Last autumn, we profiled student interns and Library staff who assisted us with preserving the New Haven County Court records and making them more accessible to the public. This spring, we highlight two of our newest student interns, to honor their contributions and acknowledge that the success of the Uncovering New Haven project is due to communal effort.
Portrait, courtesy of Alyssa.
Educational background:
What drew you to seek an internship with the Uncovering New Haven project and the Connecticut State Archives?
I knew going into this semester that I wanted my internship to be new, in-person and meaningful to me. I knew that I would get the most out of the experience by interacting with the professionals in person. When the opportunity to work on this project with the Connecticut State Archives came to me, I was immediately drawn to it. It checked all the boxes for me. I would be able to attend in-person, I had never worked with archives in any capacity before, and I felt the work was important.
Describe a normal day in the archives for you:
Upon arrival at the archives, I would say my “Hello!”s and make my way back to my work station. The majority of my time was spent “processing” the court records. To process one of these documents, you must first unfold it and smooth it out as carefully as possible. Then, on a clean, blank piece of paper, you record the date the case appeared in court, the names of the plaintiff(s) and defendant(s), and the docket number. All of the cases I processed took place in March of 1817. Then, I would read the record and make note of any special circumstances that meet the criteria for digitization. The hardest part of this process is deciphering poor handwriting and combing through wordy legalese.
What is the most interesting, memorable, surprising, and/or bizarre thing(s) you’ve found while processing the court records?
The most memorable things I’ve found are when horses that were used to pay off debts later die from disease. It is interesting to learn about these diseases that were fatal back then, but now can be cured with antibiotics. It is just one of several aspects of this project that make me grateful for how far we have advanced.
What aspects of working on this project did you enjoy the most, and why? What aspects did you enjoy the least, and why?
Honestly, the aspect of the internship that I have enjoyed the most so far was reading the slander cases. They are always so dramatic and with this specific style of case they really paint a mental picture in my head more than any other. My least favorite aspect of the project is when a court record crumbles or rips in my hands. It is the nature of documents from the 1800s to be in fragile condition, but it is heartbreaking.
What have you learned about court records, history, or in general over the course of working on the Uncovering New Haven project?
Due to the sheer volume of debt cases, I think the typical format and wording of a debt case from 1817 has been ingrained in my brain! Prior to this internship, I had never had any exposure to court records or legal language of this kind. I enjoyed seeing the pre-made templates come through my pile of records, since they were the easiest to read. It was much easier to interpret the language in a record when you do not have the added barrier of deciphering handwriting.
Is there anything else that you would like to share about your internship experience?
Mostly, I just want to thank everyone at the Connecticut State Archives for being so welcoming, so willing to share their knowledge, and so pleasant to work with!
Alyssa in the midst of processing the June 1817 County Court session.
One of the documents that Alexa transcribed was the writ for Thomas Gould vs Samuel and Micah Palmer, 1759. Gould sued the Palmers for taking grass from land he owned in Branford “at a Place Called Indian neck.”
Educational background:
What drew you to seek an internship with the Uncovering New Haven project and the Connecticut State Archives?
During the beginning of my second year at Southern, I grew more interested in the field of archives and wanted an internship that would give me the opportunity to work with historical documents. While my goals have shifted more towards public libraries, I still feel as though this experience was valuable in working with primary sources and learning more about the history of Connecticut.
What is the most interesting, memorable, surprising, and/or bizarre thing(s) you’ve found while translating the court records?
I was surprised at the number of children involved in the cases. Additionally, as I was looking through the documents that other interns transcribed, I was surprised to see Jonathan Law as one of the participants in a court case. It’s such a familiar name, the high school in Milford being named after him, so I was surprised that he was involved in slave ownership yet honored in the town of Milford.
What aspects of working on this project did you enjoy the most, and why? What aspects did you enjoy the least, and why?
I really enjoyed the self-pacing aspects of this project, because it allowed me to be flexible with the nature of my work and school schedule. Another aspect I enjoyed was the opportunity to do additional research and learn more about the dialects, writing style, and culture of people living in the 18th century. I wouldn’t say there was anything I did not enjoy about this project, although some of the subject matter was upsetting at times. This was to be expected, and allowed me to appreciate those individuals even more.
What have you learned about court records, history, or in general over the course of working on the Uncovering New Haven project?
I learned a lot about the darker parts of Connecticut, and New Haven County’s, history. Growing up, I was taught in school that the North was a safe haven for runaway slaves, and that there wasn’t actually any slave ownership in our state at all. This project revealed a lot about the way so many Black and Indigenous people were treated, but was also telling of our public education system that neglects a lot of the harsh realities of our history. I learned a lot about handwriting and shorthand used in letters and court records that I feel will be beneficial when working with other historical records.
Is there anything else that you would like to share about your internship experience?
During this project I teamed up with a mentor through the Society of American Archivists. This mentor, who works in the archives at Brown University, described the ways that the history of Brown was uncovered in similar ways, where the founders were revealed to have owned slaves or participated in some kind in slavery or the trade. The University has since published a document discussing this history, and requires incoming students to read it. I thought this was a valuable and effective way of addressing the unsavory history of an organization, town, or state: addressing it directly, taking accountability, and making reparations. I think the mission of the Uncovering New Haven project does exactly that, and ensures that the stories of these individuals are told. It was an honor to be able to participate in something so important.
Alexa’s transcription of the writ for Thomas Gould vs Samuel and Micah Palmer.
The Connecticut State Library would like to thank the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for their generous support of this project.
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