Schenectady County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Schenectady 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 the Mohawk language word meaning "on the other side of the pine lands," a term that originally applied to Albany. The County is located in the east central area of the state.

Parent County
Schenectady County was created 7 March 1809 from 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

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

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

A variety of local church records and histories from the Baptist, Christian, Dutch, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, and Roman Catholic faiths are available online at NYGenWeb.


 * 1600s-1i872 - Schenectady Baptisms from Pearson's Genealogies, courtesy: Ancestral Things - free.

Directories

 * 1864 - Schenectady City and County Directory ... 1864-5. Digital version at Don's List - free.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1870-71 Child, Hamilton. Gazetteer and business directory of Albany and Schenectady Co., N. Y. for 1870-71. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms International - Books on Demand, 1989. ;


 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- 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.
 * Genealogies of the Descendants of the First Settlers of Schenectady. This contains biographical information about the First Settlers of Schenectady, alphabetically arranged.

History
Schenectady Digital History Archive includes "Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: Index to Families".

Land and Property
Original land records in began in 1809. These records are housed at the Schenectady County Courthouse in Schenectady, New York.

Online



Microforms



Books



The Schenectady County Clerk has put a deed index online.

A guide at NYGenWeb explains how to use this database:


 * Schenectady County, New York Property Assessments and Land Records

For more recent sales, a subscription site can help: NYDeeds.com ($).

Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)

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


 * pre-historic
 * pre-historic
 * pre-historic
 * pre-historic
 * prehistoric
 * Lake Champlain Trail pre-historic
 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail 1722
 * Forbidden Path or Catskill Turnpike
 * Greenwood Road
 * Old Connecticut Path
 * Champlain Canal 1823
 * Erie Canal 1825
 * Chambly Canal 1843

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Duanesburg· Glenville· Niskayuna· Rotterdam.

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


 * - 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company C.
 * - 18th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A and E.
 * - 18th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
 * - 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies D, L and M.
 * - 30th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.
 * - 43rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 91st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 134th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, F, H and I.
 * - 175th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and E.
 * - 177th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 192nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D, E, F, G, H and I.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
The Library of Congress U.S. Newspaper Directory shows 100 newspapers published in the county since settlement.

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
 * 1809-1917 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1809-1845 - Barber, Gertrude A. Abstracts of Wills of Schenectady County, N.Y.: Copied from the Original Records at the Surrogate's Office, Schenectady, N.Y. unknown, 1989. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1866 - 1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * - Schenectady County: Administration bonds 1890-1901; Dower records, Minutes 1817-1858; General index 1809-1916; Guardianship bonds 1890-1929; Letters of administration 1809-1921; Letters of guardianship 1809-1907; Letters of testamentary 1839-1918; Probate records 1871-1917; Will and letter index 1809-1830; Wills 1806-1917

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


 * 1809–1929 Probate Records: Administration bonds 1890-1901; General index 1809-1916; Guardianship bonds 1890-1929; Letters of administration 1809-1921; Letters of guardianship 1809-1907; Letters of testamentary 1839-1918; Probate records 1871-1917; Will and letter index 1809-1830; Wills 1806-1917.

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Schenectady 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.

Courthouses
The Schenectady County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and land records as well as maps and city directories. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Schenectady County are held, see the Schenectady County Courthouses page.

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Birth
Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * 1808–1850 Fred Q.Bowman, 7000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley, (NY), Vital Records, 1808-1850 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1997). ; . Abstracts from newspapers filed at the New York State Library in Albany.


 * 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


 * 1908–1920 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free;.

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1600s-1800s Schenectady Marriages from Pearson's Genealogies at Ancestral Things - free.


 * 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."


 * 1808–1850 Fred Q.Bowman, 7000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley, (NY), Vital Records, 1808-1850 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1997). ; . Abstracts from newspapers filed at the New York State Library in Albany.


 * 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
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
 * 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."


 * 1808–1850 Fred Q.Bowman, 7000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley, (NY), Vital Records, 1808-1850 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1997). ; . Abstracts from newspapers filed at the New York State Library in Albany.


 * 1810–1843 Marie Hall Cormack, Transcript of books 118-121 of old records in the County Clerk's Office : ca. 1810-1843 (1939–1940)..


 * 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.

Additional Resources

Schenectady County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Schenectady County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Schenectady County Genealogy