Guide to Catholic Records in Connecticut

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Connecticut, United States
Surnames/tags: Connecticut Acadia catholic

Archdiocese of Hartford

Despite disagreement with the majority of genealogists, this particular archdiocese holds firm in their belief that none of their records will be made public for genealogical research.

Current records are held at the parishes indicated here:

• https://archdioceseofhartford.org/merged-and-closed-parishes/

This is a particular hindrance to those wishing to study records of Acadians who were deported to this area in the 1700's, as well as tracing French Canadian families who worked in industrial mills, as they frequently moved throughout various portions of New England and New York. According to the official policy of the Archdiocese, "Sacramental Records are the property of the Church and are not public records in the sense that they are not open to immediate examination and inspection by anyone for whatever reason." They further state, in regards to the only written requests, the only way to request of genealogical records, "Fulfillment of requests is a courtesy, if and when time permits. Restrictions and additional fees may apply. Results are not guaranteed. Please anticipate 6-8 months for a response and plan accordingly."^[1]

This is in contrast to the policy of a nearby Archdiocese, the Archdiocese of Boston, who has partnered with American Ancestors to make their records publicly accessible ^[2]

That being said, the American French Canadian Genealogical Society and several other authors have been able to make some information of the following churches available in text, not digitally available:

Windham County

• WEST THOMPSON: Baptisms, marriages and burials of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, West Thompson, Ct., 1879-1990, typed by Robert Charpentier, Robert Quintin, and Mary LeTourneau ; from records copied by Charles Seney and Lawrence Choiniere ; edited by Janice Burkhart ; with the assistance of Lucile McDonald and Lawrence Choiniere ; under the direction of the 1995 A.F.G.S. Library Committee

• NORTH GROSVENORDALE: Baptisms of St. Joseph Catholic Church, North Grosvenordale, Ct., 1872-1990, typed by Robert Charpentier ; from records copied by Charles Seney and Lawrence Choiniere ; edited by Janice Burkhart ; with the assistance of Lucile McDonald and Lawrence Choiniere ; under the direction of the 1995 A.F.G.S. Library Committee
• NORTH GROSVENORDALE: Burials of St. Joseph Catholic Church, North Grosvenordale, Ct., 1872-1990, typed by David Coutu ; from church and civil records researched, compiled and copied by Charles Seney, Marcella Houle Pasay and Lawrence Choiniere ; edited by Janice Burkhart ; with the assistance of Marcella Houle Pasay and Lawrence Choiniere ; under the direction of the 1994 A.F.G.S. Library Committee
• NORTH GROSVENORDALE, AND QUINEBAUG (JEWETT CITY), Marriages of St. Joseph Catholic Church, No. Grosvenor Dale, Ct., 1872-1990 : and the mission records of St. Stephen's Mission, Quinebaug, Ct., typed by Robert Charpentier, from records copied by Charles Seney and Lawrence Choiniere ; edited by Janice Burkhart, with the assistance of Charles Seney, Armand Letourneau, Henri Paradis, and Raymond Desplaines
• PUTNAM: Marriages of St. Mary Church of the Visitation : Putnam, Connecticut, 1866-2003, typed, compiled, and organized by Ernest Gagnon from records copied by George Perron...[et al.] ; edited by Janice Burkhart with the assistance of Lucile McDonald under the direction of the 2004 A.F.G.S. Library Committee
• POMFRET: Church records, of the Catholic Reformed Christian Church, 1792-1798, Catholic Reformed Christian Church (Pomfret, Connecticut) , https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/81424

Hartford County:

• BRISTOL: Marriages of St. Ann Parish, Bristol, Connecticut (1908-1977), compiled and annotated by Joseph R. Simoneau

Archdiocese of Norwich

• Now combined with the Archdiocese of Hartford after merge.

Sources

1. ↑ Archival Policy, Archdiocese of Hartford of the https://archdioceseofhartford.org/archdiocesan-archives/
2. ↑ Sacramental Records of the Archdiocese of Boston, in https://www.bostoncatholic.org/digital-collections