This file is as complete and accurate as possible, however if you should find errors, have additions or deletions, send them to me and I will update the file. Bill Green bill90@Delphi.Com BillUSPS@AOL.Com Date of last update: 28 March 1995 ************************************************************************* GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF CONNECTICUT 4 March 1989 Robert McLaren 7810 Kincardine Ct. Alexandria, VA 22310-4025 The following file contains a listing of genealogical and historical societies in Connecticut. Included in the listing, where known, are telephone numbers and yearly dues. This listing is donated to the public domain and may be freely copied. Under no conditions can this listing be sold or used in any other commercial fashion. If you think this list has any value, then donate that value in helping your local genealogical society (or the National Genealogical Society). If you write to any of the societies on this list for information, remember to include a self addressed stamped envelop (SASE). Many of these societies work with a limited budget, supplemented by volunteers, and can not afford to respond unless a SASE is included in your letter. The Connecticut Historical Society 1 Elizabeth St. Hartford, CT 06195 (203) 236-5621 Dues: Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council PO Box 4273 Hartford, CT 06147-4273 French-Canadian Genealogical Society of Connecticut, Inc. 54 Tolland Green P.O. Box G-45 Tolland, CT 06084 (203) 872-2597 Dues: Huguenot Society of Connecticut, Inc. c/o Charles A. Strange 2 Rock Rd., Morningside Milford, CT 06460 Irish-American Historical Society P.O. Box 120-020 East Haven, CT 06510 Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut c/o Howard Siegel 17 Salem Walk Milford, CT 06460 National Archives New England Region 380 Trapelo Rd. Waltham, MA 02154 (617) 647-8100 Holds Federal census records for the entrire country, microfilmed military records, and Connecticut naturalization records. New England Historic Genealogical Society 101 Newbury St. Boston, MA 02116-3087 (617) 536-5740 Dues: $40.00 per year Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut, Inc. c/o Jonathan D. Shea 8 Lyle Road New Britain, CT 06053 Dues: Fairfield County Brookfield Historical Society P.O. Box 5231 Brookfield, CT 06084 (203) 775-4719 Dues: Danbury Historical Society/Scott Fanton Museum Research Library 43 Main St. Danbury, CT 06810 (203) 743-5200 Darien Historical Society 45 Old Kings Highway North Darien, CT 06820 Dues: Fairfield Historical Society 636 Old Post Road Fairfield, CT 06430 (203) 259-1598 Dues: Greenwich, The Historical Society of the Town of Bush-Holley House 39 Strickland Road Cos Cob, CT 06878 (203) 869-6899 Dues: New Canaan Historical Society 13 Oenoke Ridge New Canaan, CT 06840 (203) 966-1776 Dues: Norwalk Historical Reference Library Norwalk Museum 141 East Ave. Norwalk, CT 06851 Stamford Historical Society 1508 High Ridge Road Stamford, CT 06903 (203) 329-1183 Dues: Trumbull Historical Society Trumbull Town Hall P.O. Box 312 Trumbull, CT 06611 (203) 377-6620 Dues: Hartford County Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor PO Box 39 Windsor, CT 06095 Descendants of the Founders of Hartford c/o Connecticut Historical Society 1 Elizabeth St. Hartford, CT 06105 Salmon Brook Historical Society 208 Salmon Brook St. Granby, CT 06035 Dues: Wethersfield Historical Society 150 Main Street Wethersfield, CT 06109 (203) 529-7656 Dues: The Windsor Historical Society 96 Pallisado Avenue Windsor, CT 06095 (203) 688-3813 Dues: Litchfield County Goshen Historical Society Old Middle Rd. Goshen, CT 06756 Litchfield Historical Society PO Box 385 Litchfield, CT 06759 (203) 567-4770 Dues: New Canaan Historical Society 13 Oenoke Ridge New Canaan, CT 06848 Middlesex County Essex Historical Society 6 New City Street PO Box 123 Essex, CT 06426 (203) 767-0681 Middlesex County Historical Society 151 Main Street Middletown, CT 06457 (203) 346-0746 Dues: Middlesex Genealogical Society 45 Old Kings Highway N Darien, CT 06820 New Haven County Mattatuck Historical Society 144 W. Main Waterbury, CT 06702 (203) 753-0381 New Haven Colony Historical Society 114 Whitney Avenue New Haven, CT 06510 (203) 562-5959 or 4183 Dues: North Haven Historical Society 27 Broadway North Haven, CT 06473 (203) 239-7722 Dues: Watertown Historical Society 22 DeForest St. Watertown, CT 06795 New London County New London County Historical Society 11 Blinman Street New London, CT 06320 (203) 443-1209 Dues: Saybrook Colony Founders Assn. P.O. Box 1635 Old Saybrook, CT 06475-1000 Windham County Aspincok Historical Society of Putnam, Inc. P.O. Box 465 Putnam, CT 06260 (203) 928-6128 New England Historic Genealogical Society 101 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116 (617) 536-5740 Dues: $40.00 per year *************************************************************************** VITAL RECORDS Connecticut State Library History and Genealogy Unit 231 Capitol Avenue Hartford, CT 06106 (203) 566-3692 In Hartford, across the street from the state capitol building. Many amily histories, county and town histories, genealogical periodicals, indexes of CT cemetary records, the original Barbour index of CT vital records, etc. Open Mon-Fri, 9:30 - 5:00. Closed weekends and state holidays. The staff of the History and Genealogy Unit does not undertake extensive genealogical research but will check its Connecticut genealogical indexes for a fee. The indexes searched are: Barbour Collection of Connecticut town vital records (1600s - ca. 1850) Family and Bible Records Index Connecticut Census Index (1790-1850, excluding New London County, 1790) Connecticut Newspaper Marriage and Death Notice Abstracts (1755-ca. 1865) Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions (1600s-ca. 1934) Connecticut Church Records Index (alphabetical name index to approximately 25% of the church records in the State Archives; mostly Congregational, 1600s-ca. 1900) Connecticut Probate Estate Papers Index An information request form may be obtained by writing to the address above. Please read the brochure and instructions on the request form you receive carefully to insure that the information you need falls within the scope of the indexes and search policies. If you need to undertake more extensive research, you may wish to visit the library personally or employ an independent genealogical researcher (list available from the State Library, address above) to do so. Town Records The vital records (birth, marriage, and death records) are kept by each town clerk, and original vital records for most Connecticut towns from inception to the present are in the custody of the town clerk. Many Connecticut vital, land, church, and probate records to about 1900, as well as the Barbour and Hale Collections, have been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah and are available through the Church of Christ of Latter-Day-Saints' Family History Centers. Your local "Mormon" church should be able to direct you to the nearest Family History Center. State Records State registration of vital statistics began in 1897 and was generally complied with by 1915. Records from 1897 to the present are available from the town clerk or the: State Department of Health Vital Records Section 150 Washington Street Hartford, CT 06106 (203) 566-6545 State your relationship to the individual you want information about and the reason you want the information. Birth records are considered confidential and can only be searched by (1) the individual, his mother or father; (2) an attorney or legal representative; or (3) a member of a genealogical society legally incorporated in Connecticut. Such societies include the: Connecticut Ancestry Society P.O. Box 249 Stamford, CT 06904-0249 Connecticut Society of Genealogists P.O. Box 435 Glastonbury, CT 06033 (203) 569-0002 Contact the Connecticut Society of Genealogists for names of members willing to search town vital records for a fee. Divorce Records From the seventeenth century until the mid nineteenth century, parties secured divorces through two primary channels, the General Court (later the General Assembly) and the judicial system, especially the Superior Court. In 1849 the Assembly placed "sole and exclusive jurisdiction of all petitions for divorce" in the Superior Courts, though evidence suggests that for many years the body occasionally passed a bill of divorce. The Connecticut State Library holds many early divorce records; most of the early Superior Court divorce files have been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah and are available through Family History Centers. Most recent divorce records are held by the Superior Court where the divorce took place. An information sheet on divorce in Connecticut is available from the Connecticut State Library. *************************************************************************** STATE ARCHIVES Connecticut State Library 231 Capitol Avenue Hartford, CT 06115 Connecticut: In Hartford, near (in?) the state capitol building. Quite large. Many family histories, county and town histories, genealogical periodicals, indexes of CT cemetary records, the original Barbour index of CT vital records, etc. Open Mon-Fri, Sat morning (but this may have changed). From: tgl@ssd.kodak.com (Tom Lathrop 588-0677)) *************************************************************************** NEWSPAPER GENEALOGICAL COLUMNS A genealogical answer-query column was a feature of the Hartford Times from 1901 to 1967. It was not published continuously between those dates, but it was popular and efforts were made to keep it a regular section of the Saturday edition. Many of the columns have been microfilmed and are available at large genealogical libraries. Fiche are available for purchase from the Genealogical Society of South Brevard, P.O. Box 786, Melbourne, FL 32902 This file has been reviewed and updated as of 18 November 1994 Richard C. Roberts RROBERTS@csunet.ctstateu.edu Library Specialist History and Genealogy Unit Connecticut State Library **************************************************************************** * Bill Green Minot, North Dakota 58701 * Home of the * * bgreen@milo.NoDak.Edu * NORSK H0STFEST * * Bill90@Delphi.Com * * ****************************************************************************