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Guide to Rensselaer 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 Kiliaen van Rensselaer, a Dutch jeweler and merchant. The County is located in the east area of the state.

County Courthouse
Rensselaer County Courthouse 80 Second St Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 518-285-5025 Rensselaer County Courthouse

The Rensselaer County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court, land and naturalization records. The Surrogate Court has probate records.

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 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

 * Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs. 4 volumes. c1911. Edited by Cuyler Reynolds. New York, New York : Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($). Includes people from Rensselaer County.

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.

 Federal

 State


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

Church Records
Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History &amp; Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of Rensselaer County, years parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Rensselaer County parishes fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Albany. A large number of local church records have been transcribed as part of the NYGenWeb Project. Faiths represented include: Baptist, Catholic, Dutch Reformed, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed Protestant, and Society of Friends.
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * Addresses for Rensselaer County Places of Worship - Rensselaer County, NY GenWeb
 * 1814-1926 Records of the Reformed Dutch Church at Blooming Grove,

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

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

Genealogies

 * Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs. 4 volumes. c1911. Edited by Cuyler Reynolds. New York, New York : Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($). Includes people from Rensselaer County.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1630-1899 Rensselaerwyck Manor Records, 1630-1899 - New York State Library

Local Histories
The county had partial settlements at a very early period of [early American] history, and has long sustained a very considerable population. The whole of the county, except the towns of Schaghticoke, Pittstown, Hoosick, and north part of Lansingburg and part of Troy, is comprised within the Rensselaerwyck patent, leased under the ordinary rent, in farms, at ten bushels of wheat the hundred acres. The county contains 13 towns and the city of Troy.
 * Excerpts from A Driving Tour of Rensselaer County New York by Craig Stromme
 * New York Indexes (many counties) at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1683-1915 Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Rensselaer County Map - Rensselaer County Online
 * Rensselaer County Tax Maps - Rensselaer County Bureau of Research and Information Services Internet Mapping Gateway
 * 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 Rensselaer County included:
 * Hudson River a navigable river stretching from north of Albany then flowing south to empty into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City
 * Albany Post Road from New York City to Albany, New York 1669
 * Alford and Egremont (MA) Turnpike 1812
 * Ancram (NY) Turnpike 1805, also sometimes called the Catskill Road, from Salisbury, Connecticut to Catskill, New York
 * 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 1792; toll booths opened by 1804.
 * Columbia (NY) Turnpike 1799
 * Great Barrington and Aford (MA) Turnpike 1812
 * Greenwood Road 1799 from Hartford, Connecticut to Albany, New York
 * Hampden and Berkshire (MA) Turnpike 1826
 * Hillsdale and Chatham Turnpike 1805 from Alford, Massachusetts to Albany, New York
 * Housatonic River (MA) Turnpike 1809
 * Massachusetts 10th Turnpike 1800
 * Massachusetts 12th Turnpike 1812
 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail  1722 from Boston, Massachusetts to Fort Oswego, New York
 * Rensselaer and Columbia (NY) Turnpike 1799
 * pre-historic
 * pre-historic
 * Champlain Canal 1823
 * Erie Canal 1825
 * Chambly Canal 1843
 * pre-historic
 * prehistoric
 * Lake Champlain Trail pre-historic

Military Records
 Civil War Online Civil War Indexes and Records
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images at partner site

Available towns. Registers are available for: Berlin· Brunswick· East Greenbush· Grafton· Greenbush· Hempstead· Nassau· North Greenbush· Petersburg· Pittstown· Sand Lake· Schodack. Regiments. Service men from Rensselaer County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were formed in Rensselaer County:
 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Battery E.
 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 3rd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Company D.
 * - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company D.
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies C, D, E, F, G and H.
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Veteran Infantry
 * - 9th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 11th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
 * - 12th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies B, G and M.
 * - 16th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies F and K.
 * - 18th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
 * - 21st Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies I, L and M.
 * - 30th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, H and I.
 * - 34th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A.
 * - 62nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 65th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B and D.
 * - 91st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company I.
 * - 93rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K.
 * - 104th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H, I and K.
 * - 125th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 156th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H, I and K.
 * - 169th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, G, H, I and K.
 * - 175th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B and C.
 * - 177th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 192nd Regiment, New York Infantry

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * Rensselaer County Naturalization Records (partial index) at NYGenWeb - free.

Newspapers

 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Pittsfield, MA newspapers (1858-1977) and North Adams, MA newspapers (1895-1977) covering local news that included Rensselaer County residents.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1793-1906 Listed as "Probate Records" Indexes to these records are found on:.
 * 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 ($)
 * 1790-1850 Abstracts Of Wills, Rensselaer County, New York (1790-1850).
 * 1791-1905 SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills (1791-1905).
 * 1791-1850 Phillips, Ralph David. Abstracts of Wills of Rensselaer County, New York: In the Office of the Surrogate at Troy, New York, 1791-1850. Nassau, N.Y.: unknown, 1938. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1629-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * Stephentown Genealogy has indexes to wills of residents of Stephentown. Miscellaneous years.
 * Rensselaer County Wills and Probate Records, courtesy: NYGenWeb. Miscellaneous years.
 * 1791-1921 Probate Records: Index 1794-1916, Surrogate Court Petitions.

Birth

 * 1881-1942 New York, Birth Index, 1881-1942 at Ancestry — index($)
 * 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Archive - images of index

Birth Substitutes
 * 1846-1850 Frank Warner Thomas, Vital Records of Rennselaer County, New York–Births, 1846-1850 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1968). - free;.
 * 1640-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; 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;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
 * 1908-1935 Marriage index; vol.1–10 . This index is from the Registrar's Office in Rensselaer County. It is a microreproduction of the manuscript in the County Courthouse.
 * 1908-1935 Index to Marriage Records, Rensselaer County, NY 1908-1935, provided by the Troy Irish Genealogy Society.

Marriage Substitutes
 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1777-1834  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Eastern New York, 1777-1834 (Baltimore,MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987). Ancestry ($); MyHeritage ($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.
 * 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."
 * 1809-1828 Some Rensselaer Co. Residents Married in Bennington, VT, 1809-1828 at NYGenWeb - free.
 * 1846-1850, 1874–1881 Frank Warner Thomas, Vital Records of Rennselaer County, New York–Marriages, 1846-1850, 1874–1881 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1968)..
 * 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

 * 1847-1851 Rensselaer County, NY: Death Records, 1847-1851 at American Ancestors — images($)
 * 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1880-1956 New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry ($), index only
 * 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Death Substitutes
 * 1777-1834  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Eastern New York, 1777-1834 (Baltimore,MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987). Ancestry ($); MyHeritage ($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.
 * 1787-1850 Index to Some Deaths Appearing in Lansingburgh Newspapers, 1787-1850 at NYGenWeb - free; missing deaths for surnames beginning with letters A-K.
 * 1640-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1801-1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
 * 1847-1851 Milton Halsey Thomas and Frank Warner Thomas, Vital Records of Rennselaer County, New York–Deaths, 1847-1851 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1941). - free; ;.
 * 1847-1851 Rensselaer County, NY: Death Records, 1847-1851 at American Ancestors ($).
 * 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.

Archives
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Rensselaer 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.

 County Historian
 * Rensselaer County Historian 59 Second Street Troy, NY 12180 Phone: (518) 272-7232 Fax: (518) 273-1264 Renssealaer County Historical Society
 * Genealogical Resources: The County Historian may provide access to obituaries, vital records, church records, maps, and family files or journals. Some historians provide search services for their office records and others may refer you to local genealogists who research in the area.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Albany New York FamilySearch Center
 * Bennington Vermont FamilySearch Center
 * Berkshire Athenaeum - an affiliate library
 * Guilderland Public Library - an affiliate library
 * New York State Library and New York State Archives - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Finding Your Ancestors at the Troy Public Library by Robert B. Hudson and Laurie D. Burns Website


 * Rensselaer County, New York Free Public Records Directory - public record sources in Rensselaer County, New York Website


 * Troy Public Library 100 Second St. Troy, NY 12180 Website
 * Genealogical resources: Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest Online, Jewish Data, Proquest Obituaries subscriptions. Vital records, newspapers, city directories, censuses, church and cemetery records, published genealogies, immigrant lists, military records, school records, wills, biographies, ethnic research. Free online guide:


 * Upper Hudson Library System Consists of 29 public libraries in the counties of Albany and Rensselaer counties. Each library has access to genealogical databases - especially newspaper sites. Many databases are accessible with your library card from home. A list of the libraries in this system and their Website and contact information is found here.

Societies

 * Capital District Genealogical Society Empire State Plaza Station PO Box 2175 Albany, NY 12220-0175 Website
 * Counties served: Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington.
 * $3 for non-member queries in their newsletter. Monthly meetings. They staff a genealogy support desk at the Town of Colonie Library.


 * 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, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming, and Yates.


 * Rensselaer County Historical Society 57 Second Street Troy, NY 12180 phone: 518-244-6846 Website Research Library Collection
 * This society has the original probate records for the county. Their index is online under Projects - Rensselaer County Surrogate Records at the Troy Irish Genealogical Society's website. For a fee, they will copy the entire file. ($30US in 2013)

Websites

 * Ancestry
 * Rensselaer County NYGenWeb
 * Rensselaer County 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.