1894-1895 – v. 1, no. 4 (Apr. 1894)

• The Dodge family of Essex County, Mass. : first three generations, by Joseph Dodge

• Genealogy of the Dodge family of Essex County, Mass., 1629-1894

• The Genealogical digest : serving families originating in Essex County, Massachusetts – v. 1, no. 1 (Oct. 1967)

• The Genealogical digest : serving families originating in Essex County, Massachusetts – v. 2, no.3 (July 1968)

• The Genealogical digest : serving families originating in Essex County, Massachusetts – v. 2, no. 2 (Apr. 1968)

• Killam : genealogy of the Killam family of Essex, County, Massachusetts

• Pedigree of King of Lynn, Essex County, Mass., 1602-1891 : five lines of descent traced

• The Essex antiquarian – multiple issues

• The name of Perkins as found on the Essex County [Massachusetts] records

• Biographical review, containing life sketches of leading citizens of Essex County, Massachusetts

• Contributions to the ecclesiastical history of Essex County, Mass.

• The Chipman lineage : particularly as in Essex County, Mass., by R. Manning Chipman

• Bradley of Essex County, early records: from 1643 to 1746: with a few lines to the present day…, by Eleanor Peters

• Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts : a classified work, devoted to the county’s remarkable growth in all lines of human endeavor; more especially to within a period of fifty years, by Benjamin Arrington

• Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts : a classified work, devoted to the county’s remarkable growth in all lines of human endeavor; more especially to within a period of fifty years V.2, by Benjamin Arrington

• Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts : a classified work, devoted to the county’s remarkable growth in all lines of human endeavor; more especially to within a period of fifty years V.3, by Benjamin Arrington

• Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts : a classified work, devoted to the county’s remarkable growth in all lines of human endeavor; more especially to within a period of fifty years V. 4, by Benjamin Arrington

• The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time: a period of about two hundred and thirty years by Sidney Perley

Amesbury

Andover

Beverly

• Early records of the town of Beverly, Essex County, Mass., by Augustus Galloupe

Boxford

• The History of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time, 1880

• The dwellings of Boxford, Essex County, Mass, by Sidney Perley

Danvers

• Danvers, Massachusetts: a resume of her past history and progress, together…, by Moynahan

• Danvers, Massachusetts: a resume of her past history and progress, together…, by Moynahan

Essex 

• History of the Town of Essex, from 1634 to 1700, 1853

• History of the Town of Essex, from 1634 to 1868, 1868

• Records and files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts; v. 8

Georgetown

Gloucester

• History of the Town and City of Gloucester, Cape Ann, Massachusetts, 1892

Groveland

Hamilton

Haverhill

• History of Haverhill Massachusetts, 1832

• The History of Haverhill Massachusetts from its first settlement in 1640 to the year 1860, 1861

• The History of Haverhill Massachusetts from its first settlement in 1640 to the year 1860, 1861 (alternate source)

• The History of Haverhill, Massachusetts, by Mirick and Whittier, 1832

• Haverhill Massachusetts, an Industrial and Commercial Center, 1889

• History of the City of Haverhill Massachusetts, 1905

Ipswich 

• Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Parts 1 and II, 1905

• Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Parts 1 & II, 1917

• Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Volume 2, A History of the town from 1700 to 1917, 1917

• “The Descendants of Lieut. John Andrews of Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts“, by Betty Andrews Story

• A genealogy of the Fo(r)ster family : descendants of Reginald Foster, who settled in Ipswich, EssexCounty, Massachusetts, A.D. 1638

Lawrence

• History of Lawrence Massachusetts with Portraits and Biographical Sketches, 1880

• History of the city of Lawrence

• History of Lawrence, Massachusetts: With Portraits and Biographical Sketches …, by Wadsworth

• Quarter-Centennial History of Lawrence Massachusetts with Portraits and Biographical Sketches, 1878

• Semi-centennial history of Lawrence, Mass.; with portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens of Lawrence and Essex County, together with views of … Lawrence & vicinity, by J.P. Lawrence Keough

Lynn 

• The History of Lynn, published 1819

• History of Lynn, 1829

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts: Including Lynnfield, Saugus …, by J. Newhall

• The History of Lynn, including Nahant, published 1844

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, published 1865

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant, published 1883

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864, Volume 1, published 1890

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1864-1893, Volume 2, published 1890

• LIN: or Notable People and Notable Things in the Early History of Lynn, the third plantation of Massachusetts Colony, published 1890

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant. 1864-1890., by James Robinson Newhall

• Centennial Memorial of Lynn, published 1876

Lynnfield 

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, published 1865

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant, published 1883

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864, Volume 1, published 1890

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1864-1893, Volume 2, published 1890

• Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report for the year ending December 31 – 1936, Lynnfield Town Clerk

• Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report for the year ending December 31 – 1938-1939

• Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report for the year ending December 31 – 1923

• Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report for the year ending December 31 – 1925-1926

• Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report for the year ending December 31 – 1928-1929

• Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report for the year ending December 31 – 1931-1934

Manchester-by-the-Sea

• History of the Town of Manchester, Essex County, Massachusetts, 1645-1895, published 1895

• “History of the town of Manchester, Essex County, Massachusetts, 1645-1895″, by Darius Francis Lamson

Marblehead

Merrimac

Methuen

Middleton

Nahant 

• The History of Lynn, including Nahant, published 1844

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, published 1865

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant, published 1883

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864, Volume 1, published 1890

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1864-1893, Volume 2, published 1890

Newbury 

• Newbury: a pattern of flatware . . . with some history of Newbury Massachusetts and its progenitor Newbury England, 1907

• The Descendants of Nathaniel Clarke and His Wife Elizabeth Somerby of Newbury Massachusetts, 1902

Newburyport

• History of Newburyport … with a biographical appendix, 1854

• History of Newburyport, Mass: 1764-1905, Volume 1, 1906?

• History of Newburyport, Mass: 1764-1909, Volume 2, 1909

North Andover

Peabody

Rockport 

• History of the Town of Rockport, 1888

Rowley

Salem

Salisbury

• Town of Salisbury tercentenary celebration (program) (Essex County, Massachusetts)

Saugus 

• History of Saugus Massachusetts, 1916

• History of Warren Massachusetts, published 1874

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, published 1865

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant, published 1883

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864, Volume 1, published 1890

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1864-1893, Volume 2, published 1890

Swampscott 

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, published 1865

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant, published 1883

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864, Volume 1, published 1890

• History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1864-1893, Volume 2, published 1890

Topsfield

• Town Records of Topsfield Massachusetts, Volume 1, 1659-1739, 1917

• Town Records of Topsfield Massachusetts, Volume 2, 1739-1778, 1920

Wenham

West Newbury

*Essex County histories & town histories will continue to be added as they are located.