Voluntown, New London County, Connecticut Genealogy

Description
Voluntown, Connecticut at Wikipedia

Voluntown is about forty square miles found in the northeastern part of New London County, Connecticut, bordered by the towns of Griswold and North Stonington, the county of Windham and the state of Rhode Island. Before 1881, Voluntown belonged to Windham County, Connecticut, instead of New London County.

Much of the land situated in what is now Voluntown was granted to the volunteers of the Narragansett War in 1700. The name "Volunteer's Town" turned into what is now known as Voluntown. From 1719, most of the town of Sterling was annexed into Voluntown until 1794, when Sterling was detached and established as a separate town. Voluntown was officially incorporated as a town in 1721.

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 Voluntown Town Clerk 115 Main Street Voluntown, CT 06384 Phone: 860- 376-4089 E-mail: [mailto:townclerk@voluntown.gov townclerk@voluntown.gov] Voluntown 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 and images ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1639-1941 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1808-1943 (*); VolunTown 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
 * 1808-1943 (*); VolunTown 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 ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1640-1955 — index
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1650-1934  Connecticut, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 at Ancestry - index, ($)
 * 1808-1943 (*); VolunTown 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:

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

 * Voluntown 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 Voluntown, 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 Voluntown:
 * 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, Voluntown 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

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

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

Maps
This selection incudes town, county, state, and historical maps
 * Boundary Map of Voluntown at HomeTownLocator
 * McConnell's Historical Maps of the United States at Library of Congress
 * Old Maps of Connecticut at Old-Maps.com
 * Voluntown, Connecticut Town Guides at CT State Library
 * Voluntown at FamilySearch Places
 * Voluntown at Google Maps
 * Voluntown at Mapcarta
 * 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 the 1600s, probate records were kept by the Connecticut and New Haven Colonies. In 1666, the two colonies joined and formed four new probate districts and counties: Hartford, New London, New Haven, and Fairfield. More probate districts were formed by 1719.


 * 1609-1999 Connecticut, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1748-1852 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1748-1917 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1787-1880 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1859-1931 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1881-1915 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * Connecticut Probate Records

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
Voluntown Public Library PO Box 26 107 Main Street Voluntown, CT 06384 Phone: 860-376-0485 E-Mail: [mailto:vpl@voluntown.gov vpl@voluntown.gov] Website

Family History Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Groton Connecticut Family History Center
 * Clark Memorial Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Groton Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Otis Library of Norwich, Connecticut - an affiliate library
 * Waterford Public Library - Connecticut - an affiliate library

Societies
Voluntown Historical Society 124 Main St Voluntown, CT 06384 Website