Tompkins County, New York Genealogy

United States New York  Tompkins County

Parent Counties
7 April 1817: Created from parts of Cayuga and Seneca counties.

Neighboring Counties
Cayuga· Chemung· Cortland· Schuyler· Seneca· Tioga

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.

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

Church Records

 * 1840s-1850s - Pastor's Hand Book, Book A, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free. Marriages.


 * 1840s-1860s - Original Marriage Records of Rev Levi Pitts, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1850s-1880s - Pastor's Hand Book, Book B, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free. Marriages.


 * 1854-1855 - Tompkins County Members of the New York Baptist Union for Ministerial Education 1854-1855, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1870 - The Tabernacle Baptist Church, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free. Includes membership list.


 * 1880s-1940s - The Snyder Hill Free Will Baptist Church, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free. Includes membership list.


 * Gross, Edna May. Unpublished Records of Births, Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths. Ithaca, N.Y.: unknown, 1986. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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

History
Tompkins County was formed by an act of the legislature, April 17, 1817 - taken from Cayuga and Seneca Counties. Its lineage extends back to Onondaga, Kerkimer, Montgomery, Tryon and Albany counties. It was named in honor of governor Daniel D. Tompkins. The county of Tompkins when formed contained the towns of Hector, Ulysses, and Covert taken from Seneca County, and the town of Dryden and a part of the towns of Locke and Genoa from Cayuga County.

Tompkins County, as originally formed, had within its limits a good portion of Cayuga Lake and extended westward to the Seneca Lake. Tompkins County is bounded on the north by Cayuga and Seneca Counties, on the east by Cortland and Tioga, on the south by Tioga, Schuyler and Chemung, and on the west by Chemung and Schuyler. Its county seat is Ithaca.

The County of Tompkins consists of nine townships: Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Groton, Enfield, Ithaca, Lansing, New field and Ulysses, along with many villages and hamlets.

Some of the finest farming lands in the state are found in Tompkins County on the eastern and western shores of Cayuga Lake.

For more information and personal details, see the book,"An outline history of Tioga and Bradford counties in Pennsylvania, Chemung, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins and Schuyler in New York : by townships, villages, boro's and cities".

Land and Property

 * 1817-1860 - Index to Deeds Tompkins County, NY 1817-1860 Inclusive, courtesy: NYGenWeb.

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


 * Catskill Turnpike, trail 1760s; turnpike 1804, from Catskill, New York to Bath, New York with extensions to Buffalo, New York, or Erie, Pennsylvania

Military
Civil War

Available towns. Registers are available for: Caroline· Danby· Dryden· Enfield· Groton· Ithaca· Newfield· Ulysses.

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


 * - 109th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 137th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 138th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 143rd Regiment, New York Infantry

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


 * 1818–1900 Listed as "Petitions, proof of wills, letters of administration, and estate papers" . How to use Family History Library Catalog

Online Probate Indexes


 * 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at New York Ancestors ($); includes.


 * 1817-1903 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.


 * - Tompkins County: Administration bonds, 1890-1903; Bonds, 1896-1901; Decrees, Minutes, Orders, 1831-1914; Dower records, 1817-1882; Executor records, 1862-1910; Final settlements, 1868-1907; General index, 1818-1951; Guardianship records, 1817-1913; Letters of administration, Letters of testamentary, 1823-1904; Letters of testamentary, 1869-1904; Sales, 1831-1907; Will index, 1910-1936; Wills and Administrations, 1850-1891; Wills, 1817-1903; Wills, Administrations, Petitions, 1818-1900.

Probate Records on Microfilm

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Tompkins 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
Tompkins County Museum 401 East State Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Phone: (607) 273-8284 FAX: (607) 273-6107

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

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.

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Vital Records
Tompkins County is considered a consolidated county because birth and death records were collected from the towns, cities and villages and are on file with the Office of Vital Records in Ithaca. See this link for information about obtaining copies of birth and death records for most towns from 1880 to the present. Towns with records beginning later than 1880 are listed on the Office of Vital Records website.

Records may be ordered from the Tompkins County Office of Vital Records and must be requested by mail. Fees apply for both a record search and for a document copy. There is a 50-year restriction for deaths and a 75-year restriction for births. The restriction is waived if the applicant can prove the relationship to direct-line ancestors. Copies are also available at the New York State Department of Health in Albany. See New York Vital Records Wiki page for more information about ordering records from Albany.

Marriage records are usually found at the office of the town, city, or village clerk where the marriage license was issued. See the heading Places on this wiki page for links to local community wiki pages and their available records. Limited consolidated Tompkins County marriage records 1908-1935 are available at the Family History Library. See New York Vital Records for a discussion about beginning dates and availability of vital records in New York.

Use substitute records for birth, marriage and death information. These substitute records include Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records.

Birth
However, birth records were collected and consolidated from the town records by Tompkins County. See the Tompkins County Health Department for information about ordering records. Most town records begin in 1880.

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

 * 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; ;.

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 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."


 * 1820s-1900s Miscellaneous Marriages of Tompkins County 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 browseable.


 * 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
However, death records were collected and consolidated from the town records by Tompkins County. See the Tompkins County Health Department for information about ordering records. Most town records begin in 1880.

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."


 * 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 browseable.


 * 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