Memories of Connecticut – April 2007

In April of 2007 I had the opportunity to attend the New England Regional Genealogical Conference in Hartford, Connecticut.  It was a great conference and gave me the opportunity to visit a variety of places that were part of my family history.

I like to write a trip journal or blog my trips because I have learned that it helps me to remember.  It documents the trip.  I reviewed my journal of the April 2007 trip and it brought back memories and helped me plan this coming trip.  I will try to take more pictures this time and even try to make short video clips.  My cousin Paul Henry Goss did various genealogical research trips back in the 1930’s and 1940’s but he only mentions them in his manuscripts but doesn’t really treat them as sources.

I would just love to know to who he talked to and what he did and were he went?  I would love to have followed him on his trips and in his footsteps.  I can only guess where he went and I will try to recreate a little of that on this coming trip.

I visited the following towns back then:  Hartford, Enfield, East Windsor, Windsor and a little venture into Massachusetts to Longmeadow and Granville.

I was able to visit quite a few repositories back then.

• The Connecticut Historical Society:  It is wonderful and I spent many hours there. They have Donald Lines Jacobus’ collection. Mr. Jacobus corresponded with Paul H. Goss about the Goss Family.
• The Connecticut State Library and Archive:  I have several days planned to return to this repository and hopefully unlock more secrets.  I did find a Barclay/Ford probate file there which has been a treasure.
• The Enfield Historical Society:  I probably won’t return to this society but I have already emailed them a question about the various cemeteries in the area and they have responded.  The president did tell me about a book called “Broadlooms and Businessmen.”  It was about the Thompsonville Carpet Factory.  I am wondering if the Barclay’s worked for this carpet factory?
• The Enfield Public Library which has small genealogical collection. They had a copy of the book suggested by the Enfield Historical Society.
• The Longmeadow Historical Society where I learned that the graveyard that was in Springfield which was were a lot of the old pioneers had been buried was taken over by the railroad.   I was interested in the Cooley family and their connection to the Goss family.
• The Granville Public Library History room where I found some interesting information about Enos Seward and his involvement in the politics of the town.  There was more information about the lineage in Thomas Goss’ family. He is a brother to one of our Philip Goss’.
• Simsbury Genealogical and Historical Research Society in Simsbury helped me to connect to the library online so I could look at historical newspapers and I found Thomas Goss.  It was all about his trial and hanging.
• Salmon Brook Historical Society in Granby where the curator found a church record of Philip and Mary Goss. They also helped me identify the possible location of Philip Goss land in North Granby. I bought their history book “Tempest in a Small Town.”
• The Windsor Historical Society is another gem.  I found many good articles about the Wolcotts there and purchased several good books.  I highly recommend this society.

I visited the Palisado Cemetery in Windsor and paid my respects to Henry, Simon and Martha Wolcott. I bought the Windsor Historical Society book of the burials for that cemetery.

Will I visit these repositories again…well maybe some of them but not all.  One of the most difficult decisions to make when you embark on a trip like this is to decide where to go and what to research.  You cannot do it all and this coming trip to Connecticut and Massachusetts will be even more detailed and more involved. Come along and join me in my quest as I travel back in time to the 1600’s, early 1700’s.