Colchester, New London County, Connecticut Genealogy

Description
Colchester, Connecticut at Wikipedia

Colchester is a rural town in New London County, Connecticut, United States.

The villages of Westchester and North Westchester are located within Colchester, as is the reservation of the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation. The town center village, which was previously incorporated as a borough, is a census-designated place.

Parent Towns

 * 1661 - original European settlement on a 340 acre of land; the land was a gift from Uncas, Sachem of the Mohegan tribe
 * 1699 - Colchester incorporated into the colony of New London

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

Town Records
In New England most original vital records of birth, marriage, and death can be found at the town clerk's office Colchester Town Clerk 127 Norwich Avenue Colchester, CT 06415 Phone: 860-537-7215 E-mail: https://www.colchesterct.gov/user/52/contact Colchester Town Clerk

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 & images, ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1639-1941 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1701-1731 : (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1703-1932 (*); Colchester Town Clerk at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1712-1932 (*); Colchester Registrar of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images

Marriages

 * 1600s-1700s U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1600s-1850 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images; some towns maybe missing
 * 1600s-1850 The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records This collection of bound typescripts is available at the listed libraries; some towns may be missing
 * 1600s-1870 Connecticut, U.S., Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry - index & images, ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1701-1731 : (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1703-1932 (*); Colchester Town Clerk at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1790-1833 Connecticut: Marriages and Deaths, 1790-1833 at American Ancestors — index & 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 & images, ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1650-1934  Connecticut, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 at Ancestry - index, ($)
 * 1701-1731 : (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1703-1932 (*); Colchester Town Clerk at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1712-1932 (*); Colchester Registrar of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1790-1833 Connecticut: Marriages and Deaths, 1790-1833 at American Ancestors — index & 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:

Biographies

 * A Catalogue of the Names of the Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut: With the Time of Their Arrival in the Country and Colony, Their Standing in Society, Place of Residence, Condition of Life, Where From, Business, etc., as Far as is Found on Record. By Royal Ralph Hinman. Hartford, Connecticut: Case, Tiffany Co., 1852. Salt Lake City, Utah: Digitized by FamilySearch International, 2017. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Connecticut Historical Collections: Containing a General Collection of Interesting Facts, Traditions, Biographical Sketches, Anecdotes, etc., Relating to the History and Antiquities of Every Town in Connecticut, With Geographical Descriptions, Illustrated by 190 Engravings. By John Warner Barber. 2nd ed. New Haven, Connecticut: Durrie & Peck and J.W. Barber, 1837. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Encyclopedia of Connecticut Biography, Genealogical-Memorial: Representative Citizens. By Samuel Hart. Boston, Massachusetts: American Historical Society, 1917-1923. Online at:.
 * Ye Names & Ages of All Ye Old Folks in Every Hamlet, City and Town in Ye State of Connecticut, Now Living: With Ye Sketches of Twenty Living Centenarians Compiled by Frederick H. Nash. New Haven, Connecticut: Price, Lee & Co., 1884. San Francisco, California: Internet Archive, 2012. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Who's Who in Connecticut By Ward E. Duffy. Tucson, Arizona: W.C. Cox & Co., 1975. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Connecticut Biography at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Cemeteries

 * Colchester Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * New London County at FamilySearch Places

Census

 * Connecticut Census at FamilySearch Research Wiki

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 Colchester, 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 Colchester:
 * 1630-1920 Connecticut, U.S., Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1660-1955 at FamilySearch; index — How to Use this Collection
 * Connecticut Church Records

City Directories

 * 1923 STATE, U.S., City Directories, Colchester at Ancestry - index & images, ($), some years may be missing
 * Various Dates U.S. City Directories, 1860-1960 at MyHeritage - index & images, ($) some towns and years may be missing

Court Records

 * 1636-1945 (*) Connecticut State Library at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * State of Connecticut Judicial Branch-Media-How to Obtain Court Records at jud.ct.gov, ($)
 * Connecticut Court Records at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Land Records
In Connecticut, most land records are kept at the town level. The following are online land records for the town of Colchester:


 * 1640-1846 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1703-1932 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Connecticut Land and Property

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

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

Newspapers

 * 1700s (*) by Jarvis Means Morse, 1899 at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * List of Newspapers in Connecticut at Wikipedia
 * The Press of Connecticut - Newspapers at portal.ct.gov
 * Connecticut Newspapers at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Obituaries

 * 1629-1934 Connecticut, U.S., Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1977-2014 (*) NewsBank (Naples, Florida) at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * Connecticut Obituaries at FamilySearch Research Wiki
 * United States Obituaries at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Probate Records
In Connecticut, most probate records are kept at the town level. Colchester Probate Court covers Colchester. Constituted May 29, 1832 from East Haddam. Contains the records of East Haddam from October session, 1741 to May 29, 1832. The following are online probate records for the town of Colchester:
 * 1635-1750 Connecticut: Early Probate Records, 1635-1750 at American Ancestors — index & images, ($)
 * 1741-1922 : (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Tax Records

 * 1862-1866 (*) United States. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, United States. National Archives and Records Administration (Repository), at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1915-1926 (*) Connecticut. Inheritance Tax Division at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * Connecticut Taxation at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Libraries
Cragin Memorial Library 8 Linwood Avenue Colchester, CT 06415 Phone: 860-537-5752 E-mail: https://www.colchesterct.gov/user/47/contact Facebook Website

FamilySearch Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Groton Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Manchester Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Inc. - an affiliate library
 * Cora J.Belden Library - an affiliate library
 * Godfrey Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * Groton Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Otis Library of Norwich, Connecticut - an affiliate library
 * Russell Library - an affiliate library
 * Waterford Public Library - Connecticut - an affiliate library

Societies
Colchester Historical Society 24 Linwood Avenue PO Box 13 Colchester, CT 06415 E-mail: [mailto:mail@colchesterhistory.org  mail@colchesterhistory.org] Facebook Website