RG 004:064, Hartford Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2011 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

Hartford, Hartford County, Town settled by English 1635, named 1637, City incorporated May 1784

The Hartford Probate District was constituted 1666, as a County Court. The Hartford Probate District presently serves the municipality of Hartford.

City of Hartford, Probate District chronology:

1635 - May 1666 Hartford Colonial Jurisdiction
May 1666 - Present Hartford County Court & District

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

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Scope and Content

Probate record books, 1677-1849. Contact the probate court for access to record books after Volume 50. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Other volumes include daily botters, 1863-1887, a journal, 1829-1832, and ledgers, 1863-1884.

Probate files, 1641-1940. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Inventory control book, 1641-1814 (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. This item is very incomplete from 1800 on.

Partial index, 1800-1920. This item was never completed. It covers surnames Abbate to Babcock, Adeline.

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Arrangement

Record Books:

The record books are numbered consecutively from 4 to 50. There is also a Volume 39A.

The daily blotters and ledgers are not numbered but run chronologically.

The probate files are in two accessions, 1641-1920 and 1920-1940. Files are arranged alphabetically within each.

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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 1921-1940 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.

The probate 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:

Places:

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Administrative Information

Alternative Form Available

Record books, volumes 4-127^*, 1677-1917; probate files 1651-1915 (Accession T003017 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: 56-57, 59-60, 62, 68, 69-71, 73, 75, 77-78, 81-83, 86-88, 90-93, 95-96, 98-99, 102-103, 105, 107-110, 112-114, 116, 118-122, 124, 126-129, 131-134, 136, 138-142, 144-151, 154-157, 159-162, 164-167, 169-173, 175-176, 178-181, 184-188, 190-191, 193-195, 197-201, 203, 205-209, 211, 213-216, 218-221, 224-235, 237-245, 247-259. 261-263, 265-275.

Provenance

The daily blotters and ledgers were deposited in the Connecticut State Library on March 31, 1925. The journal was deposited on December 19, 1938. It is not known when the record books, other volumes, or probate files were deposited.

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Other Finding Aid

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 T003017 are represented in this index.

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