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Guide to Yates County, New York ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for Joseph C. Yates, who as Governor of New York signed the act establishing the county. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Yates County Courthouse 415 Liberty St Penn Yan, NY 14527 Phone: 315-835-6308 Yates County Courthouse

The Yates County Courthouse is the home for the County Clerk, Surrogate's Court and Public County Historian.

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:

History Timeline

 * 1 January 1826: 60 square miles of Steuben County was partioned and added to Yates, which included Starkey, Dundee, and Lakemont, New York.
 * 15 April 1828: 10 square miles was partioned from Yates, and passed to Seneca and Tompkins Counties, mostly in the forest.
 * 17 March 1860: Ontario County was authorized to gain land from Yates, but it was never put into effect.
 * 18 April 1946: Yates gained 10 square miles from Schuyler and Seneca Counties, which produced the current borders of Yates 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.

Biographies

 * Aldrich, Lewis Cass. History of Yates County, N.Y.: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers. Syracuse, New York: D. Mason, 1892. Digital version at Internet Archive; At other libraries (WorldCat);
 * Powers, Frederick. Kashong, a History From the Ancient to the Modern: With Illustrations. Penn Yan, New York: JKM Printing, c1977. ;
 * Wright, Berlin Hart. Memories of Local Naturalists. [Penn Yan, N.Y.?]: The Society, [193-?]. ;

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Census Records
For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.
 * Indexes to Yates County censuses (Federal and State) from 1790 to 1925 are available from the here.
 * A consolidated spreadsheet of Yates Censuses from 1790 to 1845, with connections for many families from 1790 to 1825/30 can be found here.

 Federal  1810
 * Adelaide Bell Baggerly Chase, Index of U. S. census, 1810, Ontario County, New York including Steuben, Wayne &amp; Yates counties (Washington: A. B. B. Chase, 1946.),


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

 State


 * See also Using the Census to find other records about ancestors

Church Records
Jemima Wilkinson established the Universal Society of Friends in Penn Yan, New York in Yates county. Her teachings were closely tied to the Quaker religion.

An impressive list of church records and church histories of Yates County is available at NYGenWeb.
 * NY GenWeb is now the web location for the (former) Historian records: including Censuses & indexes, Cemetery indexes, Local Municipal records from the various towns in Yates County; Deed Indexes; Tax records, Newspaper records, etc. The link above provides a more complete list.

Cornell University's Study Center for Early Religious Life in Western New York has an online guide to Yates County church records in their library.
 * Census: A complete collection of federal and state censuses from 1790 to 1925, all indexed; some of these indexes are on-line;
 * Land records: Deeds, mortgages and survey maps from 1788 to present, all indexed;
 * Cemetery records: A computer database of all known cemetery burials in the County and a few from neighboring towns in other counties; the database has been published in a series of six volumes;
 * Tax rolls: A complete set of existing town tax rolls, some starting as early as the 1790s, most from the 1860s, all from the 1890s to present;
 * Military records: The 1863 Civil War draft roll is extant for all nine towns; so is the 1917 World War I militia roll. Discharge papers recorded with the County Clerk have been filed by veterans since the 1860s. The County Historian has some pension rolls as well, from the Revolution and the War of 1812.
 * Newspapers: Microfilm or original copies of most Yates County newspapers from 1823 to present; genealogical references in Penn Yan papers 1823-1867 can be looked up on-line;
 * Court records: Complete set of records from all county courts, including the Surrogate Court, which handles estates and guardianships; and other civil and criminal courts from 1823-present;
 * Immigration and naturalization records: Complete set of records filed by aliens seeking citizenship, from 1823-1965 when federal courts took over the function from local courts;
 * Microfilm: A large and growing collection of town and village records on microfilm, including minutes, vital records, road surveys, district school records, and much more.
 * Reference books: A small collection of local and regional references. The best 19th century history of Yates County for genealogical purposes is Stafford Canning Cleveland's History and Directory of Yates County of 1873. A name index with some subject references is on line.
 * 1854-1855 Yates County Members of the New York Baptist Union for Ministerial Education 1854-1855, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * Jackson, Linda J. Aspiring Christians: Histories of Yates County Churches. L.J. Jackson: 1998..

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Bastardy papers, 1828-1879
 * Court minutes, 1823-1877, 18 volumes
 * Lis pendends [sic], 1832-1950, 9 volumes
 * Minutes, 1835-1895, 5 volumes Each volume contains records of several different courts: Courts of Oyer and Terminer, Court of General Sessions of the Peace and County Court.
 * Miscellaneous records, 1823-1913 (3 volumes)
 * Surrogate Court Records, This database covers most 19th century and very early 20th-century estates and guardianships. http://yates.nygenweb.net/srrogate.html#table

Directories

 * 1873 History And Directory of Yates County (1873) at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * American agriculturist farm directory of Yates, Schuyler, Tompkins and Seneca counties, New York, 1914: a rural directory and reference book including a road map of the four counties covered (New York: Orange Judd Co., 1914),
 * Bootes, Fenton E., Mrs., Index to business directory, New historical atlas of Yates County, New York, Everts, Ensign &amp; Everts (pub. 1876): includes name, date of settlement, nativity, (Microreproduction of original published: [S.l. s.n.], 1955. 9 leaves),
 * History and Directory of Yates County, Volume 1 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * The Danes of Yates County: the history and traditional arts of an ethnic community in the Finger Lakes region of New York State

Genealogies

 * History and directory of Yates County: containing a sketch of its original settlement
 * History and directory of Yates County: containing a sketch of its original settlement by the Public Universal Friends, the Lessee Company and others, with an account of individual pioneers and their families; also of other leading citizens, including church, school and civil history and a narrative of the Universal Friend
 * Sources of clues, Yates County, New York

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records


 * 1823-1965 Deed Records 1823-1910 - Index included: 1823-1965
 * 1823-1852 Mortgage Records 1823-1852 - Index included: 1823 - 1885
 * 1832-1850 Lis Pendens Lis Pendens are pending lawsuits regarding land.
 * 1851-1907 Homestead Records

Books


 * Land and Real Estate Records, courtesy: Yates County Office of Public History. Includes:
 * Index to Deeds Transmitted from Ontario County 1788-1823
 * Index to Deeds Transmitted from Steuben County 1796-1826
 * Index to Mortgages Transmitted from Ontario County 1788-1826

Materials available through the FamilySearch Library:
 * Deed records, 1823-1910; index, 1823-1965
 * Grantor Index 1823-1965 (10 volumes)
 * Grantee Index 1823-1965 (10 volumes)
 * Deed records 1823-1905 (94 volumes)


 * Deeds transmitted from Steuben and Ontario counties, 1790-1855; index 1800-1823
 * General Index 1800-1823 (2 volumes)
 * Deeds, Steuben and Yates 1796-1854 (2 volumes)
 * Deeds, Ontario and Yates 1790-1855 (5 volumes)


 * Homesteads, 1851-1907
 * Lis pendends, 1832-1950
 * Miscellaneous records, 1823-1913 (3 volumes)
 * Mortgages, 1823-1852; index, 1823-1883
 * Mortgagee Index 1823-1881 (2 volumes)
 * Mortgagor Index 1823-1833 (2 volumes)
 * Mortgages 1823-1852 (16 volumes)


 * Honor Roll of Century Land in Yates Co., State of New York, 1953 This includes a list of original land owners and dates of purchase for land which has had continuous owner- ship for 100 years.
 * United States loan mortgage, 1837-1902

Local Histories

 * 1792-2004 The Beddoe tract: 7,000 acres in central western New York state it's history from 1792 to 2004
 * 1835-1935 Keuka Lake memories: the champagne country, 1835-1935
 * 1873 History And Directory of Yates County (1873) at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * Americana in Drumlin Square
 * Changes &amp; returns: chapters in our county's history
 * A good country, a pleasant habitation, an outline of history of Yates County
 * History and directory of Yates County: containing a sketch of its original settlement
 * History of Yates County, N.Y.: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers
 * The student's handbook of Yates County
 * History and Directory of Yates County, Volume 1 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * New York Indexes (many counties) at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1683-1915 Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * 1855-1865 Yates County, New York land ownership maps, 1855 and 1865
 * Combination atlas map of Yates County, New York (pub. 1876)
 * Combination atlas map of Yates County, New York (reprint 1992)
 * Highway map of Yates County, New York, 1990


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



Military Records
General
 * 1863-1943 Soldiers discharge, 1863-1943
 * The military history of Yates County, N. Y.: comprising a record of the services rendered by citizens of this county in the army and navy, from the foundation of the government to the present timePenn Yan, N.Y. : Express Book and Job Printing House, 1895. Digital Images

 Civil War

Available towns. Registers are available for:Barrington· Benton· Italy· Potter· Starkey· Torrey. Regiments. Service men in Yates County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.
 * - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A
 * - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company C
 * - 20th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company L
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A
 * - 33rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company I
 * - 55th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A B and G
 * - 76th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A B C D E F and G
 * - 87th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A
 * - 126th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A B E and G
 * - 148th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B F and I
 * - 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C and F
 * - 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and E


 * Yates County's "boys in blue", 1861-1865: who they were and what they did
 * Diary of Royal George Kinner, a Civil War soldier
 * Jones, Paul.The Irish Brigade. (Gaithersburg, Maryland Olde Soldier Books, [199-?])

 World War I 
 * Emmett De Villo Harrison, Yates County in the World War, 1917-1918 Penn Yan, New York : E.D. Harrison, 1921

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1907-1966 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images at partner site
 * Yates County Immigration and Naturalization Records at NYGenWeb - free.

 FamilySearch Library Collection
 * Naturalization of aliens over 18 years, 1898-1899
 * Naturalization of aliens under 18 years, 1865-1898
 * Naturalization records, 1823-1958; index, ca. 1823-1956
 * Card Index 1823-1956
 * Loose papers 1820-1913 (not in chronological order before 1851)
 * Declarations of Intent 1855-1906 (old style)
 * Declarations of Intent 1906-1958 (Federal)
 * Petitions for Naturalizations 1906-1958 (Federal)

Newspapers
Newspaper resources from the FamilySearch Library collection:
 * 1838-1848  Penn Yan NY Democrat 1838-1948
 * Various Years Genealogical gleanings abstracted from the early newspapers of Penn Yan, Yates County, New York, 1823-1833 and 1841-1855
 * Yates County miscellany, newspaper clippings

Periodicals

 * The Union record Contains information also on the Ball family. published by Ball International Union and Keuka College
 * Index to Tree talks county packet, Yates County, New York
 * Yates past: newsletter of the Yates County Genealogical Historical Society
 * Index to Tree talks county packet, Yates County, New York

Probate Records
A project is underway to index and transcribe the 30 books of Wills recorded in Yates County since 1823. See the Every-Name index to Yates County Will Books for those currently on line. Currently there is an online index for the first 180 boxes of probate files which includes an alphabetical index to principals and heirs and packet lists. See the Surrogate Court Records website for the online index

Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1626-1836 Calendar of Wills On File and Recorded in the Offices of the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, of the County Clerk at Albany, and of the Secretary of State, 1626-1836 at FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at: Ancestry ($), American Ancestors ($)
 * 1629-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1659-1999 New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at American Ancestors ($).
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills (1823-1903).
 * 1629-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1823-1913 Miscellaneous records(3 volumes)
 * Partial Index to Will Books A–C. Bootes, Fenton E. Deans of Wantage, Morris Co., New Jersey and a partial index to will books, A-C, of Yates County, New York.Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1979. Manuscript on Film.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records

 * 1723-2009 Yates County, New York, U.S., Swann Vital Records Collection, 1723-2009 at Ancestry - index and images ($)

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 — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1899-1941 Penn Yan Democrat Births, Marriages and Deaths Index(Missing 1905,1906, 1920, 1929)Courtesy Yates County, NYGenWeb
 * 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;1908-1936 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive. - images of index
 * 1908-1926 Marriage Record of Yates County, New York
 * 1908-1933 County Marriage Records at Yates County Government Site.
 * 1847-1848;1908-1936 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Marriage Substitutes
 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1800-1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groon, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.
 * 1801-1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
 * 1813-1850 Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Balitimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986). Ancestry ($); MyHeritage ($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.
 * 1855,1856,1861,1863,1864,1865 Marriage Record of Josiah S. Carr, J.P. Seven entries.Courtesy Yates County, 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.
 * 1864–5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864–5 and 1874-5.
 * 1865 1865 Census Yates County, NY Marriages Courtesy Yates County, NYGenWeb
 * 1875 Census Yates County, NY Marriages Courtesy Yates County, New York GenWeb
 * 1899-1941 Penn Yan Democrat Births, Marriages and Deaths Index(Missing 1905,1906, 1920, 1929) Courtesy Yates County, NYGenWeb
 * 1908-1933 County Marriage Records Marriage Licenses (1908-1933)and Marriage Certificates (1908-1926) Courtesy Yates County, NYGenWeb
 * Yates County New York Marriage Records from various sources. Includes an alphabetical index for marriage and anniversary announcements. Courtesy www.genwed.com

Death
Death Indexes
 * 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/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 - images of index
 * 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Death Substitutes
 * 1640-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1801-1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
 * 1813-1850  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Baltimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986).Ancestry ($); MyHeritage ($); ;. Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.
 * 1850-1880 U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, New York, Ancestry ($)
 * 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 Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Yates for death information for 1864–5, and 1874-5.
 * 1865 1865 Census Mortality Schedules Officers and Enlisted Men Name Index. Courtesy Yates County, NYGenWeb
 * 1899-1941 Penn Yan Democrat Births, Marriages and Deaths Index(Missing 1905,1906, 1920, 1929)Courtesy Yates County, NYGenWeb
 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Yates for death information.

Archives
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Yates County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1984). ; . Includes index. Includes sources for family history and genealogy.

 County Historian
 * Yates County Historian's Office 417 Liberty St.-Suite 0032 Penn Yan, New York 14527 Phone: 315-536-5147 Email: history@yatescounty.org
 * Genealogical Resources


 * Census from 1790 - 1925, indexed.
 * land records from 1788 to present, indexed
 * Cemetery records. A computer database of all known cemetery burials in the County.
 * Tax rolls as early as 1790, most from the 1860's and all from the 1890's to the present.
 * Military records
 * Newspapers
 * Court records from all county court including the Surrogate Court
 * Immigration and naturalization records
 * A large and growing collection of town and village records on microfilm, including minutes, vital records, road surveys, school records and more.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Auburn New York FamilySearch Center
 * Fayette New York FamilySearch Center
 * Hornell New York FamilySearch Center
 * Palmyra New York FamilySearch Center
 * Pittsford New York FamilySearch Center
 * Rochester New York FamilySearch Center
 * Davie County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Penn Yan Public Library 214 Main St. Penn Yan, New York 14527-1796 Phone: 315-536-6114 Hours: Monday - Friday 9 am - 7:30 pm Saturday 9 am - 1 pmWebsite
 * The Penn Yan library holds a comprehensive collection of local newspapers and more.

Museums

 * The Oliver House Museum and The L. Caroline Underwood Museum 107 Chapel Street Penn Yan, New York 14527 Phone: 315-536-7318 ycghs@yatespast.org Website

Societies

 * Central New York Genealogical Society Box 104, Calvin Station Syracuse, New York 13205 E-mail: [mailto:CNYGS@yahoo.com CNYSG@yahoo.com]Website
 * 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, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates.


 * Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society, Inc. 107 Chapel Street Penn Yan, New York 14527 Phone: 315-536-7318 Email: ycghs@yatespast.org Website
 * Some of the genealogical resources available through the Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society are:
 * County maps from 1790 - 1969, Marriage and death records, 1820's - 1990's taken from newspapers, genealogies and other records; Census indexes, 1790-1865; Penn Yan County directories, 1879-1990; Local history; Special collections including photogarphs; Cemetery records; County history; School records; and more...

Websites

 * Ancestry
 * Yates County NYGenWeb
 * Yates County NY Genealogy
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.