Bridgeport, a city and seaport of Fairfield county, Connecticut, is situated on an arm of Long Island sound, at the mouth of Pequannook river. By railroad it is 18 miles W. S. W. from New Haven; 58 miles N. E. from New York; 54 miles S. W. from Hartford; 178 miles S. W. from Boston. Bridgeport was formed from Stratfield, which was settled by the English about 1639.

The earliest settlers of the area were the Paugussetts or Gold Hill Indians. Neighbors to the East were Quinnipiacs of New Haven. To the west were the Uncawas of Fairfield. On the North, The Potatucks of Newtown and Woodbury.

By 1639 the settlements of Stratford and Fairfield had begun by the English. Either Henry Jackson, of Fairfield, who had just sold the mill erected by him in 1648, or his son, Moses Jackson, was the builder.

In 1670 the land for some three quarters of a mile west of the street now called Park Avenue was owned by ten families. These ten are considered to be the original settlers (in the order of those furthest east, and no. 2 coming next and so on).

1. The Widow Wheeler
2. Goodman Hall
3. Joseph Whelpley
4. John Odell
5. Samuel Treadwell
6. Isaac Wheeler
7. James Bennett
8. Matthew Sherwood
9. Richard Hubbell
10. Henry Jackson

These were the proprietors of "Long Lots," very narrow strips of woodland only a few rods wide, but extending back in the forest for some six or eight miles.

June 1695, the Church of Christ in Stratfield was organized. There were nine members, all male. Richard Hubbell, Sr., Isaac Wheeler, Sr., James Bennett, Sr., Samuel Beardsley, Samuel Gregory, Sr., Matthew Sherman, Richard Hubbell, Jr., David Sherman, John Odell, Jr. David Sherman was the first Deacon. [1]

For more information on Bridgeport, Connecticut Churches, click here.

Birth records: 1847-Present
Marriage Records: 1833- Present
Death Records: 1847- Present
Comments: Non-certified copies of Birth, Marriage and death certificates are not available
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, 9 am-5 pm. Closed on Thur.

• Order Bridgeport Vital Records
• Connecticut State Library
• Bridgeport, CT Deaths, 1 April 1888 to 1 April 1889, Abbott to Hannan.
• Bridgeport, CT Deaths: 1 April 1888 to 1 April 1889, Hanson-Palmer.
• Bridgeport, CT Deaths: 1 April 1888 to 1 April 1889, Parrott-Young.
• Bridgeport, CT Marriages,1 April 1888 to 1 April 1889, Abbott to Garvey.
• Bridgeport, CT Marriages: 1 April 1888 to 1 April 1889, Geer to O'Brien.
• Bridgeport, CT Marriages: 1 April 1888 to 1 April 1889, Part III.

• The Connecticut State Library has received most Probate records prior to 1850.
  > Pre-1850 records are also available on microfilm .
  
• The Connecticut State Library has microfilm of copies of deeds, mortgages, releases and related records to about 1900. Grantor and grantee indexes are available, but there is no statewide index.

• Bridgeport, Connecticut Churches

Historical Societies

Connecticut Society of Genealogists PO Box 435, Glastonbury, CT 06033-0435 (860) 569-0002

Newspapers

Bridgeport News
(weekly) Hometown Publications, 6515 Main St., P.O. Box 293, Trumbull, CT 06111

Other CT Newspapers

• BENNETT, Thaddeus, captain, died 21 January 1777.
• BURROUGHS, Edward, lieutenant, died 14 September 1776.
• FAYERWEATHER, Nathaniel, "died of smallpox in the army," December 1778.
• FRENCH, Ichabod, died "in camp at New York," September 1776.
• HAWLEY, Maj. Aarn, died 23 July 1803.
• LEMON, George, "killed on Long Island," July 1781.
• ODELL, Isaac, sergeant, died 22 February 1826.SEELEY, Nathan, lieutenant, died 29 September 1777
• SHERWOOD, David, died 31 August 1826, ae 72. 
• WELLS, David, "died in Continental Army," October 1777 [1]

• Officers lt. William Hall; Sgt. Isaac Patchin, Cpl. Joel Parish; Clerk Samuel French.
• Enlisted men:
  
• BEARDSLEY, Ichabod
  
• BURRITT, Josiah
  
• BURRITT, Sherman
  
• BULKLEY, Seth
  
• COOKE, Thomas
  
• CRAWFORD, James
  
• GREGORY, Ebenezer
  
• GREGORY, James
  
• HALL, Wildman
  
• HAWES, Joseph
  
• HAWLEY, Ebenezer
  
• HUBBELL, William
  
• KNAPP, Lyman
  
• MCKENZIE, John
  
• PATCHEN, Salmon
  
• PORTER, John
  
• SEELEY, Denton
  
• WELLS, Gideon
  
• WHEELER, Zechariah

Note: another account mentions two others:

• HAWLEY, Gideon Hawley and PECK, Elijah

• BEARDSLEY,Abijah, ensign.
  
• BROTHWELL, Joseph, Lt. in Householders.
  
• BURROUGHS, Stephen, captain in Householders.
  
• FAIRCHILD, Nathan. His widow was a pensioner.
  
• GREGORY, Ezra, was a pensioner.
  
• HAMILTON, James, lieutenant in Householders.
  
• HUBBELL, Salmon, lieutenant; was at the battle of Stony Point, etc.
  
• LACEY, Daniel, captain of coast-guards.
  
• LACEY Josiah, captain in Continental army.
  
• SEELEY, Nathan, lieutenant in Householders.
• SHERMAN, Isaac, died in the army, aged eighteen
  
• SHERMAN, David, member of Stratfield Train-Band.
  
• STERLING, Abijah, captain in Householders.
  
• STERLING, Stephen, member of Stratfield Train-Band
  
• STRONG, Joseph, clerk of Householders.
  
• WORDIN, William, captain in Householders.

In 1880, Bridgeport had a large coasting trade, with a number of vessels engaged in the whale fisheries. The manufactures were extensive, particularly of carriages. The harbor was safe, but did not admit vessels of the largest size, there being but 13 feet of water on the bar at high tide in 1880.

In 1819, the people of Bridgeport petitioned the Legislature to have the town set of as separate from Stratford. The city of Bridgeport was incorporated in May of 1836. At the first city meeting, Isaac Sherman Jr. was elected mayor.

1836--Isaac Sherman

1837-- Daniel Sterling

1838--Alanson Hamlin

1839--Charles Foote

1840--Charles Bostwick

1841--William Burrell 

1843--James C. Loomis

1844--Henry K. Harral 

1847--Sherwood Sterling 

1849--Henry K. Harral

1851-- John Brooks, Jr.

1852--Henry K. Harral

1853--Charles B. Hubbell

1854--John Brooks, Jr.

1855--P.C. Calhoun

1858--Silas C. Booth

1860--D.H. Sterling

1863--Clapp Spooner

1864--Jarratt Morford

1865--Stillman S. Clapp

1866--Monson Hawley

1868--Jarratt Morford

1869--Monson Hawley

1870--Jarratt Morford

1871--E.B. Goodsell

1874--Robert T. Clarke

1875--P.T. Barnum

1876-77--Jarratt Morford

1878--Robert E. De Forest

1879--John L. Wessels

1880--Daniel N. Morgan

The first time that the census of Bridgeport was taken separately from Stratford was 1810. Jeremiah W. Beardsley was enumerator that year, and his original return is still preserved. According to this there were 572 souls, including Lt. Simon Hubbell's one slave. In 1820, the population had increased to about 1200, and in 1830, there were 2800. In 1840, Henry Edwards was the enumerator and the number returned by his was 4570. In 1850, William Bunnell took the census and found 7558 of whom 832 resided upon the east side of the river and 250 at North Bridgeport. The number of colored persons making their home in Bridgeport at that time was 286, and of foreigners 1493--viz., born in Ireland 1102, in England 188; in Germany 138; and from other countries 65. [1]

The Connecticut Courier,published for several years.

Sources:
[1] Hurd, D. Hamilton. History of Fairfield County, Connecticut. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co. (1881)
[2] Morrison, Betty Jean. Connecting to Connecticut. East Hartford: CT Society of Genealogists (1995)
[3] Lindberg, Marcia Wiswall. Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research. 3rd Edition. Boston: NEHGS (1993)
[4] Baldwin, Thomas and Thomas, J., M.D. A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States.
Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co. (1854)