Durham, Middlesex County, Connecticut Genealogy

Brief History
Durham is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. Durham is a former farming village on the Coginchaug River in central Connecticut.

First settled in 1699 by Guilford resident Caleb Seward, Durham was originally called Coginchaug by the Native Americans who lived near the swampy area.

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 Durham, visit. Church of the Epiphany(accessed 27 November 2012): The town's Episcopal church, Epiphany has been in Durham since the 1800s.

The Church of Notre Dame (accessed 11 July 2012): Durham's Roman Catholic church, the Church of Notre Dame has been an independent parish since 1955.

United Churches of Durham (accessed 11 July 2012): One of Durham's two oldest churches, the community now functions as a member of United Churches.

Many Connecticut churches have deposited their records at the Connecticut State Library. The following are church records available online for the town of Durham:

Fair
Durham Fair (accessed 27 November 2012): A local tradition, the town's agricultural fair is full of history.

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

Libraries and Historical Societies
Durham Historical Society (accessed 27 November 2012): Founded in 1949, the Historical Society maintains Durham's history. Durham Public Library (accessed 27 November 2012): The town's lending library, the Durham Public Library also houses a local history collection.

Maps
The following are online maps of the town of Durham:

Newspapers
Durham-Middlefield Patch (accessed 27 November 2012): The town's online newspaper, the Patch.com site covers local news and history.

Middletown Press: The area's major newspaper, the Press can be accessed online and on microfilm.

The Town Times (accessed 27 November 2012): The town's local newspaper can be accessed online.

Probate Records
In Connecticut, most probate records are kept at the town level. Middletown Probate District covers Durham. The following are online probate records for the town of Durham:

Town Records
In Connecticut, most records are kept at the town level and generally began being kept at the founding of the town. These records may include the following: The Town of Durham (accessed 27 November 2012): Contact the Town Clerk for land and vital records. The following are Durham town records available online:

Town Clerk
The town clerk is responsible for these records, and so most originals can be found at the town clerk's office.