New York Research Outline
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New York Research Outline Table of Contents 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 This outline describes major sources of information about families from New York. As you read this outline, study the United States Research Outline (30972), which will help you understand the terminology and the content and uses of genealogical records. RECORDS OF THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY The Family History Library has most of the records described in this outline. The library has over 50,000 microfilms and continues acquiring additional materials—particularly for New York City and Long Island. Although the Family History Library has microfilm copies of some twentieth century records, most are of pre-1900 records. The microfilm copies come from records at the National Archives and its Northeast regional center, the state archives, county courthouses, church archives, university libraries, and historical societies. The Family History Library's major holdings include federal and state censuses; church records; passenger lists; and land, probate, naturalization, and some marriage records for most counties. The library also has a comprehensive collection of published and manuscript genealogies of New York families. It has few town records and relatively few county records from Long Island (Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, and Kings Counties). For beginning research, the most helpful sources are: • Federal census indexes, 1790–1870, 1880, 1900, 1920 • Church records • Birth, marriage, and death indexes and records • County deed, mortgage, and probate indexes • County histories Most of the sources described in this outline list the Family History Library's book, microfilm, microfiche, and computer numbers. These numbers are preceded by FHL, the abbreviation for Family History Library. You can use these numbers to locate materials in the library and to order microfilm and microfiche at a Family History Center. The computer number can be used if you have access to the Family History Library Catalog on computer. The “Computer Number Search” is an easy way to find a source in the catalog. FamilySearch FamilySearch is a powerful computer system that helps simplify family history research. It can help you search for ancestors in large computer files of information. FamilySearch is available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and at Family History Centers in the United States and Canada. FamilySearch includes the following computer files: • Ancestral File • Family History Library Catalog • International Genealogical Index FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY CATALOG The library's records are listed in the Family History Library Catalog, available on both microfiche and as part of FamilySearch (see above) at the library and at Family History Centers. To find a record in the catalog, look in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog for: • The place where your ancestor lived, such as: UNITED STATES – CENSUS NEW YORK – GENEALOGY NEW YORK, KINGS - PROBATE RECORDS NEW YORK, KINGS, BROOKLYN - CHURCH RECORDS • The record type you want to search, such as: UNITED STATES – CENSUS NEW YORK – GENEALOGY NEW YORK, KINGS - PROBATE RECORDS NEW YORK, KINGS, BROOKLYN - CHURCH RECORDS The section headings in this outline match the names of subject headings used in the catalog. ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES The following archives, libraries, and societies have collections or services helpful to genealogical researchers. • The New York State Library Cultural Education Center Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12230 Telephone: 518-474-5355 Fax: 518-474-5786 The Humanities-History section has local histories, genealogies, atlases, church and cemetery records (including the Daughters of the American Revolution collection), city directories, microfilmed newspapers, microfilmed federal and state censuses, microfilmed passenger lists, and periodicals. The Manuscripts and Special Collections Section houses nongovernmental maps and manuscripts. The library staff will make photocopies for a fee. A guide to the library's holdings of genealogical value is Melinda Yates, comp., Gateway to America: Genealogical Research in the New York State Library, 2nd ed., rev. (Albany, N.Y.: New York State Library, 1982; FHL book 974.7 D23y; computer number 491026). The New York State Library also has a set of thirteen Genealogical Information Sources, which can be purchased for $7.00. Library materials can be borrowed through the New York State Interlibrary Loan network. • The New York State Archives Cultural Education Center, 11th Floor Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12230 Telephone: 518-474-8955 Fax: 518-473-9985 The New York State Archives has the original records of New York government jurisdictions. The collection includes manuscripts, statewide vital records indexes, documents relating to land grants, land survey maps, alien deposition records, military records, state court records, prison records, Erie Canal passenger lists for 1827–1829, wills, and estate records. The archives collection also has microfilms of some state censuses and the original census returns for 1915 and 1925. The Family History Library has very few of the state archives records on microfilm. The state archives makes photocopies and performs limited searches of indexed records for a fee, but it does not circulate microfilms of land and vital records. The guide to the collection is Guide to Records in the New York State Archives (1981; reprint, Albany, N.Y.: New York State Archives, 1982; FHL book 974.7 A3ns; computer number 207195). An expanded 1993 edition is available from the New York State Archives. • National Archives—Northeast Region 201 Varick Street, Corner Varick and West Houston Streets New York, NY 10014 Telephone: 212-337-1300 Fax: 212-337-1306 The National Archives—Northeast Region has records created by federal agencies in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The archives has naturalization records, internal revenue service records, customs lists, and records of the U.S. District Court of Appeals. The archives also has microfilms of all available federal census records, many naturalization records, court records, passenger lists for New York City and other ports, Revolutionary War military records, some Civil War service indexes, and World War I draft registrations. The staff will make photocopies for a fee. The National Archives has announced the records of this branch will be moved to Kansas City, Missouri, by the summer of 1998. • The New York Public Library U.S. History, Local History & Genealogy Division Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, Room 315S New York, NY 10018-2788 Telephone: 212-930-0829 The library has city and telephone directories, vital records indexes, local histories, genealogies, federal and state censuses, passenger lists, genealogical collections (including DAR transcripts), and church records. For maps, write to the Map Division at the same address. A helpful guide to this important library is Sam P. Williams, Guide to the Research Collections of the New York Public Library (Chicago: American Library Association, 1975; FHL book 974.71 A3w; computer number 153944). Several extensive catalogs of the Local History and Genealogy Division of the New York Public Library have been published, including one by the New York Public Library: Research Libraries, Dictionary Catalog of the Local History and Genealogy Division, 18 vols. and 4 supps. (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1974; FHL book Q 974.71 A3nd; computer number 336187). Use catalogs from other libraries to find records not available at the Family History Library. Obtain copies through interlibrary loan. • New York City Department of Records and Information Services Municipal Archives 31 Chambers Street, Room 103 New York, NY 10007 Telephone: 212-788-8580 The Municipal Archives has city birth, death, and marriage records; the 1890 police census; city directories; voter registrations; almshouse records; and municipal government records. When requesting copies of records include a self-addressed stamped envelope. A growing collection of records is available on microfilm at the Family History Library. • New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Library 122 E. 58th Street New York, NY 10022-1939 Telephone: 212-755-8532 Fax: 212-754-4218 This library has a major collection of New York State genealogy and local history, including both published and manuscript materials. The collection includes federal and state censuses, city directories, church, cemetery, Bible, land, and probate records. Manuscripts acquired before 1940 are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. • New-York Historical Society 170 Central Park West New York, NY 10024 Telephone: 212-873-3400 Fax: 212-875-1591 The historical society has extensive collections of manuscripts, newspapers, periodicals, histories, city directories, maps, and photographs. A helpful aid is Arthur J. Breton, A Guide to the Manuscript Collections of the New-York Historical Society, 2 vols. (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, Inc., 1972; FHL book 974.7 H23b; computer number 413719). •