08/24/2026
FROM THE VAULT: Milford Town Records, 1751–1759
Another piece of Milford’s history is being added to From the Vault on the City Clerk’s website!
We have completed our review of Section 1 of Milford Town Records, Volume II, covering 1751–1759, and created a new one-page historical summary highlighting some of the fascinating stories found in these records.
These pages show how Milford governed itself nearly 275 years ago—and how much of everyday community life was decided directly at Town Meeting.
Among the highlights:
• The Town enlarged and fenced the burying ground
• Milford worked on roads, bridges, access to the Oyster Banks, and voted to establish a ferry
• Town taxes supported local schools
• Residents could pay certain taxes with pork, beef, wheat, rye, Indian corn and flax
• In 1756, Milford voted to have its “Great Gunns” mounted on carriages and made ready for service
• During the French and Indian War, Milford housed the King’s troops and later sought reimbursement from the Connecticut General Assembly for the expense
• The records preserve the story of Derrick, an enslaved man, whose support became the subject of Town action and legal proceedings in 1753
These records are much more than lists of votes and town officers. They tell us how the people of Milford built roads, educated children, raised taxes, cared for residents, settled disputes, prepared for war, and governed their community in the middle of the 18th century.
That is what From the Vault is all about—taking records that have been preserved for centuries and making the stories inside them accessible to everyone.
https://www.milfordct.us/862/History---From-the-Vault
