Boston Tax Records: 1780-1821

Transfer books represent a second stage of the tax record keeping process. In the transfer books, taxpayers are relisted in rough alphabetical order, with entries containing a range of details culled directly from the taking books. Critically, even during those years when street names were not recorded for each entry in the taking books, they are recorded in each entry in the transfer books.

The sample image on the right is from the 1804 transfer book for ward 2. The information it contains is much the same as the information recorded in the taking books, the primary difference being the fact that names from all across the ward have been put in rough alphabetical order.

The columns from left to right are:

• Page [i.e., the corresponding taking book page on which the name was originally recorded]
• Names
• Polls [i.e. poll taxes]
• Occupation
• Street
• Remarks
• R. Estate. [i.e. Real Estate]
• P. Estate [i.e. Personal Estate]
• Owners [of real estate]
• To whom assessed
• Amount [here not used]

Transfer books are particularly useful as a way to locate taking book entries for specific individuals.