Vital Records Expansion & Workshop Will Help Genealogists

REDDING — Connecticut Ancestry Society, Inc. will commemorate a significant addition to Connecticut Vital Records filling a gap in the Barbour Collection during a small ceremony on Sunday, September 23, at 2 pm. The ceremony will be at The Mark Twain Library.

Connecticut Ancestry Society President Richard Roof will present an indexed transcription of early Redding Vital Records to First Selectman Natalie Ketcham, library officials, and other town officials. This will be followed by a free, educational workshop by Jean Taylor, from the library, outlining the Margaret Wixted genealogical collection held at The Mark Twain Library. Library personnel and Connecticut Ancestry board members will then help attendees with their personal genealogical research.

Lucius B. Barbour, one of the pillars of Connecticut genealogy, was appointed Connecticut’s examiner of public records in June 1911. He directed the creation of over one million slip entries for vital records covering the entire state, with little exception, now stored at the Connecticut State Library. This resource and its subsequent republications are used by genealogists throughout the world researching Connecticut families.

Over the last ten years, Connecticut Ancestry Society has endeavored to locate and publish some of the missed records under the direction of its editor, Harlan R. Jessup, considered an expert on Barbour “errors and omissions.”

In some cases, the towns did not maintain the early vital records and today’s genealogists need to turn to any surviving church or minister generated records. The society’s August newsletter contains ministerial records of the Rev Lemuel B. Hull of Connecticut covering Christ Church in Redding and St. James Church in Danbury from 1822 to 1835. Members have also transcribed some recently

discovered vital records of Redding that were missed by Barbour along with baptisms between 1814-1878 of Christ Church, Episcopal, in Redding.

Connecticut Ancestry Society, Inc, the oldest genealogical society in Connecticut, was founded in 1954 by a small group of genealogists in southwestern Connecticut. Then known as the Stamford Genealogical Society, the title of its bulletin was changed in 1971 to Connecticut Ancestry. Finally, in 1989, the organization’s name was officially changed to Connecticut Ancestry Society, Inc.

The society’s growing membership now extends across the continent with only about half living in Connecticut. The work of the society is all done by volunteers, and both professional and amateur genealogists are active participants.

The Margaret Wixted Collection represents source material for anyone with ancestors in Redding or many of the surrounding towns. While the program is free, reservations are suggested by calling the library at 938-2545 or signing up at the Library front desk.