- Collections
Collections
Guide to The Library
The Dyer’s collection consists of approximately 14,000 books, including general U.S. history books, a notable collection of Civil War monographs, Massachusetts town histories, Massachusetts business directories from 1867-1919, biographies and an extensive collection of genealogy books.
Sam Dyer Room
Rotating exhibits are found in the Sam Dyer Room as well as biography cases for Moses Arnold and Reverend Jesse Jones. The Old Abington Commemorative Quilt celebrating the 275th anniversary of the founding of Abington hangs in this room.
Marietta Dyer Room
General history books and biographies and books by local authors are located in the Marietta Dyer Room.
~ Subject Files ~
One of the gems in the Dyer's vast collection are the Subject Files. These document people, institutions and topics related to the towns of Abington, Rockland and Whitman, MA and other events that occurred in the area.
The Biography Files are filled with tid-bit treasures about the daily lives of those who lived in Abington, Rockland and Whitman. Most often collected from newspaper clippings, you will learn the stories about the wealthy and famous to regular people. There are stories about shoe factory owners sponsoring town-wide events to small notices about neighbors enjoying coffee and a game of whist, and so much more!
Col. Joseph Murphy Room
Most of the genealogy books and resources in the Dyer's collection are shelved in the Murphy Room. The following is a taste of the vast number of resources found here.
- New England Historical and Genealogical Society publications
- Mayflower Descendants
- Town Reports and other Vital Statistics primarily for Abington, Rockland and Whitman
- Family Genealogies
- Directories and Maps
Massachusetts Town and City histories are shelved in alphabetical order, from Abington to Wrentham & Cape Cod Town Histories. You will also find county histories for Middlesex, Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Hampshire, Plymouth, Norfolk, Barnstable, and Worcester and a history of the Connecticut Valley.
The Dyer Library Collection
Documents
The collection is a primary resource for the study of Old Abington from the Colonial period to modern day, including diaries, letters, business account books, genealogies and early Old Abington documents.
- Martha Campbell Collection - Historical notes, photos and programs she presented
- Martha Campbell Genealogy Notes for Old Abington Families
- Martha Campbell - The Research Reporter articles with partial index
- Anna and Clara Gurney Genealogy Notes (Whitman)
- James Hoban Genealogy Notes (Abington, former Dyer Library Trustee)
- Herbert Hunt Genealogy Notes
- Cyrus Nash Collection
- Charles James Sherman Genealogy Notes (Whitman)
- Dr. George L. Whiting Genealogy Notes (Abington, former Dyer Library Trustee)
Maps
The map collection of the library consists of local maps for the town of Abington, Rockland, and Whitman — illustrating the history and development of these towns. Highlights include,
- Maps of Abington dated 1830 (James Bates), 1848 (E. Whiting), 1896 (Elbridge Payn)
- A hand drawn map drawn created in the late 19th century of the reconstruction of the Timothy Hatherly grant of 1654
- Birds-eye view maps of Abington, Rockland and South Abington (Whitman) from the late 1800s
- 1874 Atlas of Abington and Rockland
- 1903 Atlas of Plymouth County
- The larger WPA maps of Mount Vernon, St. Patrick's, and Colebrook cemeteries in Abington, Rockland and Whitman, identifying the locations of veterans graves up to, and including, those who served in WW I
Military History
Information about residents of Old Abington (Abington, Rockland, and Whitman) who served or were involved in the military from Colonial times through World War II. The Dyer is actively working to increase its collection regarding those who served from WW II to the present.
Highlights from our Military History collection include,
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Soldiers with index
- Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Revolutionary War with index
- Abington and the Revolution and Earlier Wars: The Story of Old Abington, Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War with index
- The Civil War Times magazine
- Civil War diaries and individual military commissions for local soldiers
- Regiment books
Honor Roll
The names of individuals from Old Abington (Abington, Rockland, and Whitman) who made the ultimate sacrifice from the French and Indian War through World War II. Names are continuing to be added to the Honor Roll as we gather information from collections.
Newspapers
Our collection consists of local newspapers including the Abington Standard, Rockland Standard, and Whitman Times.
The local news columns in 19th and early 20th century papers will often include details that range from announcing a family's visiting relatives and mentioning the town in which they live, to social events with the names of all who attended. They may also mention where a family moved. Since the middle 20th century, there have been fewer personal details found in newspapers, although a thorough search of all issues is still suggested because of this unpredictability.
The Dyer Memorial Library has a collection of printed newspapers — many uncataloged — available for use. Some of our holdings are missing issues or are incomplete.
- Abington Mariner, 2000+Abington Standard, 1982 - 1995
- Abington Advertiser [Very few issues]
- Abington/Rockland Mariner, July 1991 - Dec 1995 / Jan - Jun 1999 [Missing or incomplete]
- Hanover Branch Newspaper, 1958 - 1978
- Plymouth County Courier, June 1945 - Nov 1946 [Missing or incomplete; WW II newspaper combining news from the Whitman Times, Abington Journal-Herald and East Bridgewater Journal]
- Rockland Standard, 1876 - 1991 [Bound volumes through 1950; Missing or incomplete]
- Rockland Independent, 1911 - 1928
- South Shore News [Incomplete]
- Whitman/Hanson Express, 2000
- Whitman Times, 1935 - 1966 / 1975 - 1978 [Missing or incomplete]
Photographs & Postcards
The photographic archives at the library consist of local area images of Abington, Rockland and Whitman including glass plate negatives, cartes-de-visite, cabinet cards and images produced through modern photographic processes. The subjects include people, street scenes, places, businesses, and schools. The library also has a large postcard collection for the three towns
Artifacts
The artifacts in our collection are primarily of local and antiquarian interest. The range of artifacts encompasses examples of house wares, furniture, apothecary, fire, clocks, tools, textiles, and military ephemera. Of special interest are items belonging to General Benjamin Lincoln, John L. Sullivan, and the Dyer family. Also in our collection are examples of pottery made by John Benner, objects from the shoe making trade, and Sandwich glass.
