Washington County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Washington 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 President George Washington. The County is located in the east central area of the state.

Parent County
Washington County was created 12 March 1772 from part of Albany 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.

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

Additional Resources Genealogical Resources: Online Cemetery Database for several towns and some in Vermont.

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

Federal

 * 1790 Washington County Census Online
 * The 1890 Census is lost. For a substitute, see directories.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History &amp; Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of Washington County, years parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Washington County parishes fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Albany.


 * 1790s-1850s Register of Marriages, Coila, Cambridge, Salem, Celebrated by John Dunlop, Minister of the Gospel, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1810s-1880s - "Washington County, N.Y., Quaker Records - Data Taken from the Records of Easton Monthly Meeting of Friends," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr. 1915):122-130. Digital versions at Internet Archive - free; New York Family History ($); . Births, deaths. Some births as early as 1739.


 * 1852-1874 Sandy Hill, NY: Marriage Records of the Methodist Church (1852-1874), courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.
 * 1860-1870 Records of Rev. Uriah Marvin while pastor of the Reformed Dutch Churches of Union Village, Washington Co., N.Y., 1848-1855; Nyack, Rockland Co., N.Y., 1860-1870 ; . Contents: Union Village marriages, 1848-1854; baptisms, 1848-1855; funerals, 1848-1855, communicants, 1848-1854 -- Nyack marriages, baptisms, funerals, communicants, 1860-1870.

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


 * 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
Schenectady Digital History Archive includes "Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: Index to Families" includes people from Washington County.

Additional Resources:

Washington County, New York History

Genealogical Resources: Information about Hartford Village, Masonry, Amasa Brown's Church, 1790 census, and other information.

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

Online



Microforms



Books


 * 1765 - O'Neill, Terri Bradshaw. "Sale of Lots in the Argyle Patent Washington County, 1765," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 141, No. 3 (Jul. 2010):219-220. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1739-1802 Landholders of Northeastern New York 1739-1802, courtesy: Ancestry ($); World Vital Records ($)

Maps



 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)

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


 * pre-historic
 * pre-historic
 * Champlain Canal 1823
 * Erie Canal 1825
 * Chambly Canal 1843
 * pre-historic
 * prehistoric
 * Lake Champlain Trail pre-historic
 * Hudson River Path
 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail
 * Forbidden Path or Catskill Turnpike
 * Greenwood Road
 * Old Connecticut Path

Revolutionary War
Charlotte (Washington) County men served in the 1st New York Regiment.

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Argyle· Dresden· Easton· Granville· Greenwich· Hampton· Hebron· Jackson· Putnam· White Creek.

Regiments. Service men in Washington County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were formed in Washington County:


 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Veteran Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 3rd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Company D.
 * - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company D.
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 43rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company F.
 * - 53rd Regiment, New York Infantry (1st)
 * - 87th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A.
 * - 93rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies F, G and I.
 * - 96th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
 * - 123rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 161st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
 * - 169th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C, D, E and F.
 * - 176th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
 * - 177th Regiment, New York Infantry

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has North Adams, MA newspapers (1895-1977) covering local news that included Washington County residents. ($)

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 ($)
 * 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * 1788-1916 SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1788-1825 - Barber, Gertrude A. Abstracts of Wills of Washington County, New York. 3 vols. 1937. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1825-1850 - Barber, Gertrude A.. Index of Wills of Washington County, N.Y.: From 1825-1850: Wills Filed at Salem, Washington Co., N.Y. unknown, 1989. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * - Washington County: Decrees, 1894-1901; Letters of administration index, 1788-1896; Letters of administration, 1787-1916; Letters of guardianship, 1911-1928; Letters of testamentary, 1788-1920; Minutes index, 1830-1836; Minutes, 1830-1900; Orders, 1872-1885; Will index, 1788-1896; Wills, 1788-1878.

Probate Records on Microfilm

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


 * 1788–1916 Probate Records
 * 1787–1916 Letters of administration
 * 1830–1900 General Minutes and index

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Washington County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1983). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Archives


 * Washington County Archives Washington County Municipal center building A 383 Broadway Fort Edward, New York 12828 Telephone: (518) 746-2136


 * New York State Archives Reference Services Telephone (518) 474-8955 Email: Archref@mail.nysed.gov

Libraries

Courthouses
The Washington County Clerk archives has birth, death, marriage, probate, court and naturalization records as well as military pensions and the state census. The County Clerk has land and divorce records. For further information about where the records for Washington County are held, see the Washington County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

 * Bennington Vermont Family History Center
 * Gloversville New York Family History Center
 * Herkimer New York Family History Center


 * Crandall Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Guilderland Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Washington County Historical Society Wing-Northup House 167 Broadway Fort Edward, NY 12828-1709 (518) 747-9108 FAX: 747-1665 Facebook

Argyle Historical Society 6394 Hartford Road Argyle, NY 12809

Cambridge Historical Society 12 Broad St Cambridge, NY 12816 518 677-3327. E-mail: [mailto:emailofsociety CambridgeNYHistoricalSoc@gmail.com]

Fort Edward Historical Association 29 Lower Broadway PO Box 106 Fort Edward, NY 12828 518-747-9600 E-mail: [mailto:emailofsociety oldfort@albany.twcbc.com] Facebook

Granville Heritage Society Granville Town Historian PO Box 245 Middle Granville NY 12849 518-642-9824 Facebook

Greenwich Historical Association PO Box 35 Greenwich, NY 12834

Hartford Historical Group Main St, Hartford, NY 12838 518-632-5222

Hebron Preservation Society PO Box 328, Salem, NY 12865

Putnam Historical Society Po Box 24, Putnam Station, NY 12861 518-547-8259

Village and Town of Salem Historical Archives Proudfit Building Bancroft Public Library Main St, Salem NY 12865 518-854-3150

Historical Society of Whitehall 12 William Street,PO Box 238, Whitehall, NY 12887 518-499-1801

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Capital District Genealogical Society Empire State Plaza Station  PO Box 2175  Albany, NY 12220-0175=====


 * Counties served: Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington.


 * $3 for non-member queries in their newsletter. Monthly meetings. They staff a genealogy support desk at the Town of Colonie Library.

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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.

Facebook group: Washington County, NY Ancestors

Taxation
TOWN NAME CHANGES

The 1790 census lists a town called "Westfield". That town, with the towns of Hartford and Putnam taken from it, is now known as Fort Ann.

Vital Records

 * 1835-1850 1,100 Vital Records of Northeastern New York 1835-1850 on New York Family History - $

Birth

 * 1847–1849 Birth and Death Records.


 * 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


 * 1847–1849 Marriage papers.


 * 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."


 * 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.

Death

 * 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1847–1849 Birth and Death Records.

Death Indexes


 * 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  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.

Additional Resources

Washington County New York Genealogy Websites

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