RG 004:125, Sharon Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2012 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

Sharon, Litchfield County, Town established in October 1739

The Sharon Probate District was constituted June 6, 1846, from the Sharon Probate District. The Sharon Probate District merged with the Canaan, Cornwall, Norfolk, and Salisbury Probate Districts on January 1, 2007 to create the Northwest Corner Probate District. The Northwest Corner Probate District merged with the Harwinton, Litchfield, and Thomaston Probate Districts on January 5, 2011, to create the Litchfield Hills Probate District. The Litchfield Hills Probate District serves the municipalities of Canaan, Cornwall, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Thomaston, and Warren.

Town of Sharon, Probate District chronology:

October 1739 - October 1742, New Haven District
October 1742 - October 1755, Litchfield District
October 1755 - December 31, 2006, Sharon District
January 1, 2007 - January 4, 2011, Northwest Corner District
January 5, 2011 - Present, Litchfield Hills District

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

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Scope and Content

Probate record books, Volume 2-42, 1757-1928. Volume 1 was not transferred to the Connecticut State Library. Contact the probate court to access original record books after Volume 42. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Probate files, 1755-1939. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies. See Alternative Form Available note below.

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Arrangement

Record books in accession 2011-040 are numnbered 2 to 42. Volumes 2 to 25 are also designated by a letter B to Z, for example "B or 2", " C or 3", etc. Volume 26 is a General Index. There is a volume of wills numbered 1 and a volume of bonds that is unnumbered.

Probate files in accession 1949-005 are arranged alphabetically.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

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

Accession 2011-040, Record books, 1757-1928, is stored at an off-site facility and therefore may not be available on a same-day basis.

Probate files dated 1921 or later are RESTRICTED pending review by State Archives staff 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. Adoptions (all documents) from January 1, 1944 and later are confidential per Connecticut General Statutes §45a-754. Contact State Archives staff for assistance.

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 2-24, 27-30, 32-33, 35, 37-39, 1847-1922; probate files 1755-1880 (Accession 1949-005); 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. Volumes 25-26, 31, 34, and 36 were not filmed.

Provenance

The probate files in accession 1949-005 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on November 22, 1949.

The record books in accession 2011-040 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on November 28, 2010.

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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. 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 1949-005 are represented in this index.

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