Connecticut’s county system was abolished 1 October 1960, meaning that no functions are currently managed by the county within the state. In a 1998 memo, Judy A. Watson listed 9 functions of the county government system at its peak: Genealogists will most likely run into county records when researching ancestors who a) interacted with theContinue reading “Connecticut County Records: What do genealogists need to know?”
Category Archives: History
Is this service right?: Connecticut Revolutionary War ancestor with service from a different town…
This is one of the most common errors I see with Connecticut Revolutionary War service – most often when someone is looking for lineage society membership. They’ve found DAR or SAR qualifying service for an ancestor of that name in Connecticut, somewhere, and believe that service must be for their ancestor. Unfortunately, it’s not thatContinue reading “Is this service right?: Connecticut Revolutionary War ancestor with service from a different town…”
Why do families from Connecticut appear in Presbyterian records when they move to other states?
This had long been a point of confusion. Connecticut families tend to be Congregationalist by default prior to 1818; if they were not, they were often Baptist or Episcopal. Yet, when families migrated to new regions they often ended up in the Presbyterian Church. As it turns out, there’s a reason for the switch. InContinue reading “Why do families from Connecticut appear in Presbyterian records when they move to other states?”
My Connecticut immigrant ancestor seems to be missing a vital record. What’s going on?
Connecticut began recording births, deaths, and marriages on the state level on 1 July 1897. In theory that means that any birth, death, or marriage on or after that date should be recorded in both the state vital records office and in the town clerk or health department in the town in which the eventContinue reading “My Connecticut immigrant ancestor seems to be missing a vital record. What’s going on?”
Connecticut land record not in land records or probate? It might be a minister’s lease…
Until 1818, the Congregational Church was the established church of the state of Connecticut. As part of the governance of the church, the local community was expected to “settle a minister.” This meant finding a minister, paying their salary, and more. Sometimes, it meant granting or leasing them land. Fowler’s History of Durham, Connecticut recountsContinue reading “Connecticut land record not in land records or probate? It might be a minister’s lease…”
Born in Connecticut, died in New York?: Effectively Researching 18th and early 19th Century Migratory Connecticut Ancestors
Does the death record of your New York, Ohio, or Michigan ancestor list a birth place of Connecticut? Is there a profile in a county history listing a county of birth? It’s common for researchers to use that information to try to leap right into researching in Connecticut records… You shouldn’t. To start, you don’tContinue reading “Born in Connecticut, died in New York?: Effectively Researching 18th and early 19th Century Migratory Connecticut Ancestors”
What did your ancestor’s Connecticut farm look like?
I’ve spent a lot of time explaining why New England farms are different from farms in the Midwest over the last few weeks. Since the reasons are grounded in history and can help you better understand why your ancestor’s farm did or did not look a certain way, I thought a blog post might beContinue reading “What did your ancestor’s Connecticut farm look like?”
Prince Mortimer of Middletown (purportedly 1724-1834): Examining Claims of Revolutionary War Service
Since the 2006 release of Denis Caron’s A Century in Captivity: The Life and Trials of Prince Mortimer, a Connecticut Slave, discussion of the life of Prince Mortimer of Middletown has largely centered around the trial for attempted murder that resulted in Mortimer’s imprisonment in Old New-Gate Prison.[1] Yet some studies of Mortimer haveContinue reading “Prince Mortimer of Middletown (purportedly 1724-1834): Examining Claims of Revolutionary War Service”
Rethinking the Historical Approach: Using Genealogy to Tell the Story of a Veteran of Color, Pvt. Sharp Liberty, Connecticut Continental Line
Rethinking the Approach In recent years, scholars of Connecticut history have begun to grapple with the prior discussions of the participation of Connecticut soldiers of color in the American Revolution. As one historiographical study notes, the easy accessibility of two problematic texts on the subject online poses potential issues to future research. The author describesContinue reading “Rethinking the Historical Approach: Using Genealogy to Tell the Story of a Veteran of Color, Pvt. Sharp Liberty, Connecticut Continental Line”
5 Crucial Dates in 17th Century Colonial Connecticut History That May Impact Your Genealogy
The records of your ancestors are shaped by what was happening around them. Sometimes that was changes in law; sometimes changes in politics; sometimes warfare; something else. Here are five crucial dates in the history of 17th century colonial Connecticut that may impact your genealogy research: What else was happening in this period? King Philip’sContinue reading “5 Crucial Dates in 17th Century Colonial Connecticut History That May Impact Your Genealogy”
Connecticut Roots by Charter Oak Genealogy 