Portland, Connecticut is located in the northern portion of Middlesex County. Its 23.7 square miles are entirely bordered on the south and west by the Connecticut River. Its oldest industries were brownstone quarrying, shipbuilding, and tobacco farming.
Though debated, it is told that Portland was first settled about 1690. It was originally part of the bigger city of Middletown. Portland became its own town in the mid-1700s.
Portland today is home to about 8,500. Situated just across the river from Middletown, it remains a quiet suburban and rural community. Portland offers a quiet way of life, yet close enough to some larger cities to make it ideal for commuters.
To
locate
more
information
on
Portland, try these places:
20 Freestone Avenue
Portland, CT 06480
(860) 342-6770
M-Th 10a - 9p; Fr & Sa. 10a - 5p
Portland Town Clerk
P.O. Box 71
Portland, CT 06480
(860 342-6743
M-F 9a - 4:30p
Wikipedia article on Portland, Connecticut
Cemeteries
Churches
Research Resources
Queries
Volunteer Researchers
More Links
Portland Burying
Ground [Bartlett Street Cemetery; Center Cemetery]
Bartlett Street
mail address: 1345 Portland-Cobalt Road
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-0632
Don Kelsey, President; 1700s to present, open 24 hours;
records are with the President, searches by appointment;
staff available for assistance
Riverside Street
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-2328
William Street
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-1211
Note: The Swedish Cemetery Association Superintendent is Earl Brown,
80 Sand Hill Road, Portland CT 06480. He has all of the records.
Godfrey Memorial Library in Middletown, CT has a copy of the burial listings.
Main Street
Portland CT 06480
(860) 347-8494
First Congregational Church of Portland
554 Main Street
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-3244
Seventh Day Adventist Church
13 Waverly Avenue
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-0141
Trinity Church
345 Main Street
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-0458
St. Mary's Church
51 Freestone Avenje
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-2328
Zion Lutheran Church ELCA
For Genealogy
PO Box 202
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-2860
Physical address is: 183 William Street, Portland, CT
Mailing address is PO Box 202; make sure to note on
the outside that it is for
genealogy.
D'Addezio.com Connecticut Vital Records
Search
Portland Town Hall
265 Main Street
PO Box 71
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-6743
Mon-Fri 9a-4:30p
Portland Town Library
20 Freestone Avenue
Portland CT 06480
(860) 342-6770
Mon-Thu 10a-9p; Fri-Sat 10a-5p
This library has a small (but
growing) collection of local history in the Van Beynum Room.
Godfrey
Memorial
Library
134 Newfield Street (Rte 3)
Middletown CT 06457
(860) 346-4375
Hours: Monday 9a-8p Tue-Fri 9a-4p
e-mail Library@Godfrey.org
This library has an unbelievable
amount of research materials. They have extensive collections
of Connecticut and Massachusetts state and town materials. You
will also find information on the other New England states,
and a growing catalog of materials for other states. There are
also many family published genealogies available. The staff
and volunteers are wonderful to work with.
Russell Library
123 Broad Street
Middletown CT 06457
(860) 347-2528 or Reference - (860) 347-2520)
Mon-Thu 9a-9p; Fri 12p-9p
Sat 9a-5p (summer 9a-1p); Sun (Oct-May 1p-5p
At the Russell Library in Middletown, CT, you will find a
local history room, IBM and Mac Computers, and public internet
service.
Portland Historical Society
PO Box 98
Portland CT 06480
http://www.geocities.com/portlandhistsoc/
Middlesex County Historical Society
151 Main Street
Middletown CT 06457
(860)346-0746
Connecticut Historical Society
1 Elizabeth Street
Hartford CT 06105
(860) 236-5621; fax - (860) 236-2664
Hours: Library 10a-5p Tue-Sat
Visit their website for more info: http://www.chs.org/
Connecticut State
Library
231 Capitol Avenue
Hartford CT 06106
(860)566-3692; fax (860)566-2133
Hours: 9a-5p Mon-Fri
mail: PO Box 435, Glastonbury, CT 06033-0435
Location: 175 Maple St., East Hartford, CT
(860)569-0002
Visit them online at: http://www.csginc.org/
Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants
Archived Portland CT
Queries:
be aware that some email
addresses may no longer work...
30 JUL 2000 - Dot in FL - arthurus@juno.com
David and Jane (BARNABY) Taylor are probably buried in Portland, CT. Their son, John died in 1884 in MA in an industrial accident at the age of 37. On his death certificate, David and Jane are listed as being "of Portland". Any help on this would be appreciated.
30 JUL 2000 - Chester Dombroski - chet70@hotmail.com
Brown Family
My great grandfather Fredrick Asa born Portland to Samuel Brown Jr and Mary A Flint 1853, Have Brown-Flint Bible Mary A Flint Dau of Joshua C. Flint and Electra Stedman Need Stedman line. Samuel Brown Jr son of Samuel Brown Jr and Mary Holmes of Glastonbury. Need Holmes line. Chadham Samuel Brown Jr son of Samuel Brown and Lydia Fox. Chadham Lydia fox dau of John Fox and Mary Waterman. Need John Fox line. Samuel Brown son of Joseh and Eunice??? Have Waterman line
07 JUL 2000 - Richard Graham - rsgraham@together.net
I am looking for the grave stone of WILLIAM PRESTON b. 5 Mar 1716 d. 15 Apr 1815 Poultney VT. We have searched Poultney Cemeteries and are unable to find him I was wondering if by chance he is buried in the Old Cemetery in Portland, CT, his wife was Margaret Miller Preston she died 11 Apr 1782. They also had a son John d. 9 feb 1821 wife Susanna Andrews Preston d. 27 Oct 1835. Thank you for your help.
I am trying to research my Carroll family, they came from Ireland in approx. 1846 and settled in Middletown and Portland. My g.grandfather was MICHAEL C. CARROLL and he married Mary Mulroney in Portland in 1850. I am trying to find siblings.
13 DEC 1999 - Rex Egelston - REX3182@aol.com
Looking for info on SAMUEL EGGLESTON who died 1 Feb. 1691 in Portland. Any help would be appreciated.
13 DEC 1999 - Bill Randall - wrand@earthlink.net
I am searching for information on the parents of my ggg-grandfather, AMOS NATHANIEL ROBERTS who was born November 25, 1759 in Portland (Middlesex) Connecticut. He married Azubah PELTON on November 4, 1783 in Chatham (Middlesex) Connecticut, and moved to New York state where they died. To date, my information on the family is not 'unique' but I will be pleased to share information.
5 SEP 1999 - Janet Barrows Perry - Jasontrain@aol.com
Still searching for information on grandmother GRACE DUNHAM BARROWS of Main Street, Portland. Have corrected information. Born: 1885 in Portland, Berlin or Middletown. Father: Edwin Ferdinand Dunham: Mother: Louise J. Slater Dunham (1856) died 1943 in Middletown. Grace graduated from Portland High School and State Normal School, New Britain. Was school teacher. Married a Barrows around 1907: 3 children--Roy 1908--Alice 1909--Thomas around 1918. Grace died of Spanish flu at her home in Hartford--Oct. 1918. Appreciate any help or suggestions--birth date, marriage date and location, where she taught school, etc. Thank you!
12 AUG 1999 - Lawrence R. Hoover - Lrhoover56@aol.com
Looking for anyone working on STEPHEN BELL. He appears in the 1850 and 1860 US Federal Census, Portland, Middlesex Co, CT. I believe he died about 1902 in Portland, CT. Would like ANY information concerning him.
Thank you
22 JUL 1999 - Janet Barrows Perry - Jasontrain@aol.com
I am searching for any information on the birth of my father, ROY DUNHAM BARROWS. I'm trying to locate a copy of his birth certificate, but without results. He was born in Buffalo, New York on April 22, 1908. Does anyone know if they recorded births in Buffalo in that year? My father lived most of his life in Portland, Ct., but had many friends, relatives and customers in Middletown. He owned County Waste Removal Company. He died in Mesa, Az. in Feb., 1994. I would appreciate any help or suggestions. Thank you!
17 JUL 1999 - Janet Barrows Perry - Jasontrain@aol.com
Looking for any information on my grandmother, GRACE DUNHAM BARROWS. Born around 1888-89 in Middletown, Portland or Berlin. Died around 1918--Spanish flu. Mother: Louise Slater Dunham (called Moo), originally from Beckley, Berlin. Father: Ferdinand E. Dunham. Raised on Main St., Portland. Many friends in Middletown. May have attended Wesleyan. School teacher. Married a Barrows around 1907-08-- had 3 children--Roy(1908, my father), Alice(around 1909)& Thomas(about 10 years later- the Portland antiques dealer)- they are all dead. Appreciate any help or suggestions. Thank you!
30 JUN 1999 - Dot Arthur - BoLiL16@aol.com
Surnames: TAYLOR, BARNABLY, STEVENS
searching for:
DAVID TAYLOR of Portland,CT married Jane BARNABY before 1847.
son:John TAYLOR born 1847 died 1884 in Worcester, MA in an industrial accident.
Any information on this family appreciated. Family lore says that the TAYLOR line is a family that came to CT before 1700.????
Dot in FL
27 MAY 1999 - Gail Mulka - larrym27@prodigy.net
I am looking for parents of THANKFUL HALE. She married Rufus Chapman Sep. 12,1839. She is buried in White Birch cemetery in East Hampton, Ct. Her gravestone says 1822-1884. children: Lafayette, Albert, Abby, Betsy, Jane, Emily, Rufus, Henry. Albert's death certificate lists mothers birth place as Portland, CT. Any information on Thankful would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Gail Mulka
25 FEB 1999 - Jim Ross - Tombtome@aol.com
I am trying to learn if the Mrs. MARY DESMOND (b.1830
Ireland) in the 1900 census for Portland is the same as the Mrs.
MARY BRODERICK DESMOND who was living in Portland in
1906. I recently learned that she was my ancestor's sister.
She was probably married in 1859. I have ordered the marriage
and death records from the Mormon Church, but that will take
several weeks to arrive. Is there someone who can look up her
marriage record so I can determine if her maiden name was
BRODERICK? Then I will know for sure if she is my family. Jim
Ross - Chino Hills, CA
7 Mar 1999 - Jack Roberts - jack.roberts@snet.net
Connecticut Gazetteer Index.
Will search a database of 3,100 obscure and out-of-date place names of CT Town, Villages, sections, districts and :...villes" for the present-day name of these locations. i.e. Armsmear is in Hartford, CT.
A Gazetteer is a geographical dictionary. It
does not contain surnames; therefore, I cannot look up
surnames.
Note: this county and town is up for adoption.
Thanks to Tom Bombaci, Jr., for his many years and dedicated service to the CTGenWeb Project.
If you would like to volunteer please contact Jim Rothgeb, SC CTGenWeb.