TABLE OF CONTENTS


Overview of the Collection

Historical Note

Scope and Content

Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Administrative Information

Other Finding Aid

Container List

Record books 1840-1955

Probate Files 1790-1940, bulk 1833-1898

Inventory Control Book 1790-1940

Probate Files 1899-1915

Probate Files 1916-1963

RG 004:015, Bridgeport Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2011 by the Connecticut State Library

Overview of the Collection
Repository: Connecticut State Library
Creator: Connecticut. Probate Court (Bridgeport District)
Title: Bridgeport Probate Court records
Dates: 1790-1963
Quantity: 310 cubic feet
Abstract: Probate record books, 1840-1955; Probate files, 1790-1963, bulk 1833-1963.
Identification: RG004_015
Accession: 1916-001, 2011-005, 2011-031, T003013
Language: The records are in English.

Historical Note

Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Town established in May 1821, City incorporated May 1836, Parent Towns: Fairfield and Stratford

Bridgeport Probate District was constituted June 4, 1840, from the Stratford Probate District. At one time it also served the towns of Easton, March 5, 1878 - January 6, 1959; Huntington, now Shelton, June 1840 - May 1889; Monroe, June 1840 - January 6, 1859; and Trumbull, June 1840 - January 6, 1959. It currently serves the City of Bridgeport.

City of Bridgeport, Probate District chronology:

May 1821 - June 3, 1840, Stratford District
June 4, 1840 - Present, Bridgeport District

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

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Scope and Content

Probate record books, 1840-1955. Contact the probate court for access to record books after Volume 193. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Probate files, 1790-1963. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Inventory control book, 1790-1940 (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:

The Bridgeport probate record books start with Volume 10. At the time the Bridgeport Probate District was created in 1840, the Stratford Probate District, of which it had been a part, was on Volume 10 of their record books. The Bridgeport Probate District began numbering with Volume 10.

From 1854 to 1860, the "Records and Orders" are included in the same volume.

The last volume to be titled "Records" is Volume 98. Beginning with Volume 99 the title became "Deceased Persons".

From 1860 to 1882, "Order Books" were numbered consecutively from Volume 12 through Volume 21, repeating volume numbers also used for "Records". These order books are listed after sequence of Volumes 10-193. From 1882 forward, "Order Books" are numbered within the same sequence as Records. Volume 33 is the first of these.

From 1870 to 1889, "Guardians, Conservators, etc." are in volumes lettered A, B, C, and D. These are listed after "Order Books", Volume 12-21. From 1889 forward, "Guardians, Conservators, etc." are numbered within the same sequence as "Records". Volume 48 is the first of these. Beginning in 1902 with Volume 105, the title of these volumes became "Minors, Incompetents, Insane, etc."

"Bonds" are in the same sequence as "Records", beginning in 1881 with Volume 30.

There is one volume of "Wills and Testaments" numbered Volume 1 that covers 1847-1866. This is listed after "Guardians, Conservators, etc.", Volume A-D.

The 3 index volumes are at the end.

Probate Files:

Accessions 1916-001 and T003013 are arranged alphabetically.

Accession 2011-031 is arranged first by starting letter of surname, then year, then alphabetically. For example, all of the A surnames are before all of the B surnames. Within the A surnames, all of the 1916 files are before the 1917 files. Within 1916 the files are alphabetical.

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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 1921-1976 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. Adoptions (all documents) from January 1, 1944 and later are confidential per Connecticut General Statutes §45a-754. Removals of parent as guardian of minor (all documents) and terminations of parental rights (all documents) from October 1, 1975 and later are confidential per Connecticut General Statutes §45a-754. Contact State Archives staff for assistance.

All Bridgeport record books and files 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:

Probate records -- Connecticut -- Bridgeport
Probate records -- Connecticut -- Easton
Probate records -- Connecticut -- Huntington
Probate records -- Connecticut -- Monroe
Probate records -- Connecticut -- Shelton
Probate records -- Connecticut -- Trumbull

Places:

Bridgeport (Conn.)
Easton (Conn.)
Huntington (Conn.)
Monroe (Conn.)
Shelton (Conn.)
Trumbull (Conn.)

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Administrative Information

Alternative Form Available

Record books, volumes 11-162*, 1840-1916; probate files 1790-1940 (Accession 1916-001 only); and inventory control book (Godard Digest) have been 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.

*The following volumes are not on microfilm: 14, 30, 36-37, 41, 43, 45, 47-48, 50, 52, 55-56, 58, 60, 62, 65, 67-68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80-81, 84-87, 90-91, 94-96, 100-101, 104-107, 109, 111, 113, 115-116, 118-119, 121-122, 125-126, 128, 130-131, 133, 135, 137, 139, 141, 143, 145, 147-151, 153, 155, 157, 159, 161.

Provenance

The record books in accession 2011-005 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on July 26, 2010.

The probate files in accession 1916-001 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on the following dates (with date span of files): March 22, 1916 (1836-1898); January 14, 1938 (1790, 1833-1915); February 3, 1941 (1851-1940). They were interfiled into one alphabetic sequence.

It is not known when the probate files in accession T003013 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library.

The probate files in accession 2011-031 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on September 16, 2010. The Bridgeport Probate Court is in the process of transferring all probate files to 1976 to the Connecticut State Library.

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Other Finding Aid

Record Books: Index cards for the record books are at the Bridgeport Probate Court.

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 1916-001 are represented in this index.

Probate Files: The History and Genealogy reference staff has access to an index for the probate files in accession 2011-031.

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Container List

Record books, 1840-1955, Accession: 2011-005, 103.5 cubic feet (208 volunes)
Volume
Journal, 1840-1845 10
Records, 1840-1844 11
Journal, 1846-1852 11
Records, 1844-1851 12
Records and orders, 1851-1854 13
Records and orders, 1854-1865 14
Records and orders, 1857-1859 15
Records and orders, 1859-1860 16
Records, 1859-1861 17
Records, 1861-1863 18
Records, 1863-1864 19
Records, 1865-1867 20
Records, 1867-1869 21
Records, 1869-1870 22
Records, 1870-1872 23
Records, 1872-1874 24
Journal, 1874-1876 25
Records, 1876-1878 26
Records, 1878-1879 27
Records, 1879-1880 28
Records, 1880-1881 29
Bonds, 1881-1888 30
Records, 1881-1883 31
Records, 1883-1884 32
Order book, 1883-1884 33
Records, 1884-1885 34
Records, 1885-1886 35
Order book, 1884-1886 36
Order book, 1886-1887 37
Records, 1886-1887 38
Order book, 1887 39
Records, 1887-1888 40
Order book, 1887-1888 41
Records, 1888 42
Order book, 1889 43
Records, 1889 44
Bonds, 1889-1894 45
Records, 1889-1890 46
Order book, 1889-1890 47
Guardians, Conservators, etc., 1889-1890 48
Records, 1890 49
Order book, 1890-1891 50
Records, 1890-1891 51
Order book, 1891-1892 52
Records, 1891-1892 53
Records, 1892 54
Order book, 1892 55
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1892-1894 56
Records, 1892 57
Order book, 1892-1893 58
Records, 1892-1893 59
Order book, 1893-1894 60
Records, 1893 61
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1894-1896 62
Records, 1893-1894 63
Order book, 1894 64
Records, 1894 65
Records, 1894-1895 66
Bonds, 1894-1899 67
Order book, 1894-1895 68
Records, 1895 69
Order book, 1895-1896 70
Records, 1895-1896 71
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1896-1898 72
Records, 1896 73
Order book, 1896-1897 74
Records, 1896-1897 75
Order book, 1897 76
Records, 1897 77
Records, 1897 78
Records, 1897-1898 79
Order book, 1897-1898 80
Conservators, guardians, etc., 1897-1899 81
Records, 1898 82
Records, 1898-1899 83
Order book, 1898-1899 84
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1899 85
Order book, 1899 86
Bonds, 1899 87
Records, 1899 88
Records, 1899-1900 89
Order book, 1900 90
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1899-1900 91
Records, 1900 92
Records, 1900-1901 93
Order book, 1900-1901 94
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1900-1901 95
Order book, 1901-1902 96
Records, 1901 97
Records, 1901 98
Deceased persons, 1901-1902 99
Order book, 1902 100
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1901-1902 101
Deceased persons, 1902-1903 102
Deceased persons, 1902-1903 103
Order book, 1903 104
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1902-1903 105
Order book, 1897 106
Bonds, 1903-1906 107
Deceased persons, 1904 108
Records, 1904 109
Deceased persons, 1904 110
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1904-1905 111
Deceased persons, 1905 112
Order book, 1905 113
Deceased persons, 1905 114
Order book, 1905-1906 115
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1906-1907 116
Deceased persons, 1906 117
Order book, 1906 118
Bonds, 1906 119
Deceased persons, 1907 120
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1907 121
Order book, 1907 122
Deceased persons, 1907 123
Deceased persons, 1907-1908 124
Order book, 1908 125
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1908 126
Deceased persons, 1908 127
Order book, 1908 128
Deceased persons, 1909 129
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1909 130
Bonds, 1909 131
Deceased persons, 1909 132
Order book, 1909 133
Deceased persons, 1910 134
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1910 135
Deceased persons, 1910 136
Order book, 1910 110
Deceased persons, 1910-1911 138
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1911 139
Deceased persons, 1911 140
Order book, 1911 141
Deceased persons, 1912 142
Order book, 1912 143
Deceased persons, 1912 144
Bonds, 1912 145
Deceased persons, 1913 146
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1912 147
Order book, 1913 148
Bonds, 1915 149
Bonds, 1916 150
Order book, 1913 110
Deceased persons, 1913 152
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1913 153
Deceased persons, 1914 154
Order book, 1914 155
Deceased persons, 1914 156
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1914 157
Deceased persons, 1915 158
Order book, 1915 159
Deceased persons, 1915 160
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1915 161
Deceased persons, 1915 162
Order book, 1915 163
Order book, 1916 164
Deceased persons, 1916 165
Order book, 1916 166
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1916 167
Deceased persons, 1916 168
Deceased persons, 1917 169
Order book, 1917 170
Order book, 1918 171
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1917 172
Deceased persons, 1917 173
Deceased persons, 1917 174
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1918 175
Deceased persons, 1918 176
Order book, 1918 177
Bonds, 1918 178
Order book, 1919 179
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1918 180
Deceased persons, 1918 181
Deceased persons, 1919 182
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1983 183
Order book, 1919 184
Order book, 1920 185
Deceased persons, 1919 186
Deceased persons, 1919 187
Bonds, 1920 188
Deceased persons, 1920 189
Minors, incompetents, insane, etc., 1920 190
Order book, 1920-1921 191
Order book, 1921 192
Deceased persons, 1920 193
Order book, 1860-1863 12
Order book, 1863-1866 13
Order book, 1866-1870 14
Order book, 1870-1872 15
Order book, 1872-1874 16
Order book, 1874-1876 17
Order book, 1876-1877 18
Order book, 1878-1879 19
Order book, 1879-1881 20
Order book, 1881-1882 21
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1870-1878 A
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1878-1883 B
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1883-1886 C
Guardians, conservators, etc., 1886-1889 D
Wills and distributions, 1857-1866 1
Index, to 1899 1
Index, 1899-1913 2
Index, 1913-1926 3
Miscellaneous volumes
Abstract, Fairfield Probate Court to 1721
Adoptions, 1919-1936
Inventory of estate of George A. Wells, 1892
Record of certificates of election of town clerks and registrars of births, marriages, and deaths, 1879-1955
Settlement of estates, 1841-1856
Probate Files, 1790-1940, bulk 1833-1898, Accession: 1916-001, 96 cubic feet
Box
Probate files, 1790-1940, bulk 1833-1898 1-192
Arranged alphabetically.
Inventory Control Book, 1790-1940, Accession: T003073
Index of the two accessions of probate files now merged into accession 1916-001
Also known as the Godard Digest
Probate Files, 1899-1915, Accession: T003013, 68.5 cubic feet
Probate files, 1899-1915 1-137
Arranged alphabetically
There is no index for this accession
Probate Files, 1916-1963, Accession: 2011-031, 42 cubic feet
Probate files, 1916-1963 1-42
The Connecticut State Library has 1916 Albrecht through 1955 Bobalki