Welcome to Portland Genealogy, part of the CTGenWeb Project!

                                  

                                                          

                                   

       

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:

Portland Library

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

Town of Portland website



Cemeteries
Churches
Research Resources
Queries
Volunteer Researchers
More Links



Portland Cemeteries:

The Old Jewish Cemetery

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

 

Saint Mary's Cemetery

 

Riverside Street

Portland CT 06480

(860) 342-2328

 

Old Cemetery

 

Swedish Cemetery

 

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.

 


Trinity Church Cemetery

 

Main Street

Portland CT 06480

(860) 347-8494


Portland Churches:

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.


Research Resources:


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

Connecticut Society of Genealogists
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


Volunteer Researchers:

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.


Connecticut Gen Web Page

Middlesex County Gen Web Page


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.


Last updated: 20130122.