Allegany County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Allegany 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 is located in the southwest area of the state.

Parent County

 * 7 March 1806: Set off from Genesee 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.


 * 1683: Allegany County was part of Albany County.
 * 1808: a portion transferred from Steuben County.
 * 1811: a portion transferred to Genesee County.
 * 1812-1816: Cattaraugus County was included in Allegany County. Some of records kept at Belmont.
 * 1822: a portion transferred to Tioga County.
 * 14 May 1841 a portion was set off to create Wyoming County.

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.

Biography
Allegany county and it people : a centennial memorial history of Allegany county, New York published in 1896

History of Allegany County, N. Y. published in 1879

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

(in rural areas)
 * 1800-1965 - at FamilySearch — index


 * Vol. 1
 * page 41 - Kenyon Family Cemetery, near Nile
 * page 52 - Lattice Bridge Cemetery
 * page 65 - Norton Cemetery
 * page 79 - Swift Family Cemetery, near Cuba Lake
 * page 80 - Van Campen Creek Cemetery

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

1890
Loss of 1890 Census records. City directories may serve as substitutes.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

General

 * The Church Records section for Allegany County at the New York GenWeb website has membership data, histories, and other helpful information on Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, and Seventh Day Baptist Congregations

Episcopal

 * 1910-1917 - University Mission Episcopal Church Records, Allentown, New York, courtesy: NYGenWeb. Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials.

Catholic

 * 1852-1867 Assumption Parish for Portageville in Wyoming County and Birdsall in Allegany Microfilm of original records. Baptisms 1852-1917, confirmations 1880-1917, confirmations from Saint Mary Parish, Birdsall, New York 1885-1905, marriages 1852-1882, confirmations 1859-1874, deaths 1859-1863, marriages 1875-1916, deaths 1875-1917

Court Records
USGen Web has A Digital Library on line of indexes ot Allegany County, New York Court Records, including Guardianship Orders 1852-1864, Indexes Guardianship 1829-1895, Declarations of Intent 1866-1929; and Petitions 1907-1930.

Directories
Allegany County, New York City, County, and Rural Directories (Source: Online Historical Directories)


 * 1875 - Gazetteer and Business Directory of Allegany County, NY for 1875. Digital versions at Don's List - free; Internet Archive - free.

Emigration and Immmigration

 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Genealogy

 * Rootsweb message boardfor 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
The southern part of the county lies within the oil field where the petroleum was first discovered in the USA at Titusville, Pennsylvania. As the oil industry grew, towns such as Petrolia were founded with oil-based names. Oil played out but the natural gas is still an important resource.

Additional Resources:

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

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

Online



Microforms


 * 1807-1940 Deed Records 1807-1940, - Index included: 1807-1929
 * 1807-1961 Mortgage Records 1807-1864, 1888-1893 - Index included: 1807 - 1961

Books



Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Map of Allegany County Towns - Regional Knowledge Network
 * Map of Allegany County Towns - Painted Hills Genealogy Society
 * Outline of Allegany County Over Google Map - NY Home Town Locator
 * Allegany County Map Links - Linkpendium (84 maps)

Migration
Migration routes for early European settlers to and from included:


 * Catskill Road 1750s from Springfield, Massachusetts to Catskill, New York
 * Catskill Turnpike  (aka Susquehannah Turnpike ) from Catskill, NY to Unadilla, NY; route travelled by Europeans by the 1750s; toll booths opened by 1804.
 * Forbidden Path, 1767 from Athens, Pennsylvania to Salamanca, New York
 * Lehigh and Lackawanna Paths 1766 from Unadilla, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Catskill Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Ulster and Delaware Turnpike 1802 from Salisbury, Connecticut to Bainbridge, New York

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Alfred· Allen· Alma· Almond· Amity· Andover· Angelica· Belfast· Birdsall· Bolivar· Burns· Caneadea· Centerville· Clarksville· Cuba· Genesee· Granger· Grove· Hume· Independence· Rushford· Scio· Ward· Wellsville· West Almond· Willing· Wirt.

Regiments. Service men in Allegany 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 Allegany County.


 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Mounted Rifles, Companies B and H.
 * - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Company I.
 * - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company I.
 * - 12th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company B.
 * - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company L.
 * - 21st Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company D.
 * - 23rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 27th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company I.
 * - 64th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and G.
 * - 67th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.
 * - 76th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
 * - 85th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C, D, E, F, H and I.
 * - 104th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C and E.
 * - 130th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C, E, F, G, H and I.
 * - 136th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B and K.
 * - 160th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies G, H and I.
 * - 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.
 * - 189th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B and I.
 * - 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C, E and F.


 * Allegany County, List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 at Internet Archive.


 * New York World War II Casualties - Army, Air Force at AccessGenealogy.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * SAMPUBCO Free browsable index of applicants. Includes spouses and children.
 * 1791-1980 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1907-1966 at FamilySearch - images; no searchable index.

Newspapers

 * Andover Free Library Newspaper Archive - a few newspapers online from Allegany County 1860-1980
 * Old Fulton Postcards - Free searchable web site which holds newspapers from upstate New York.

Obituaries
Allegany County Historical Society Online obituaries (small collections); others available via email contact; Volunteers offer help as time allows.

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


 * 1897–1930 Listed as "Surrogates Records".

Online Probate Indexes


 * 1629-1971 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1659-1999 - New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1787-1835 - Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787-1835 at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * 1804-1906 - SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1829-1895 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of guardianships (names of children).
 * 1831-1841 - Allegany Co., New York Will Bk 1 - Index & Will Abstracts (1831-1841) at NYGenWeb.
 * 1852-1889 - SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of letters of administration.
 * Every Name Index to Allegany County, New York Surrogate Court Records, Box 1 at NYGenWeb.
 * 1866-1923 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * - Allegany County: Administration bonds, 1890-1900; Administration orders, 1869-1902; Decrees, Minutes, Orders, 1807-1903; Final settlements, 1852-1904; Guardianship bonds, 1890-1920; Guardianship orders, 1852-1905; Guardianship records, 1829-1907; Index, 1807-1952; Journals, 1818-1884; Letters of administration, 1852-1901; Letters testamentary, 1852-1901; Orders, 1842-1907; Proceedings, 1812-1829; Publication orders, 1892-1916; Real estate records, 1843-1899; Wills, 1831-1906

Probate Records on Microfilm

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


 * 1807–1930 Record of wills, other miscellaneous surrogate records

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Allegany County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1980). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Libraries

Belfast Public Library P.O. Box 455 75 South Main Street Belfast, NY 14711 Phone 1-585-365-2072 Website: http://WWW.STLS.ORG/BELFAST

Dansville Public Library 200 Main Street Dansville, NY 14437 Phone: 1-585-335-6720 Website: http://WWW.DANSVILLE.LIB.NY.US

Hornell Public Library 64 Genesee St Hornell, NY 14843 Phone: 1-607-324-1210 Website: http://WWW.STLS.ORG/HORNELL

David A. Howe Public Library 155 North Main Street Wellsville, NY 14895 Phone: 1-585-593-3410 Website: http://WWW.DAVIDAHOWELIBRARY.ORG

Howard Public Library 3607 County Route 70A Hornell, NY 14843 Phone: 1- 607-566-2412

Whitesville Public Library 500 Main Street Witesville, NY 14897 Phone: 1-607-356-3645 Website: http://WWW.STLS.ORG/WHITESVILLE

County Historian's Office
Historian Allegany County Department of History Craig Braack, Historian Courthouse 7 Court Street Belmont, NY 14813 Phone: 585-268-9293 E-mail: braackc@alleganyco.com

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 County Clerk's office has marriage records from 1908- 1935, land records from 1807, divorce and court records. The Surrogate's court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Allegany County are held, see the Allegany County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

 * Wellsville New York Family History Center

Societies
Allegany County Historical Society 11 E Greenwood St PO Box 252 Andover, NY 14806 607-478-5390 Facebook

Painted Hills Genealogy Society Mary E. Bryant: Founder and President E-mail: paint@paintedhills.org Facebook

Central New York Genealogical Society Central New York Genealogical Society at http://www.cnygs.org/


 * 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.

Western New York Genealogical Society P.O. Box 338 Hamburg, New York 14075-0338 Email: info@wnygs.org Directory


 * Focus is on eight Western New York counties - Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany - which comprise the area of the original Holland Land Company purchase.

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch)

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 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.


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


 * 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

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."


 * 1809-1850 10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809-1850 at Ancestry ($).
 * 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry ($); 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.


 * 1874-5 Marriages from the 1875 Allegany Co., NY State Census 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 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."


 * 1800s-1900s Allegany County Deaths at NYGenWeb.


 * 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.&gt;


 * 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.


 * 1860 partial  1860 Partial Mortality Census - Allegany Co., New York at NYGenWeb.


 * 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.


 * 1869-70 1870 Mortality Census - Allegany Co., New York at NYGenWeb.


 * 1874-75 Deaths from the 1875 New York State Census - Allegany Count at NYGenWeb.


 * 1879-80 1880 Mortality Schedule - Allegany County, new York at NYGenWeb.


 * Angelica Collectanea &amp; Obituaries at NYGenWeb; impressive obituary collection.


 * at FamilySearch, begins in 1962.

Additional Resources

Family History Centers

 * Elmira New York Family History Center
 * Hornell New York Family History Center
 * Olean New York Family History Center
 * Warsaw New York Family History Center
 * Wellsville New York Family History Center


 * Olean Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Steele Memorial Library - an affiliate library

Allegany County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Allegany County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Allegany County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NYGenWeb Project
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Allegany County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Allegany County. (backup site)
 * catalog for Allegany County
 * Allegany County Historical Society, listing obituaries, biographies, funeral home records, cemeteries, histories, maps
 * Painted Hills Genealogy Society - records for Allegany County and three surrounding counties
 * Allegany County Search at Ancestry ($)
 * Allegany County Links - Linkpendium
 * Allegany County Links - Cyndi's List - Scroll or search down to "Allegany" for Allegany County Links
 * Allegany County Links - Genealogylinks.net
 * Allegany County Links - My New York Genealogy
 * Allegany County Genealogy - New York Genealogy
 * Allegany County Links - D'ADDEZIO.com (Italian Emphasis)
 * Allegany County Links - The Record Project (Vital Record Emphasis)