USGenWeb Norwich, CT

Norwich is located in southeastern CT at the convergence of the Fitch, Thames and Yantic Rivers. It is bounded on the north by Sprague and Franklin, on the east by Lisbon and Preston, on the south by Preston and Montville, and on the west by Bozrah and Franklin. It covers 28.34 sq. miles and has a population of approx. 35, 800.

The town was first settled in 1659 under the name of Mohegan by people from Saybrook led by John Mason and Rev. James Fitch. Norwich "received its present name in 1662 [and was incorporated in 1784]. The original township was much larger than its present extent. Beside the portion now known as Norwich, it embraced a part of Preston, including the present township of Griswold, till set off in 1687. Till 1786, it embraced the present townships of Bozrah, Franklin, and Lisbon; and, till 1861, the present township of Sprague. "¹

"Ecclesiastically the First Society was that of Norwich Town... Second Society was in the district know as West Farms or Franklin. The Third Society was in what was successively known as Newent and Lisbon. The Fourth Society was approximately in the territory called New Concord and afterwards Bozrah. The Fifth Society was that denominated the 'Long' or 'East' Society in Preston. The Sixth Society was in the part of Norwich known as Chelsea and is now called the Second Society. The Seventh Society, formerly known as Pautipaug, is now extinct. The Eighth Society was formerly called Hanover, now the town of Sprague."²

¹ Lucius Barbour, Williston Walker and Winslow Tracy Williams, comps., Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848, 2 vols (NEHGS Photoduplication 1997; Hartford: Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, 1913), p. iiv, Prefatory Note.

² Ibid., pp. iiv-iiiv, Prefatory Note.

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Vital Records:
- IMPORTANT: Be aware, no public access for genealogy purposes to birth records of the last 100 years is allowed in the State of Connecticut unless you are a certified member of a Connecticut incorporated genealogical society such as Connecticut Society of Genealogists. Only the following may access birth records (100 yrs. or less):
  - Person who is the subject of the birth certificate;
  - Parent or Guardian or Grandparent, if a minor;
  - Spouse or Children;
  - Chief Elected Official of Municipality or Agent;
  - Local Health Director;
  - Attorneys;
  - Title Examiners;
  - Members of Incorporated Genealogical Societies or Societies Authorized to Conduct Business in Connecticut;
  - Persons Authorized by Court Order;
  - State or Federal Agency Authorized by State Commissioner of Public Health.
    Connecticut Vital Records Information
    Connecticut Public Acts 1996 Public Act 96-258 (sec 3: 7-51a)
- Norwich City Clerk's Office: 1659 - present records:
  - Vital Records: Birth, Marriage, Death; Land Records; election information; minutes of all public meetings; and servicemen discharges.
  - Cost: $5.00 with SASE for a certified copy of birth, marriage or death record
  - City Clerk: DeeAnne Brennan
    Norwich Town and City Clerk's Office
    Norwich City Hall
    100 Broadway, Room 215, Norwich, CT 06360
    (860) 823-3732
- Department of Public Health: 1897-present: Birth, Deaths and Marriage
- Connecticut State Library: VRs after 1865, Barbour Collection, Hale Collection, local newspapers before 1982, ...
  - History and Genealogy Unit
  - WWW Genealogy Resources - sgt: State of Connecticut genealogy links
- Published VRs of Norwich:
  
  Barbour, Lucius, Williston Walker and Winslow Tracy Williams, comps., Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848, 2 volumes (Hartford: Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, 1913).
  - RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: Vital Records of Norwich (CT.) 1659-1848 Part I Hartford Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut 1913
  - Look-up volunteer with this source.
- Barbour Collection, Norwich:
  - An explanation of the Barbour Collection
  - Look-up volunteer with access to this source.
Cemetery Records:
- Norwich CT Cemeteries
  Records and Inscriptions
- Norwich, New London Co., CT - Inscriptions fron the Burying Ground
  To search the page, use the Edit > Find in/on Page option in your browser.
- Look-up volunteers with cemetery record sources.
  - Inscriptions from Gravestones in the Old Burying Ground
  - Irish Emigrant Headstone Inscriptions from St. Mary Cemetery
- Norwich Department Parks and Cemetery
  (860) 823-3759
- Norwich City Treasurer's Office -- cemetery headstone listings
- An Introduction to The Charles R. Hale Collection
  - Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions
- The Political Graveyard: New London County, Conn.
  Scroll down page and search out Norwich under the different sections below:
  - Politicians who were born in New London County, Conn.
  - Politicians who lived in New London County, Conn.
  - Politicians who died in New London County, Conn.
  - Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in New London County
    Scroll down page and search out Norwich under the different sections.
- Cemeteries of New London County, Connecticut - Cemetery Records
- Connecticut Cemetery links

Divorce Decrees:
- Clerk of Superior Court where divorce granted.
- Introduction to Divorce Records in Connecticut: A Brief History and Summary of Sources
- Look-volunteer with divorce record source.

Probate Records:
- Norwich Probate District (104)
  100 Broadway, P.O.Box 38
  Norwich, CT 06360-0038
  Judge Linda M. Salafia - Judge of Probate
  Clerk: Eileen M. Robbins
  Telephone: 860-887-2160
  Fax: 860-887-2401
  Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9:00-4:30
- CT Probate Records Information
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Volunteers needed!!!

Do you have any Norwich, New London County or/and Connecticut resources such as published VRs, probate records, land records, burial records, church records, court records, histories, family genealogies, etc... in book, microfilm, or CD format? Please, contact me if you are interested in being a Look-up volunteer.

Do you have a website with any Norwich sources like transcripts of genealogies, VRs, or/and family genealogy charts, reports, etc... of Norwich families? Please contact me if you want a link on this site to yours.

Do you have any transcriptions of Norwich records or/and family genealogy reports in file format not up on the Internet anywhere? Please, contact me if you are willing to have them turned into a webpage(s) (HTML coded), linked to this site and credited to you.

Please use subject: Norwich Volunteer.

This button is not E-mail hyperlinked - only a graphic.

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USGenWeb Norwich, CT project commenced 7 Apr 1999.
Maintained, and hosted by Susan Taylor.
Last Updated: 26-Nov-2009