Author Archives: Bryna O'Sullivan

How do you find your ancestor’s Catholic records when all you have is the name of the priest?

Catholic records are a key part of researching Connecticut families who arrived from Quebec, Ireland, Italy, Poland and more. For some families, Church records will be the most detailed records of their time in the US, as they may not have trusted civil government, did not own land, and would have limited assets to leaveContinue reading “How do you find your ancestor’s Catholic records when all you have is the name of the priest?”

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

What’s Connecticut Digital Archive – and how can it help my genealogy research?

Hosted by the University of Connecticut, Connecticut Digital Archive serves as a digital repository for the state’s libraries and museums. While not every state institution is a member, there are over 75 currently involved. You can use the Digital Archive in a few ways. From the home page, you can click on “All Collections” toContinue reading “What’s Connecticut Digital Archive – and how can it help my genealogy research?”

What newspaper covered my Connecticut ancestor?

You’ve heard about The Hartford Courant and The New Haven Register. But how do you identify the smaller newspapers that might have covered your ancestor’s day to day life? The Connecticut State Library has a resource that can help. It allows you to enter a town name and range of years. It will return aContinue reading “What newspaper covered my Connecticut ancestor?”

Connecticut Comptroller Records

The Connecticut State Library today announced the release of an index to the Comptroller records. The Facebook post describes the index as an “Index of Connecticut town officials requesting state aid for support of non-resident individuals in their municipality[…]” What exactly does that mean? Someone from another town? Another state? The answer can be foundContinue reading “Connecticut Comptroller Records”

How do I find Connecticut naturalization records?

When you’re searching for naturalization records, remember that 1906 is the “magic” date. The Naturalization Act of 1906 dramatically increased the level of detail found on a record and limited the number of courts in which one could be naturalized. Prior to that date, applicants could naturalize at any court. Earlier records do exist, butContinue reading “How do I find Connecticut naturalization records?”

Were Connecticut Revolutionary War units integrated or segregated?

Both. Connecticut had one segregated unit: the company of Capt. David Humphreys in the 4th Connecticut. The privates in that company were all men of color. The company never saw its commander, who was assigned as a staff officer to Washington. The men consistently refer to him as Elijah Humphreys in pension applications. Although itContinue reading “Were Connecticut Revolutionary War units integrated or segregated?”

Did Connecticut warn out?

If you’ve studied colonial New England genealogy, you’ve probably heard about the practice of “warning out”. “Warning out” was a practice in which the town’s selectmen would tell unwanted inhabitants they had to leave the community, usually to avoid paying for care of an individual not raised in or with deep ties to a community.Continue reading “Did Connecticut warn out?”

How do I determine what Connecticut laws might have impacted my ancestor?

Civil records of our ancestors were the end result of a series of laws. Laws determined when vital records were created, who had to be recorded, what information was included, what fees were charged for that recording, and more. Reviewing the original laws can help us understand what a source can and cannot tell usContinue reading “How do I determine what Connecticut laws might have impacted my ancestor?”