Below is a photo gallery with images of the town records, first there is a description of them.
In October 2018 we made a trip to Middletown for the Society of Middletown First Settler Descendants (SMFSD) triannual meeting. While there we visited the Middlesex County Historical Society. One of the items they have is the “Town Votes and Proprietors Records”, Volume 1, 1652-1735, Middletown, Connecticut. These are the written minutes and other information from the town meetings. In doing research for my Middletown ancestor, Daniel Markham (Deacon Dan as we refer to him), I wanted to review these records to see what I might find concerning him. Knowing it would take quite a while to read through all of the pages of the records, I decided to photograph them. I used a portable document tripod, a remote shutter button and an iPhone to do this. Debbie Shapiro was the person there that helped us, she was very helpful indeed. To my knowledge, these records are not available anywhere online. They have also not been completely transcribed or indexed (again, to my knowledge). There are references from these records in some books, such as “The History of Middlesex County 1635-1885”, Henry Whittemore, ed., New York, N.Y.: J.H. Beers & Co., 1884. Starting on page 66 of this book there are several pages of transcribed Middletown town records. The Alsop Papers also contain some of the land holding and land grant information.
The original papers are laminated onto a stiffer type of paper in the town record book. The quality of the work is quite good. There are 373 pages. They are numbered with printed numbers on the stiff paper. These are not the numbers from the original papers. I will refer to these numbers as New Page. Some, but not all, of the original papers do contain the original page number that I’ll refer to as Old Page. These two numbers are not the same.
I started making images on New Page 82. This is the year 1669, my ancestor interest started in the 1670’s so I didn’t take the time to image the earlier pages. I also stopped on New Page 317. This is 1722. On our next trip to Middletown, however, I do intend to image the rest of the book. So, for now this set of images is for 1669 to about 1722, but there are quite a few pages with items dated after 1722 and also some from before 1669. The pages I imaged make up 236 images which includes one of the book’s binding.
For some reason New Pages 274-294 have the original papers upside down. I don’t know why this is. I’ve rotated the images to be right side up, but you can see the New Page numbers are upside down at the bottom.
There is one image per page. I’ve tried to make the file names somewhat descriptive. It starts with the New Page number. It there is an Old Page number, it’s shown as OPxx (with xx being the page number). The Old Pages are not always in date order, they do jump around some. Then there is a bit of a description of something that is on that page. This is usually just for one or two items; any given page can have a number of other items. Any descriptions that have DD in them means that Deacon Daniel Markham is on that page somewhere.
The last few pages are a type of index, starting on New Page 365. The numbers here refer to Old Page number. These also tend to reference one or two topics on that particular page.
Clicking on a thumbnail will open up a photo viewer where you can zoom in and out, and scroll forward and backward to other images. The name of each image is at the bottom in white.
Below the image gallery is a list of the image file names.
Page 0 Middletown town meeting records V1 start
Page 082 1669 John Hurlbut blacksmith agreement
Page 083 OP42 New meeting house Town Rate Town positions 1669
Page 084 Wongonk boundry
Page 085 OP43 Indian land at wongonk 1670
Page 086 New dam Laying out highway 1714
Page 087 OP44 Town rate 1670 Laying out highway 1722
Page 088 Town position 1670
Page 089 OP45 rules for dividing land
Page 090 Estate list 1670
Page 091 OP46
Page 092 1671 Grand levy Laying out commons
Page 093 OP47 1671 Laying out land
Page 094 1655 Guidelines for building corn mill for T Miller
Page 095 OP48 1671 First division lots list of names
Page 096 list of names not sure what
Page 097 OP49 1670 Laying out new meeting house
Page 098 1671 Town positions Laying out land
Page 099 OP50 Town rate
Page 100 1671 boundry with Farmington Ministers rate
Page 101 OP51 Indian land boundry
Page 102 1672 Land boundries
Page 103 OP52 1672.3 Indian land boundry
Page 104 1673 Dividing land
Page 105 OP53 1673 Wood for minister Town positions
Page 106 1673 Town rate Town positions
Page 107 OP54 1673 Land boundries
Page 108 1710 Fencing little meadow
Page 109 OP55 Estate list 1673
Page 110 1725 Laying out highways
Page 111 OP56 Highways
Page 112 1666 and 1719 item Gilberts not to be traded with
Page 113 OP57 1667 Town rate
Page 114 Names with payment in wood
Page 115 OP58 Ordinary keeper 1674 Town positions
Page 116 1674 Land grants
Page 117 OP59 1674 Fencing plans
Page 118 List of names on e side lots 1674
Page 119 OP60 1675 land for highway
Page 120 Town positions Minister rate Gallery in mtg house 1675
Page 121 OP61 Nov 1676 Schoolmaster & boarders
Page 122 town positions 1677 & audit
Page 123 OP62 town position 1678 & buying powder & lead
Page 124 misc land grants
Page 125 OP63 mentions a grant to build vessels
Page 126 DD proprietors of the bell 1679
Page 127 OP64 town positions
Page 130 1680 allocation of half mile lots
Page 131 OP66 town positions
Page 132 parsonage land at wongonk
Page 133 OP67 grand levie
Page 134 town buys boat for ferry
Page 135 OP68 town positions School tax rate
Page 136 DD 1682 school tax
Page 137 OP69 DD wood to nathll collins
Page 138 town positions
Page 139 OP70 building church & fence height
Page 140 1685 town positions
Page 141 OP71 killing blackbirds & town positions
Page 142 parsonage chimney & burying yard
Page 143 OP72 DD 1687 fence viewer & town positions need to get
Page 144 town positions commisioner
Page 145 OP73 town positions need to decipher pay orientation
Page 146 town positions meat packer Grand levie
Page 147 OP74 DD 1691grand levie and surveyor & town building barn
Page 148 posting public paper for town meetings
Page 149 OP75 reqd to cut brush in common & something with New Haven
Page 150 OP76 town positons 1692 & cant read bottom
Page 151 Wongonk land & laying out lots
Page 152 town positions & F Whitmore bridge
Page 153 OP77 town positions 1694 & whats a Haywards
Page 154 erecting a pound & Haywards position
Page 155 OP78 measuring all land Hornet bay Riveret
Page 156 Recorder Brander Pipe staves
Page 157 OP79 Ferry river Collector of town rate Audit
Page 158 Tax rate Corn & Fulling mill
Page 159 OP80 DD 1697 Grand levy DD surveyor
Page 160 Glasier cook
Page 161 OP81 Collector didn’t collect Minister food rates
Page 162 DD 2 committee to lay out land
Page 163 OP82 Boat for ferry river Export timber & stave
Page 164 Whitmore stone bridge to be free
Page 165 OP83 Inspector of country tax rate Tax for ammo
Page 166 Whitmore estate account
Page 167 OP84 Freed from country list taxes Town pound
Page 168 Common land leases Taking care of elderly & poor
Page 169 OP85 Fee for bulls Clearing commons
Page 170 Inspector grand levy Pacosit swamp land
Page 171 Hiring a shepard Corn Grist & Fulling mill
Page 172 Towns common land Dispute over corn mill
Page 173 OP87 DD collector Keeping the law books Grand levy
Page 174 Branding horses
Page 175 OP88 Town positons 1703
Page 176 Whitmore tavern & inn Erecting garrisons
Page 177 OP89 Town positions 1704 Enlarging cemetery 1722
Page 178 Town positions 1705
Page 179 OP90 Highway & old cart path Funds for bulls
Page 180 Pound keeper
Page 181 OP91 Town positions 1707
Page 182 F Whitmore bridge Mentions guard
Page 183 OP92 Grave digger Town boundries Fine for meeting
Page 184 Dan Jr surveyor Removing family
Page 185 OP93 Rules for loose swine Packer position w double B
Page 186 Voting by hand Securing their geese
Page 187 Indian land Whitmore hunting hill Highway to straits
Page 188 DD inhabitant and deacons to inform south society
Page 189 OP95 Vote to give 3 mile grants Whitmore maromas land
Page 190 Town positions 1709
Page 191 OP96 Town boundries Whitmore hunting hill
Page 192 Town boundries Erecting pounds
Page 193 OP97 Whitmore hunting hill Town positions 1710
Page 194 Town positions Boat for ferry
Page 195 OP98 Highway to Maromas
Page 196 Town boundries Controversy over school funding
Page 197 OP99 North vs south society Schools
Page 198 more School committee What is a b c darian
Page 199 OP100 Ancient proprietors Town positions 1711
Page 200 House of entertainment New ferry boat Tax rates
Page 201 OP101 Boundry with Durham
Page 202 Fences and feeding creatures
Page 203 OP102 Town positions Grand jurors Inspector
Page 204 Ferry house 2 new burying places 1714 Paying for bulls
Page 205 OP103 Whitmore wharf
Page 206 Town bounds Wharf and warehouse Indian land
Page 207 OP104 Redoing lot boundries Marimas highway
Page 208 Town positions 1713
Page 209 OP105 Maromas pound Tavern keeper position
Page 210 Maromas highway Fences
Page 211 OP106 East society minister Town positions 1714 J Center
Page 212 Town positions Land from Indians
Page 213 OP107 James Markham Town boundries Bull charges
Page 214 Town auditors 2 Grist mills
Page 215 OP108 Laying out land 1714
Page 216 OP109 Fines for taking stones away
Page 217 Planning 3 mile div Grist mill Town boundries
Page 218 OP111 Blackbirds Taking care of quarry Hamlin wharf
Page 219 OP112 Town attorney Town positions 1715
Page 220 Town positions Town boundries
Page 221 OP114 Issues w surveyor rate Paying for birds Rate for grains
Page 222 OP115 Fulling mill Land from indians Grist mill
Page 223 OP116 Town boundry Watering place for creatures
Page 224 Town positions 1716
Page 225 Killing blackbirds & crows Grain rates Town pound
Page 226 Liberty to build houses Tavern keepers
Page 227 OP120 Collegial school Liberty to build shop
Page 228 OP121 Ram pasture Shepard Trespass on ferry land
Page 229 OP122 Land lot boundry dispute p229 orig p122
Page 230 OP123 Town positions Packer 1717
Page 231 OP124 Taking care of widow martin Town boundries
Page 232 OP125 Improving meeting house Laying out 3 mile div
Page 233 Taking down fences No taking timber or stones Indian land
Page 234 OP127 Town positions 1718 Maint for bulls Ferry boat fees
Page 235 OP128 Dan II dispute Fine for not buillding mills
Page 236 OP129 Inhabitants owed by the town Kicking guy out
Page 237 OP130 Town mtg moderator Roads to other towns
Page 238 OP131 Town posisions 1719.20
Page 239 OP132 Right to buy indian land on wongunk island
Page 240 OP133 Town tax and grain rates Kick dr reed out of town
Page 241 OP134 Digging ditch Bull payments Land to j center
Page 242 OP135 No indian corn in commons
Page 243 OP136 Flax to make ferry rope Using compass
Page 244 OP137 Fine for no grist mill Sheep W Whitmore heirs
Page 245 OP138 Land to W Whitmore at maramas
Page 246 OP139 Measuring the commons Laying out parsonage 1720
Page 247 OP140 Town positions 1720
Page 248 OP141 Corn mill Approve horse house
Page 249 OP142 Dispute over commons Swine being ringed
Page 250 Town boundries
Page 251 OP144 Town positions J Center 1721 Moderator & rules
Page 252 Ministers land Fee for geese
Page 253 OP146 Town boundries
Page 254 Land boundries in Newfield Highway to Durham
Page 255 OP148 Town bounds Fee for fox Enlarging burying place
Page 256 OP149 Land divied out in commons
Page 257 Over plus land Town positions 1722
Page 258 Ram pasture Turnip patch Bird & fox fee Getting ammo
Page 259 OP152 Town commons land Highways
Page 260 Town boundries 18 ft house on commons
Page 261 OP154 Penalty for taking stones Burying place south 1723
Page 262 OP155 Town positions 1723 & 24 South North & East societies
Page 263 OP156 Town positions 1724 Boundry with Farmington
Page 264 OP157 Money due from strays or lost goods Bridge dispute
Page 265 OP158 Geometric Bridge dispute Whitmore over ferry river
Page 266 OP159 Town positions 1725
Page 267 OP160 Tax for bridge and supporting poor
Page 273 suing guy for taking stones Bridge over ferry river 1727
Page 274 how to divide 3 mile division
Page 275 OP32 Continued
Page 276 OP31 Continued
Page 277 OP30 Continued
Page 278 OP29 Continued Benoni – James Daniel Patience Markham
Page 279 OP28 List of the present proprietors 1715
Page 280 OP27 at bottom ferry bridge Whitmore
Page 281 OP26 ancient proprietors
Page 282 OP25 blank page
Page 283 OP24 1673 estate list
Page 284 OP23 blank page
Page 285 OP22
Page 286 OP21 Deacon Markham meeting seater 1694
Page 287 OP20 laying out swamp land
Page 288 OP19 swamp & wongonk land amt
Page 289 OP18 Great lots division
Page 290 OP17 fence lengths at wongonk
Page 291 OP16 kicking people out of town 1728 1730
Page 292
Page 293
Page 294 OP13 second part of the first land division
Page 295 Describing who owns swamp land
Page 296 Describing who owns land in the ponds
Page 297 Describing who owns swamp land
Page 298 Describing who owns swamp land
Page 299 Describing land owned
Page 300 OP11 Describing land owned
Page 301 OP10 Describing land owned
Page 302 OP9 1674 list of land owners n. of river in the neck
Page 303 Desc of land owned Vineyard & shoemakers lot
Page 304 Desc of lands in the common field 1695.6
Page 305 OP8 1680 memo of highways in the meadow
Page 306 Desc of land owned
Page 307 1682 wongonke land
Page 308 Desc of land owned 1674 fencing 1680
Page 309 list of each persons creature mark 1694.1707
Page 310 creature marks 1707.1715
Page 311 creature marks 1717.1728
Page 312 creature marks 1716.1717
Page 316 vote for commons James Markham
Page 317 home lot exchange recorded 1722
Page 365 Summary Index
Page 366 p25 mine to governor
Page 367
Page 368 Item 42 is 1669
Page 369
Page 370 Item 77 says 1694
Page 371 Item 90 says 1706
Page 372
Page 373 Item 141 says 1720 Middletown Town Records end