RG 004:019, Brooklyn Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2011 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

Brooklyn, Windham County, Town established in May 1786, Parent Towns: Canterbury and Pomfret

The Brooklyn Probate District was constituted June 4, 1833, from the Plainfield and Pomfret Probate Districts. The Brooklyn Probate District merged on January 5, 2011 with the Ashford, Eastford (part), Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson, and Woodstock Probate Districts to create the Northeast Probate District. The Northeast Probate District serves the municipalities of Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson, and Woodstock.

Town of Brooklyn, Probate District chronology:

May 1786 - June 2, 1833, Pomfret District
May 1786 - June 2, 1833, Plainfield District (covered the part of Brooklyn which was taken from the Town of Canterbury)
June 4, 1833 - January 4, 2011, Brooklyn District
January 5, 2011 - Present, Northeast District

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

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Scope and Content

Probate record books, None. Contact the probate court to access original record books. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Probate files, 1833-circa 1975. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Inventory control book, 1833-1933 (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

Probate files are arranged by accession. Accession 1911-002 is arranged alphabetically in one series. Accession 2012-002 is arranged alphabetically within each box as received from the probate court.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

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

Probate files dated 1921 or later 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.

Accession 2012-002, Probate files, circa 1934-1876 is 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 1-10, 1833-1917; probate files, 1833-1915 (Accession 1911-002 only); 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 1911-002 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on the following dates (with date span of files): October 14, 1911 (1833-1901); December 8, 1925 (1870-1908); June 25, 1928 (1885-1920); September 15, 1934 (1909-1933). They were interfiled into one alphabetic sequence. The probate files in accession 2012-002 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on July 20, 2012.

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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. Note: CSL does not hold any original record books. See Alternate Form Available section for volumes available on microfilm.

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 1911-002 are represented in this index.

Probate Files: The History and Genealogy reference staff has access to an index for the probate files in accession 2012-002.

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