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 event occurred (and sometimes in a third location as well). Yet, sometimes immigrant ancestors seem to be missing. Why?

It is possible an ancestor’s event was not registered, despite the requirements.

More commonly, records are “missing” because of a language gap. In some cases, surnames became standardized once families settled in the US in a way that they would not have been in Europe. Polish surnames, for example, have a history of changing based on gender. Yet, that pattern may not have been used by later American generations. Referring to resources on the historic culture of the family’s ethnicity may be helpful. More often, difficulties arose because of the primary language of the record’s recorder. Medical staff, clerks, and other people filling out the vital record form may have spoken only English, and being unsure of the appropriate spelling, copied what they thought they heard. Using spellings that sound similar to those used by your ancestor may help locate the record you need.

1850-1897: The Years without a Connecticut Vital Records Index

The Barbour Collection covers vital records up to 1850; statewide recording of vital records (and subsequent indexes) starts on 1 July 1897. Between 1850 and 1897, however, you need to know the town where the birth, death or marriage occurred to find the record.

These sources can help:

  • Newspapers: Although detailed obituaries didn’t begin until the end of the century, mid-century Connecticut newspapers often included short notices listing the person’s name, the date of the event, and the type of the event.
  • Burial transit permits: If a death record cannot be located in the town in which an ancestor is buried and that ancestor died after 1884, consider looking for a burial transit permit. The document, which was received by the town clerk in the town of burial, was to travel with the remains and includes basic information about the death.
  • Military records: Some military records, such as the World War I questionnaires, may include vital records information.

Two “Must Check” Sources Most Genealogists Miss When Researching Colonial Connecticut

What documents should you check when researching a family in colonial Connecticut? Birth, death and marriage records (often people check the Barbour Collection instead); previous literature on the family; gravestone inscriptions (the Hale Collection); probate files; maybe manuscript or court records? There are two more “must check” sources that genealogists often miss.

The first is church records. Connecticut had an establishment or state church until 1818. While requirements about attendance changed over time, the strong presence of the Congregational Church meant many – even most – families were Congregational by default. That means marriages, burials, and baptisms may have also been recorded in church records. Many Congregational records have been digitized. Visit https://connecticutroots.org/church-records/ to learn more.

The second is land records. In a Connecticut that was largely agricultural, land was often the family’s most valuable asset. They may have taken more care in recording those transactions than they would others. While land records are generally not going to list the exact dates and places of birth, death and marriage, they may indicate family relationships or probate sales, providing a rough date of death. To learn more about accessing land records, visit https://connecticutroots.org/land-records/.

What’s a literature search – and why does it matter for researching your Connecticut ancestors?

Literature searches aren’t talked about much in genealogy anymore… A quick internet search returned blog entries from 2012-2015 but not much more recent. Yet, it’s still a valuable starting point for Connecticut genealogy projects, especially for colonial research.

  • What is a literature search? A literature search is a review of previous material published on our genealogy research question. In the world of internet research, that could include both traditional publications, including books and journals, and blogs, websites, and family trees.
  • Why take the time? A literature search can tell you what is already known about the family and what has yet to be documented. It can reveal where to find sources containing crucial information, as well as possible gaps in the research. While not every family will be covered, it’s generally worth taking the time to find out.
  • Where do I start with a literature search for a Connecticut ancestor? Consider the major genealogical libraries and online repositories for family genealogical publications. For journals, consider the New England Historic Genealogical Society; Connecticut Ancestry Society; and Connecticut Society of Genealogists.

… and once you’ve finished your research, perhaps it’s time to consider adding your own literature to the search!

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 recounts how, in 1708, the minister was given both a home and property for serving the community. Later ministers were only granted the use of the minister’s lot. In other towns, the minister’s property was entirely leased, although the home built on it might have been handed down to the family’s heirs (and later, possibly sold).

Minister’s grants and leases are often not recorded in the land records but will instead appear in governmental records. Start with the town records, then check the public records of the colony or state.

Myth or Truth: Were Connecticut men of color conscripted as body servants under the 1780 quota act?

Based on the available evidence, this is a myth.

To learn more about the 1780 quota act, see a prior blog post. In short, the quota act required “classes” or subgroups of militia in each town to provide “a good able-bodied effective recruit” to serve on the Continental Line. The wording of the act strongly suggests it was intended to recruit soldiers.

A link between the quota act and body servants seems to have been made largely to explain a 19th century account of a man of color serving during the American Revolution. The original account, which can be read here, says that: “He was a servant to different officers in the Revolutionary War; had been sent on errands by General Washington, and said he had ‘straddled many a cannon when fired by the Americans at the British troops.'” This account dates from 1844, decades after the end of the War.

Yet, there’s strong evidence that body servants serving with Connecticut troops were held in slavery or paid by individual officers. See this blog post for my prior discussion on the subject. No evidence has been uncovered to date that an individual was hired or recruited to serve multiple officers, although this was common practice during the American Civil War (at least in the South).

Taking the strong evidence that the quota act was intended to recruit soldiers together with information on the known patterns for engaging body servants, it seems unlikely an individual was recruited under the 1780 quota act to serve as a body servant.

Historical Societies and Researching Your Connecticut Ancestor

One of the more frustrating moments in research is when a genealogist contacts a historical society about governmental records. Connecticut’s historical societies don’t typically hold governmental records (although some have ended up with records through transfers, dumpster diving and more)… How can they help with your genealogy research?

    … and more…

    While Connecticut’s historical societies likely can’t help with questions requiring access to governmental records, they can still be of great help with your genealogy research.

    5 Crucial Dates in 19th Century Connecticut History That May Impact Your Genealogy

    These dates are just a few moments in a packed century! I hope you’ll consider doing more reading…

    1. April 1814: The burning of Essex, demonstrating the impact of the War of 1812 on the state.
    2. 1815: First steamboat voyage on the Connecticut River, marking the beginning of a shift in the river trades.
    3. 1818: The passage of the Constitution of 1818. In effect until 1965, it was the first state constitution for Connecticut. It also disestablished the Congregational Church.
    4. 1848: Slavery is abolished in Connecticut.
    5. 1 Jul 1897: The first day when copies of vital records (birth, death, and marriage certificates) were required to be sent to the state of Connecticut by the towns.

    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’t really have enough information to find your ancestor in Connecticut. Most Connecticut records are stored on the town level. That means you need to know the town to find your ancestor’s records. Yes, there are resources that allow you to search across multiple towns, such as the Barbour Collection. Yet, these resources may not include every known record: the Church Record Abstracts, for example, include only 25% of the State Library’s Collection. And ancestors often skipped recording certain types of records. Birth records were required beginning in the 1640s; compliance was not general until after 1900.

    Second, you’re likely missing records that may contain information. Particularly after 1800, it was possible for an ancestor to go right from Connecticut to a farm in New York or the Midwest. Yet, it was just as likely for a family to move 2, 3, or 4 times. Unless you’ve checked their migration pattern and built a strong timeline, you won’t know.

    How do you build that timeline? Those vital records, probate files, county histories, and obituaries you’ve already found can provide a good starting point. Add in the census, and most importantly land records. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to trace the family move by move and perhaps find additional information in the process.

    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 be helpful in answering a few questions.

    1. Many Connecticut farms are small. Aren’t they just hobby farms? A 2024 study put the average Connecticut working farm size (businesses) at 74 acres. It’s not a significant decrease from Connecticut’s average working farm size in the 1800s. The state charted a peak of 106 acres in 1850 and decreased to an average of 86 acres in 1900. I suspect none of those farming in 1850 thought their farm was a hobby!
    2. There aren’t very many of them, are there? In comparison to the 19th century, the number of farms has significantly decreased. A 1900 census survey numbered 26,948 farms; that 2024 survey, 5,058. The shift had to do with late 19th and early 20th century shifts in agriculture: competition with Western farms stressed the finances of farmers, while the Great Depression wiped many out completely. (The long standing comment that New England “grows rocks” is a valid one: hence the stone walls.) Dairy hung on a bit longer, but eventually the value of their land led many families to sell out. A few families have continued to farm against the odds. Others have started from scratch.
    3. Why doesn’t Connecticut grow wheat or other grain crops? It did. In fact, during the American Revolution, Connecticut was referred to as the Provisions State. Yet, during the early 1800s, the state suffered a number of crop losses. That factor, combined with competition from larger farms in the Midwest and West, reduced the value to farmers in growing wheat and other grain crops. (That competition also made New England farms generally less viable.)

    Those farming in Connecticut today are bringing forward an agricultural tradition that has deep roots in the state. But it’s one that looks very different from farms in the Midwest and West.