Monthly Archives: May 2020

Genealogy, New London County Temporary Home

Researching the County Home

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Postcard, ca 1935, New London County Temporary Home, Norwich Connecticut
Postcard, ca 1935, New London County Temporary Home, Norwich Connecticut

In 1935, at the age of ten, Mom was sent to live the New London County Temporary Home. Grandma had been committed to Norwich State Hospital and Grandpa was not considered suitable for raising Mom on her own. When writing my family story, I couldn’t find much about this institution which she always referred to as “the county home.”

Fortunately, there is now a resource for genealogists who want to know more about their ancestors who were residents of the New London County Temporary Home. Cheryl and Chris Klemmer have compiled their research about the county home in the form of a reference book available at the Connecticut State Library in Hartford and the Otis Library in Norwich. New London County Temporary Home: History, Residents and References contains a history of home and the names of residents that were found in records. While they are not selling their book, Cheryl and Chris are willing to provide guidance about searching for former county home residents if you contact them at CTCountyHomes@gmail.com.

Genealogy, Norwich State Hospital

Family Myth Busting – Virtual Talk

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Genealogical Tree, published by Daughaday & Becker, Philadelphia, ca. 1859. From the Library of Congress, LC-DIG-pga-01537.
Genealogical Tree, published by Daughaday & Becker, Philadelphia, ca. 1859. From the Library of Congress, LC-DIG-pga-01537.

On May 9th, I gave a virtual talk for the Enoch Pratt Free Library called, “Family Myth Busting.”  In it, I traced the steps I took to resolve the discrepancies in the stories my mother had always told me about her family. I share my strategies, in which I used maps, newspapers, and patient records from Norwich State Hospital to stitch together a narrative of my family story which was more connected than the one my mother told.  I also share my thoughts on the benefits of knowing one’s family history and how it has the potential to empower and to heal old wounds.

A recording of the talk is available through the Crowdcast platform at  https://www.crowdcast.io/e/virtual-genealogy-circle, or on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/theprattlibrary/videos/286558142501891.