RG 004:059, Groton Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2011 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

Groton, New London County, Town established in May 1705, City was incorporated May 4, 1964, Parent Town: New London

The Groton Probate District was constituted May 25, 1839 from the Stonington Probate District. The Groton Probate District merged with Ledyard, North Stonington, and Stonington Probate Districts on January 5, 2011 to create the Southeastern Corner Regional Probate District which serves the municipalities of Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington, and Stonington.

City of Groton, Probate District chronology:

May 1705 - October 1766, New London District
October 1766 - May 24, 1839, Stonington District
May 25, 1839 - January 4, 2011, Groton District
January 5, 2011 - Present, Southeastern Corner Regional District

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

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Scope and Content

Probate record books, 1839-1941. Contact the probate court to access record books after Volume 24 for Records, Volume 17 for Journals, and Volume 3 for Bonds. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Probate files, 1868-1976. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies.

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Arrangement

Record Books:

Journals are numbered consecutively from 1 to 17. There are 2 volumes each of numbers 16 and 17. Each one of these numbers is "manuscript" and the other is pre-printed "order and decree" forms.

Records are numbered consecutively from 1 to 24.

Bonds are numbered consecutively from 1 to 3.

Probate Files:

Probate files are arranged 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 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.

Accession 2011-106, Record books, 1839-1941; and Accession 2011-047, Probate files, 1868-1976, 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 1-20, 1839-1917, and journal, volume 1, 1839-1950, 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.

Provenance

The record books in accession 2011-106 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on January 31, 2011. The probate files in accession 2011-047 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on November 22, 2010 (boxes 1-34) and January 31, 2011 (boxes 35-47).

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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 History and Genealogy reference staff has access to an index for the probate files in accession 2011-030.

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