If a town hall is on your next onsite Connecticut research trip “to visit” list, these five tips can make the process a little easier: Explore FamilySearch, Ancestry, the Connecticut State Library and the town’s website first: Many Connecticut vital records; probate records; land records; newspapers and gravestone transcriptions have already been digitized. A reviewContinue reading “5 Tips for a Successful Town Hall Trip”
Tag Archives: Resources
Need help to better understand the sources used in Connecticut genealogy?
Finding the sources that discuss your ancestor is only part of the puzzle. To use them effectively, you need to understand how the source was created and why so that you understand what was put, in what was left out, and more. Four websites can be especially helpful for developing context. ConnecticutHistory.org: A product ofContinue reading “Need help to better understand the sources used in Connecticut genealogy?”
Is treating Connecticut genealogy as “New England genealogy” really the best approach?
Regional genealogy is becoming increasingly popular in professional genealogy, both as a way to establish professional expertise and to teach. While not a new concept, the idea has begun to supplant a state centered focus over the last decade or so. Instead of focusing on Connecticut, the genealogist using regional genealogy focuses on New EnglandContinue reading “Is treating Connecticut genealogy as “New England genealogy” really the best approach?”
5 Tips for Using FamilySearch for Researching Connecticut Ancestors
I hear often from researchers that they’ve started researching their Connecticut family on specific genealogy websites and skipped FamilySearch because it feels hard to use. They’ve accidentally missed one of the best resources for digitized Connecticut genealogy records (and more). While FamilySearch is a challenging to navigate website, learning how to use it can makeContinue reading “5 Tips for Using FamilySearch for Researching Connecticut Ancestors”
My French-Canadian ancestor isn’t recorded in Connecticut vital records. How do I document their birth, marriage, or death?
Connecticut’s statewide “compliance date” for birth, death, and marriage records is 1 July 1897. Yet, it’s not unheard of to have a hard time finding vital records after that time period for an immigrant ancestor and can be very hard before, even though records were technically required. Why? There are two common reasons for missingContinue reading “My French-Canadian ancestor isn’t recorded in Connecticut vital records. How do I document their birth, marriage, or death?”
Stuck on a Connecticut research problem? Here are five places you can go for help.
FamilySearch: The FamilySearch Wiki hosts how to information on Connecticut genealogy. Connecticut State Library: Genealogists love the Connecticut State Library and for good reason! From resources guides to helpful library staff, CSL should be familiar to every genealogist. Genealogical societies in state: Connecticut genealogical societies offer journals, research help, classes, and more. For a startingContinue reading “Stuck on a Connecticut research problem? Here are five places you can go for help.”
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?”
5 Common Mistakes Genealogists Make When Researching Connecticut Families
Not paying attention to who holds what records and how to access them. If you’ve started your research outside of New England, Connecticut’s records storage system is going to seem strange. From vital records to be stored on the town level to district probate courts, Connecticut has its own unique systems. Taking some time learnContinue reading “5 Common Mistakes Genealogists Make When Researching Connecticut Families”
Connecticut Genealogy on a Budget
Yes, genealogy is never a cheap hobby, but there are affordable resources. Check out FamilySearch. It’s a free genealogy site offered by the Church of the Latter Day Saints. They’ve made extensive digitization efforts, and as result, offer free access to images of many original records. Join one of the state’s genealogical societies. Connecticut SocietyContinue reading “Connecticut Genealogy on a Budget”
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…”
