RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 1, 2019
KINSEARCHING
by
Marleta Childs
P. O. Box 6825
LUBBOCK, TX 79493-6825
[email protected]
Experienced genealogists working in the New England states are familiar with Lucius B. Barbour’s Index to Connecticut Vital Records, now housed at the Connecticut State Library (CSL). Long considered the starting point for researching the Nutmeg State’s birth, marriage, and death records prior to 1850, the Barbour Collection supplies data from many of the town records and some abstracts of private genealogical information. Now the Barbour Index must share the spotlight with a new publication, FINDING EARLY CONNECTICUT VITAL RECORDS: THE BARBOUR INDEX AND BEYOND by Linda MacLachlan.
In her introduction, MacLachlan explains the history and nature of the Barbour Index, its limitations and accuracy, and accession of the Collection’s handwritten additions and corrections at the CSL and online websites. She then mentions other unique, often private, genealogical collections deposited at the CSL and gives countywide resources for seven counties.
Her main goal in the book is to identify the original sources of the early vital records that Barbour abstracted. In the process, she furnishes information about hundreds of books, manuscripts, and articles not found in Barbour’s compilation. As a result, researchers may discover hundreds of additional sources for early Connecticut vital records, such as church records, cemetery transcriptions (including those found in the famous Charles R. Hale Collection of Gravestone Inscriptions at CSL), and available print sources.
Comprising the major part of the publication, a town-by-town bibliography includes information about six more pre-1851 Connecticut towns that Barbour did not index. For each place, the author supplies the Family History Library (FHL) microfilm numbers for original and derivative sources as well as names of other noteworthy sources. In addition, she notes (in bold face) any discrepancies in the material and other town records that Barbour did not abstract.
Encompassing a wide variety of materials and millions of individual names, MacLachlan’s volume is the most complete inventory of the Nutmeg State’s vital records to date. The product of ten years’ work, FINDING EARLY CONNECTICUT VITAL RECORDS: THE BARBOUR INDEX AND BEYOND will be a valuable asset to all genealogical library holdings.
The 345-page book has colorful covers, an introduction, acknowledgements, numerous illustrations and maps, footnotes, appendices, a glossary including a list of abbreviations and citation forms used in the work, and an index of locations. To the book's price of $49.95 for softbound or $75.00 for hardbound, buyers should add the cost for postage and handling charges. (For U. S. postal mail, the cost is $5.50 for one book and $2.50 for each additional copy; FedEX Ground Service, the cost is $7.50 for one copy and $2.50 for each additional book). The volume (item order #8049 for softbound or #8050 for hardbound) may be purchased by check, MasterCard, or Visa from Clearfield Company, 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 260, Baltimore, Maryland 21211-1953 (for phone orders, call toll free 1-800-296-6687; fax 1-410-752-8492; website www.genealogical.com ).