RG 004:065, Hartland Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2011 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

Hartland, Litchfield County, Town established in May 1761

The Hartland Probate District was constituted June 3, 1836, from the Granby Probate District. On January 8, 2003 the Barkhamsted and Hartland Probate Districts merged with the New Hartford Probate District to create a single New Hartford Probate District. The New Hartford Probate District merged on January 5, 2011 with the Torrington and Winchester Probate Districts to create the Torrington Area Probate District which serves the municipalities of Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Goshen, Hartland, New Hartford, Torrington, and Winchester.

Town of Hartland, Probate District chronology:

May 1761 - May 1769, Hartford District
May 1769 - May 1807, Simsbury District
May 1807 - June 2, 1836, Granby District
June 3, 1836 - January 7, 2003, Hartland District
January 8, 2003 - January 4, 2011, New Hartford District
January 5, 2011 - Present, Torrington Area District

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

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Content

Probate record books, volumes 1-10, 1836-1967. Contact the probate court to access original record books after volume 10. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Probate files, 1836-1921. Probate files dating 1787-1850 are from the Hebron District of which Andover was a part of during that time. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Inventory control book, 1836-1921 (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.

Return to the Table of Contents

Arrangement

Record books are numbered consecutively from 1 to 10.

Probate files are arranged alphabetically in one series.

Return to the Table of Contents

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

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

Probate files from 1921 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. Contact State Archives staff for assistance.

Accession 2011-095, Record books, 1836-1967, 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.

Return to the Table of Contents

Index Terms

Subjects:

Places:

Return to the Table of Contents

Administrative Information

Alternative Form Available

Record books, volumes 1-3, 5-6, 1836-1937; probate files, 1836-1915; 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 1923-003 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on the following dates (with date span of files): November 19, 1923 (1836-1921).

The record books in accession 2011-095 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on January 10, 2011.

Return to the Table of Contents

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 1923-003 are represented in this index.

Return to the Table of Contents

Container List