Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy

United States

New York

Chautauqua County

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

This page describes sources of genealogical data about Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy families, including links to smaller localities at the bottom of this page. New York-related pages show useful statewide sources. United States pages explain the terminology and contents of genealogical records.

Chautauqua County, New York
Map
Location in the state of New York
Location of New York in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	11 March, 1808
County Seat	Mayville
Courthouse
Address	3 North Erie Mayville, NY 14757-1007 Chautauqua County Government

Chautauqua County New York Historical Facts

Description

The County was named for the lone surviving remnant of the Erie language, a tongue lost in the Beaver Wars; its meaning is unknown and a subject of speculation." The County is located in the west area of the state.

Chautauqua County, New York Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1880	1908	1880	1811	1811	1811	1663
Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.

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.

Chautauqua County New York Genealogy 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.
  

Cemeteries

Online Grave Transcripts	Published Grave Transcripts	County Cemetery Directories
Findagrave.com*	Family History Library*	Findagrave.com*
Interment.net*	WorldCat*	Tombstone Project*
Cemetery Site*		Names in Stone*
New York Gravestones*		epodunk*
NYGenWeb*		Billion Graves*
Billion Graves*
Names in Stone*
Linkpendium*
Ancestry*
*See the New York Cemeteries page for details about each site.

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

• 1800-1965 - New York, Cemetery Abstracts, 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — index
• Find a grave Chautauqua County Cemetery Map

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.
• 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.

1890

• The 1890 Census is lost. For a substitute, see directories.
  

State

Source	1825	1835	1845	1855	1865	1875	1892	1905	1915	1925
Ancestry.com	-	-	-	Yes	-	Yes	Yes & Yes	-	Yes	Yes
Family History Library film	Yes Index	Yes	Yes Index	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
FamilySearch image	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
New York State Library film	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

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.

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.

A variety of local church records representing the Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Swedish Lutheran, United Brethren, Universalist, and Welsh Baptist faiths are available online at NYGenWeb.

Methodist Episcopal

• 1835-1942 FHL film 1381555 Items 2-5 Includes Sinclairville, Gerry, and Charlotte. Contains minutes of meetings, baptisms 1862-1917, marriages 1860-1931, record of probationers including deaths 1863-1914, alphabetical record of members in full connection including deaths 1835-1942, class record 1887-1888, record of pastors 1890-1918, record of official members 1890-1902.
• 1856-1867 FHL film 1437513 Item 10 Includes Villanova and Dayton. Contains baptisms, marriages, probationers, alphabetical list of members and class lists
• 1884-1922 FHL film 1378920 Includes Ashville, Blockville, Wattd Flats, and Celoron. Contains record of pastors 1884-1909, record of official members 1885-1913, Alphabetical record of members in full connection including deaths 1885-1922, record of probationers including deaths 1885-1922, marriages 1884-1915, baptisms 1885-1922, history 1818-1911.

Additional Church Records

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

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).

Church Histories

• Burgess, Chalon. The Churches and Clergy of the Pioneer Period in Chautauqua County. 1902. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  

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.

Directories

• Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness has located a volunteer willing to do lookups in the 1892-1893 Jamestown Directory.

Emigration and Immigration

• 1906-1942 - New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Genealogy

• Rootsweb message board for Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy 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

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 Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online

Microforms

• 1811-1917 Deed Records 1811-1908 FHL film 478686 (first of 165 films) - Index included: 1811-1917.
  

Holland Land Company delinquent contracts in Chautauqua County, N.Y. compiled by Lois M. Barris. ( [S.l.] : Chautauqua County Genealogical Society, c1991)FHL book 974.795 R2ba;

Books

Additional land records can sometimes be found using these catalogs:

• WorldCat using the search phase: Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy deeds. (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
• FamilySearch Catalog using the search phrase: 1, New York - Land and Property. (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search.)

• 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 ($).
  

Additional resources

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

Maps

• Maps of New York (1683-1915)
• Map of Chautauqua County Towns  -  Regional Knowledge Network
• Chautauqua County Outline Overlays Google Map  via NY Home Town Locator
  
• NY Home Town Locator Chautauqua County Gazatteer By Name of Cities, Towns , Census Designated Places, Neighborhoods, Subdivisions & Settlements

Migration

Migration routes for early European settlers to and from Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy 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

Military

Civil War

• 1861-1865 - New York, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

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). They are also indexed and available at Ancestry.com ($).

Available towns. Registers are available for: Arkwright · Busti · Carroll · Charlotte · Chautauqua · Cherry Creek · Clymer · Dunkirk · Ellery · Ellicott · Ellington · French Creek · Gerry · Hanover · Kiantone · Mina · Poland · Pomfret · Portland · Sheridan · Sherman · Stockton · Villenova.

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

- 1st Battalion, New York Sharpshooters, 7th Company.

- 9th Regiment, New York Cavalry , Companies B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.

- 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company L.

- 21st Regiment, New York Infantry

- 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies F and K.

- 49th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, G, I and K.

- 72nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, D, E, G, H and L.

- 90th Regiment, New York Infantry, First and second Companies H.

- 100th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, E and H.

- 112th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.

- 154th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies E, F, G and H.

- 156th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H and I.

- 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.

Naturalization and Citizenship

• SAMPUBCO Index of naturalization records
• 1791-1980 - New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1907-1966 New York, Western District Naturalization Index, 1907-1966 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

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 Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy newspaper images:

• Cherry Creek NY News 1885-1945
• Clymer NY Independent 1960-1969
• Fredonia NY Censor 1843-1963

Probate Records

Probate records including original estates and wills for New York are held in the office of the 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. 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. 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 county Surrogate Court.

The petitions for Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library and its centers:

• 1841–1901 Listed as "probate of wills books" FHL Film 810272(first of 17 films) Index available. How to use FamilySearch Catalog
  
  

Online Probate Indexes

• 1629 - 1971 New York Probate Records 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 New York Ancestors ($); includes Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy.
  
• 1830-1900 SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills.
• 1830-1843 - Wills, Chautauqua County, Vol. 1, 1830-1843, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
  
• 1842-1850 - Proceedings of Administration, Chautauqua County, Vol. 2, 1842-1850, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
  
• 1844-1856 - Wills, Chautauqua County, Vol. 2, 1844-1856, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
  
• 1851-1865 - Proceedings of Administration, Chautauqua County, Vol. 3, 1851-1865, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
  
• 1866 - 1923 New York Kings County Estate Files 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images

Online Probate Records

Original county-by-county New York, Probate Records, 1629-1971 are available free online at FamilySearch. To access these records, click Historical Records below, then click "Browse through 1,630,900 images". Then select the county name, and then the probate records and time of interest.

• Historical Records – Chautauqua County: Accounts, 1829-1903; Administration bonds, 1871-1901; Administration records, 1842-1901; Appraisal appointments, 1841-1915; Claims, 1866-1904; Dower records, 1829-1877; Guardianship bonds, 1871-1919; Guardianship records, 1830-1909; Hierships, 1880-1911; Index, 1811-1962; Letters of administration, 1818-1907; Letters of testamentary, 1841-1903; Minutes, 1830-1903; Miscellaneous records, 1811-1828; Real estate records, 1833-1907; Wills and Administrations, 1870-1911; Wills, 1830-1901

Probate Records on Microfilm

The probate records described above may also be on the following microfilms:

• 1811-1962 Probate records, 1811-1901; index, 1811-1962 FHL Film 588087 (35 films).
• 1818-1911 Probate records FHL Film 808952 (24 films).

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

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

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).

Repositories

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Chautauqua County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1982). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.795 A3. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

Fenton History Center
67 Washington Street
Jamestown, NY 14701
Phone: 716-664-6256
The research center includes family name files, cemetery inscriptions, marriages and death extracted from 19th century newspapers, photographs, diaries and other sources associated with the county.

Chautauqua Institution Smith Memorial Library
21 Miller Ave
P.O. Box 1093
Chautauqua, NY 14722
Phone: (716) 357-6332/6306
Fax: (716) 357-9014

Darwin R. Barker Library and Historical Museum
7 Day Street
Fredonia, NY 14063-1891
Phone: (716) 672-8051
Fax: (716) 679-3547

Patterson Library
40 South Portage Street
Westfield, NY 14787
Phone: (716) 326-2154
Fax: (716) 326-2554

Reed Library SUNY College at Fredonia
Fredonia, NY 14063
Phone: (716) 673-3183
Fax: (716) 673-3185

Dunkirk Historical Museum
513 Washington Avenue
Dunkirk, NY 14048
Phone: (716) 366-3797

County Historian's Office

Michelle Henry, Historian
1 North Erie Street
Mayville, New York 14757
E-mail: HenryM@co.chautauqua.ny.us
Phone: 716-753-4857

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. For a 17-page 2003 inventory of holdings, click here.

Courthouses

The office of the County Clerk has marriage, divorce, court and land records. The surrogate Court has probate records. For further information on where the records for Chautauqua County are held, see the Chautauqua County Courthouse page.

Family History Centers

Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.

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 Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy is the Fredonia New York Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.

Societies

Chautauqua County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 404
Fredonia, NY 14063
The societes publication, The Chautauqua Genealogist, is published quarterly.

Chautauqua County Historical Society and McClurg Museum
P.O. Box 7
Westfield, NY 14787
Phone: 716-326-2977

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

Member queries; surname research list; online resources; six meetings/year; publication: Tree Talks (At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 B2t) 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.

Painted Hills Genealogy Society Mary E. Bryant: Founder and President E-mail: paint@paintedhills.org

Genealogical Resources: This  Society covers the Painted Hills Area of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania, particularly the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Steuben in New York and the Pennsylvania counties of McKean and Potter .

Social Groups Online

• New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Town Records

Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. Vital records from 1880/1882 are kept by town and village clerks, although some (Kent’s and Putnam Valley’s) are available in the County Historian’s Office. 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.
• Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1904 (New York: Martin B. Brown, 1905)
  
• Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1922 (Poughkeepsie: Lansing Broas, 1923)
• List of Town Clerks, Record Managers and Historical Societies
  

The County Archives has the following records:

• 031 Petitions, Licenses, and recognizance to sell liquor (Tavern licenses) 1813-1878
• 139 Monthly Reports of Hunting and fishing licenses, 1908-1938
• 165 Certificates of Qualifications as Examiner in Lunacy, 1883-1947
  

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 also How to order New York Vital Records or order electronically online.

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 Chautauqua County clerk starting in 1908 and go until 1935.

• 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($); 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.
  

• 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1908–1935 New York, County Marriages 1908–1935 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index; Marriage indexes, records, and licenses. FHL film 1004671 (first of 84 films)
  

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."
  

• 1809–1850 Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809-1850 (Baltimore,MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1985).Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); At various libraries; FHL Book 974.7 V2b. Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.
  

• 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.
  

Divorce

Pre–1787	All divorces were granted by the governor or legislature and were very rare.
1787–1847	All divorces were granted by the court of chancery. These records are found in the New York State Archives or for the New York City area at the New York County Clerk's office.These divorces were granted only on the grounds of adultery.
1847–present	All divorces are handled by the county Supreme Court where the divorce was granted. Divorce files in New York are sealed for 100 years. Contact the County Clerk for information about divorce records.

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 Indexes

• 1824-1962 - New York, Church and Civil Deaths, 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — index
• 1880-1956 - New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry — ($), index only
  
• 1957-1963 - New York State Health Department, Genealogical Research Death Index, 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — Index only
  

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."
  

• 1809–1850 Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809-1850 (Baltimore,MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1985).Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); At various libraries; FHL Book 974.7 V2b. Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.
  

• 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.
  

• 1918-1936 Coroners Reports at USGenWeb Archives - free.
  

• 1927-1928 Almshouse Deaths During Year Ending September 30, 1928, Dewittville, Chautauqua County, NY at NYGenWeb - free.
  

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Chautauqua County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Chautauqua– Vital Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Chautauqua County New York Genealogy Websites

• Chautauqua County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
• New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• The Chautauqua County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Chautauqua County.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Chautauqua County. (Mirror site)
• My New York Genealogy Chautauqua County Site
• Cyndi's List New York (Scroll down to Chautauqua County or word search for "Chautauqua" )
• Chautauqua County Genealogy