Otsego County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Otsego 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 a Mohawk or Oneida word meaning "place of the rock." The County is located in the west central area of the state.

Parent County
16 February 1791: Set off 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.

6 April 1795: A piece of Otsego County taken with a portion taken from Albany County to create Schoharie County. 10 March 1797: A piece of Otsego County taken with a portion taken from Ulster County to create Delaware County.

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.

Biography
(see also: History section)


 * History of Otsego County, New York. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. (Philadelphia, Everts &amp; Fariss, 1878). Available online through Cornell University.
 * Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Otsego county, New York (Boston, Biographical Review Pub. Co., 1893). Available online through Family History Books.
 * Index to Biographical Review (above) available as typed manuscript,
 * The Old New York Frontier : its wars with Indians and Tories, its missionary schools, pioneers, and land titles, 1614-1800 by Francis Whiting Halsey (New York, Charles Scribner &amp; Sons, 1901). Available online through Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.


 * 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — index
 * Middlefield Baptist Cemetery, Middlefield. There is inventory with genealogical information written by Dominick J. Reisen, "Inscriptions from the Middlefield Baptist Cemetery", 2002, available at nominal cost from Dominick J. Reisen. This book also has a plot map. More information.

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

Federal
1800


 * Bits and pieces: census extractions with focus on the Ingalls family
 * Otsego County, New York State, 1800 federal population census schedule: transcript and index
 * Otsego County, New York State, 1800 federal population census schedule: transcript and index (No circulation to Family History Centers.)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

Multi-Denominational Records:


 * 1797-1827 - Barber, Gertrude A. Record of Births and Baptisms, 1797-1827. New York, 1988. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1830s-1850s - Baptist Church Otsego Members List, courtesy: [Otsego County, New York Genealogy NYGenWeb] - free.
 * Roberts, J. Dwight, An Historical Sketch of the First Baptist Church in Morris, NY, Oneonta Herald. Oneonta, NY, 1893.
 * Sanderson, Katherine M., Zion Church Parish. Morris Chronicle.  Morris, NY, 1901.

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

 * Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality. by J.H. French (Syracuse, NY, R P Smith, 1860). Available online through Library of Congress.
 * Gazetteer and Business Directory of Otsego County, N.Y. for 1872-3 by Hamilton Child (Syracuse, NY, Hamilton Child, 1872).
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - 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.

History

 * History of Otsego County, New York. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. (Philadelphia, Everts &amp; Fariss, 1878). Available online through Cornell University.
 * The Old New York Frontier : its wars with Indians and Tories, its missionary schools, pioneers, and land titles, 1614-1800 by Francis Whiting Halsey (New York, Charles Scribner &amp; Sons, 1901). Available online through Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
 * History of Cooperstown: Available online through the NYS Historical Association
 * Reminiscences: Personal and Other Incidents ; Early Settlement of Otsego County by Levi Beardsley (New York, C. Vinton, 1852). Available online through Harvard University.
 * A History of Otego by Stuart Blakely (Cooperstown, NY; Crist, Scott &amp; Parshall, 1907). Available online through Library of Congress.
 * A History of Oneonta from Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time by Dudley M. Campbell (Oneonta, NY, G.W. Fairchild, 1906). Available online at Google Books.
 * Annals of Tryon County by William W. Campbell(Cherry Valley, Cherry Valley Gazette, 1880). Available online through Google Books.  Note: Tryon County became Montgomery County, from which Otsego County was formed.

Land and Property
The county clerk maintains land and property records that include: deeds, mortages, leases and easements. There is an online index that users are required to sign up for an ID and password to view the indexes. There is no cost to sign up. To view the actual record an individual needs to visit the office or request a copy to be mailed or faxed.

Office of the County Clerk P.O. Box 710 197 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 (607) 547-4276 Fax: (607) 547-7544



Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Map of Townships in Central New York Cortland County NYGenWeb, encompassing neighboring counties.
 * Map of Townships in Otsego County 1902. Map from Bacon's History of Otsego County. Otsego County NYGenWeb.
 * Maps from Otsego County NYGenWeb Map from Bacon's History of Otsego County 1902; Patent map of NY unknown source; Tryon County map (area of what is now Otsego Co.); Patent map by Simeon DeWitt, Surv. Gen. of NY, 1790; Map by Guy Johnson, dept. of Indian Affairs 1768 Map of New Netherland 1656 by Van Der Donck

Migration
Migration routes for early European settlers to and from included:


 * Hudson River a navigable river stretching from north of Albany then flowing south to empty into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City
 * Susquehanna River
 * 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
 * Lehigh and Lackawanna Paths 1766 from Unadilla, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Catskill Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Massachusetts 10th Turnpike 1800
 * Massachusetts 12th Turnpike 1812
 * Minsi Path 1766 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Kingston, New York
 * Rensselaer and Columbia (NY) Turnpike 1799
 * Salisbury and Canaan (CT) Turnpike 1801-1829
 * Ulster and Delaware Turnpike 1802 from Salisbury, Connecticut to Bainbridge, New York

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Burlington· Butternuts· Cherry Valley· Decatur· Edmeston· Exeter· Hartwick· Laurens· Maryland· Milford· Morris· Otego· Plainfield· Springfield· Westford· Worcester.

Regiments. Service men from Otsego 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 with men of Otsego County.


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Battery A.
 * - 1st Regiment, New York Engineers, Company G.
 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Mounted Rifles, Company M.
 * - 5th Regiment, New York Infantry (Duryee Zouaves), Company I.
 * - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery,
 * - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies D and E.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company K.
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company L.
 * - 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company B.
 * - 43rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A, B, D and K.
 * - 76th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 90th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
 * - 121st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 144th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
 * - 146th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 152nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B, C, D, E, G, H, I and K.
 * - 176th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.

Naturalization and citizenship

 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * A collection of abstracts from Otsego County, New York newspaper obituaries, 1808-1875 . Compiled by Gertrude A. Barber in 1933, contains records abstracted from the following nineteenth-century newspapers: Death Notices from the Cooperstown Federalist, 1808-09 Marriage Notices from the Cooperstown Federalist, 1808-12 The Cooperstown Federalist was published from 1809 to 1817. Death Notices from the Watch Tower, 1828-31 Marriage Notices from the Watch Tower, 1828-31 The Watch Tower began publishing in 1813 in Cherry Valley before moving to Cooperstown the following year. It ceased operations in 1831.
 * Otsego County (NY) newspapers on microfilm and paper at all NYS locations. New York State Library.
 * Old Fulton Postcards. Free searchable web site which holds newspapers from upstate New York.
 * Oneonta Star and Oneonta Daily Star searchable at ancestry.com Otsego County Page. ($ requires subscription).
 * Links to the Oneonta Star, The Cooperstown Crier, The Freeman's Journal, mentioned at Otsego County, NYGenweb.


 * Cooperstown NY Otsego Farmer 1885-1962
 * Cooperstown NY The Glimmerglass 1909-1937
 * Milford NY Otsego Tidings 1914-1916
 * Richfield NY Daily 1888-1917
 * Richfield NY Mercury 1867-1972
 * Morris NY Morris Chronicle 1865?-1965

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


 * 1829–1934 Listed as "Petitions for probate" . Included in Online Probate Records, Petitions". See below. ''

Online Probate Indexes and Abstracts


 * 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, 1787-1835at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * 1792-1902 SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1792-1850 Barber, Gertrude A. Index of Wills of Otsego County, New York, from 1792-1850. unknown, 1933-1934. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); NYGenWeb.
 * 1794-1851 Barber, Gertrude A. Abstracts of Wills of Otsego County, N.Y.: Copied from Original Wills at Surrogate's Office, Cooperstown, N.Y. unknown, 1941-1942. Digital version at Ancestry ($); index at NYGenWeb.
 * 1866 - 1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * - Otsego County: Administration accounts, Executor accounts 1827-1836; Administration bonds 1792-1864; Administrations 1830-1886; Discharges 1874-1914; Dower records 1810-1871; Final settlements 1864-1892; Intestate estate index 1801-1944; Letter index No date; Letters of administration 1816-1826; Letters of administration, Letters of testamentary 1826-1890; Minutes 1817-1848; Petitions 1829-1934; Real estate records 1813-1832; Will index 1792-1887; Wills 1849-1902; Wills and administrations 1792-1853; Wills and proceedings index 1792-1923

Probate Records on Microfilm

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


 * Intestate estate index No date listed
 * 1792-1853 Wills and administrations
 * 1792–1864 Administration bonds
 * 1826–1890 Letters of administration, Letters of testamentary
 * 1829–1934 Petitions
 * 1830–1886 Administration proceedings

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Otsego County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1985). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

 * Town of Middlefield Historical Association Museum.
 * Huntington Memorial Library 62 Chestnut Street Oneonta, New York 13820 Phone: 607-432-1980 Huntington Memorial Library is an authorized branch of the Family History Library of the Genealogical Society of Utah. The Society is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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

Family History Centers

 * Cortland New York Family History Center
 * Fayetteville New York Family History Center
 * Gloversville New York Family History Center
 * Herkimer New York Family History Center
 * Norwich New York Family History Center
 * Oneonta New York Family History Center
 * Schoharie Valley New York Family History Center
 * Utica New York Family History Center


 * Guilderland Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Huntington Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * New York State Library and New York State Archives - an affiliate library
 * Huntington Memorial Library - an affiliate library

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)

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 – 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

 * 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 1847 Otsego Co. Marriages Reported to County Clerk from Town Clerks (and Cooperstown Newspaper) at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 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


 * 1908–1935 at FamilySearch – free;.


 * 1908 1908 Marriages from Otsego County Clerk's Office at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1908-1909 1908-1909 Marriages from Otsego County Clerk's Office at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1909-1910 1909-1910 Marriages from Otsego County Clerk's Office at NYGenWeb - free.

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.


 * 1777–1834  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Eastern New York, 1777-1834 (Baltimore,MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987). Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 1795-1875 Barber, Gertrude A. Marriages Taken from the Otsego Herald &amp; Western Advertiser and Freeman's Journal: Newspapers at the Cooperstown, N.Y. Library. 1988. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and World Vital Records ($).


 * 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."


 * 1808-1831 Barber, Gertrude A. Death Notices Copied from the "Cooperstown Federalist": From 1808-1809; Death Notices Copied from "Watch Tower": From 1828-1831, Deaths pp. 1-11; Marriage Notices Copied from "Cooperstown Federalist": From 1808-1812; Marriage Notices Copied from "Watch Tower": From 1828-1831, Marriages pp. 12-26. 1988. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * 1813–1850  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Baltimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986).Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); ;. Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 1853-1878 Oneonta Herald Deaths &amp; Marriages 1853-1878 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 1865 Marriages Otsego County at NYGenWeb - free.

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
 * 1918–1953 Deaths, 1918–1953, Schoharie and Otsego counties.
 * 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — Index only

Death Substitutes


 * 1777–1834  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Eastern New York, 1777-1834 (Baltimore,MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987). Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 1795–1952 at FamilySearch – 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.


 * 1795-1875 Barber, Gertrude A. Deaths Taken from the Otsego Herald &amp; Western Advertiser and Freeman's Journal. 2 vols. 1988. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1808-1831 Barber, Gertrude A. Death Notices Copied from the "Cooperstown Federalist": From 1808-1809; Death Notices Copied from "Watch Tower": From 1828-1831, Deaths pp. 1-11; Marriage Notices Copied from "Cooperstown Federalist": From 1808-1812; Marriage Notices Copied from "Watch Tower": From 1828-1831, Marriages pp. 12-26. 1988. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * 1813–1850  Fred Q. Bowman,10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Baltimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986).Ancestry($); World Vital Records($); ;. Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.


 * 1853-1878 Oneonta Herald Deaths &amp; Marriages 1853-1878 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.


 * 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.


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

Additional Resources

Otsego County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Otsego County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Otsego County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * The USGW Archives Project for Otsego County.
 * The USGW Archives Project (mirror site)
 * Otsego County AHGP
 * Otsego County Links GenealogyLinks.net
 * Otsego County Links Cyndi's List New York - Scroll Down or Search to Otsego County
 * Otsego County Genealogy