RG 004:009, Bethel Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2010 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

Bethel, Fairfield County, Town established in May 1855 Parent Town: Danbury

The Bethel Probate District was constituted July 4, 1859, from the Danbury Probate District. The Bethel Probate District merged with the Newtown, Redding, and Ridgefield Probate Districts on January 5, 2011 to create the Northern Fairfield County Probate District which serves the municipalities of Bethel, Newtown, Redding and Ridgefield.

Town of Bethel, Probate District chronology:

May 1855 - July 3, 1859, Danbury District
July 4, 1859 - January 4, 2011, Bethel District
January 5, 2011 - Present, Northern Fairfield County District

For Probate Court contact information and hours of operation see, Probate Court Directory.

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Scope and Content

Probate record books, 1859-1976. Contact the probate court to access record books after Volume 37. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Probate files, 1859-1929. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Inventory control book, 1859-1929 (coverage). Also known as the Godard Digest, it is a list of probate files transferred to the Connecticut State Library. It was compiled at the Connecticut State Library under the direction of State Librarian George S. Godard.

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Arrangement

Record books are numbered consecutively from 1 to 37. One volume of bonds is unnumbered.

Probate files are arranged alphabetically in one series.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Researchers should first consult use copies when available. See Alternate Form Available Section below.

Probate files from 1921-1929 are RESTRICTED as they may contain confidential documents. Tax returns (succession, transfer and estate tax returns and all attachments) from January 1, 1921 and later are confidential per Connecticut General Statutes §12-15.

Accession 1987-046, Record books, 1859-1976, are stored at an off-site facility and therefore may not be available on a same-day basis.

See the Rules and Procedures for Researchers Using Archival Records and Secured Collections policy.

Restrictions on Use

See the Reproduction and Publications of State Library Collections policy.

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Index Terms

Subjects:

Places:

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Administrative Information

Alternative Form Available

Record books, volumes 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 1859-1931; probate files, 1859-1915; and inventory control book (Godard Digest) were microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah and are available for use in the History and Genealogy reading room or through the LDS Family History Centers.

Provenance

The probate files in accession 1931-001 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on December 4, 1931 and span the years 1859-1929.

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Other Finding Aid

Record Books: Index cards for the record books have been scanned. Ask History and Genealogy staff for assistance.

Probate Files: The Probate Estate Papers Index, located in the index corridor adjacent to the History and Genealogy Reading Room, has two parts, a general index covering most of the state, and a Hartford Probate District index covering Hartford and some surrounding towns, 1820-1920. The index cards are arranged alphabetically by individual's last name and first names. The cards have the individual's name, town of residence, probate district, and list of items contained in the estate packet. To request retrieval of an estate packet, copy at least the estate name, file date, and probate district name from the index card. The probate files in Accession 1931-001 are represented in this index.

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