Litchfield County, Connecticut Genealogy


 * This article is about a county in Connecticut. For other uses, see Litchfield (disambiguation).

United States Connecticut  Litchfield County

Guide to Litchfield County Connecticut genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
Clerk Superior Court has divorce and court records from 1800’s; Town Clerks  have birth, marriage, death, and land records; Probate Judge  has probate records

Towns Organized Before 1800: Barkhamstead 1799, Bethlehem 1787, Canaan 1739, Colebrook 1799, Cornwall 1740, Goshen 1739, Harwinton 1737, Kent 1739, Litchefield 1719, New Hartford 1738, New Milford 1712, Norfolk 1758, Plymouth 1795, Roxbury 1796, Salisbury 1741, Sharon 1739, Torrington 1740, Washington 1779, Warren 1768, Watertown 1780, Winchester 1771, Woodbury 1673.


 * There is no county government.
 * The government is at the town level.

Quick Facts

 * Named for City of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. Not to be confused with Litchfield, Hampshire, England.

Parent County

 * 14 October 1751 from Fairfield and Hartford counties.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Connecticut county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Connecticut County Boundary Maps" (1643-1960) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

 * Lost census: 1890

A LARGE PORTION OF THE TOWN ENTIRELY DESTROYED.

... Besides its national reputation as a resort, Litchfield has a local fame as the county seat ... Next to the block stood the Court House, a big building also of wood, and its turn came next. The townsmen could do nothing to save it, and it burned down before their eyes, but the county records were saved. Close to the Court House there was the only brick building in that part of the town and it proved an effective barrier, the Court House being the last building on West-street to be destroyed. ... Among the property destroyed was Lawyer H. B. Graves's library, which contained many rare and valuable works, and D. C. Kilbourn's historical library. The New York Times, New York, NY 12 Jun 1886 (source:GenDisasters)

Places / Localities
City: 

Towns

Boroughs: |

Communities: 

Neighboring counties: Fairfield | Hartford | New Haven | Massachusetts counties:   Berkshire | Hampden | New York counties:  Columbia | Dutchess

African American

 * Connecticut State Library, Litchfield County African Americans and Native Americans Collection, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).
 * New Milford Minority Surnames/No Surnames
 * New Milford Blacks who served in the American Revolution
 * New Milford Blacks who served in the Civil War

Bible Records
Atwood Family Bible, USGenWeb CTArchives

Biographies

 * Linkpendium, Biographies, Oral Histories, Diaries, Memoirs, Genealogies, Correspondence, Litchfield County.
 * Arthur Goodenough, The clergy of Litchfield County, (Winchester, Connecticut : Litchfield County University Club, 1909).  Available online at Google Books, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,
 * Dwight C. Kilbourn, The bench and bar of Litchfield County, Connecticut, 1709-1909 biographical sketches of members, history and catalogue of the Litchfield Law School, historical notes, (Litchfield, Connecticut : D. C. Kilbourn, c1909). Includes index.  Available online at Internet Archives.  Also available at the Family History Library,   or on the desktop at the Family History Library,
 * David S. Boardman, Sketches of the early lights of the Litchfield bar, (Ann Arbor, Michigan : University Microfilms, 1987). Includes index.  Available online at Internet Archives.  Also available in the Family History Library,
 * Charles F. Sedgwick, Fifty years at the Litchfield County bar, (Ann Arbor, Michigan : University Microfilms, 1987). A database for this book is available at ancestry.com$, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,
 * Payne Kenyon Kilbourn, A biographical history of the county of Litchfield, Connecticut comprising biographical sketches of distinguished natives and residents of the county; together with complete lists of the judges of the county court, justices of the quorum, county commissioners, judges of probate, sheriffs, senators, c., (New York, New York : Clark, Austin, 1851).  Available online at Internet Archives, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,
 * Biographical review, this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Litchfield County, Connecticut, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974).  Includes index.  Available at the Family History Library,

Cemeteries

 * Cemeteries, USGenWeb CTArchives has links to transcriptions.
 * Charles R. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemeteries and Inscriptions, Litchfield County Cemetery Records, (accessed 25 Feb 2011). This website has a collection of cemetery links, organized by town.
 * Connecticut Genealogy, Litchfield County Cemetery Records, (accessed 6 Mart 2011).
 * Connecticut Genealogy Trails, Cemeteries of Litchfield County, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). Alphabetical list.
 * findagrave, Litchfield County Cemeteries, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). (269 listings)
 * Interment, Litchfield County Cemetery Records, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). This site has published burial records for several Litchfield County Cemeteries.
 * Linkpendium, Litchfield County Cemeteries, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).
 * The Political Graveyard, (accessed 4 Mar 2011). Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in Litchfield County.
 * The Tombstone Transcription Project, (accessed 4 Mar 2011).  Litchfield County, Connecticut.
 * USGenWebProject, Litchfield County Cemeteries, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). This site is organized by town with some links to transcriptions.
 * Joyce Mackenzie Cropsey, Register of revolutionary soldiers and patriots buried in Litchfield County, (Canaan, New Hampshire :Phoenix Publishing, c1976). Published for the Mary Floyd Tallmadge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Bibliography: p. 153-154. Includes index.  Available at the Family History Library,

Census

 * Census Online, (accessed 6 Mar 2011), Litchfield County Records.
 * Census Finder, Connecticut Census Records, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). Online links by county.
 * Connecticut Genealogy, Litchfield County Census Records, (accessed 6 Mar 2011).
 * Linkpendium, Census Records and Indexes, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). Litchfield County, Connecticut.
 * US Census Collection, (accessed 8 Mar 2011), FamilySearch.
 * US Federal Census Collection, ancestry.com$, (accessed 6 Mar 2011).
 * USGenWeb Census Project, Litchfield County, Connecticut Federal Census Index, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). Transcriptions in progress.
 * Lowell M. Volkel, An index to the 1800 federal census of Litchfield, New Haven, Tolland and Windham counties, state of Connecticut, ([S.l.] : L.M. Volkel, c1969).  Available at the Family History Center,

Church

 * Church Records, USGenWeb CTArchives
 * Connecticut Genealogy, Litchfield County Church Records, (accessed 6 Mar 2011). Includes church and vital records.
 * Arthur Goodenough, The clergy of Litchfield County, (Winchester, Connecticut : Litchfield County University Club, 1909). Available online at Google Books, (accessed 1 Mar 2011), or Internet Archives, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  A database for this book can be found at ancestry.com$, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,  or FHL US/CAN Fiche 6100461.
 * Litchfield County Foreign Mission Society (Litchfield County, Connecticut), Semi-centennial of the Litchfield Co. Foreign Mission Society celebrated at Litchfield, October 16, 1861, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1995). Available at the Family History Library,

Court Records

 * Court Records, USGenWeb CTArchives
 * Litchfield County Connecticut Court Records Directory, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).
 * Wills, USGenWeb CTArchives
 * Barbara B. Ferris and Grace Louise Knox, Connecticut divorces Superior Court records for the counties of Litchfield, 1752-1922 and Hartford 1740-1849, Available on the desktop at the Family History Library,

Description and Travel - Guidebooks

 * Newell Meeker Calhoun and Julius Turner Edson, Litchfield County Sketches, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990). Available online at Google Books, (accessed 8 Mar 2011). Also available at the Famiy History Library,

Directories

 * Linkpendium, Litchfield Directories, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).
 * Waterbury suburban city directory including Middlebury, Terryville, Thomaston, Watertown, and Wolcott, (New Haven [Connecticut] : Price ; Lee Company, 1940?-).   Available at the Family History Library,
 * Price Lee Company, Southbury (New Haven County and Litchfield County, Ct.) city directory including Roxbury, Washington and Woodbury, (New Haven [Connecticut] : Price Lee Company, [197-?]-). Available at the Family History Library,
 * Torrington, Winsted, Litchfield, Norfolk, Goshen directory combining five distinct directories: governmental directory, buyers' directory, alphabetical directory, numerical directory, classified directory, (New Haven [Connecticut] : Price Lee, 1931-).  Available at the Family History Library,   (3 Films)
 * Price Lee Company, New Milford (Litchfield County, Conn.) city directory including Bridgewater, Brookfield, Brookfield Center, New Fairfield and Sherman, (New Haven [Connecticut] : Price Lee Company, [196-?]-).  Available at the Family History Library,

Divorce Records

 * Connecticut. Superior Court (Litchfield County), Divorce papers, 1752-1922, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1989-1990). Records are in approximate alphabetical order. Available at the Family History Library,  (26 films)

Dwellings

 * Old Woodbury Historical Society (Woodbury, Connecticut), Homes of Old Woodbury, ([Woodbury, Connecticut] : Old Woodbury Historical Society (Connecticut), c1959). Old Woodbury included the present towns of Woodbury, Washington, Bethlehem, Roxbury, and Southbury.  Available at the Family History Library,

Gazetteers
Litchfield County, Gazetteer, (accessed 2 Mar 2011).

Genealogy

 * R. Manning Chipman, The history of Harwinton, Connecticut, (Hartford [Connecticut] : Williams, Wiley &amp; Turner, 1860). Includes bibliographical references and index.  Available online at Internet Archives, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,  or FHL US/CAN Film 1698076 Item 4.
 * Elmer I. Shepard, Elmer I. Shepard Collection Connecticut and Vermont family group records, ca. 1550-1900, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990). The Shepard Collection represents the working files of Elmer I. Shepard. He gathered his material from a number of sources, both primary and secondary, and then combined it on 3 x 5 index cards, arranged by geographic location (county and town) and then by surname, listed under the heads of families.  Available at the Family History Library, 4 films starting with,

Periodicals

 * Mid-Hudson Genealogical journal, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988).  Available at the Family History Library,

History

 * History of Litchfield County, Connecticut with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971). Microfilm of original published: Philadelphia, Pa. : J.W. Lewis, 1881. 1 v. in 2 (730 p.), [278] leaves of plates : ill., maps, ports.  Available online at Internet Archives, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,
 * Berkshire Genealogist Indexing Committee, Index to History of Litchfield County, Connecticut published by J. W. Lewis &amp; Co. 1881, (Pittsfield, Massachusetts : Berkshire Family History Association, c1999). Available at the Family History Library,
 * Litchfield County (Conn.), Samuel Church, Horace Bushnell, Litchfield County centennial celebration held at Litchfield, Conn., 13th and 14th of August, 1851, (Ann Arbor, Michigan : University Microfilms, 1987). Includes "Address ... on the occasion of the centennial celebration, 1851 / by Judge Church": p. [21]-69 ; "The age of homespun. A discourse ... 1851 ' by Horace Bushnell": p. [105]-130.  Available online at Google Books, (accessed 1 Mar 2011), or Internet Archives, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,
 * Dorothy Deming, Settlement of Litchfield County, (New Haven, Connecticut : Yale University Press, 1933). Available at the Family History Library, or FHL US/CAN Film 1697313 Item 7.
 * R. Manning Chipman, The history of Harwinton, Connecticut, (Hartford [Connecticut] :Williams, Wiley &amp; Turner, 1860). Includes bibliographical references and index.  Available online at Internet Libraries, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,  or FHL US/CAN Film 1698076 Item 4.
 * William Cothren, History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut from the first Indian deed in 1659 ... including the present towns of Washington, Southbury, Bethlem, Roxbury, and a part of Oxford and Middlebury, (Waterbury, Connecticut : Bronson Brothers, 1854-1879). Photocopies of originals.  Vols. 2-3 have imprint: Woodbury, Conn. : W. Cothren, 1872-1879. Includes indexes. Vols. 1-2 contain history and genealogy, vol. 3 contains vital records, including those for ancient Stratford.  Available online, Volume 1 : Internet Archives, (accessed 1 Mar 2011), and Volume 2, pt. 1: Google Books, (accessed 1 Mar 2011), and Volume 2, pt. 2: Internet Archives, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,  and Volume 1, FHL US/CAN Film 2055359 Item 4 and Volume 2-3: FHL US/CAN Film 6181 Items 2-3.
 * Old Woodbury Historical Society, Homes of Old Woodbury, ([Woodbury, Connecticut] : Old Woodbury Historical Society (Connecticut), c1959).  Old Woodbury included the present towns of Woodbury, Washington, Bethlehem, Roxbury, and Southbury.  Available at the Family History Library,
 * History Records, USGenWeb CTArchives
 * Linkpendium, History, Litchfield County, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).
 * Google Timeline, Litchfield County, Connecticut History 1650-2011, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).

Periodicals

 * The Lure of the Litchfield hills, (Winsted, Connecticut : N. W. Adams, [1940]-). Available at the Family History Library,

Land
Deeds, mortgages, releases, and other related documents were recorded by the town clerk and are at the town halls. Most are indexed by grantor and grantee. There is no statewide index.

The Family History Library and the Connecticut State Library have microfilm copies of many proprietors' and town records from the earliest years to the mid or late 1800s. Some are as recent as the 1900s. They are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under the name of the town.


 * Deeds and Land Records, USGenWeb CTArchives
 * Library of Congress, Topography and Map Division, Litchfield County, Connecticut land ownership map, 1859, (Washington, DC : Library of Congress, 1983).   Available online at flickr from Yahoo, (accessed 2 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,
 * Tinmouth (Vermont). Proprietors' Clerk, Proprietors records, 1761-1809, (Montpelier, Vermont : Vermont Public Records Division, 1973). Microfilm of original records filmed at Tinmouth, Vermont.  Contains deeds and land surveys. Also includes land records from various counties in Connecticut. Includes charter book which contains a copy of the 1761 Tinmouth charter and minutes of proprietors meetings.  Available at the Family History Library,

Maps

 * Maps of Connecticut (1643-1960)
 * Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Maps, (accessed 2 Mar 2011). Organized by State and County.  Links to road maps, county outlines, colored outlines and lists of towns.
 * Linkpendium, Maps and Gazetteers, Litchfield County, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).
 * Clark's Map of Litchfield County, Connecticut, flickr from yahoo, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).

Military

 * Military Data Extracted From Barkhamsted, Conn., Its Centennial 1879 To Which is Added A Historical Appendix 1881, transcribed by Jane Devlin. A list of Barkhamsted men who served in the War of the Revolution, the War of 1812-14, the Mexican War and the Rebellion of 1861-65.

American Revolution

 * American Revolution, USGenWeb CTArchives, Litchfield County
 * Josephine Ellis Richards, Honor Roll of Litchfield County Revolutionary Soldiers, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969). Transcription available online at rootsweb, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  Organized by Town.  Also available at the Family History Library,  Includes index.  Can also be found on the Family History Library Desktop,

Civil War
Civil War service men from Litchfield County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Most of the men in the following companies were from Litchfield County.


 * 1) 1st Regiment, Connecticut Heavy Artillery - Company I - Wolcottville, now known as Torrington
 * 2) 2nd Regiment, Connecticut Heavy Artillery - Company A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * 3) 2nd Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Rifle Company E
 * 4) 19th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Company A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I.
 * 5) 28th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Company E and F.

Internet Sites

 * Civl War Research Database $, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).
 * Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, (accessed 8 Mar 2011). Grave Database
 * Samuel Orcutt, History of the Towns of New Milford and Bridgewater, Connecticut, 1703-1882, (accessed 25 Feb 2011). The War [Transcribed by Richard Clarke]  Includes: A Record of the Soldiers who enlisted in the Civil War from New Milford.
 * Those who served in the Civil War, (accessed 25 Feb 2011). List of names given from Charles F. Sedgwick's, The General History of The Town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Connectictut From Its First Settlement, (Amenia, NY: Charles Walsh, Printer and Publisher 1877).
 * Litchfield County and the Civil War, (accessed 25 Feb 2011). Reprint of various articles describing soldiers from the area.

World War I and World War II

 * World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 $, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).
 * U. S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 $, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).
 * U. S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 $, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).
 * United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, (accessed 8 Mar 2011). Collection Description: Images of cards for men, age 45-64 (born 1877-1897), included in the fourth draft conducted on Arpil 27, 1942.

Native American

 * Connecticut State Library has an extensive list of Native American Tribes associated with the state of Connecticut.
 * Access Genealogy indicates the Wawyachtonoc, a tribe of the Mahican Confederacy occupied the northwestern corner of Litchfield county, Connecticut.
 * Shagihticoke tribe The Schaghticoke historically consisted of Mahican, Potatuck, Weantinock, Tunxis, Podunk, and their descendants, peoples indigenous to what is now New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The remnant tribes amalgamated in the area near the Connecticut-New York border after many losses. Their reservation, granted in 1736 by the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut, is one of the oldest in the United States.  It is located near the New York border within the boundaries of Kent in Litchfield County, to the west of the Housatonic River.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Connecticut. Court of Common Pleas.  Superior Court, Index to naturalization petitions 1790-1906, 1906-1973 (Litchfield County, Connecticut - Court of Common Pleas, and Superior Court), (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2003). Available at the Family History Library,  (3 films)
 * Connecticut. Superior Court (Litchfield County), Naturalization records (Litchfield County, Connecticut), 1906-1945 NARA, RG21, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2008). Includes index.  Some volumes have the index at the back of the volume.  Available at the Family History Library,  (17 Films)

Newspapers
Litchfield County Newspaper List, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).

Obituaries

 * Index to obituaries, Litchfield County times, Litchfield, Connecticut, 1989
 * Litchfield County, Connecticut Obituaries, (accessed 1 Mar 2011). A directory of obituary databases and archives on the internet.
 * Obits, USGenWeb CTArchives
 * Litchfield County, Connecticut Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. This is Taken From Various Funeral Homes in the New Milford, Watertown, Torrington, Plymouth, Harwinton, and surrounding areas.

Probate District Courts

 * Sharon - Kent, Salisbury and Sharon Towns
 * Connecticut State Library, Research Guide to Connecticut Probate Districts, (accessed 28 Feb 2011).

Taxation
Tax Lists, USGenWeb CTArchives

Vital Records
See also How to order Connecticut Vital Records


 * Litchfield County (Connecticut). Coroner, Coroner's Records, 1883-1934, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988). Indexes are found within each volume.  Available at the Family History Library, Volume 1-2:  Volume 3-10: FHL US/CAN Film 1602521-1602525.
 * Mildred E. Berry Nott, Cythia Nott Ockels, and June Berry, The Longfellow birthday book, Includes primarily birthdates with some death and marriage dates for residents of Burrville, Winsted, and Harwinton, (Litchfield County), Connecticut with other relatives in other states. Entries were kept from 1892-1973. Available at the Family History Library,
 * USGenWeb CTArchives, Litchfield County, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).
 * Linkpendium, Vital Records, Litchfield County, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).

Societies and Libraries

 * List of Connecticut Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
 * Connecticut Society of Genealogists, (accessed 28 Feb 2011).
 * Linkpendium, Societies, Litchfield County, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).
 * Howard Williston Carter, The Litchfield County University Club a brief historical sketch with list of members, 1896-1903, (Ann Arbor, Michigan : University Microfilms, 1987). Available online at Google Books, (accessed 1 Mar 2011), or Internet Archives, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  A database of this book can be found at ancestry.com$, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).  Also available at the Family History Library,
 * Dudley L. Vaill, The Litchfield County University Club an account of its origin and a brief review of its history, (Ann Arbor, Michigan : University Microfilms, 1987).  A database for this book can be found at ancestry.com$, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).   Also available at the Family History Library,


 * Litchfield County Public Libraries, (accessed 1 Mar 2011). This site lists the addresses and websites of the public libraries in Litchfield county.
 * Linkpendium, Libraries, Museums, and Archives, Litchfield County, (accessed 7 Mar 2011).

Web Sites

 * Litchfield County, CT History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Connecticut Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Connecticut Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * ancestry.com$, (accessed 8 Mar 2011). Available databases for Litchfield County.
 * Census Finder, Connecticut Vital Records, (accessed 28 Feb 2011).  Online transcriptions are listed by county.
 * Connecticut Genealogy, Litchfield Countywide Sources, (accessed 1 Mar 2011).
 * Cyndi's List, (accessed 28 Feb 2011). Litchfield County General Resource Sites
 * epodunk, (accessed 28 Feb 2011). Litchfield County Quick Links
 * The Litchfield County CTGenWeb Project, a member of The CTGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium, (accessed 28 Feb 2011). Litchfield County Genealogy and Family History
 * MyGenealogist, (accessed 28 Feb 2011). Litchfield County, Connecticut Genealogy Resources.  Our expert research team has put together some helpful links and resources to help you get started with your project. Many of the Fairfield County resources listed on this page are often used by our genealogists to locate important records like birth certificates, obituaries, court records, marriage certificates, land deeds, and family histories.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Litchfield County.
 * Web Sites at RootsWeb for Litchfield County, (accessed 4 Mar 2011).
 * Litchfield County Subjects.