Q & A with the Creator

Q: What is the source data for the maps? A: The maps were transcribed from several maps published to the web.

• 1775 Source: Town of Wilmington (Town Website)
• 1794 Source: Samuel Thompson (digitalcommonweath.org)
• 1831 Source: Edmund Parker (digitalcommonwealth.org)
  • 1829-1830 Source: Middlesex Canal Plan and Profile: Maker George Rumford Baldwin (archive.org, and archive.org)
• 1856 Source: Henry F. Walling (loc.gov)
• 1875 Source: D. G. Beers (etsystatic.com)
• 1889 Source: Historic Map Works (historicmapworks.com)

Q: What information is included in the Book-Shaped Pins? A: Book-Shaped Pins include other data about people and places, including:

• MACRIS (Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, mhc-macris.net/) has a searchable list of structures and features of interest.  The buildings in the database have approximate build date, a name (e.g. Pound Keeper’s Cottage, c 1840), and sometimes a photo.  The historical buildings that still exist are prefixed with an asterisk (*) before the name.
• The Wilmington Public Library’s Local History Photo Collections that include historical views and buildings have been indexed to map locations.
• The Town Crier regularly publishes articles about historical people and places in Wilmington.  Links to many of those stories are pinned to their pertinent locations.
• Links to other pertinent historical literature are linked to their author’s location, such as the autobiography, Life of Asa G Sheldon: Wilmington Farmer

Q: How do I use the FamilySearch ID that follows each householder’s name?  A: FamilySearch.org hosts free genealogical research archives and family tree building around a shared, crowd-sourced pedigree.  A diligent effort was made to link each of the early Wilmington residents to their place in the family tree at the annotated FamilySearch ID (e.g. Asa Goodell Sheldon (9NN5-JFY)).  To view that person’s pedigree,

1. Create or Log In to your free FamilySearch.org account
2. Click “Family Tree” on the toolbar, then “Find”, then “Find by ID”
3. Copy the Ancestor ID into the field, then click “Find”
4. Click on the name to see an overview, and choose among the options to view your own relationship to the individual (as long as you have started to build your own pedigree to your ancestors), view their tree, or view details and historical documents about that person’s family.

Q: What is the expected accuracy of the mapped data? A: The pins are expected to be near the home for each property.  Some of the names appearing on the maps indicated land owners, not physical structures.  Considerable effort was made to ensure that the relative positions between properties was maintained, and insofar as identifiable features could be established (brooks, curves in roads, railroads, known existing historical structures), the pins are expected to be within 100 feet.

Q: Can I submit additional photos to place on the map? A: Absolutely.  Antique photos of general historical significance (places, objects) can be linked within this project.  Antique photos of people should be archived within Genealogical archives (FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, etc.)

Q: Some of the people listed on the map have no additional information. Why is that? A: Not all individuals have been successfully correlated with a census record or the other currently digitized records at FamilySearch.org.  The effort is ongoing and evolving, and the hope is that the map can improve in accuracy and richness over time.

Q: Can I download and use this information for other uses? A: Yes, this project is derived from public information, and is free to use for non-commercial purposes.

Q: Who can I contact for help with FamilySearch? A: Contact Joe Jackson, and he can put you in contact with Family History Consultants for help.

Q: Who can I contact to make corrections, or suggest improvements? A: Your friendly neighbor and genealogy enthusiast, Joseph A. Jackson, jjackson@wilmingtonma.gov.