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.

Parent Towns

 * 1832 - Created from Woodbridge

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 & images ($); some towns maybe missing
 * 1639-1941 at FamilySearch — index


 * 1832-1907 (*); Bethany Registrar of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1897-1917 The Connecticut Genealogy Index - Births at Reclaim the Records - index

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


 * 1790-1833 Connecticut: Marriages and Deaths, 1790-1833 at American Ancestors — index & images ($)
 * 1832-1907 (*); Bethany Registrar of Vital Statistics at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1897-1968  Web: Connecticut, U.S., Marriage Records, 1897-1968 at Ancestry - index ($); Also at: Connecticut State Library
 * 1897-2017 The Connecticut Genealogy Index - Marriages at Reclaim the Records - index
 * 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


 * 1650-1934  Connecticut, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * 1790-1833 Connecticut: Marriages and Deaths, 1790-1833 at American Ancestors — index & images ($)
 * 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 ($); Also at: Connecticut State Library
 * 1897-2017 The Connecticut Genealogy Index - Deaths at Reclaim the Records - index
 * 1949-2012  Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2012 at Ancestry - index ($)

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

 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index to burial records and obituaries
 * Bethany Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * New Haven County Cemeteries 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 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:
 * 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

 * 1927 U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Bethany 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 Bethany:


 * 1640-1846 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1832-1928 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Connecticut Land and Property

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
 * 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

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * For more databases, see Connecticut Naturalization and Citizenship and U.S. Naturalization Online Genealogy Records
 * 1791-1906 US Naturalization Records, New England, 1791-1906 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
 * 1803-1920 New Haven Court of Common Pleas, City Court, County, District, and Superior Court at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; List of Records Included in Collection; index and images
 * 1851-1926 New Haven Circuit Court and District Court at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
 * 1854-1926 Waterbury District Court, City Court, and Superior Court at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; List of Records Included in Collection; index and images
 * 1893-1906 Connecticut, Federal Naturalization Records, 1790-1996 Connecticut Circuit Court at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1893-1911 U.S. Circuit Court at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1992 Connecticut, Federal Naturalization Records, 1790-1996 New Haven District Court, Superior Court, District Court at Waterbury, and Meriden City Court at Ancestry - index & images ($)

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 ($)
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index to burial records and obituaries
 * 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 ($)
 * 1635-1750 Connecticut: Early Probate Records, 1635-1750 at American Ancestors — index & images ($)
 * 1787-1880 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * 1855-1915 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 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
 * 1865-1874 Connecticut, U.S., Excise Tax Lists, 1865-1874 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1915-1926 (*) Connecticut. Inheritance Tax Division at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * Connecticut Taxation at FamilySearch Research Wiki

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

FamilySearch Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Newtown Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Southington Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Woodbridge Connecticut FamilySearch 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