Rockland County, New YorkEdit This Page

Boundary Changes

Record Loss

Resources

Bible Records

• 1581–1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); Index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.
  

Biography

Business Records and Commerce

Cemeteries

Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

• Voorhees, Lesley E. "Inscriptions from the Cato-Meridian Cemetery in Cayuga County, N.Y.," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 80, No. 1 (Jan. 1949):10-14; Vol. 80, No. 2 (Apr. 1949):75-82. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 80.

Census

For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.

Federal

U.S. Census Mortality Schedules for New York, 1850-1880:

• Available online at Ancestry ($).
• Deaths are included for the 12 months prior to the census, 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, and 1879-80 beginning 1 June and ending 31 May of the census year.^[3]
• Basic contents of the records include: Name, sex, age, color, marital status, place of birth, month of death, occupation, and cause of death. 1870 also has parents' birthplace. 1880 lists how long a resident of the county.
• Also on FHL Films 1415128–42 which can be ordered through any Family History Center.

State

New York State 1865 and 1875 Census Marriage, Mortality; and 1865 Soldier Mortality records:

• Images available online at New York State Census, 1865 and New York State Census, 1875. Click on the link to go to the page, then click on the ‘Browse through images’ link and select your county, then select an ancestor's town and browse to the end of the population schedule until you find the Marriage, Mortality, and 1865 soldier mortality schedules.
• Includes marriages and deaths for the 12 months prior to the census, ending 1 June of the census year.
• Marriage entry content: Husband's name, wife's name, ages and previous marital status, month and day and place of marriage, and church or civil ceremony.
• Death entry content: Name, age, sex, color, marital status, month and day of death, native state or country, occupation and cause of death.
• 1865 deaths of officers and enlisted men entry content: Name, age, marital status, citizenship status, enlistment date, original regiment, original rank, regiment at death, rank at death, promotions, death date and place, manner of death, surviving associates, and burial place.
• Also on microfilm. See the Family History Library line in the above State Census Chart. These can be ordered through any Family History Center.

Church Records

Church records are good substitutes for birth, marriage, and death information and are most often found on a local city/town or county level.  Published and manuscript church records can be found at public, university, and private libraries.

For a brief general history of denominations and a guide to finding various New York denomination's records, see New York Church Records Wiki page.

Dutch Reformed Church records of Tappan begin in the late 1600s.

Records of the Irregular Dutch Reformed Churches of Tappan and Kakiat are described in:

• 1760s-1770s - Durie, Howard I. and George Olin Zabriskie. "The Irregular Dutch Reformed Churches of Tappan and Kakiat, Rockland County, New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 101, No. 1 (Jan. 1970):65-73; Vol. 101, No. 3 (Jul. 1970):164-173; Marriages 1760s-1770s: Vol. 101, No. 4 (Oct. 1970):235-244; Baptisms 1767-1778: Vol. 102, No. 1 (Jan. 1971):15-22. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 101.

Additional Church Records

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Rockland County, New York Church Records  in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Court Records

Ancestors may have also been involved in municipal, state, or federal court cases. See also New York Court Records and United States Court Records.

Crime and Criminals

Directories

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups

Gazetteers

Genealogy

• Rootsweb message board for Rockland County, New York has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.
  

History

A long Wikipedia article summarizes the settlement and industrial development of Rockland County.

Land and Property

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See New York Land and Property for more details, especially about the papers generated in New York State by large speculative land companies.

Original land records in Rockland County, New York began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online

Microforms

Books

Additional land records can sometimes be found using these catalogs:

• WorldCat using the search phase: Rockland County, New York deeds. (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
• Family History Library Catalog using the search phrase: 1, New York - Land and Property. (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)

Additional resources

Additional resources for Rockland County, New York land records may be found in the Rockland County, New York – Land Records topic page of the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Maps

Migration

Military

Revolutionary War

Transcribed militia rolls can be found at AmericanWars.org in the Orange County section (since Rockland Co. had not yet split off from Orange Co. at the time of the American Revolution).

Civil War

Town registers. The New York town clerks kept a bound register of all soldiers from their town serving in the Civil War 1861-1865. Registers are arranged by county, and town. Some town registers are missing. The registers include an index at the start of each town.

Content. Many register entries include full name, residence, date and place of birth, parents names, marital status, date of enlistment and muster and rank, discharges, death, or promotion.

Access. The original registers are at the New York State Archives in Albany, New York. Microfilm copies are found at the Family History Library (FHL Film 1993401-37) and can be ordered for viewing at your local Family History Center. They are also indexed and available at Ancestry.com ($).

Available towns. Registers are available for: Clarkstown · Haverstraw · Ramapo · Stony Point.

Regiments. Service men in Rockland County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.^[4]

- 135th Regiment, New York Infantry

- 141st Regiment, New York Infantry

Naturalization and Citizenship

• 1824–1941 New York, Southern District Index to Petitions for Naturalization, 1828-1941 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

• 1836-1896 Rockland County Archivist Naturalizations Database at NYGenWeb - free.
  

• 1917-1950 New York, Southern District Naturalization Index, 1917-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

Indexes

• 1792-1989 Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 at Ancestry ($). This database is based on NARA's Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. All 5 boroughs are included.

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm: FHL Film 1419807 (1st of 294 films). The courts this index covers are:

• City Court of Brooklyn, 1836-1894
• Kings County Court, 1806-1906
• New York City Marine Court, 1806-1849
• New York County Common Pleas Court, 1792-1895
• New York County Superior Court, 1828-1895
• New York City and County Supreme Court, 1868-1906
• Queens County Court, 1799-1906
• Queens County Surrogate Court, 1888-1898
• Richmond County Court, 1869-1906
• U.S. Circuit Court Southern District, 1846-1876
• U.S. District Court Eastern District, (Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties), 1865-1906
• U.S. District Court Southern Court Southern District, (New York, Bronx and also Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties), 1824-1906^[5]

Newspapers

Old Fulton NY Post Cards has the largest online collection of 400 New York 1795-2007 newspapers. The instructions for this quirky site are needed to get the most out of it.

• Search engine for all 400 newspapers.
• List of 400 newspapers 1795-2007 at this site.

• Wiki instructions for finding ancestors in Old Fulton NY Post Cards newspapers.
• Site's FAQ instructions about how to do searches.

Old Fulton NY Post Cards has the following Rockland County, New York newspaper images:

• Pearl River NY Orangetown Telegram 1940-1963

Obituaries

Periodicals

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

Probate Records

Probate records including original estates and wills for New York are held in the office of the Rockland County, New York County Surrogate Court beginning in 1787, or when the county was formed. Prior to 1787, most are housed at the New York State Archives. See New York Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
Content:  Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types:  Wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distribution.

Probate Petitions

In 1830, state law required the Surrogate Court clerk to issue a probate petition for a deceased individual with property. This petition, unique to New York, usually lists the deceased's death date. It also lists the heirs, their relationship to the deceased, and their residence. ^{[6] [7]}

References

1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 491. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
2. ↑ Handybook, 478.
3. ↑ Arlene Eakle, and Johni Cerni, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1984), 103. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27ts.
4. ↑ Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912). Internet Archive digital copy; At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Film 1486494-96; Fiche 6083559-64; Book 974.7 M2p.
5. ↑ Family History Library Catalog, FamilySearch, accessed 6 December 2011, http://www.familysearch.org.
6. ↑ Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 479. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004.
7. ↑ Henry B. Hoff, "Navigating New York Probate," American Ancestors 12 (Fall 2011): 57.

These petitions are often found in the estate files and can be obtained from the Rockland County Surrogate Court.
The petitions for Rockland County, New York are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library and its centers:

• 1802–1900 Listed as "Probate Records" FHL Film 819733 (96 films).
  

Online Probate Indexes and Abstracts

• 1786-1845 - Cowen, Minnie. Abstracts of Wills of Rockland County, New York, 1786-1845. New York: unknown, 1937-1939. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1798-1901 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
• 1845-1870 - Barber, Gertrude A. Abstracts of Wills of Rockland County, New York: Copied from the Original Records at the Surrogate's Office, New City, Rockland County, N.Y. unknown, 1950-1953. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  

Probate Records on Microfilm

• 1785–1797 Orange County Wills, transcribed FHL Film 825109 Item 1Rockland County was created from Orange County.
• 1798–1901 Wills, orders. Includes general index. FHL Film 823453 (22 films)
• 1798–1900 Letters of Administration. FHL Film 819827 (4 films)
• 1802–1910 Miscellaneous Probate Records: Includes guardian bonds 1890–1910. FHL Film 823429 (4 films)
• 1802–1900 Probate Records: Petitions, described above. FHL Film 819733 (96 films)
• 1800–1900 Administration. FHL Film 825191 (40 films)
• 1798–1901 Minutes. FHL Film 819821 (15 films)
• 1830–1900 Decrees. FHL Film 819833 (4 films)

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Rockland County, New York probate wills in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Repositories

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Rockland County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1990). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.728 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

County Archivist

Rockland County Archivist
Peter J. Scheibner
Building S, Sanatorium Rd.
Pomona, NY 10970
Office Hours: 9:00 am — 5:00 pm
Phone: 845–364-3670
Email: scheibnp@co.rockland.ny.us
Collection: The archivist has the Rockland County Archives collection. Among the Archive collection are the following:

• Census Records (1855-1925)
  
• Naturalization Papers (1812-1991)
  
• Marriage Records (1908-1935)
  
• Orange County Deeds and Mortgages (1703-1800)
  
• Rockland County Deeds (Microfilm) (1798-1921) Original books are located at the County Clerk’s Office in New City
  
• Rockland County Mortgages 1798 - 1931
  
• Tax and Assessment Rolls (Clarkstown 1857-1964,Ramapo 1855-1964,Haverstraw 1857-1964,Orangetown 1855-1964,Stony Point 1865-1964)
  
• Atlas of Hudson Valley (1891)
  
• Atlas of Rockland County 1876
  
• Index to Maps (1798-1940)
  
• Subdivision Maps
  
• Right-of-Way Maps
  
• Court Records (1798-2001)
  
• Court of Common Pleas
  
• General Sessions
  
• Oyer and Terminer
  
• Wills (1798-1965) (Genealogical purposes only)
  
• Judgments (1847-1913)
  
• Index to Court Papers (1847-1982)

County Historian

Courthouses

The Rockland County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and land records. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Rockland County are held, see the Rockland County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources for family history research.

The main FHC for Rockland County, New York is the Yorktown New York Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.

Societies

Genealogical Society of Rockland County
P. O. Box 444
New City, New York 10956

Historical Society of Rockland County
20 Zukor Road
New City, NY 10956
Phone:845-634-9629

Social Groups Online

• New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Taxation

Town Records

Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. For further details, try the links to individual town Wiki pages found in Places. See also:

• Gordon L. Remington, New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002). NEHGS online edition; At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 D27r. Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists.

Vital Records

Vital records of birth, marriage or death were first recorded at the local level in the village clerk, town clerk, or city clerk’s ledger book. If you know where a birth, marriage or death took place, a copy of the certificate or record may be obtained by writing to the town, village or city clerk.

See the heading Places on this wiki page for links to local community wiki pages and their available records. See New York Vital Records for a discussion about beginning dates and availability of vital records in New York.

Use substitute records for birth, marriage, and death information. These substitute records include Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records.

Birth

Early births were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording births in 1881. Births were not recorded on the county level.

Birth Substitutes

• 1640–1962 New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

• See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for birth information.
  

Marriage

Early marriages were sometimes recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) In 1880, town clerks were to record the marriage and a copy was sent to the New York State Department of Health (state level). Town clerks continue to record marriages. Marriages were recorded by the Rockland County, New York clerk starting in 1908 and go until 1935.^[1]

• 1664–1784 New York. Secretary of State, Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784 (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University digital library-free; Internet Archive - free; Ancestry edition($); At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2. Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.
  

• 1908–1918 New York, County Marriages 1908–1935 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; FHL film 1031323 Item 2.
  

Marriage Substitutes

• 1686-1980 New York Marriages, 1686–1890 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.
  

• 1800–1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry– ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groom, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.
  

• 1801–1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
  

• 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable.
  

• 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.
  

Divorce

Divorce judgment papers often include date and place of the marriage and the names and birthdates of any children. Local newspapers may publish notices of divorce actions.

Death

Early deaths were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording deaths in 1881. Deaths were not recorded on the county level.

Death Substitutes

• 1795–1952 New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.
  

• 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
  

• 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.
  

• 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable.
  

• See Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for death information.
  

• 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.
  

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Rockland County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Rockland– Vital Records topic page of the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Websites

• The Rockland County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NYGenWeb Project
• Rockland Historical Resources and Links lists libraries, societies, museums, historic sites, etc.

Places

References

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