RG 004:070, Killingworth Probate Court

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2011 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

Killingworth, Middlesex County, Town established in May 1667

The Killingworth Probate District was constituted June 1834 from the Saybrook (Chester) Probate District. It also served the municipality of Clinton from May 1838 to July 4, 1862. The Killingworth Probate District merged with the Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Lyme, Old Saybrook, Saybrook, and Westbrook Probate Districts on January 5, 2011 to create the new Saybrook Probate District. The Saybrook Probate District serves the municipalities of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook.

Town of Killingworth, Probate District chronology:

1667 - October 1719, New London District
October 1719 - May 1780, Guilford District
May 1780 - June 1834, Saybrook District
June 1834 - January 4, 2011, Killingworth District (name from May 28, 1838-May 31, 1842 was temporarily Clinton Probate District)
January 5, 2011 - Present, Saybrook District

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

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Scope and Content

Probate record books, Volumes 1-10, 1834-1937. Contact the probate court to access record books after Volume 10.See Alternative Form Available note below.

Probate files, 1834-1972. Probate files may consist of estates, conservatorships, guardianships, commitments, and insolvencies. See Alternative Form Available note below.

Inventory control book, 1834-1921 (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.

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Arrangement

Record books are numbered consecutively from 1 to 10.

Probate files are arranged by accession. Each accession is arranged alphabetically.

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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 1921-1972 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. Contact State Archives staff for assistance.

Accession 2011-053, Record books, 1834-1937; and Accession 2011-054, Probate files, 1884-1887, 1920-1972, 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 1-3, 5-7, 10, 1834-1937; probate files 1834-1915 (Accession 1916-004 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 1916-005 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on the following dates (with date span of files): August 3, 1916 (1834-1901); May 14, 1928 (1866-1921). They were interfiled into one alphabetic sequence.

The record books in accession 2011-054 and the probate files in accession 2011-054 were transferred to the Connecticut State Library on November 29, 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. 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 1916-004 are represented in this index.

Probate Files: The History and Genealogy reference staff has access to an index for the probate files in accession 2011-054.

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