Records of the Court of Assistants, February 15, 1686/87-October 1687; May 27, 1690-May 11, 1696; May 7, 1702-1711. Records of the Superior Court, 1711-1715; 1748-1749.
Researchers need to be aware in studying these records that the spelling of surnames often varies. It could be Ames or Eames, Hide or Hyde, Lathrop or Lothrop, Maynor, Maynard, Minerd, or Mynard, Right or Wright, or Waterhouse, Waterus, or Watrous, to cite just a few examples.
The collection consists of records of 396 records concerning Native Americans from New London County and environs, 360 from Files and 36 from Papers by Subject. Two hundred and forty-eight are located in Files for the period 1698-1774 and 16 in Papers by Subject, the corresponding figures for the post-Revolutionary period are 112 and 20. The decline in the number of records for Native Americans in the period from 1781-1855 clearly reflects the decline in Indian population in the region from a little over 1,000 in 1774 to around 200 eighty years later.
The first draft of this finding aid, covering the period 1701-74, contained records of 286 cases involving African Americans and people of color. Subsequent research has increased that number to 298. Another 808 cases involving people of color have been identified for the period between 1781 and 1854 and 85 new records found in Papers by Subject2. The black population in southeastern Connecticut remained relatively constant from the time of the census of 1774 and the abolition of the county courts in 1855. As slaves gained their freedom, and about 80% were free by 1800, however, they entered into more contracts and became plaintiffs or defendants in more civil and criminal cases.
Probate record books, volumes 1-49. Two general indexes and 22 separate indexes for volumes 25-31, 33, 35-43, 45-49. Contact the probate court to access original record books. See Alternative Form Available note below.
The papers include accounts, church papers, correspondence, court papers, deeds, estate papers, land papers, school society papers, tax lists, and turnpike papers. There are also writings, sketches and notes of Wedworth Wadsworth, the artist and writer. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by recipient, with the bulk addressed to Wedworth Wadsworth and William Wadsworth from family members who emigrated out of state. The majority of the court papers come from William Wadsworth's work as Justice of the Peace. The school society papers come from Wedworth Wadsworth's service as a trustee. The school society oversaw the operation of the Center, South, West, South West, and Quarry school districts. The tax lists include individual returns of Durham residents and property holders for 1865-66 arranged alphabetically by name. There are also individual tax lists for Wedworth, James, and William Wadsworth. The turnpike papers relate to the Durham and East Guilford Turnpike, of which Wedworth Wadsworth was a director. The Durham and East Guilford Turnpike Company was chartered in 1811 and operated until 1845. Included are early subscriber lists, accounts, and toll receipts.
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