Bryna O'Sullivan

Resources for researching the history of your Connecticut Home

Historic homes were witnesses to Connecticut’s history. Connecticut’s oldest known home dates to 1639. Other buildings saw the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and more. Telling the history of your home can help place it in the context of your community. It may even earn you tax credits! Land Records: Architectural Resources Tax Credit Programs:

What sources do you need to check to answer a question about an ancestor in colonial Connecticut?

If you’ve done genealogy for long enough, you’ve probably heard mention of the “Genealogical Proof Standard” and the idea of “reasonably exhaustive research.” That standard is designed to help genealogists ensure that their conclusions are well reasoned and based on an accurate reading of the evidence. Reasonably exhaustive research means that you’ve checked all ofContinue reading “What sources do you need to check to answer a question about an ancestor in colonial Connecticut?”

Starting Your Holiday Shopping? Favorite Connecticut Genealogy Database Providers…

Database subscriptions are always a popular gift for genealogists. So which ones do I use most? Actually, my favorite site for Connecticut research is free! FamilySearch requires registration but does not charge. The site hosts older land records, images of church records, pre-1900 vital records, probate files, and more. Ancestry is great for Connecticut’s probateContinue reading “Starting Your Holiday Shopping? Favorite Connecticut Genealogy Database Providers…”

What was the 1780 quota act – and why does it matter?

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the several towns within this State shall forthwith choose a committee who shall divide all the inhabitants thereof, who give in a list or are included in any militia roll, either of the trainband, alarm list or companies of horse, into as many classes accordingContinue reading “What was the 1780 quota act – and why does it matter?”

My Ancestor should have a Connecticut death record, but I can’t find it. Why?

If your ancestor died after 1900, they should have a death record. Connecticut began statewide recording on 1 July 1897, so compliance improved dramatically at that point. Yet, sometimes you still can’t find a record. Very rarely, there is actually not a record. It’s more common to just miss it. Why? There are two commonContinue reading “My Ancestor should have a Connecticut death record, but I can’t find it. Why?”

House of Hope

A trading fort rather than a colony, the House of Hope still played a major role in the settlement of colonial Connecticut. Established in 1633 by the Dutch under Jacob van Culer, the House of Hope was a trading post at the intersection of the Fresh River and the Little River.[1] The site, in today’sContinue reading “House of Hope”

Five Myths about Connecticut Vital Records (colonial period)

Connecticut required the filing of birth, death, and marriage record by the mid-1600s… Yet, the reality of what was recorded and when is a bit complicated. Here are five common myths about Connecticut vital records in the colonial period.

Junior or Senior?

Today, “junior” and “senior” are used to differentiate between direct line family members of the same name, most often father and son. That was not always the case in colonial Connecticut. In a 1979 article – George E. McCracken, “Terms of Relationship in Colonial Times,” The American Genealogist Vol. 55 (1979): 53; digital images, AmericanContinue reading “Junior or Senior?”

Is the Barbour Collection a Derivative Source?

As an index and abstract to pre-1850 Connecticut vital records, the Barbour Collection is popularly used in lineage society applications as “proof” of birth, death and marriage. (For history of the collection and for information on its three “formats,” visit https://connecticutroots.org/2023/07/28/are-there-multiple-versions-of-the-barbour-collection/.) The collection is generally considered to be reliable. Yet, as genealogists, we want toContinue reading “Is the Barbour Collection a Derivative Source?”

Is it a deed or a mortgage?

While there were banks in the United States as early as 1780, they didn’t become common until the late 19th century. That meant if you needed to borrow money to buy a property, you might do it from a friend, a neighbor, or the prior owner. And that can pose a stumbling block to yourContinue reading “Is it a deed or a mortgage?”