Herkimer County, New York Genealogy

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

New York Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for Nicholas Herkimer. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County

 * Created 16 February 1791 from Montgomery County.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating New York County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation New York County Boundary Maps" (1683-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. Three partitions over the years set off these counties:


 * 5 March 1794: Onondaga
 * 15 March 1798: Oneida
 * 15 March 1798: Chenango

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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 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.


 * 1800-1965 - at FamilySearch — index

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

Federal

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

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History &amp; Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of Herkimer County, years parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Herkimer County parishes fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Albany.


 * 1781-1814 Marriage record of German Flats Reformed Church, 1781-1814; and Herkimer Reformed Church, 1801-1899, transcribed and indexed by Arthur C. M. Kelly.  . Includes bride and groom index and parents/witnesses index.
 * 1801-1899 Baptism record of the Reformed Church, Herkimer, N.Y., 1801-1899, transcribed and indexed by Arthur C. M. Kelly  Includes index of parents and index of sponsors.
 * 1823-1878 - Herkimer County, NY Marriages from Universalist Sources, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.
 * 1823-1878 - Herkimer County, NY Deaths from Universalist Sources, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.
 * 1840-1855 - Herkimer/Montgomery Marriages at Old Trinity Episcopal Church, Utica, NY at NYGenWeb - free.
 * 1854-1886 - Marriages at the Old Corn Hill Methodist Church, Utica, N.Y., 1854-1886 at NYGenWeb - free.
 * 1888-1889 - Marriages Performed by Rev. Samuel Call, 1888-1889 at NYGenWeb - free.
 * 1895 - New York Baptist Annual, 1895. 1895. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Directories

 * 1917 Herkimer and Otsego Counties, New York Directories, 1917 at Ancestry, index ($)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Genealogy

 * Rootsweb message board for has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.

Additional Resources

 * Herkimer County general history
 * History of Herkimer county, New York (1893)
 * NY GenWeb
 * History of Herkimer County, New York
 * A History of Herkimer County : including the Upper Mohawk Valley

Land and Property
Original land records in began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online



Microforms


 * 1804-1952 Deed Records 1804-1907 - Index included: 1804-1952
 * 1799-1864 Deed Records of Onida County (includes Herkimer) - Index included: 1791-1912
 * 1804-1855 Mortgage Records 1804-1851 - Index included: 1804 - 1855
 * 1864-1970 Lis Pendens 1864-1902 - Index included: 1864 - 1970

Books



Maps



 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)

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


 * Mohawk River pre-historic
 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail 1722
 * Great Genesee Road 1794
 * Erie Canal 1825

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Columbia· Frankfort· German Flatts· Litchfield· Little Falls· Manheim· Norway· Ohio· Russia· Salisbury· Schuyler· Stark.

Regiments. Service men from Herkimer 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 Herkimer County.


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Battery A.
 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Mounted Rifles, Company M.
 * - 18th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies L and M.
 * - 20th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 34th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, C, F, G and K.
 * - 44th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 59th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H
 * - 97th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D, F, G and I.
 * - 115th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A, D and K.
 * - 121st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, G, H, I.
 * - 152nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, I and K.
 * - 153rd Regiment, New York Infantry: Company B.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Little Falls NY Evening Times 1886-1900
 * Little Falls NY Herkimer Country Journal 1853-1858
 * Little Falls NY Mohawk Courier 1836-1859
 * Little Falls NY Peoples Friend 1828-1832

Probate Records
The estate files for Herkimer County do not have their own index. Rather, they are indexed in the index books to letters of administration (film #846533) and wills (film #846532). The number of the estate file is interlined above the name of the deceased. Finding a given estate file at familysearch.org is slightly tricky as the many scanned microfilm rolls are not listed in order by estate file number, but rather in an almost random order. Search repeatedly for the first letter of the deceased's surname followed by a comma, and this will successively bring up all the films which cover that letter of the alphabet, along with the estate file numbers that they cover.

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


 * 1792–1900 Listed as "Estate papers" Filed by Last letter of Surname. How to use FamilySearch Catalog

Online Probate Indexes


 * 1629-1971 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1659-1999 - New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1787-1835 - Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787-1835 at American Ancestors ($)
 * 1792-1917 - SAMPUBCO Free browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1792-1900 - SAMPUBCO Free browsable index of Estate files (including minors' files) with image numbers.
 * 1866-1923 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * - Herkimer County: Administration bonds, 1890-1899; Administration records, 1868-1876, 1887-1892; Decrees, Minutes, Orders, 1868-1938; Final decrees, 1800-1902; Guardianship bonds, 1890-1920; Guardianship index, 1800-1969; Letters of administration index, 1792-1970; Letters of administration, 1792-1916; Letters of testamentary, 1861-1902; Surrogate records, 1821-1869; Will index, 1792-1970; Wills, 1792-1917

Probate Records on Microfilm

Probate records found at Historical Records and described in Online Probate Records above are also found on microfilm as follows:


 * 1792–1970 Will Index
 * 1792–1917 Wills
 * 1792–1970 Letters of Administration Index
 * 1792–1902 Letters of Administration
 * 1792–1900 Estate Papers, Petitions
 * 1800–1920 Guardianship Records, Index 1800–1969
 * 1800–1938 Probate Records
 * 1861–1902 Letters Testamentary

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Herkimer County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1984). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Libraries


 * Frank J. Basloe Public Library 245 N. Main Street Herkimer, NY 13350 Phone: 315-866-1733 Email: [mailto:herkimer@midyork.org herkimer@midyork.org] Online obituary index. The Evelyn Dexter Arthur Collection is housed in the Basloe Genealogy Room. The collection includes local files, historical maps, city directories, and the Herkimer Evening Telegraph newspaper on microfilm 1945-present. Ancestry and HeritageQuest are available.


 * Ilion Free Public Library 78 West Street Ilion, New York 13357 Phone: 315-894-5028 Local history room. Call ahead to confirm schedule.

Museums

Herkimer's Historic Four Corners 400 North Main Street Herkimer, New York 13350 Phone: 315-866-6413 E-mail: Herkimerhistory@yahoo.com Hours: Monday - Friday 10 am - 4 pm July and August also on Saturdays from 10 am - 3 pm

The Historic Four Corners is composed of the 1884 Herkimer County Historical Society Suiter Building Museum, the 1834 Herkimer County Jail, the 1873 Herkimer County Courthouse and the 1834 Herkimer Reformed Church.

County Historian's Office
James M. Greiner, Historian 318 Margaret Street Herkimer, New York 13350 Phone: 315-866-1398

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.

Courthouses
The Herkimer 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 Herkimer County are held, see the Herkimer County Courthouse page.

Family History Centers

 * Herkimer New York Family History Center

Societies

 * Herkimer County Historical Society 400 North Main Street Herkimer, New York 13350 Phone: 315-866-6413 Facebook E-mail: Herkimerhistory@yahoo.com The society houses a genealogy collection including directories, biographies, cemetery files, local newspapers, family genealogies,and a will index. The society has a research fee policy listed on their website.


 * Little Falls Historical Society 319 South Ann Street Little Falls, NY 13365 Phone: 315-823-0643 E-mail: lfhistor@ntcnet.com


 * 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.

Social Groups Online

 * Herkimer County Historical Society - Facebook.


 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

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 Historical Records – free; Index.


 * 1808–1850 Fred Q.Bowman, 7000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley, (NY), Vital Records, 1808-1850 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1997). ; . Abstracts from newspapers filed at the New York State Library in Albany.


 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for birth information.


 * 1847–1848 Vital records These records are listed in individual towns in Herkimer County, and the towns are listed alphabetically. The births list name, parents name and date of birth.


 * 1864-5 1000 Vital Records from 1865 Herkimer Co., NY Census at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1902-3 Birth &amp; Death Notices, 1902-1903 from the Herkimer Democrat Newspaper at NYGenWeb - free.

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 Vital records These records are listed in individual towns in Herkimer County, and the towns are listed alphabetically. The marriages are listed by Bride list or Groom list and have the day the marriage took place. No parents are listed.


 * 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index


 * 1908–1927 Marriages records(to 1927), and Index (to 1935)


 * Herkimer County New York Marriage Record Vol. 1, pages 1-500 USGenWeb- free; includes abstracts.

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 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."


 * 1808–1850 Fred Q.Bowman, 7000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley, (NY), Vital Records, 1808-1850 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1997). ; . Abstracts from newspapers filed at the New York State Library in Albany.


 * 1818-1834 Marriages from the Cherry Valley Gazette 1818-1834 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1849-50 The 1850 US Mortality Schedule - Herkimer County, NY 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 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.


 * 1864-5 1000 Vital Records from 1865 Herkimer Co., NY Census at NYGenWeb - free.

Death

 * 1847–1848 Vital records These records are listed in individual towns in Herkimer County, and the towns are listed alphabetically. The deaths list the name, age at death and date of death.

Death Indexes
 * 1824-1962 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1880-1956 - at FamilySearch — index and 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.org - images of index
 * 1957-1963 - at FamilySearch — Index only

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."


 * 1808–1850 Fred Q.Bowman, 7000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley, (NY), Vital Records, 1808-1850 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1997). ; . Abstracts from newspapers filed at the New York State Library in Albany.


 * 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.


 * 1864-5 1000 Vital Records from 1865 Herkimer Co., NY Census at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1902-3 Birth &amp; Death Notices, 1902-1903 from the Herkimer Democrat Newspaper at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 2000-present Obituaries -- J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home: Serving Otsego and Herkimer Counties Since 1912 - free.

Additional Resources

Herkimer County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Herkimer County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Herkimer County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Herkimer County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Herkimer County. (Back up site)
 * Herkimer County Genealogy