Sullivan County, New York Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

Parent County
Created 27 March 1809 from part of Ulster 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
1909  A fire destroyed Will volumes 1-7, but all or most of the files survived.

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.

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

Church Records

 * Barber, Gertrude A. Records of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Sandburgh, Sullivan County, N.Y. 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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
There is an every name index to the History of Sullivan County, New York by James Eldridge Quinian published by G. M. Beebe and W. T. Morgans in 1873, and republished by Fallsburg Printing Company in 1965-6, and 1975 online. Indexed was compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor in 2011.

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)

Migration
Early migration routes to Sullivan County for European settlers included:


 * Minsi Path from Kingston, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; from the Ulster and Delaware Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Bethel· Callicoon· Cochecton· Fallsburg· Forestburgh· Fremont· Highland· Liberty· Lumberland· Mamakating· Neversink· Rockland· Thompson.

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


 * - 1st Regiment, New York Jackson Heavy Artillery, Company F.
 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Mounted Rifles, Company G.
 * - 5th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery, Company F.
 * - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company L.
 * - 18th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
 * - 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A, B and C.
 * - 28th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 56th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies F, H, I, K and L.
 * - 143rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I K.

Indexes

 * 1791-1980 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 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.


 * 1824-1941 - at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * 1824-1946 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1917-1950 - at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm:. 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

Newspapers
Sullivan County Democrat -- 1891 thru present.

The River Reporter -- 1975 thru present.

Probate Records
Online 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 New York Ancestors ($); includes.
 * 1811-1909 Gertrude A. Barber, Index to Proceedings in Administration of Interstates [sic] Estates: 1811-1909, A-K: Sullivan County, New York Courts, Surrogate Court, Monticello, New York Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1866 - 1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1876-1909 Gertrude A. Barber, Index of Wills of Sullivan County, New York Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1876–1909 Gertrude A. Barber, Index of wills of Sullivan County, New York: this index includes the records of all wills admitted to probate from April, 1876, to the date of the fire, August 10, 1909: being Liber of Wills 8 to 16, inclusive: also the wills recorded pursuant to Chapter 219 of the Laws of 1910 in Book of Wills number one: will records one to seven, inclusive, were burned on August 10, 1909 (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms International - Books on Demand, 1990).

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Sullivan County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1988). - free; ; Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
The libraries in Sullivan County, New York are part of the Catskill Library System (RCLS) which through your library card you have access to some online history and genealogical databases from your home including: HRVH Historical Newspapers, and Hudson River Valley Heritage digital collections.

Fort Delaware - Museum of Colonial History 6615 Route 97 North of Port Jervis Narrowsburg, NY 12764 Mailing address: P.O. Box 5012 Monticello, NY 12701-5192 Phone: 845–794–3459 Email: SCParks@co.sullivan.ny.us Offers Genealogical services

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

Societies
Sullivan County Historical Society 265 Main Street P.O. Box 247 Hurleyville, NY 12747–0247 Phone: 845–434–8044 Email: SCHS@SullivanCountyHistory.org

Website lists county cemeteries that they have listings for, and county histories - on a town by town basis.


 * Genealogy Department offers searches for a fee.
 * Contact Barbara Viele
 * Phone: 845–434 - 8044
 * Email: Genealogy@scnyhistory.org

Social Groups Online

 * Sullivan County Historical Society &amp; Museum - Facebook.


 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

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.


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


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

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."


 * 1845-1850 The Sullivan Whig, Published at Bloomingburgh, N.Y. 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


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

Death
Death Indexes
 * 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."


 * 1845-1850 The Sullivan Whig, Published at Bloomingburgh, N.Y. 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * 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 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5.

Additional Resources

Sullivan County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Sullivan County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Sullivan County NY Genealogy

Between the Lakes Group offers some free material as well as CDs or downloads for a fee.