Since my original message, I have found David Brooks and family on the 1850 census, living in New York City. The exciting part about this is that it lists his age as 52, meaning his birth year is probably 1797/1798. Boy, was I way off on his age!!! The census shows Helen (age 5) has 2 older brothers Edward born about 1838 in CT, and David, born about 1843 in CT. These are the 2 Brooks names that are buried with her in Greenwood cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. I have not yet tried to get birth records for Helen. Can anyone tell me the best way to find a birth record from Stratford, CT without the exact year (somewhere around 1845)??? As yet my research has only involved NY, NJ and Canada. Any helpful hints/links greatly appreciated, as I do the research in between demands from my 2 year old son! Thanks, Gail...freezing in single digits in Minnesota!

Well, Gail, you win today's ID jackpot (I think)! I'll make up a file to send you privately on David's ancestry, assuming that he's the fellow I described. I'm sure someone else in CT can advise you on how to get an official copy of the record, or Helen's birth record. Since I'm a one-name study guy, I rely on the Barbour Collection for Connecticut vital records, as it would be impossible and financially ruinous to pursue certified copies of the records for thousands of Connecticut births, marriages and deaths. You can read more about the Barbour Collection on the Resources page at the Tributaries web site, and we've got the Brooks listings from Barbour for a majority of Connecticut towns transcribed there, including the listing for David/6 Brooks of Stratford, in what I call the Fairfield line. In return for my file, please send me (offlist) a file in return with what you can share on this David's downline to the present. I have nothing on him beyond the birth record. Sources encouraged and appreciated. Assuming that your David and mine are one and the same, here's the line (the first 4 generations of which, plus some collaterals like BIRDSEYE, you can further explore under the Genealogies link at the Tributaries web site): 6. David, b. 19 Oct 1797, Stratford, Fairfield, CT. 5. David (b. 1772) + Abigail HAWLEY (d. 1839) 4. John (1739-c1788) + Dorothy/5 BIRDSEYE (1742-1834) 3. John (1715-1777) + Ann SHERWOOD 2. Benjamin (b. 1685) + Mary BOOTH 1. John + Sarah OSBORN I am copying this reply privately to Emma Chisholm, another descendant in this line, who can contact Gail at GottaMvSth@aol.com. Okay, gang, who knows the answer to Gail's question about obtaining state records from Connecticut? Chris |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Christopher Brooks BROOKS Families of New England http://www.tributaries.org |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Gail Dumm wrote: > Since my original message, I have found David Brooks and > family on the 1850 census, living in New York City. The > exciting part about this is that it lists his age as 52, > meaning his birth year is probably 1797/1798. Boy, was > I way off on his age!!! The census shows Helen (age 5) > has 2 older brothers Edward born about 1838 in CT, and > David, born about 1843 in CT. These are the 2 Brooks > names that are buried with her in Greenwood cemetery in > Brooklyn, NY. > > I have not yet tried to get birth records for Helen. Can > anyone tell me the best way to find a birth record from > Stratford, CT without the exact year (somewhere around > 1845)??? As yet my research has only involved NY, NJ > and Canada. Any helpful hints/links greatly appreciated, > as I do the research in between demands from my 2 year > old son!