Wayne County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Wayne 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 General Anthony Wayne, an American Revolutionary War hero and American statesman. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County
Wayne County was created 11 April 1823 from parts of Ontario and Seneca counties.

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

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

Federal

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

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

Online Databases


 * 1800s - Wayne County NY Marriages from Universalist Sources, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1823-1847 - Rev. Noah Barrell's Record of Marriages, 1823-1847, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.


 * Wayne County Marriages


 * Cornell University's Study Center for Early Religious Life in Western New York has an online guide to Wayne County church records in their library.

Baptists

 * 1854-1855 - Wayne County members of the New York Baptist Union for Ministerial Education, 1854-1855, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.

Methodist

 * 1863-1870 - Marriages at the Methodist Episcopal Church, Port Gibson, Ontario County, N.Y., October 1863 - April 1870, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1870-1894 - Records of Marriages of Port Gibson, Methodist Episcopal Church, Port Gibson, Ontario County, N.Y. November 1870 - April 1894, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1907-1936 - Records of Marriages of Port Gibson, Methodist Episcopal Church, Port Gibson, Ontario County, N.Y. June 1907 - March 1936, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.

Quakers

 * Bradley, A. Day. "Records of Junius Friends Monthly Meeting, Seneca and Wayne Counties, New York," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 69, No. 1 (Mar. 1981):15-26. Digital version at National Genealogical Society website ($);.

Directories

 * The Wayne County NY Gen Web site has provided the 1867 Directory of Wayne County.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - 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.

History
A Brief History of Wayne County

FamilySearch Digital Library



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

Online



Microforms



Books



Maps



 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Wayne County Town Map - Wayne County Government

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Wayne County for European settlers included:


 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail (west fork) about 1722
 * Great Genesee Road 1794
 * Erie Canal 1825
 * Erie Canal 1825

Civil War
Available towns. Registers are available for: Butler· Galen· Huron· Lyons· Macedon· Marion· Ontario· Rose· Savannah· Sodus· Walworth· Williamson· Wolcott.

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


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Battery L.
 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Mounted Rifles, Company F.
 * - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies C, D and I.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A and L.
 * - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company C.
 * - 17th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company I.
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies D and H.
 * - 27th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 33rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 67th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
 * - 90th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
 * - 98th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies F, I and K.
 * - 98th Regiment, New York Infantry National Guard (100 days, 1864), Companies F, I, and K.
 * - 111th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D and E.
 * - 138th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, D, G, H and K.
 * - 160th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, D and I.
 * - 161st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A.
 * - 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.

Naturalization and Citizenship

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

Newspapers

 * Old Fulton Postcards - Free search-able website which holds newspapers from upstate New York.
 * Surname Search - Office of the Wayne County Historian - Enter surname, given name matches listed in alphabetical order from historiancs records. Includes clipped newspaper articles. This site does not give online access to the actual articles, but sometimes the actual articles can then be found at Old Fulton Postcards, using the citation to give a clue as to what search string to use at Old Fulton Postcards.
 * Wayne County (NY) newspapers on microfilm and paper at all NYS locations - NY State Library

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 ($)
 * 1787-1835 - Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($)
 * 1823-1901 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1823-1849 - Wiles, Harriet M. Abstracts of Wills of Wayne County, N.Y.: Surrogate's Office, Lyons, N.Y. New York, 193--1940. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1823-1850 - Wiles, Harriet M. Letters of Administration: Intestate Records in the Surrogate's Office, Lyons, Wayne County, N.Y. New York, N.Y., 1940. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * - Wayne County: Administrations, 1823-1903; Bonds, 1890-1901; Decrees, 1897-1902; Decrees, Minutes, Orders, 1854-1879; Final settlements, 1855-1883; Guardianship records, 1823-1890; Index, 1823-1964; Judicial settlements, 1883–1903; Letters of administration, Letters of testamentary, 1830–1903; Letters of testamentary, 1859–1902; Wills, 1823-1901.

Probate Records on Microfilm The probate records described above also may be among those on microfilm including:


 * 1823–1903 Probate records (index to 1964)

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Wayne County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1982). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Libraries


 * Lyons Public Library 122 Broad Street Lyons, New York 14489 Phone: 315-946-9262 Email: lyonslibrary@owwl.org Hours:Monday and Wednesday 10 am - 5 pm, 7 - 9 pm Tuesday and Thursday 12 - 9 pm Friday 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday 9 am - 1 pm


 * The Palmyra Kings Daughters Free Library 127 Cuyler Street Palmyra, New York 14522 Phone: 315-597-5276 Hours: Monday - Thursday 10 am - 8 pm Friday 10 am - 5 pm Saturday 10 am - 2 pm (Closed Saturdays in July and August)

The Palmyra library had local histories, old newspaper listings on marriages, cemetery listings, old maps, deaths, poorhouse records and more.


 * Clyde Savannah Public Library 204 Glasgow Street Clyde, New York 14433 Phone: 315-923-7767 Hours: Monday and Wednesday 1 - 8 pm Tuesday and Thursday 10 am - 6 pm Friday 1 - 6 pm, Saturday 10 am - 1 pm Closed Saturdays during July and August and on major holidays.

The Clyde library has historical photos.

Museums


 * Museum of Wayne County History 21 Butternut Street Lyons, New York 14489 Phone: 315-946-4943 Email: info@waynehistory.org Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10 am - 4 pm Saturdays 10 am - 1 pm April 1 - May 28 Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm June 4 - September 30
 * Heritage Square Museum 7147 Ontario Center Road Ontario, New York 14519


 * The Museums of Historic Palmyra 132 Market Street Palmyra, New York 14522 Phone: 315-597-6981 Email:bjfhpinc@rochester.rr.com also see Historic Palmyra


 * To learn about more museums in Wayne County see the website for Wayne County Tourism - Museums

Courthouses
The Wayne County Courthouse is the home for the County Clerk and County Historian. For further information about the records available and whre they are held, see the Wayne County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

 * Auburn New York Family History Center
 * Brockport New York Family History Center
 * Fayette New York Family History Center
 * Palmyra New York Family History Center
 * Pittsford New York Family History Center
 * Rochester New York Family History Center


 * Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County - an affiliate library
 * Davie County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Fairfield Library Association - an affiliate library
 * Niagara County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Richmond Memorial Library - an affiliate library

Societies

 * Wayne County Historical Society 21 Butternut Street Lyons, New York 14489 Phone: 315-946-4943 Email: info@waynehistory.org


 * 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; publishes 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.


 * Lyons Heritage Society P.O. Box 150 Lyons, New York 14489 Phone: 315-946-6316 or 946-4596


 * Historic Palmyra


 * For the names of other Historical Societies in Wayne County see the website at the Office of the County Historian.

Social Groups Online

 * Wayne County Historical Society/Museum of Wayne County History - Facebook.


 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Birth

 * 1881-1942 New York, Birth Index, 1881-1942 at Ancestry — index, ($)


 * 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Archive.org - images of index

Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch – 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.


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


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


 * 1908–1935 at FamilySearch – free;.

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch – 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($); World Vital Records($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 1813–1850  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Baltimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986).Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); ;. 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.


 * Marriages and Deaths from the Wayne Sentinel. www.ancestry.com($)


 * Wiles, Harriett Mae Evretts. Marriages and Deaths from the Lyons Republican and Inscriptions from the Lyons Rural Cemetery: Nelson, N.Y. and Aurora, N.Y. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International - Books on Demand, 1990. ; Also found at www.ancestry.com ($).

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
 * 1880-1956 - Reclaim the Records: New York State Death Index at Archive.org - images of index
 * 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — Index only

Substitute Death Records


 * 1795–1952 at FamilySearch – 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($); World Vital Records($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 1813–1850  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Baltimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986).Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); ;. 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 ofMilitary for death information.


 * Marriages and Deaths from the Wayne Sentinel. www.ancestry.com ($)


 * Wiles, Harriett Mae Evretts. Marriages and Deaths from the Lyons Republican and Inscriptions from the Lyons Rural Cemetery: Nelson, N.Y. and Aurora, N.Y. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International - Books on Demand, 1990. ; Also found at www.ancestry.com ($).

Additional Resources

Wayne County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Wayne County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Wayne County NYGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Office of the Wayne County Historian
 * Surname Search - Office of the Wayne County Historian - Enter surname, given name matches listed in alphabetical order from historiancs records. Includes clipped newspaper articles.
 * Wayne County Links - Cyndi's List - Scroll or search down to "Wayne" for Wayne County Links
 * Wayne County ALHN &amp; AHGP *Wayne County Links GenealogyLinks.net
 * Wayne County Links My New York Genealogy
 * Wayne County Links D'ADDEZIO.com
 * Wayne County NY Genealogy New York Genealogy