Livingston County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Livingston 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 Robert R. Livingston, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase. The County is located in the west area of the state.

Parent Counties
23 February 1821: Created from Genesee and Ontario counties.

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.

Federal

 * The 1890 Census is lost. For a substitute, see directories.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places


 * 1854-1855 New York Baptist Union for Ministerial Education 1854-1855, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.


 * 1909 Church Records -- St. Columba, Our Parish Register, December 1909, courtesy: NYGenWeb.


 * 1910-1911 Livingston County Presbyterian Church Officers 1910 - 1911, courtesy: NYGenWeb.

Cornell University's Study Center for Early Religious Life in Western New York has an online guide to Livingston County church records in their library.

Directories

 * 1868 - Stetson, G. Emmet, comp., New Gazetteer and Business Directory for Livingston County, N. Y., for 1868, (Geneva, NY: R.L. Adams and son, 1868)


 * 1880-1881 - Western New York Gazetteer Business Directory, Nineteen Counties, 1880-81, (A. N. Marquis and Co., 1880). The nineteen counties included are Allegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesse, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates.


 * 1917 - American Agriculturist Farm Directory and Reference Book, Monroe and Livingston Counties New York1917, (New York: Orange Judd Co., 1917)

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

 * Was the early home of Millard Fillmore and Chester A. Arthur
 * First chapter of American Red Cross was organized by Clara Barton in 1881.
 * Home of Francis Bellamy, author of Pledge of Allegiance (written 1892.)
 * Smith, James H., History of Livingston County, New York, (D. Mason and Co.: Syracuse, N.Y., 1881)

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

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.
 * Erie Canal, 1825 from Albany, New York to Buffalo, New York
 * Forbidden Path, 1767 from Athens, Pennsylvania to Salamanca, New York
 * Great Genesee Road, 1794 from Utica, New York to Buffalo, New York
 * Lake Shore Path 1792 from Buffalo, New York to Sandusky County, Ohio
 * 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: Caledonia· Conesus· Leicester· Lima· Livonia· North Dansville· Nunda· Ossian· Portage· Sparta· Springwater· West Sparta· York.

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


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Battery E.
 * - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Companies C and K.
 * - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies C and K.
 * - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company B.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 13th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
 * - 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies H and L.
 * - 27th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies G and H.
 * - 33rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies E and F.
 * - 56th Regiment, New York Infantry National Guard (100 days, 1864)
 * - 89th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.
 * - 100th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 102nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
 * - 104th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, D, E and G
 * - 129th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company M.
 * - 130th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, G, I and K.
 * - 136th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, C, E, F, G and I.
 * - 141st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies F and G.
 * - 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 189th Regiment, New York Infantry, 2nd Company K.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1907-1966 at FamilySearch – free; Index.

Newspapers

 * Avon NY Herald News 1939-1987
 * Avon NY News 1907-1921
 * Caledonia NY Advertiser 1878-1988
 * Dansville NY Breeze 1924-1971
 * Dansville NY Genesee County Express 1932-1982
 * Geneseo NY Democrat 1835-1857
 * Geneseo NY Livingston County Leader 1934-1988
 * Geneseo NY Livingston Journal 1823-1833
 * Geneseo NY Livingston Progress 1888
 * Geneseo NY Livingston Register 1824-1840
 * Geneseo NY Livingston Republican 1837-1979
 * Geneseo NY Union Citizen 1879-1882
 * Lima NY Recorder 1855-1989
 * Livonia NY Gazette 1916-1987
 * Mt. Morris Spectator 1834-1837
 * Mt. Morris NY Picket Line Post 1903-1959
 * Mt. Morris NY Enterprise 1875-1982
 * Nunda NY News 1859-1982
 * Springwater NY Enterprise 1879-1922
 * Springwater NY Valley News 1951-1971

Probate Records
Online 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 ($)
 * 1821-1905 SAMPUBCO - Free browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * - Livingston County: Decrees, Orders, 1824-1959; Estate records, 1822-1905; Letters of administration, 1857-1904; Letters of administration, Letters of testamentary, 1830-1857; Letters of guardianship, 1876-1915; Letters of testamentary, 1861-1904; Surrogate record index, 1821-1931; Wills, 1821-1905

Probate Records on Microfilm

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


 * 1821–1931Surrogate Index A–Z
 * 1821–1905 Records of Wills
 * 1822–1915 Probate Records Includes guardianship 1876–1915
 * 1823–1870's Guardianship Records
 * 1824–1969 Orders, Decrees

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Livingston 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
Pioneer Library System for Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. :Lists the communities in each county in the Pioneer Library System with links to each library.

Livingston County Public Libraries gives many of the names and addresses of the public libraries in Livingston County by town.

Livingston County Historical Society and Museum 30 Center Street Geneseo, NY 14454 Phone: 585-243-9147 Contact Society online form

County Clerk
Livingston County Clerk 6 Court St - Room 201 Geneseo NY 14454 Phone: (585) 243-7010 Phone: (585) 335-1712

Courthouse
The Livingston County Clerk's office has divorce, court and land records. The Surrogate court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Livingston County are held, see the Livingston County Courthouse page.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Hornell New York Family History Center
 * Orchard Park New York Family History Center
 * Pittsford New York Family History Center
 * Rochester New York Family History Center
 * Warsaw New York Family History Center


 * Buffalo and Erie County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County - an affiliate library
 * Richmond Memorial Library - an affiliate library

Societies
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.

Livingston County Historical Society 30 Center Street Geneseo, NY 14454 Phone: 585-243-9147 Facebook Contact Society online form


 * The society has a museum. On its site are links to the historical societies in each town in the county.

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

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 – 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


 * 1848–1880 Miscellaneous marriage records from County Courthouse . Dates are mixed. Contains loose documents


 * 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."


 * 1800s Livingston County NY GenWeb Early Marriages at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 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
 * 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 1865 Deaths from the Livingston County New York State Census at New Horizons Genealogical Services - free.

Additional Resources

Livingston County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Livingston County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Livingston County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Livingston County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Livingston County. (Backup site)
 * Linkpendium.com for Livingston County
 * Livingston County NY Genealogy