Cattaraugus County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Cattaraugus County, New York ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

New York Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for a Seneca word for "bad smelling banks," and was named for the "odor of natural gas leaking from rock seams." The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

Parent County
11 March 1808: Created from Genesee County.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating New York County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation New York County Boundary Maps" (1683-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

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.

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


 * 1800-1965 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Find a grave Cattaraugus County Cemetery Map

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

Federal
1890: Census records were damaged and destroyed prior to the establishment of the National Archives and Records Service (NARA). Even though the census is lost, through directories, it is possible to reconstruct the population.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Methodist Episcopal

 * 1855-1969 Porterville  Baptisms 1855-1926, marriages 1855-1929, record of probationers including deaths 1854-1930, alphabetical record of members in full connection including deaths 1863-1953, class record 1857-1878, record of pastors 1884-1969, record of official members 1885-1886
 * 1868-1888 Hamlet Charge Church Includes baptisms, marriages, membership lists, and class records.

Salem Welch Church

 * Salem Welsh Church. Includes burials.

Church Histories

 * Kysor, Kenneth. Benjamin Titus Roberts and the Free Methodist Church. 1987. Digital version at Ancestry ($). ;

Directories

 * Cattaraugus County, New York Online Historical Directories (Source: Online Historical Directories)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Genealogy

 * Rootsweb message board for 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.

Land and Property
Original land records in began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online



Microforms


 * 1818-1877 Deed Records 1818 - 1917 - Index included: 1818-1968
 * 1800-1887 Mortgage Records - Index included: 1800 - 1877

Books




 * 1804-1824 - Livsey, Karen E. Western New York Land Transactions, 1804-1824. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * 1825-1835 - Livsey, Karen E. Western New York Land Transactions, 1825-1835. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps



 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Simple Town Map of Cattaraugus County via NYGenWeb Page
 * Map of Towns of Cattarugus County via Regional Knowledge Network
 * NY Home Town Locator Cattaraugus County Gazateer By Name of Cities, Towns, Census Designated Places, Neighborhoods, Subdivisions &amp; Settlements

Migration
Migration routes for early European settlers to and from included:


 * Catskill Road 1750s from Springfield, Massachusetts to Catskill, New York
 * Catskill Turnpike  (aka Susquehannah Turnpike ) from Catskill, NY to Unadilla, NY; route travelled by Europeans by the 1750s; toll booths opened by 1804.
 * Forbidden Path, 1767 from Athens, Pennsylvania to Salamanca, New York
 * Lake Shore Path 1792 from Buffalo, New York to Sandusky County, Ohio
 * Lehigh and Lackawanna Paths 1766 from Unadilla, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Catskill Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Ulster and Delaware Turnpike 1802 from Salisbury, Connecticut to Bainbridge, New York

Revolutionary War
''Revolutionary Soldiers Burried in Cattaraugus County, New York. ''by Julia G. Pierce and Maud D. Brooks. FHL Fiche: 6061377

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Allegany· Ashford· Coldspring· Conewango· East Otto· Ellicottville· Farmersville· Franklinville· Freedom· Hinsdale· Humphrey· Ischua· Leon· Lyndon· Mansfield· Otto· Portville· Randolph· Salamanca· South Valley· Yorkshire.

Regiments. Service men in Cattaraugus County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.


 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Mounted Rifles, Company B.
 * - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Company I.
 * - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company I.
 * - 9th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies B and E.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies L and M.
 * - 37th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H and I.
 * - 64th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, F, I and K.
 * - 71st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H and I.
 * - 85th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A and K.
 * - 100th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B and E.
 * - 105th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K.
 * - 116th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company F.
 * - 122nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.
 * - 154th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 160th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K.
 * - 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and H.
 * - 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company F.

Cattaragus County in the Civil War

Brothers One and All: esprit de corps in a Civil War Regiment. by Mark H. Dunkelman.

List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 (Source: Internet Archives)

World War II Casualities, Army and Army AIr Corps (Source: AccessGenealogy)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * SAMPUBCO Index of naturalization records


 * 1791-1980 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1907-1966 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.

Newspapers

 * Ellicottville NY American Union 1855-1863
 * Ellicottville NY Cataraugus Republican 1834-1859
 * Ellicottville NY News 1884-1901
 * Ellicottville NY Post 1884-1969
 * Olean NY Times Herald 1932-1985
 * Olean NY Herald 1933, 1935, 1938, 1941, 1980
 * Randolph NY Register 1842-2003
 * Randolph NY Weekly Courant 1879-1891
 * Salamanca NY Republic Press 1874-1993 (misc.)
 * Salamanca NY Pennysaver 1994-2001

Probate Records
Online Probate Abstracts and Indexes


 * 1629-1971 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1659 1999 - New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1787-1835 - Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787-1835 at American Ancestors ($); includes.
 * 1830-1916 - SAMPUBCO - Index of testators of wills. ;.
 * SAMPUBCO Index of guardianships (names of children).
 * 1866-1923 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * – Cattaraugus County: Administration bonds, 1890-1905; General index, 1800-1956; Guardianship bonds, 1890-1912; Guardianship records, 1830-1916; Judicial settlements, 1885-1902; Letters of administration, 1820-1901 (gaps); Letters of guardianship, 1870-1922; Letters of testamentary index, 1852-1887; Letters of testamentary, 1850-1904; Minutes index, 1847-1893; Minutes, 1830-1906; Will index, 1832-1893; Wills, 1830-1916

Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1800-1956 Probate records, 1820-1936; general index, 1800-1956; index to wills, 1832-1893.
 * 1800-1911 Miscellaneous records including letters of administration, letters testamentary, and adoption papers.

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Cattaraugus County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1984). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Cattaraugus County Historical Museum and Research Library 9824 Route 16 PO Box 352 Machias, NY 14101 1-716-353-8200


 * This is a genealogy/research center, operated by the county. They will perform research requests for a fee. Some the records include: county census, Civil War rolls, cemetery stone abstracts, marriage records (1908-1925 only) and obituary abstracts.

Libraries

Allegany Public Library 90 West Main Street Allegany, NY 14706 Phone: 1-716-373-1056

Delvan-Yorkshire Public Library P.O. Box 185 28 School Street Delevan, NY 14042 Phone: 1-716-492-1961

Gowanda Free Library 56 West Main Street Gowanda, NY 14070 Phone: 1-716-532-3451 Website: WWW.CCLSLIB.ORG/GOWANDA

Memorial Library of Little Valley 110 Rock City Street Little Valley, NY 14755 Phone: 1-716-938-6301

Ellicottville Memorial Library 1 Washington Street Ellicottville, NY 14731 Phone: 1-716-699-2842

King Memorial Library Town Hall, Roszyk Hill Road Machias, NY 14101 Phone: 1-716-353-9915 Website: http://WWW.CCLSLIB.ORG/MACHIAS

Myers Memorial Library P.O. Box 559 26 Ivory Street Frewsburg, NY 14738 Phone 1-716-569-5515 Website: http://WWW.CCLSLIB.ORG/FREWSBURG

Seneca Nation Library-Cattaraugus Branch 1490 Route 438 Irving, NY 14081 Phone: 1-716-532-9449

Museums

Cattaraugus County Historical Museum and Research Library 9824 Route 16 PO Box 352 Machias, NY 14101 1-716-353-8200

Seneca-Iroquois National Museum 814 Broad Street Salamanca, NY 14779 Phone: (716) 945-1760

County Historian's Office
Cattaraugus County Historian Sharon Fellows E-mail: sfellows@cattco.org Office Located at the: Cattaraugus County Museum and Research Library 9824 Route 16 P.O. Box 352 Machias, NY 14101 Phone: (716) 353-8200 E-mail: Contact

The County Historian may provide access to obituaries, vital records, church records, maps, and family files or journals. Some historians provide search services for their office records and others may refer you to local genealogists who research in the area.

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

Societies
Cattaraugus Area Historical Society 23 Main Street Cattaraugus, NY 14719 Phone: 716-257-3429 or 716-257-3971

Central New York Genealogical Society Box 104, Calvin Station Syracuse, New York 13205 E-mail: [mailto:CNYGS@yahoo.com CNYSG@yahoo.com]


 * Member queries; surname research list; online resources; six meetings/year; publication: Tree Talks  quarterly with annual index.


 * Counties served: Albany, Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Oreleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming, and Yates.

Western New York Genealogical Society P.O. Box 338 Hamburg, New York 14075-0338 Email: info@wnygs.org Directory


 * Focus is on eight Western New York counties - Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany - which comprise the area of the original Holland Land Company purchase.

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch)

Birth
Birth Substitutes


 * 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

 * 1639-1962 - New York, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * 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($); ; . Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.


 * 1836–1880 Miscellaneous marriages of Cattaraugus County, New York . Contains miscellaneous entries in a marriage book that lacks place of recording. Includes date of the marriage, place of residence, name and age of bride and groom, and name and residence of person performing the marriage. The residence of the officer or clergyman performing the marriage ceremony is listed as Hinsdale for most of the entries in this record. Some of the record may be hard to read because of smudging.


 * 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1908–1935 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index;

*1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1686-1980 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– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
 * 1809-1850 10,000 Vital Records of Western New York at World Vital Records ($).


 * 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 browsable.


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

Death
Death Indexes


 * 1824-1962 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1880-1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1880-1956 - New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry — ($), index only
 * 1957-1963 - at FamilySearch — Index only

Death Substitutes


 * 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 browsable.


 * 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

Cattaraugus County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Cattaraugus County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Cattaraugus County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Roots Web Cattataugus County Links
 * My New York Genealogy Cattaraugus County Site
 * Cyndi's List New York (Scroll down to Cattagaugus County or word search for "Cattaraugus" )
 * ancestry.com Cattaraugus County Search Ancestry.com (S)
 * Painted Hills Genealogical Society Cattaraugus County Page
 * Cattaraugus County Genealogy