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Records Of The Family History Library
     Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Law And Legislation
Maps
Military Records
Names, Personal
Native Races
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Occupations
Orphans And Orphanages
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Town Records
Vital Records
Voting Registers
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

GAZETTEERSLook this term up in the glossary.

Several guides to New York place-names have been published. Some of the best are:

French, John Homer. Gazetteer of the State of New York. 8th ed. Syracuse, N.Y.: R. Pearsall Smith, 1860. (FHL book 974.7 E5f; film 930129; fiche 6046699; computer number 19294.) Includes dates of settlement, early settlers, newspapers, geographical features, schools, churches, and industries. An index of personal names is Frank Place, II, comp., Index of Persons and Names in J.H. French's Gazetteer of the State of New York (1860) (Cortland, N.Y.: The Cortland County Historical Society, 1983; FHL book 974.7 E5f index 1983; 1962 edition on fiche 6051206; computer numbers 430077, 66527). The 1983 edition of the index has a “Supplementary Index to Place-Names.”

Spafford, Horatio Gates. Gazetteer of the State of New York. Albany, N.Y.: H.C. Southwick, 1813. (FHL film 808351 item 4; computer number 273900. The 1824 edition was reprinted as 1824 Gazetteer of New York State. Interlaken, N.Y.; Heart of the Lakes, 1981; FHL book 974.7 E5s; film 543662 item 6; computer number 147221.)

Omni Gazetteer of the United States of America: A Guide to 1,500,000 Place-Names in the United States and Territories. 11 vols. Detroit: Omnigraphics, Inc., 1990. (FHL book Ref 973 E5o; computer number 620916.) Volume two includes New York. This book lists cities, towns, parks, bodies of water, cemeteries, churches, and other physical features from the U.S. Geological Survey's database, giving latitude and longitude coordinates.


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GENEALOGYLook this term up in the glossary.

Most archivesLook this term up in the glossary., historical societiesLook this term up in the glossary., and genealogical societiesLook this term up in the glossary. have special collections and indexes of genealogical value. Some of the major collections are described below.


Sources at the Family History Library

Ancestral FileLook this term up in the glossary.. Ancestral File is a FamilySearch™ computer file that contains family history information linked into family groups and pedigrees. The file contains millions of names, including a growing number of New York families.

Ancestral File is a growing file of completed research, depending largely on contributions of ancestral information from organizations and individuals. Contributions of genealogies are welcome and encouraged. For instructions on how to contribute, see Contributing Information to Ancestral File (34029), available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers.

International Genealogical IndexLook this term up in the glossary.. Available on both microfiche and as a FamilySearch™ computer file. The International Genealogical Index provides names and vital information for millions of deceased persons, dating back to the mid-1600s. Most of the names were submitted by researchers or copied from church records.

Old Surname Index FileLook this term up in the glossary.. The Family History Library has a surname index of some manuscripts, periodicals, books, and films collected before 1964. It is especially useful for New York research and is found under The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Genealogical Department, Library Division, Old Surname Index File (Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976; FHL films 1058446–85; computer number 142606).

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) CollectionLook this term up in the glossary.. This collection contains transcripts of Bible, cemetery, church, marriage, death, obituary, and will records. It is divided into two parts:

Daughters of the American Revolution (New York). Cemetery, Church and Town Records. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970–1971. (On 86 FHL films and 28 fiche; computer number 453563.) The records are at the New York State Library, New York Public Library, and the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. The Family History Library has microfilms of the first 388 volumes and many additional unnumbered volumes on microfilms. Volumes 528–536 are on microfiche.

Daughters of the American Revolution (New York). Bible, Family and Miscellaneous Records from New York State. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971. (On 33 FHL films; computer number 93393.) The original records are at the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington, D.C.

Individual volumes in the DAR collection are generally arranged by county, and many volumes have individual indexes. Many have been indexed in three indexes:

Whitacre, Constance M. and Elsie Trotter. Master Index New York State DAR Genealogical Records. New York: Daughters of the American Revolution, 1972. (FHL book 974.7 D22; film 1206452 item 13; fiche 6051491; computer number 240472.)

In both Whitacre indexes the letter “V” before the volume and page refers to Cemetery, Church and Town Records; the letter “B” refers to the Bible, Family and Miscellaneous Records.

Whitacre, Constance M. Master Index Supplement 1972–1978: Records and Corrections. N.p., 1978. (FHL book 975.7 D22 Supp.; film 1206452 item 14; computer number 240537.)

New York State Library (Albany, New York). Vital Records Card File. Albany: New York State Library, 1979. (FHL fiche 6332544; computer number 343939.)

Holland Society of New York CollectionsLook this term up in the glossary.. This lineage society collects information about the early Dutch settlers and their descendants. Many of their church record transcripts and published yearbooks are at the Family History Library. The library has microfilms of Compiled Genealogies (FHL 47 films; computer number 178157), Manuscript Historical and Genealogical Collection (FHL 41 films; computer number 192333), and Membership Records (FHL 76 films; computer number 184585). The film numbers are listed in the Family History Library Catalog Locality Search under NEW YORK - GENEALOGY.

George Olin Zabriskie CollectionLook this term up in the glossary.. This collection contains information about early New York Dutch families. There are family group records, vital record transcripts, correspondence, published articles, and local histories. These are found in the Family History Library Author/Title Search under George Olin Zabriskie, Family Group Sheets (Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1987; FHL films 1421754–59; computer number 440530) and George Olin Zabriskie, Dutch Families of Old New York and New Jersey (Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1987; FHL films 1421770–74; computer number 448271).

William Applebie Daniel Eardeley CollectionLook this term up in the glossary.. This collection of Long Island and eastern U.S. genealogies is in two alphabetical series at the Brooklyn Historical Society. See William Applebie Daniel Eardeley, Manuscripts and Notes of William A. Eardeley (Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, [1980?]; FHL films 416880–93; computer number 381295).

Helen Wilkinson Reynolds' Family Genealogies (FHL films 931486–94; computer number 360880) and Notes, Research and Miscellaneous Records (FHL films 929848–53 and 931482–86; computer number 317947) are collections at the Adriance Memorial Library in Poughkeepsie about families of Dutchess County and nine neighboring counties.

Rider, Fremont, ed. American Genealogical- Biographical Index. Vols. 1–186+. Middletown, Conn.: Godfrey Memorial Library, 1952–. (FHL book 973 D22am ser. 2; on 31 FHL films; computer number 49554.) This is a continuing series. An earlier version of 48 volumes was published as The American Genealogical Index, 1942–1951. The index contains over 4 million brief citations (name, date, and source) to manuscripts, periodicals, and books. The earlier version indexed 350 sources. The second version includes the original 350 sources and an additional 800 sources.

To help you understand the source citations and to locate the original sources, use the colored pages in some volumes of:

Clark, Patricia L. and Dorothy Huntsman, eds. American Genealogical Biographical Key Title Index. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990. (FHL book 973 D22am index; film 1698167 item 4; fiche 6088377; computer number 491052.) Lists the sources that are at the Family History Library and their call numbers.

Look in the Family History Library Catalog Locality Search under both NEW YORK - GENEALOGY and NEW YORK - SOCIETIES to find other manuscript collections.


Manuscript Collections at Other Repositories

Most New York libraries and historical societies have valuable collections for genealogical research. Some of the major ones include the following:

The Colonial Albany Social History Project. This project, begun in 1980, is an attempt to compile a detailed biographical profile of all 16,000 persons who lived in the city of Albany before 1800. The information comes from all available published and manuscript sources and includes birth, marriage and death data for each person; information on all members of the household; and information concerning residency, migration, education, religion, wealth, politics, and military service. For more information, contact:

Colonial Albany Social History Project
Stefan Bielinski, Director
New York State Museum
3093 Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Telephone: 518-474-6917

Published Collections

Examples of important published genealogies include:

Bailey, Rosalie Fellows. Pre-Revolutionary Dutch Houses and Families in Northern New Jersey and Southern New York. 1936. Reprint, New York: Dover, 1968. (FHL book 974 D2bp; film 1421882 item 3; computer number 266819.) Thousands of names with birth, marriage, death, children, and often place of origin.

Bergen, Teunis G. Register in Alphabetical Order of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, New York from Its First Settlement by Europeans to 1700. 1881. Reprint, Cottonport, La.: Polyanthos, 1973. (FHL book 974.723 D2b 1973; film 982133; computer number 156747.) Thousands of names with birth, marriage, death, children, residence, and often place of origin.

Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Family History of Central New York. 3 vols. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1912. (FHL book 974.7 D2cu; film 1000226; fiche 6051122; computer number 147080.) Index in volume 3. May show four to ten generations including birth, marriage, death, and place of origin.

Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Family History of Northern New York. 3 vols. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1910. (FHL book 974.75 D2cut; film 1000225; fiche 6051252; computer number 117186.) Has information about families in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. May show four to ten generations including birth, marriage, death, and place of origin.

Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Family History of Western New York. 3 vols. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1912. (FHL book 974.7 D2c; film 1000228; fiche 6046620; computer number 147067.) The above volumes by Cutter have been indexed by Norma Olin Ireland and Winifred Irving, Cutter Index: A Consolidated Index of Cutter's 9 Genealogy Series (Fallbrook, Calif.: Ireland Indexing Service, ca. 1970; FHL book 974 D2ci; film 1036507 item 6; fiche 6046737; computer number 122007.) Index in volume 3. May show four to ten generations including birth, marriage, death, and place of origin.

Davis, Norman C. Westchester Patriarchs: A Genealogical Dictionary of Westchester County, New York Families Prior to 1755. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1988. (FHL book 974.7277 D3d; computer number 77655.)

Hoff, Henry Bainbridge., ed. Genealogies of Long Island Families from The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. 2 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1987. (FHL book 974.721 D2g; computer number 441606.)

Pearson, Jonathan. Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Ancient County of Albany, from 1630 to 1800. 1872. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1978, 1984. (FHL book 974.742 D2p; film 1036122; computer number 264441.) Pearson's original manuscript has material not in the book (FHL films 1304637–38; computer number 332126.)

Pearson, Jonathan. Contributions for the Genealogies of the Descendants of the First Settlers of the Patent and City of Schenectady from 1662 to 1800. 1873. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1976, 1978. (FHL book 974.744 D2p; film 1036211 item 2; computer number 253874.) Pearson's original manuscript (FHL film 1304636 item 3 to film 1304637; computer number 332125.) Has material not in the book.

Reynolds, Cuyler. Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley. 3 vols. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1914. (FHL book 974.7 D3r; film 1000227; fiche 6046616; computer number 147113.)

Reynolds, Cuyler. Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs; A Record of Achievement of the People of the Hudson & Mohawk Valleys in N.Y. State, Included within the Present Counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Washington, Saratoga, Montgomery, Fulton, Schenectady, Columbia & Greene. 4 vols. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1911. (FHL book 974.74 D3r; film 1000229; computer number 264775.)

Reynolds, Helen Wilkinson. Dutch Houses in the Hudson Valley Before 1776. 1929. Reprint, New York: Dover Publications, 1965. (FHL book 974.7 H2r; computer number 149404; film 982401 item 4; computer number 149410.) May show historical, birth, marriage, or death information about several generations of a family.

Riker, James, Jr. Revised History of Harlem (City of New York), Its Origin and Early Annals. Revised with the assistance of Henry Pennington Toler. New York: New Harlem Publishing, 1904. (FHL book 974.71 H2r; film 1035904 item 3; computer number 99352.) The revised edition has an extensive genealogical appendix.

Seversmith, Herbert Furman. Colonial Families of Long Island, New York and Connecticut. 5 vols in 6. Washington, D.C.: H.F. Seversmith, 1939–58. (FHL book 929.273 Se835s; films 525304–306; computer number 210890.) These volumes primarily cover surnames A–L, except volume 5 which covers A–W. The rest of Seversmith's notes for surnames after L are at the Easthampton Free Library and on microfilm as The Seversmith Manuscripts (FHL films 569823–24; computer number 334480). Contains about 140 families showing multi-generation genealogical sketches about five to twenty pages long.

Western New York Genealogical Society, Inc. Ancestors of WNYGS Members. Hamburg, N.Y.: WNYGS, 1993–. (FHL book 974.79 D2a; computer number 711255.) Gives name, birth year and state, marriage year and state, and relatives' names for eight western counties.


Published Collections of Records

The following books are genealogical compilations obtained from original source records:

Hoff, Henry Bainbridge, ed. Long Island Source Records from The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1987. (FHL book 974.721 H29L; computer number 447636.)

Mather, Frederic Gregory. The Refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut. 1913. Reprint, Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1990. (FHL book 974.6 H2m; film 164690; computer number 259034.) This book mentions thousands of patriot families, both those that fled from Suffolk County to Connecticut in 1776 and those that remained during the Revolution.

Penrose, Maryly Barton. Mohawk Valley in the Revolution: Committee of Safety Papers & Genealogical Compendium. Franklin Park, N.J.: Liberty Bell Associates, 1978. (FHL book 974.76 H2p; computer number 25253.) Book I, committee papers, includes petitions, declarations, and elections. It is indexed and helps determine residence. Book II, the compendium, cites 33 documents used to compile about 600 alphabetical family groups which may show birth, marriage, death, spouses, children parents, and Revolutionary War service.

Stillwell, John E. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey. 6 vols. 1903–1932. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970. (FHL book 974.D2sa; fiche 6045846; vols. 1 and 3 on film 908775; vol. 2 on 397793; vol. 4 on 844968 item 2; vol. 5 on 908776; vol. 6 on 1036561 item 8; computer numbers 268115, 268114.) These books contain transcripts primarily for Monmouth and Burlington counties, New Jersey, and for Staten Island, New York. Some volumes also include compiled family genealogies.

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