New Haven County Superior Court Files - Black, African American, and Indigenous History Collection

PI

Version: 7 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 2:26:36 PM | Created: 12/4/2025, 6:14:40 AM

Updated description (Updated description)

Description

New Haven County Superior Court Legal Records (1690‑1859) – Black, African American, and Indigenous History Collection

Overview

This is a comprehensive archival collection of legal documents, court records, and related materials from the New Haven County Superior Court, spanning the years 1690 to 1859. The collection is held by the Connecticut State Library and is in the public domain. It includes a wide array of document types—writs, summonses, inquest reports, land partition deeds, court costs, and execution orders—compiled to illuminate the legal experiences of Black, African American, and Indigenous individuals in colonial and early‑American Connecticut.

Background

The New Haven County Superior Court, established under the State of Connecticut, produced the records that now form this collection. The court’s docket reflects the social and legal dynamics of the era, including slavery, criminal justice, family law, and property disputes. The collection was assembled as part of the New Haven County Superior Court Project (NHSC_BAAI), a research initiative focused on uncovering the legal histories of marginalized communities in the region.

Contents

The collection is organized into several sub‑collections that together provide a multifaceted view of 18th‑ and 19th‑century jurisprudence:
  • Costs and Court Expenses – detailed accounts of legal fees, jail costs, and court costs for cases involving individuals such as Abraham Auger, Samson Ashfield, and Samuel Tyler.
  • Inquests and Execution Documents – reports of deaths, executions, and related legal proceedings.
  • Land Partition and Property Records – deeds and disputes, including the “Clark vs. Prudden” case.
  • Divorce and Family Law – petitions, settlements, and related documents involving families such as the Brockitts and the Adkins.
  • Indigenous Cases – records of legal actions involving Native American plaintiffs and defendants.

Key subjects represented include slavery, crime, domestic violence, interracial relationships, and legal costs. Notable individuals documented in the records range from court officials (e.g., Sam Tyler, Moner Bishop) to litigants (e.g., Hannah Howell, John Freeman). The geographic scope extends beyond New Haven to towns such as Derby, Wallingford, Milford, and Guilford, and even to out‑of‑state locations like Boston and Albany.

Scope

The collection covers the period 1690‑1859, focusing on New Haven County, Connecticut, while also including documents from neighboring counties and other states. It encompasses a broad spectrum of legal matters—criminal, civil, family, and property—highlighting the experiences of Black, African American, and Indigenous peoples within the colonial and early‑American legal system. The materials are available for research, teaching, and public inquiry, offering a rich resource for scholars of legal history, African American studies, and Indigenous history.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:file {title: "New Haven County Superior Court Files - Black, African American, and Indigenous History Collection", type: "Collection", created: {start: @date_1690, end: @date_1859}, language: "en", rights: "Public Domain"}

@state_of_connecticut:organization {full_name: "State of Connecticut"}

@abraham_auger:person {full_name: "Abraham Auger"}

@samson_ashfield:person {full_name: "Samson Ashfield"}

@matthews_w:person {full_name: "Matthews W."}

@sam_tyler:person {full_name: "Sam Tyler"}

@samuel_tyler:person {full_name: "Samuel Tyler"}

@moner_bishop:person {full_name: "Moner Bishop, Esq."}

@eber_kelsey:person {full_name: "Eber Kelsey, Esq."}

@john_breckaway:person {full_name: "John Breckaway"}

@joseph_adkins:person {full_name: "Joseph Adkins"}

@tabathy_saxton:person {full_name: "Tabathy Saxton"}

@mary_brockitt:person {full_name: "Mary Brockitt"}

@tabitha_adkins:person {full_name: "Tabitha Adkins"}

@green_and_co:organization {full_name: "Green & Co"}

@samuel_brockway:person {full_name: "Samuel Brockway"}

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@file_pinax -> indexed by -> @nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject

@file_pinax -> part of -> @new_haven_county_superior_court_project

@file_pinax -> uses_subject_field -> @subject_field

@file_pinax -> subject -> [@black_african_american_and_indigenous_history:concept, @legal_costs:concept, @court_costs:concept, @divorce:concept, @marriage:concept, @execution_documents:concept, @indigenous_cases:concept, @land_partition:concept, @inquest:concept, @court_expenses:concept]

@file_pinax -> place -> [@new_haven, @derby, @wallingford, @milford, @guilford, @waterbury, @branford, @cheshire, @cromwell, @orange, @north_haven, @watertown, @ansonia, @turkey_hill, @new_hartford, @new_storm_north_phila, @durham, @new_town, @ipswich, @stratford, @haverhill, @stony_river, @augusta, @nifford, @fair_milford_conn, @buckingham_hill, @four_mile_meadows]

@file_pinax -> documents -> @costs_collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @court_expenses_collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @divorce_collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @execution_documents_collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @indigenous_cases_collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @clark_vs_prudden_collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @new_haven_inquests_collection

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@abraham_auger -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@samson_ashfield -> appears in -> @costs_collection

@samson_ashfield -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@john_riggs -> appears in -> @costs_collection

@john_riggs -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@jos_trobridge -> appears in -> @costs_collection

@jos_trobridge -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@jos_weed -> appears in -> @costs_collection

@jos_weed -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@samuel_prudden -> creator of -> @clark_vs_prudden_collection

@samuel_prudden -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@enock_clark -> creator of -> @clark_vs_prudden_collection

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@joseph_adkins -> contributed to -> @file_pinax

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@tabathy_saxton -> contributed to -> @file_pinax

@green_and_co -> contributed to -> @file_pinax

@samuel_brockway -> contributed to -> @file_pinax

@new_haven_county_superior_court -> creator of -> @file_pinax

@new_haven_county_superior_court -> indexed by -> @nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject

@new_haven_county_superior_court_project -> includes collection -> @file_pinax

@file_pinax -> holds -> @connecticut_state_library

@file_pinax -> institution -> @connecticut_state_library

@file_pinax -> language -> "en"

@file_pinax -> description -> "A comprehensive collection of legal documents, court records, and proceedings from the New Haven County Superior Court, focusing on Black, African American, and Indigenous history, spanning 1690‑1859."

@file_pinax -> rights -> "Public Domain"

@file_pinax -> source -> "PINAX"

@file_pinax -> access_url -> "PLACEHOLDER"

@file_pinax -> subject -> [@gaol_breakers:concept, @prison_breaks:concept, @jail_costs:concept, @court_fees:concept, @court_records:concept, @slavery:concept, @crime:concept, @indictments:concept, @forgery:concept, @false_bills:concept, @enlistment:concept, @military_records:concept, @probate:concept, @assault:concept, @execution_documents:concept, @indigenous_cases:concept, @land_partition:concept, @divorce:concept, @inquest:concept]

@file_pinax -> subject -> [@black_history:concept, @indigenous_history:concept, @african_american_history:concept, @racial_identity:concept, @legal_history:concept, @testimony:concept, @social_history:concept, @family_law:concept, @domestic_violence:concept, @interracial_relationships:concept, @property_valuation:concept, @retirement_benefits:concept]

Metadata

Version History (7 versions)

  • ✓ v7 (current) · 12/9/2025, 2:26:36 PM
    "Updated description (Updated description)"
  • v6 · 12/4/2025, 3:26:26 PM · View this version
    "Added description"
  • v5 · 12/4/2025, 3:10:52 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v4 · 12/4/2025, 2:23:37 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 6:14:54 AM · View this version
    "Set parent to 01KBKZZ7VH82D67A5PHZRTANS4"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 6:14:53 AM · View this version
    "Added children"
  • v1 · 12/4/2025, 6:14:40 AM · View this version
    "Initial snapshot"

Parent

01KBKZZ7VH82D67A5PHZRTANS4

Children (8)