Learn about using genealogical indexes at the History & Genealogy Unit (H&G) at the Connecticut State Library

1. Learn About Using Genealogical Indexes at the History and Genealogy Unit (H&G) of the Connecticut State Library The Genealogical Index Corridor houses the heart of the Connecticut State Library’s genealogical collections. Arranged by name, the indexes are: The Barbour Collection Index Bible & Family Records Index Federal Census Index, 1790-1850 Newspaper Marriage Index, 1755-1870 Newspaper Death Index, 1755-1870 Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions Church Records Index Probate Estate Paper Index

2. The Barbour Collection Is an index to Connecticut town vital records from the beginning of each town to about 1850, as these records existed ca. 1920-1930, when the compilation was done. The Barbour Collection has two indexes, the slip index and the volume index.

3. The Barbour Collection Slip Index State-wide, alphabetical by name. Surnames that are spelled in a similar manner or that sound alike are grouped together.

4. The Barbour Collection Slip Index Refers to the original record. Most are on microfilm and can be borrowed through an LDS Family History Center. In this example, John Burdick's birth was recorded in Stonington Vital Records Vol. 3, Page 177. (See next slide) NOTE: The original record is unlikely to have additional information.

5. John Burdick’s birth record from the LDS microfilm copy of Stonington Vital Records, Vol. 3, Page 177.

6. The Barbour Collection Slip Index At the end of each surname are entries for that name with no first name or only designated as “Miss” “Mr.” or “Mrs.”

7. The Barbour Collection Slip Index At the end of the entire alphabet, are the entries for those with no surname and only a first name, or those with no name at all.

8. The Barbour Collection Index Volumes Theseare located further down the H&G index corridor. They are alphabetical by town. Within each town, they are alphabetical by surname. This is a good way to see all the records for one surname in a certain town.

9. The Barbour Collection Index Volumes It’s very important to read the introductions to each volume to find an explanation of what records were included, and to what the volume and page numbers that are cited in the index refer.

10. The Bible and Family Records Index Contains about 25,000 entries transcribed from Bibles and other family records. The index covers the 1600s to the early 1900s. It has two parts, the slip index and the volumes with typed transcriptions of the records.

11. The Bible and Family Records Slip Index Alphabetical by surname. Each slip has an abstract of a family record. At the bottom of the slip are citations to volumes and page numbers of a set of Bible and Family Records transcriptions. The bound volumes often give information on other members of the family.

12. The Bible and Family Records Slip Index At the end of each surname are entries for those with no first name, or only designated as “Miss”, “Mr.”, or “Mrs.” At the end of the entire alphabet are the entries for those with no surname and only a first name, or those with no name at all.

13. The Bible and Family Records Volumes Give the source of information and date of transcription. May give information on other family members. There is index to each volume at the back. Volume 27 is not included in the slip index – check the index at the back of the book.

14. The Bible and Family Records Volumes This set contains the full transcription from the records that were submitted to the State Library. In many cases the original record or a copy of it is housed in the State Library, either in the Special Genealogy File, or in State Archives Record Group 074:54. Other records were loaned to the transcription project and then returned to the owners.

15. The Connecticut Census Index Is a slip index of names from the federal censuses of Connecticut, for the years 1790 -1850. Variations of a surname will be grouped under one spelling. HINT: The 1850 census was the first to give the name and age of every person in the household. Before 1850, only the name of the head of household is given, all other individuals are merely counted – i.e., 1 male between the ages of 5 and 10, etc.

16. Further Census Index Information Connecticut federal census records have been digitized and are available online through different databases such as Ancestry.com or Ancestry Library Edition, FamilySearch, Footnote, and HeritageQuest. HINT: Unlike some other New England states, Connecticut did not have a state census.

17. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Marriage Notices Slip Index Consists of abstracts of marriage notices from the 90 earliest newspapers in Connecticut. It was done as a project during the 1920s and 1930s, and covers the period from 1755 to about 1870. It has two parts, the slip index and the abstract volumes. NOTE: The State Library may or may not have the newspapers cited. Check our catalog for holdings: www.consuls.org.

18. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Marriage Notices Slip Index Alphabetical by surname. There is a double index. This means you can look under either the name of the bride or the name of the groom. The page number on the card refers to the page number in the abstract volumes. When you’ve located a name in the slip index, you are ready to consult the volumes.

19. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Marriage Notices Abstract Volumes To use, consult the “Guide to Volume Arrangement…” (located on top of the volumes). Find the title of the newspaper that was listed on the slip index card – in the case of Adaline Barnes and Samuel Rust, the paper is the American Sentinel and Witness. Look at the Marriages section for that title, the part that would include page 221, and find the abstract volume number, in this case # 3.

20. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Marriage Notices Abstract Volumes -In volume 3, page 221. NOTE: Any additional genealogical information will appear in the volumes.

21. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Death Notices Consists of abstracts of death notices from the 90 earliest newspapers in Connecticut. It was done as a project during the 1920s and 1930s, and covers the period from 1755 to about 1870. It has two parts, the slip index and the abstract volumes. NOTE: The State Library may or may not have the newspapers cited. Check our catalog for holdings: www.consuls.org.

22. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Death Notices Alphabetical by surname. The death notices are interfiled with the Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions. The death notices are on yellow slips and the cemetery inscriptions are on white slips. The page number on the card refers to the page number in the abstract volumes. When you’ve located a name in the slip index, you are ready to consult the volumes.

23. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Death Notices Abstract Volumes To use, consult the “Guide to Volume Arrangement…” (located on top of the volumes). Find the title of the newspaper that was listed on the slip index card – in the case of Jabez Trowbridge, the paper is the Bridgeport Daily Standard. Look at the Death section for that title, the part that would include page 664, and find the abstract volume number, in this case # 62.

24. The Hale Collection of Newspaper Death Notices Abstract Volumes -In volume 62, page 664. NOTE: Any additional genealogical information will appear in the volumes.

25. The Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions Includesvital information from headstone inscriptions in over 2,000 Connecticut cemeteries. It was recorded in a W.P.A. project directed by Charles R. Hale from about 1932-5. Slips are arranged alphabetically by name. The index dates from the colonial period to about the year 1934. It has two parts, the slip index and the cemetery volumes.

26. The Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions Each slip gives an abstract of the information found on the headstone. The cemetery inscriptions are interfiled with the death notices. The cemetery inscriptions are on white slips. Once you’ve located a name in the slip index, you are ready to consult the cemetery volumes. In our example, to find Jabez Trowbridge, consult page 4 of the Bethel Cemetery book.

27. The Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions -In Bethel Cemetery book, page 4

28. The Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions The cemetery books are arranged alphabetically by town. At the end of each town book, there is an index by name, a list of the cemeteries included for that town, and a topographic map showing the cemetery locations. With a few exceptions, the books list stones in the order they were found in the cemetery. REMINDER: If a person did not have a stone, or if the stone was not legible in the 1930s, he or she will not appear in the index.

29. The Church Records Index Is a compilation of information from Connecticut church records. While the index covers mostly Congregational Churches, the entire collection represents many churches of other denominations. However, it does not include Catholic or Jewish records. The index includes baptisms, marriages, deaths or burials, dates of church membership, and other information. It has two parts, the slip index and the record volumes.

30. The Church Records Slip Index State-wide, alphabetical by name. Refers to the original record. Most are on microfilm and can be borrowed through an LDS Family History Center. Some of the entries may be from private records accessible only through the Manuscripts & Archives catalog in H&G.

31. The Church Records Slip Index At the end of each surname are entries for that name with no first name or only designated as “Miss” “Mr.” or “Mrs.” At the end of the entire alphabet, are the entries for those with no surname and only a first name, or those with no name at all. The index includes about one quarter of the church records held by the State Library. Many of the church records have been microfilmed by the LDS, and are represented in the Family History Library catalog: www.familysearch.org.

32. The Church Record Volumes Theseare located further down the H&G corridor. They are alphabetical by town. Within each town, they are alphabetical by surname. This is a good way to see all the records for one surname in a certain church. At the end of each surname are entries with no first name, and at the end of each volume are entries with no last name. NOTE: Not all churches found in the slip index have a bound volume.

33. The Church Record Volumes Read the introduction at the front of the volume to find what records have been included. Explanations of the abbreviations are also given at the front of each volume.

34. Probate Records at the State Library consists of two types of records: the probate record volumes, which are the accounts and proceedings of the probate court, and the probate estate papers. The Probate Estate Papers Index references wills, distributions, inventories, and other papers that may be associated with a person’s estate.

35. The Probate Estate Papers Index Has two parts: A general index covering most of the state, including the Hartford Probate District to the year 1799; and a specific index for the Hartford Probate District from 1800-1920. The index cards are arranged alphabetically name. The cards have the individual's name, year of probate case, town of residence, probate district, and list of items contained in the estate packet. NOTE: Probate files are most often for deceased persons but are sometimes for minors or those being named incompetent or insolvent. Notice the word “Minor” is checked on Lucy Ann Baldwin’s card.

36. The Probate Estate Papers Index Refers to the original estate papers. Most estate papers through 1880, and many additional papers through 1915, are on microfilm and can be borrowed through an LDS Family History Center. The microfilm of estate papers are arranged alphabetically by probate district. Within each probate district, files were filmed alphabetically by last name. Some papers were never filmed and have to be accessed through the State Archives. For more information on Probate Records, and to see what districts are covered in the index, see the Guide to Connecticut Probate Districts: www.cslib.org/probate/index.htm HINT: In many cases the town and probate district are different. Be sure to get the Probate District to avoid frustration!

37. The History and Genealogy Unit of the Connecticut State Library Come in and see for yourself! Visit our web page, www.cslib.org, for finding aids, genealogy resources, hours, directions, and more!