What’s the Godard Digest, and how can it help with researching the probate of my Connecticut ancestors?

The Connecticut State Library probate finding aids describe the Godard Digest (Inventory Control Book) as “a list of probate files transferred to the Connecticut State Library.” It further indicates that the Godard Digest “was compiled at the Connecticut State Library under the direction of State Librarian George S. Godard.“

In Connecticut, the probate courts can transfer older records to the Connecticut Archives (housed in the Connecticut State Library) at their discretion. To determine if the records covering the period of your ancestor’s death have been transferred from the court, you can review finding aids available here.

Even if you know the State Library holds the papers from the appropriate period, how can you be sure they have your ancestor’s papers? The Godard Digest was created under the direction of George S. Godard who was State Librarian from 1900 to 1936. The Godard Digest indexes papers first by district and then by surname. Different districts have different coverage periods, so start by checking the finding aid to learn the coverage of the Godard Digest. If it covers the period necessary, check the Digest itself on FamilySearch.