Chautauqua County, New York Genealogy

United States New York  Chautauqua County

Parent County
11 March 1808:  Created from Genesee County.

Neighboring Counties
Cattaraugus· Erie· Pennsylvania counties: Erie· Warren· Lake Erie

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.


 * Find a grave Chautauqua County Cemetery Map

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

Church Records
A variety of local church records representing the Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Swedish Lutheran, United Brethren, Universalist, and Welsh Baptist faiths are available online at NYGenWeb.

Church Histories

 * Albertson, J. S.. An Historical Sketch of Methodism in Sheridan, Chautauqua Co., N.Y.: A Sermon. Silver Creek, N.Y.?, 1878. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Alilunas, Leo J. Highlights in the History of the Fredonia, N.Y., Presbyterian Church. Fredonia, N.Y.?, 1987. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Burgess, Chalon. The Churches and Clergy of the Pioneer Period in Chautauqua County. 1902. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Centennial History of the Fredonia Baptist Church: Fredonia, New York (Organized October 20, 1808). Buffalo, N.Y.: Matthews-Northrup, 1908?. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Centennial History of the First Presbyterian Church and Society, Westfield, N.Y.: Being a Compilation of Historical Papers, Given During the Centennial Celebration, December 1908. Jamestown, N.Y.: Journal Press, 1985. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Directory of the First Congregational Church. Jamestown, N.Y., 1895. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Elliott, Nathaniel Y. History of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mayville, New York. Mayville, N.Y.?, 1987. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Molyneux, J. Chester. An Outline of the History of First Congregational Church, Jamestown, New York. Jamestown, N.Y.?, 1987. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Re-union and Memorial Services of First Presbyterian Church, Fredonia, N.Y.: Held March 22d and 23d, 1874: With Historical Sermon and Addresses. Fredonia, N.Y.: Censor Print., 1874. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Rubenstein, Joseph. The History of the Founding of Temple Beth El, Dunkirk, New York. The History of the Founding of Temple Beth El, Dunkirk, New York. Dunkirk, N.Y.?, 1987. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Thomas, Marion. History of Methodism in Silver Creek, 1812 to 1962. Silver Creek, N.Y.?, 1962?. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * From Little Flock to Great Parish: A History of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Jamestown, New York. Jamestown, N.Y., 1987. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Directories
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness has located a volunteer willing to do lookups in the 1892-1893 Jamestown Directory.

Land and Property

 * 1804-1824 - Livsey, Karen E. Western New York Land Transactions, 1804-1824. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1825-1835 - Livsey, Karen E. Western New York Land Transactions, 1825-1835. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Map of Chautauqua County Towns -  Regional Knowledge Network
 * Chautauqua County Outline Overlays Google Map via NY Home Town Locator
 * NY Home Town Locator Chautauqua County Gazatteer By Name of Cities, Towns, Census Designated Places, Neighborhoods, Subdivisions &amp; Settlements

Military
Civil War

Available towns. Registers are available for: Arkwright· Busti· Carroll· Charlotte· Chautauqua· Cherry Creek· Clymer· Dunkirk· Ellery· Ellicott· Ellington· French Creek· Gerry· Hanover· Kiantone· Mina· Poland· Pomfret· Portland· Sheridan· Sherman· Stockton· Villenova.

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


 * - 112th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 154th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 156th Regiment, New York Infantry

Naturalization and Citizenship
SAMPUBCO Index of naturalization records

Probate Records
Abstracts


 * 1830-1843 - Wills, Chautauqua County, Vol. 1, 1830-1843, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
 * 1842-1850 - Proceedings of Administration, Chautauqua County, Vol. 2, 1842-1850, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
 * 1844-1856 - Wills, Chautauqua County, Vol. 2, 1844-1856, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
 * 1851-1865 - Proceedings of Administration, Chautauqua County, Vol. 3, 1851-1865, courtesy: NYGenWeb.

Indexes


 * 1830-1900 - SAMPUBCO - Index of testators of wills.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Fenton History Center 67 Washington Street Jamestown, NY 14701 Phone: 716-664-6256 The research center includes family name files, cemetery inscriptions, marriages and death extracted from 19th century newspapers, photographs, diaries and other sources associated with the county.

County Historian Michelle Henry 1 North Erie Street Mayville, New York 14757 E-mail: HenryM@co.chautauqua.ny.us Phone: 716-753-4857


 * For a 17-page 2003 inventory of holdings, click here.

Chautauqua Institution Smith Memorial Library 21 Miller Ave P.O. Box 1093 Chautauqua, NY 14722 Phone: (716) 357-6332/6306 Fax: (716) 357-9014

Darwin R. Barker Library and Historical Museum 7 Day Street Fredonia, NY 14063-1891 Phone: (716) 672-8051 Fax: (716) 679-3547

Patterson Library 40 South Portage Street Westfield, NY 14787 Phone: (716) 326-2154 Fax: (716) 326-2554

Reed Library SUNY College at Fredonia Fredonia, NY 14063 Phone: (716) 673-3183 Fax: (716) 673-3185

Dunkirk Historical Museum 513 Washington Avenue Dunkirk, NY 14048 Phone: (716) 366-3797

Courthouses
The office of the County Clerk has marriage, divorce, court and land records. The surrogate Court has probate records. For further information on where the records for Chautauqua County are held, see the Chautauqua County Courthouse page.

Societies
Chautauqua County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 404 Fredonia, NY 14063 The socieites publication, The Chautauqua Genealogist, is published quarterly.

Chautauqua County Historical Society and McClurg Museum P.O. Box 7 Westfield, NY 14787 Phone: 716-326-2977

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; publication: 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.

Birth
Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in  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.


 * 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."
 * 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
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  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

Web Sites

 * The Chautauqua County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Chautauqua County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Chautauqua County. (Mirror site)
 * My New York Genealogy Chautauqua County Site
 * Cyndi's List New York (Scroll down to Chautauqua County or word search for "Chautauqua" )