Table of Contents


Collection Overview

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content

Restrictions

Subject Headings

Administrative Information

Contents:

I. Colchester town records, 1713-1917

II. Loomis family papers, 1779-1888

III. Skinner family papers, 1814-1851

IV. Poetry and assorted legal and financial documents, 1842-1887

Colchester (Conn.) Town Records, 1713-1922

A Guide to the collection at the Connecticut Historical Society



Collection Overview

Repository: Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut
Creator : Colchester (Conn.)
Title : Colchester (Conn.) Town Records
Dates : 1713-1922
Extent : 0.5 linear feet (1 box)
Location: Ms 70817
Language: English

Biographical Sketch

Colchester, located in New London County, Connecticut, was incorporated in 1698 and named in October 1699.

Solomon Loomis (b. 1700), son of Hezekiah Loomis of Windsor, Connecticut, settled and raised his family in Colchester, Connecticut. His son Solomon (1752-1794) married Prudence Robbins. They had sons David (1774-1842) and Solomon (1776-1859). David, who married Clarissa Williams, had sons Alfred L. (or I.,1796-1882) and Loren Williams (1800-1872). Alfred married Abigail Foote and they had sons Alfred (1829-1866), Israel Foot (b. 1839) and Milton Lathrop (b. 1842).

Samuel Skinner (1765-1800), son of Noah Skinner of Windsor and Colchester, had a son Asahel (1791-1849) who married Jerusha C. Tracy (d. 1851). Their son Ralph Henry (1827-1866) was a farmer in Colchester and married Dorothy Staples.

Return to the Table of Contents


Scope and Content

The accession record for this collection describes it as documents regarding the history of the Westchester parish of Colchester, Connecticut. Further examination of the collection indicates that the bulk of the materials relate to the Skinner and Loomis families. Therefore, the collection was divided into four series to more accurately illustrate the distribution of the records between town and family.

Series I consists of records related to the town of Colchester and to residents not directly related to the primary individuals identified in the Skinner and Loomis families, with only a few exceptions. There are two documents concerning town meetings, 1713 and 1764. Probate records exist for the estates of Ralph H. Carrier, Dan Jones, Alfred Loomis and Samuel Skinner, 1800-1889 and for other individuals, 1800-1898. Land records, 1760-1883 include deeds, surveys, and undated plot plans. Individual tax lists and receipts dates from 1813-1917 and include a few from Skinner and Loomis family members. Court summonses, depositions and other records range from 1813-1917. Among the correspondence to various residents of Colchester are several regarding post office business. Assorted financial records include bills, notes, receipts, and memoranda. Westchester Society included the local church and school. Other societies than Westchester may be among these records, 1827-1881, the most notable of which is specifications for a church building.

Loomis family papers in Series II include deeds and incoming correspondence for Alfred Loomis, 1829-1878, deeds and agreement involving Alfred and his brother Loren Loomis, 1824-1846, and deeds to or from Loren alone, 1842-1854. In addition, there are bills, notes and receipts involving various family members, 1818-1882, and legal and financial documents relating to David, Israel and Solomon Loomis, 1779-1888.

Series III contains deeds to and from Asahel Skinner, 1814-1848 and deeds related to other Skinner family members, 1816-1868 and the will of Jerusha Skinner, 1851.

The final series contains poems by various authors, 1842-1887 and undated, that cannot be directly tied to any one family or even to Colchester. The financial memoranda, legal documents, and a list of births and deaths from about 1910-1922 also appear to have no relationship with specific families or the town.

Return to the Table of Contents


Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Use Restrictions

Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's Research Center regulations.

Return to the Table of Contents


Subject Headings

Personal Names

Loomis, Alfred I., 1796-1882.
Skinner, Samuel, 1765-1800.

Family Names

Loomis family.
Skinner family.

Corporate Names

Westchester Society.

Subjects

Taxation--Connecticut-Colchester.

Geographic Names

Colchester (Conn.)

Genre Forms

Correspondence.
Court records--Connecticut--Colchester.
Deeds-Connecticut--Colchester.
Poetry--Connecticut.

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut.

Processing Details

Collection was processed by Barbara Austen in 2006.

EAD Finding Aid created September 2014.

Return to the Table of Contents


Contents:

Return to the Table of Contents

I. Colchester town records, 1713-1917

Box Folder
1 1 Town meeting records, 1713, 1764
1 2 Probate records, 1800-1898, undated
1 3 Probate records, Ralph H. Carrier estate, 1883-1884
1 4 Probate records, Dan Jones estate, 1878-1887
1 5 Probate records, Alfred Loomis estate, 1882-1883
1 6 Inventory of Samuel Skinner estate, 1800
1 7-10 Land records, 1760-1883, undated
1 11 Tax lists and receipts, 1813-1917
1 12 Court records, 1778-1880
1 13 Wills, prenuptial agreement, dog license, 1774, 1823, 1826, 1917
1 14 Correspondence to various individuals, 1828-1922
1 15 Assorted financial records, 1818-1917
1 16 Westchester Society records, 1827-1881

Return to the Table of Contents

II. Loomis family papers, 1779-1888

Box Folder
1 17 Alfred I. Loomis deeds, 1829-1878
1 18 Alfred I. Loomis incoming correspondence, 1835-1869
1 19 Alfred I. and Loren W. Loomis deeds and agreement, 1824-1846 and undated
1 20 Loren W. Loomis deeds, 1842-1854
1 21 Loomis family financial records, 1818-1882
1 22 David, Israel, and Solomon Loomis legal documents, 1779-1888, undated

Return to the Table of Contents

III. Skinner family papers, 1814-1851

Box Folder
1 23 Asahel Skinner deeds and letter, 1814-1848
1 24 Skinner family deeds and will 1816-1868

Return to the Table of Contents

IV. Poetry and assorted legal and financial documents, 1842-1887

Box Folder
1 25 Poems, 1842-1887, undated
1 26 Financial memoranda, legal documents, list of births and deaths, 1832, 1834, 1910-1922