In December of 1889, the City Council passed an order “that the Record Commissioners be requested to prepare and print as a public document, a list with brief notices, of the deceased members of the City Councils of Boston, Charlestown and Roxbury, giving exact dates as far as possible.” In April of 1890, the Record Commissioners under the direction of William H. Whitmore, Chairman, attempted to try to obtain from the living members and family of deceased members such personal facts to preserve as part of the city archives. Forms were sent out between 1891-1894 requesting information on name, place and date of birth, family, education, business, official positions, and military service.
"A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston - 1822-1908, Roxbury - 1846-1867, Charlestown - 1847-1873 and of the Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of various other town and municipal officers printed by order of the City Council" City of Boston Printing Department 1909 can be found in the Publications Collection.
The Record Commissioners during the years 1891-1894 compiled the “Personal Records” of the members of the Board of Aldermen and Common Council. The collection includes forms from members of the City Councils from 1861-1890. Gaps do exist throughout this span. The publication “A Catalogue of the city councils of Boston, Roxbury, Charlestown…” printed by order of the City Council, 1909 contains a list of all the members of the City Councils from 1822-1909 with a biographical notes number. William Whitmore used these same numbers, handwritten on the forms, to organize the collection. This collection includes forms for City Council members #1004-#1966 with gaps. An individual City Council member’s number can be found by consulting the index in the “Catalogue of the City Councils…” In addition to the printed forms, there are also news clippings, business letterhead, and transcribed obituaries for some of the members.