New York Newspapers

Time period, content, and availability of New York newspapers.

Newspapers mention births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, probate court proceedings, and other news items. Some newspapers are indexed.

The New York State Library and the New York Public Library have large collections of New York newspapers. A guide, now outdated, to newspapers is A Checklist of Newspapers in Microform in the New York State Library (Albany, New York: New York State Library, 1979; not at FHL). Most New York newspapers have been microfilmed, and you can borrow them through interlibrary loan.

Newspapers for some cities may still be found only at the public library in that community. Many local historical and genealogical societies have copies of newspapers from their area and are indexing them. A good source is Sylvia G. Faibisoff and Wendell Tripp, compilers, A Bibliography of Newspapers in Fourteen New York Counties (Cooperstown, New York: New York Historical Association, 1978; FHL book 974.7 B33f). This source lists newspapers of Allegany, Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, and Yates counties.

In 2007, New York Times issues from 1851-1922 and 1987 to the present were made available at no charge by the New York Times Web site. Some issues from 1923-1986 still require an access fee.

The Family History Library has few New York newspapers other than The New York Times, 1857–1912 (FHL films 412 reels). Indexes to the Times include:

Falk, Byron A., Jr., and Valerie R. Falk. Personal Name Index to "The New York Times Index, 1851–1979." 22 Volumes. Succasunna, New Jersey: Roxbury Data Interface, 1976 and 1975–1989 1993 Supplement. 29 Volumes. Verdi, Nevada: Roxbury Data Interface, 1991. (FHL book 974.71 B3f.) This indexes The New York Times Index, which is not at the Family History Library but is at many public and university libraries.

The New York Times Obituaries Index. Two Volumes. New York, New York: The Times, 1970. (FHL book 974.71 V42n.) This index covers 1858–1978.

Other important indexes to and transcripts of other newspaper obituaries and marriages are:

Bowman, Fred Q. 10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813–1850. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1986. (FHL book 974.7 V2bf.)

Bowman, Fred Q. 10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809–1850. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. (FHL book 974.7 V2b.)

Bowman, Fred Q. 10,000 Vital Records of Eastern New York, 1777–1834. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1987. (FHL book 974.7 V2bfq.) This is continued by 1,100 Vital Records of Northeastern New York, 1835–1850. The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 118 and 119 (July 1987–July 1988).

Bowman, Fred Q. 8,000 More Vital Records of Eastern New York State, 1804–1850. Rhinebeck, New York: Knshp, 1991. (FHL book 974.7 V2bfqa.)

Gavit, Joseph. American Deaths and Marriages, 1784–1829. Albany, New York: New York State Library, 1977. (FHL films 1022833–34.) The collection has 40,000 entries alphabetical by surname of husbands and wives from sixty-five newspapers. An index to people other than the brides and grooms was compiled by Kenneth Scott as Joseph Gavit's American Deaths and Marriages, 1784–1829: Index to Non-Principals (New Orleans, Louisiana: Polyanthos, Incorporated, 1976; FHL book 974.7 B32s).

Scott, Kenneth. Genealogical Data From Colonial New York Newspapers: A Consolidation From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1977. (FHL book 974.71 D28s.) Indexes newspapers from 1726–1783.

Scott, Kenneth. Genealogical Data from the New York Post-Boy 1743–1773. Washington, D.C.: National Genealogical Society, 1980. (FHL book 974.71 B38s.)

In addition to these published books, the Family History Library has clippings and other collections of genealogical extracts from newspapers for Dutchess, Madison, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and other counties.

Web Sites
http://www.newslink.org/nynews.html

http://www.usnpl.com/nynews.php

http://www.50states.com/news/newyork.htm