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April 17 2011 | From the Vault

From the Vault

January 22, 2011: Beverly Muldoon has been busy transcribing some of the letters that have been kept in the vault of the Leffingwell House Museum by the Society of the Founders. This is a slow and tedious process but the collection is growing and we hope that someday we'll be able to make available a copy of the originals [as we have] the translations on our website.

Why are the documents important? They tell us the details of individuals lives that the text books only hint at. For the technologically adept, we are reading their "facebook." or their diary and still for others their bank accounts. Is every page important to every individual? Nope. Some want to learn about the personalities of their relatives or others and some of us are just nosy about other peoples business.

With every reading don't forget to ask the basics who is doing the writing, who is doing the reading, what is being discussed and how much do they know or suspect of what the future may hold. When was it written? Where was it written? Why was it written? Is any information missing? YOU are the detective.

Why is having a current dues card important?

From the State of CT 2009 General Statutes 7-51a Section text 1 of 1 document(s) retrieved

Sec. 7-51a. Copies of vital records. Access to vital records by members of genealogical societies. Marriage and civil union licenses. Death certificates. Issuance of certified copies of electronically filed certificates. (a) Any person eighteen years of age or older may purchase certified copies of marriage and death records, and certified copies of records of births or fetal deaths which are at least one hundred years old, in the custody of any registrar of vital statistics. The department may issue uncertified copies of death certificates for deaths occurring less than one hundred years ago, and uncertified copies of birth, marriage, death and fetal death certificates for births, marriages, deaths and fetal deaths that occurred at least one hundred years ago, to researchers approved by the department pursuant to section 19a-25, and to state and federal agencies approved by the department. During all normal business hours, members of genealogical societies incorporated or authorized by the Secretary of the State to do business or conduct affairs in this state shall (1) have full access to all vital records in the custody of any registrar of vital statistics, including certificates, ledgers, record books, card files, indexes and database printouts, except for those records containing Social Security numbers protected pursuant to 42 USC 405 (c)(2)(C), and confidential files on adoptions, gender change, gestational agreements and paternity, (2) be permitted to make notes from such records, (3) be permitted to purchase certified copies of such records, and (4) be permitted to incorporate statistics derived from such records in the publications of such genealogical societies. For all vital records containing Social Security numbers that are protected from disclosure pursuant to federal law, the Social Security numbers contained on such records shall be redacted from any certified copy of such records issued to a genealogist by a registrar of vital statistics.

(b) For marriage and civil union licenses, the Social Security numbers of the parties to the marriage or civil union shall be recorded in the "administrative purposes" section of the marriage or civil union license and the application for such license. All persons specified on the license, including the parties to the marriage or civil union, officiator and local registrar shall have access to the Social Security numbers specified on the marriage or civil union license and the application for such license for the purpose of processing the license. Only the parties to a marriage or civil union, or entities authorized by state or federal law, may receive a certified copy of a marriage or civil union license with the Social Security numbers included on the license. Any other individual, researcher or state or federal agency requesting a certified or uncertified copy of any marriage or civil union license in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be provided such copy with such Social Security numbers removed or redacted, or with the "administrative purposes" section omitted.

The Society of the Founders Library at the Leffingwell House Museum is not just for members and all are welcome to use it but we need more volunteers to make it more available.

Beryl Fishbone, Volunteer Program Coordinator

Letters from William C. Leffingwell

From William C. Leffingwell to his mother, Mrs. Willam Leffingwell of New Haven, CT. Written in New York 10 October 1821
From William C. Leffingwell to his brother Edward H. Leffingwell while Edward was in Peru. Written in New Haven 05 October 1825
From William C. Leffingwell to his brother Edward H. Leffingwell while Edward was in Columbia. Written in New Haven 12 January 1826
From William C. Leffingwell to his brother Edward H. Leffingwell while Edward was in Lima. Written in New Haven 23 September 1826
From William C. Leffingwell to his brother Edward H. Leffingwell while Edward was in Lima. Written in New Haven 07 December 1826

Others From the Vault

From Maria S. Williams to Augustus R. Street, Esq. Written in New York 21 March 1848.
Receipt from Solomon Leche to Mary M. Leffingwell. Written in Strausberg, PA 13 July 1875.
From W. H. Foote, Westfileld Board of Trade to Postmaster, Brooklyn NY concerning letter sent to E. F. Leffingwell. Written in Westfield, MA 09 February 1897.
Letter from Iona to unknown party. Written in France.