Jefferson County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Jefferson 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 Thomas Jefferson. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

Parent County

 * Created 28 March 1805 from Oneida 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.


 * 1817: Carleton Island, captured from the British in the War of 1812 was annexed.

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.


 * The 1890 Census is lost. For substitutes see Directories.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places


 * 1864 Funerals from the Records of Rev. J. Stewart at NYGenWeb - free.

Dutch Reformed

 * German Flats Dutch Reformed Church, courtesy: NYGenWeb.

German Evangelical Church

 * German Evangelical Church, courtesy: NYGenWeb.

Methodists

 * Index to North Country Methodists, courtesy:NYGenWeb.

Presbyterian

 * Index of Names in Presbyterian Church of Oxbow, NY, courtesy: NYGenWeb.


 * Oxbow Presbyterian Church Records, courtesy: NYGenWeb.


 * Oxbow Presbyterian Church Records on rootsweb, courtesy: NYGenWeb.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1684-1890 Geographical Gazetteer of Jefferson County, N.Y. 1684-1890. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library. Also at: Internet Archive, MyHeritage ($).
 * 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.

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

Online


 * Welcome to Jefferson County, New York

Microforms


 * 1805-1942 Deed Records 1805-1902, 1907 - Index included: 1799-1873
 * 1805-1888 Mortgage Records 1805-1855 - Index included: 1805-1888

Books



Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Burr's 1829 map; 1918 farm maps; Child's Gazetteer map; township locator map; 1864 town maps and village map index; 1939 Compass System Map and Booklet of Jefferson County online at Jefferson County NYGenweb

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Adams· Alexandria· Brownville· Champion· Clayton· Ellisburg· Henderson· Hounsfield· Le Ray· Lorraine· Lyme· Orleans· Pamelia· Philadelphia· Rodman· Rutland· Watertown· Worth.

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


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Batteries C, D and H.
 * - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Company E.
 * - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company E.
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company E.
 * - 11th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company H.
 * - 13th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies H and I.
 * - 18th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies H, I, K, L and M.
 * - 20th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L and M.
 * - 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies G and K.
 * - 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company H.
 * - 26th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company H.
 * - 35th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, C, E, G, I and K.
 * - 59th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 94th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 129th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company L.
 * - 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies G and H.

World War I


 * Jefferson County in the World War: A Record of the Activities of the Various Organizations and Individuals Who Devoted Their Energies to the Cause of Freedom in the Great Conflict of 1914-1918, Containing the Honor Roll of Those Who Served in Army, Navy and Marine and the Portraits of Those Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice. Watertown, N.Y., 1920. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * SAMPUBCO Browsable index of applicants.

Newspapers

 * Adams New York Herald 1876-1877
 * Carthage Ny Republican 1885-1906
 * Jefferson County Journal 1872-1922
 * Watertown New York Reformer 1850-1862
 * Watertown Ny Times 1870-1922

Other resources:


 * Jefferson County newspapers, 1849-present at NYS Historic Newspapers

Probate Records
The petitions for are also available on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library and its centers:


 * 1805–1900 (1945) Listed as "Estate papers" First film is an index. How to use FamilySearch Catalog

Online Probate Indexes
 * 1626-1836 Calendar of Wills On File and Recorded in the Offices of the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, of the County Clerk at Albany, and of the Secretary of State, 1626-1836 at FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at: Ancestry ($), American Ancestors ($)


 * 1629-1971 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1659-1999 New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * 1850-1908 SAMPUBCO Free browsable index of guardianships (minors)
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * SAMPUBCO - Free browsable index of heirs and also of testators of wills


 * 1805 - 1900 - Jefferson County: '''Estate papers index, 1805-1900
 * 1830 -1900 Letters of administration index, 1830-1900
 * 1830 - 1900 Minutes index, 1830-1900'''
 * 1830 - 1900 Will index, 1830-1900
 * 1830 - 1910 Minutes, 1830-1910
 * 1830 - 1913 Wills, 1830-1913
 * 1830 - 1924 Letters of administration, 1830-1924
 * 1831 - 1900 Guardianship index, 1831-1900
 * 1832 - 1895 Real estate records, 1832-1895
 * 1850 -1900 Letters of testamentary, 1850-1900

Probate records found at Historical Records and described in Online Probate Records above are also found on microfilm as follows:


 * 1805–1945 Estate Papers, includes general index (Petitions)
 * 1830–1900 Record of Wills, includes general index
 * 1830–1924 Letters of Administration, index 1830–1900
 * 1850–1900 Letters Testamentary

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Jefferson County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1985). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Libraries


 * Jefferson Community College, Mervil Dewey Library 1220 Coffeen St. Watertown, New York 13601 Phone: 315-786-2413 or 315-786-2225 Email: jyoung@sunyjefferson.edu

Collection includes histories of Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence and other contiguous North County counties, local information, periodicals, Harold Sanderson Civil War Database and more.

Museum


 * Jefferson County Historical Society Museum 228 Washington Street Watertown, New York 13601 Phone: 315-782-3491 Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm Saturday 10 am - 4 pm

County Historian's Office
Mr. Ranger, Historian Jefferson County Building 175 Arsenal Street Watertown, NY 13601 Phone: (315) 785-5149

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 Jefferson County Clerk's office has marriage, land, court, military discharge and naturalization records as well as the state census. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Jefferson County are held, see the Jefferson County Courthouse page.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Lowville New York FamilySearch Center
 * Plattsburgh New York FamilySearch Center
 * Potsdam New York FamilySearch Center
 * Pulaski New York FamilySearch Center
 * Watertown New York FamilySearch Center


 * Kawartha Lakes Public Library - Omemee Branch - an affiliate library

Societies

 * Jefferson County Historical Society 228 Washington Street Watertown, New York 13601 Phone: 315-782-3491 Facebook Publication: Quarterly Newsletter Museum Musings

Collection includes artifacts, letters, photographs and more. For genealogical research contact the Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library's Genealogy Department.


 * Historical Association of South Jefferson 29 East Church Street Adams, New York 13601 Phone: 315-232-2616 or 315-298-5953 Email: hasouthjeff@yahoo.com or quick4@peoplepc.com Hours: Monday and Tuesday 8 am - 2 pm Thursday 10 am - 4 pm Most Fridays 8 am - 2 pm Other hours by appointment.


 * 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.

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Vital Records

 * 1847-1849 Vital Records of Jefferson County, 1847, 1848, and 1849 - free.


 * 1872-1951 NYS Historic Newspapers. Includes Cape Vincent Eagle (1872-1951), Watertown Herald 1886-1918.


 * 1891, 1910 Various 1891 and 1910 births, marriages, and deaths Jefferson County Journal USGenWeb Archives - free.


 * http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~aliecor/genealogy/index_wdt/index_to_deaths.htm Index to births, deaths, marriages in Watertown Daily Times and Jefferson County Journal] - free.

Birth

 * 1881-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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; Index.

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."


 * 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.


 * 1864-5 Marriages from 1865 Census at NYGenWeb - free.


 * Canadian Marriages of Jefferson Countians at NYGenWeb - free.

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

Death Substitutes
 * 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."


 * 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.


 * 1864-5 1000 Vital Records from 1865 Jefferson Co., NY Census at RootsWeb.


 * 1864-5 Deaths and Deceased Veterans from 1865 Census at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 2004-7 Index to Obituaries from the Watertown Daily Times at NYGenWeb - free.

Additional Resources

Jefferson County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Jefferson County Genealogy and History, an affiliate of the American History and Genealogy Project (AHGP)
 * Jefferson County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Jefferson County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Jefferson County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Jefferson County. (Mirror site)
 * Jefferson County NY Genealogy
 * Jefferson County New YorkGenealogical Society