Bethany, New Haven County, Connecticut Genealogy

Description
Bethany, Connecticut at Wikipedia

Bethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States.

Bethany was first settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town.

There have been inhabitants in Bethany since before 1638, predominantly Naugatucks of the Paugusset Tribe and Mattabessitts of the Wanguck Tribe. The first European settlers arrived in the area around April 1638, creating the towns of Milford and New Haven, with their boundary split down the middle of what is now Bethany. The area of the boundary was settled in 1678, 12 years after New Haven County was organized. In 1717, the Amity Parish was accepted by the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony and in 1832, Bethany was incorporated as a town. In the mid-to-late 19th century, the population of the town and the land decreased as parts were annexed by the neighboring town of Woodbridge and the new town of Beacon Falls was incorporated into the general geography of Connecticut.

Populated Places
Includes Neighborhoods, Villages, Unincorporated Communities, Districts, and Census-Designated Places:

Adjacent Towns

 * New Haven County: Beacon Falls | Cheshire | Hamden | Naugatuck | Prospect | Seymour | Woodbridge

Town Records
In New England most original vital records of birth, marriage, and death can be found at the town clerk's office Bethany Town Clerk 40 Peck Road Bethany, CT 06524-3322 Phone: 203-393-2100 x1104 E-mail: [mailto:fdoba@bethany-ct.com fdoba@bethany-ct.com] Website

Births

 * 1600s-1850 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images; some towns maybe missing
 * 1600s-1850 The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records This collection of bound typescripts is available at the listed libraries; some towns may be missing
 * 1600s-1870 Connecticut, U.S., Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry - index and images ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1639-1941 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1832-1907 (*); Bethany Registrar of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images

Marriages

 * 1600s-1700s U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1600s-1850 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images; some towns maybe missing
 * 1600s-1850 The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records This collection of bound typescripts is available at the listed libraries; some towns may be missing
 * 1600s-1870 Connecticut, U.S., Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry - index and images ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1832-1907 (*); Bethany Registrar of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1897-1968  Web: Connecticut, U.S., Marriage Records, 1897-1968 at Ancestry - index, ($); Also at: Connecticut State Library
 * 1959-2012  Connecticut, U.S., Marriage Index, 1959-2012 at Ancestry - index, ($)

Deaths

 * 1600s-1850 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images; some towns maybe missing
 * 1600s-1850 The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records This collection of bound typescripts is available at the listed libraries; some towns may be missing
 * 1600s-1870 Connecticut, U.S., Town Death Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry - index and images ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1650-1934  Connecticut, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 at Ancestry - index, ($)
 * 1832-1907 (*); Bethany Registrar of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1897-1968  Web: Connecticut, U.S., Death Records, 1897-1968 at Ancestry - index, ($); Also at: Connecticut State Library
 * 1949-2012  Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2012 at Ancestry - index, ($)

Divorce

 * 1968-1997  Connecticut, U.S., Divorce Index, 1968-1997 at Ancestry - index, ($)

Resources
For more County and State resources see:

Cemeteries

 * Bethany Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * New Haven County Cemeteries at FamilySearch Places

Church Records
At its founding, Congregationalism was the dominant religion in Connecticut and was even the state religion until 1818. Other common Christian denominations include the Methodist, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and Baptist churches. To see the churches in Bethany, visit. FamilySearch Places Many Connecticut churches have deposited their records at the Connecticut State Library. The following are church records available online for the town of Bethany:

City Directories

 * 1927 U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Bethany at Ancestry - index and images ($),some years may be missing
 * Various Dates U.S. City Directories, 1860-1960 at MyHeritage - index and images ($) some towns and years may be missing

Land Records
In Connecticut, most land records are kept at the town level. The following are online land records for the town of Bethany:
 * *YEAR 1-YEAR 2 : at FamilySearch Catalog — images :  at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Maps
This selection incudes town, county, state, and historical maps
 * Bethany, Connecticut Town Guides at CT State Library
 * Bethany at FamilySearch Places
 * Bethany at Google Maps
 * Bethany at Mapcarta
 * Boundary Map of Bethany at HomeTownLocator
 * Connecticut Maps State Page
 * McConnell's Historical Maps of the United States at Library of Congress
 * Old Maps of Connecticut at Old-Maps.com

Military
Some Records are Searchable by Town

Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
For more Revolutionary War Military Records see:
 * Connecticut Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
 * United States Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

Civil War, 1861-1865
For more Civil War Military Records see:
 * Connecticut Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865
 * United States Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865

World War I, 1917-1918
For more World War I Military Records see:
 * Connecticut Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918
 * United States Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918

World War II, 1941-1945
For more World War II Military Records see:
 * Connecticut Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945
 * United States Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945

Probate Records
In Connecticut, most probate records are kept at the town level. Bethany Probate District covers Town of Bethany. Constituted 4 July 1854 from New Haven. The following are online probate records for the town of Bethany:
 * 1855-1915 : at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Libraries
Clark Memorial Library – Bethany Library 538 Amity Road (CT 63) Bethany, CT 06524 Phone: 203-393-2103 E-mail: [mailto:director@bethanylibrary.org director@bethanylibrary.org] Facebook Website

Family History Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Newtown Connecticut Family History Center
 * Southington Connecticut Family History Center
 * Woodbridge Connecticut Family History Center
 * North Branford Libraries - Edward Smith Library - an affiliate library
 * North Haven Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * Southbury Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Bethany Historical Society Inc 512 Amity Road, Bethany, CT 06524 Phone: 203-393-1832 E-mail: [mailto:bethanyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com bethanyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Facebook Website