Cayuga County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Cayuga 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 the Cayuga people." The County is located in the north-central area of the state.

Parent County
8 March 1799: Created from Onondaga 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.


 * 29 March 1804: Seneca County set off.
 * 17 April 1817: Part along with a part taken from Seneca County to create Tompkins 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

 * Bible Records USGenWeb Archives


 * 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

 * BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of the Leading Citizens of Cayuga County New York; Boston; Biographical Review Publishing Company; 1894 (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Odds and Evens (USGenWeb Archives)

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


 * 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — index

Census

 * Census indexes (Cayuga County, New York), 1800,1810,1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1855, 1860 FamilySearch Catalog


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

Federal
1800 1800 Federal Census USGenWeb Archives

1840


 * 1840 Census of Pensioners Cayuga County, New York, June 1, 1840.

1890


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

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

A variety of local church records representing the Baptist, Church of Christ, Congregational, Dutch Reformed, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and Society of Friends faiths are available online at NYGenWeb.


 * 1823-1874 Rev. Noah Barrell's Record of Marriages, 1823-1874 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * Belden, A. Russell. History of the Cayuga Baptist Association. Auburn N.Y.: Derby &amp; Miller, 1986. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * Records of various churches in north central New York


 * Records 1801-1804 of the Onondaga and Cayuga Counties

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

History of the First Presbyterian Church, Scipioville, New York, 1873-1973

Directories

 * U. S. City Directories (Auburn).$
 * Cayuga County, New York Directory, 1867-1868. $
 * Auburn, New York Directoreis, 1889-1892. $
 * Auburn, New York 1897-1898 City Directory.
 * Auburn, New York 1906 City Directory.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups

 * Uncovering The Freedom Train in Auburn and Cayuga County, New York. A Cultural Resources Survey of Sites Relating to the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life in Auburn and Cayuga County, New York.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Genealogy

 * Rootsweb message boardfor 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 Cayuga County, New York.
 * A Selection of Local History Books at the Cayuga County Historian's Office. Old Historic Post Office Building, 157 Genesee Street. Auburn, New York, 13021.
 * Cayuga County, New York Time Line.
 * List of New York State Historic Markers in Cayuga County, New York.

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

Some of the early grantor and grantee indexes for Cayuga County (for example, 1836-1856) are organized by the first letter of the last name, and thereunder by the first letter of the first name. This system makes it difficult to search for all parties bearing a particular surname.

Online



Microforms


 * 1799-1956 Deed Records 1794-1901 - Index included: 1793-1956 ICF -- refers to deeds recorded in Cayuga County before 1799. These deeds refer to lands that were given to the soldiers after the Revolution as payment for their services to their country and now are being sold for money or other valuable consideration. DP -- means Decrees to Partitions (1810-1877). The lands were partitoned according to an act of the legislature of the state of New York and passed in 1801.
 * 1794-1906 Mortgage Records 1794-1851 - Index included: 1836 - 1906
 * 1822-1901 Reservation Deed Records - Index included: 1808-1916.

Books




 * A Summary History of The Military Tract of Central NY for The Cayuga County NYGenWeb Project.
 * Early Cayuga County NY Land Ownership Maps, courtesy: USGenWeb.

Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Cayuga County, New York Maps.
 * Cayuga County, NYGenWeb Project Maps Information.
 * 1895 U. S. Altas, Cayuga County, New York.

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


 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail (west fork) about 1722
 * Great Genesee Road 1794
 * Erie Canal 1825
 * Erie Canal 1825


 * Uncovering The Freedom Train in Auburn and Cayuga County, New York. A Cultural Resources Suvery of Sites Relating to the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life in Auburn and Cayuga County, New York.

Military

 * A Summary History of The Military Tract of Central NY The Cayuga County NYGenWeb Project.

American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War Pensions USGenWeb Archives

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Aurelius· Brutus· Cato· Conquest· Fleming· Genoa· Ira· Ledyard· Locke· Mentz· Montezuma· Moravia· Niles· Scipio· Sempronius· Sennett· Sterling· Summerhill· Throop· Victory.

Regiments. Civil War service men from Cayuga County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Montgomery County.


 * - 1st Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery
 * - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G, 2nd Companies I and L, and Company M.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 11th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company K.
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies I and M.
 * - 23rd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies B, C, L and M.
 * - 116th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, D and H.
 * - 75th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 111th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 138th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C, E, F, G, H and I.
 * - 160th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, E, F, H and I.
 * - 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, H and K.
 * - 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H and I.


 * New York 9th Heavy Artillery New York State Military History Museum

World War II

 * World War II Enlistments USGenWeb Archives
 * Cayuga County, New York World War II Casualties Army and Air Force.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1799-1952 Cayuga County Naturalization Records 1799-1952 at Cayuga County Records Management Records Collection - free.


 * SAMPUBCO Index of naturalization records.


 * Northen District Court of NY Naturalization Project.


 * Naturalizations: Declarations of Intent.


 * Declarations of Intent and Naturalization Pension Index USGenWeb Archives

Newspapers

 * New York Historical Newspapers, Cayuga County.


 * Auburn Gazette
 * Auburn NY Argus 1891-1903
 * Auburn NY Cayuga Chief 1849-1854
 * Auburn NY Cayuga County Independent 1886-1897
 * Auburn NY Cayuga County News 1914-1920
 * Auburn NY Cayuga Patriot 1826-1828
 * Auburn Ny Cayuga Republican 1819-1833
 * Auburn NY Christian Advocate 1845-1878
 * Auburn NY Citizen 1905-1931
 * Auburn NY Citizen Advertiser 1931-1989
 * Auburn NY Daily Advertiser 1846-1847
 * Auburn NY Daily American 1855-1859
 * Auburn NY Daily Bulletin 1870-1905
 * Auburn NY Daily Union 1860-1861
 * Auburn Ny Democrat 1868-1869
 * Auburn NY Democrat Argus 1894-1913
 * Auburn NY Evening Auburnian 1878-1885
 * Auburn NY Free Press 1824-1941
 * Auburn NY Journal 1833-1877
 * Auburn NY Journal and Advertiser 1837-1847
 * Auburn NY Morning Dispatch 1886
 * Auburn NY Morning News 1872-1879
 * Auburn NY News And Bulletin 1880-1885
 * Auburn NY Semi Weekly Journal 1906-1913
 * Auburn NY Weekley Auburnian 1885-1888
 * Auburn NY Weekly Bulletin 1895-1913
 * Auburn NY Weekly Journal 1850-1861
 * Auburn NY Weekly News and Democrat 1872-1897
 * Auburn NY Western Federarlist 1811-1813
 * Cato NY Citizen 1893-1966
 * Fair Haven NY Register 1890-1969
 * Genoa NY Tribune 1891-1931
 * Locke NY The Locke Courier 1907-1910
 * Moravia NY Republican Register 1900-1981
 * Moravia NY Valley Register 1871-1945
 * Union Springs NY Advertiser 1883-1942
 * Union Springs NY News 1943-1959
 * Weedsport NY Cayuga Chief 1954-1962
 * Weedsport NY Cayuga Chief Chronical 1968-1975

Obituaries
Obituaries and Death Notices USGenWeb Archives

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


 * 1799–1905 Listed as "Surrogates Records" . 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 by NEGHS ($).
 * 1799-1902 SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1798-1850 SAMPUBCO Browsable index of estates.
 * 1804-1852 SAMPUBCO Browsable Index of guardianships (names of children).
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * – Cayuga County: General index, 1799-1952; Guardianship orders, 1877-1901; Guardianship records, 1804-1905; Letters of administration, 1876-1903; Letters of administration, Letters of testamentary, 1802-1902; Wills, 1799-1873

Probate Records on Microfilm

The probate records described above may also be on the following microfilms:


 * 1799-1952 Probate records, 1799-1905; index, 1799-1952.

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Cayuga 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
The Finger Lakes Library System consists of public libraries in Cayuga, Cortland, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins Counties. Libraries for towns in Cayuga County are: Auburn, Aurora, Cato, Fair Haven, Moravia, Poplar Ridge, Port Byron, Union Springs and Weedsport.

Hazard Library PO Box 2487 Route 34B Poplar Ridge, NY 13139-0003 Phone: 315-364-7975 Fax 315/364-6704 E-mail: hazardlib@clarityconnect.com

This library holds collections for local history which contain: autobiographies, biographies, town and village histories, genealogies and church histories.

County Historian's Office
Cayuga County Historian's Office Linda Frank, County Historian Historic Old Post Office Bldg., 3rd floor 157 Genesee Street Auburn, NY 13021 Phone: (315) 253-1300 E-mail: Historian@cayugacounty.us

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. This repository Includes Census, Land, Surrogate, Newspaper, Card File, Topical Files, Cemetery Records, Church Records, etc. Family Files Surnames are available online.

Courthouses
The Cayuga County Clerk's office has probate, court, land and DAR county cemetery records. For further information about where the records for Cayuga County are held, see the Cayuga County Courthouse page.

Family History Centers

 * Auburn New York Family History Center
 * Jamestown New York Family History Center
 * Olean New York Family History Center


 * James Prendergast Library Association - an affiliate library
 * Olean Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Cayuga-Owasco Lakes Historical Society 14 West Cayuga Street P.O. Box 247 Moravia, NY 13118-0247 315-497-3906 Website

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

 * Cayuga Museum of History and Art and Case Research Lab Museum - Facebook.
 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch)

Vital Records

 * 1840-1847 Cayuga Patriot Transcriptions at USGenWeb Archives - free.

Birth

 * 1881-1942 New York, Birth Index, 1881-1942 at Ancestry — index, ($)

Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch – free; Index.


 * 1847-1850 Births in Cayuga County 1847-1850 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Archive.org - images of 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 and 1908–1936 at FamilySearch — index and images


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


 * 1885–1897 Record of marriages . Photocopy of 10 retained copies of record of marriage for Cayuga and Thompkins County by Reverand James Gutsell. Includes: Daniel Learn - Lucy Almedge Greenleaf; Charles D. Fuller - Mary A. Harris Hiram Samuel; Gutsell - Ida Anzoletti Squier; Silas Day Loughmiller - Betsy Jane Gutsell; J. Melville Stewart - Mary A. Sherman; Fred Thomas Lamkin - Louisa Amanda Schutt; William B. Quick - Georgie Quick; Edward C. Shoemaker - Mary G. Robison; Martin B. Sloughter - Stella E. Stevens; Ezra Stevens - Annie M. Soule. Includes place of residence, age, occupation, place of birth, parents' names, date and place of marriage.


 * 1908–1935 at FamilySearch – free; Index;

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch – 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."


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


 * 1825–1834 Gertrude A. Barber, Cayuga County, New York, Deaths and Marriages Taken From Cayuga County, N.Y. Newspapers, 1825-1834. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971) . ;.


 * 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.


 * Wiles, Harriett M. Marriages and Deaths from the Lyons Republican and Inscriptions from the Lyons Rural Cemetery. Nelson, N.Y. and Aurora, N.Y. 1900. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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 – 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."


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


 * 1825–1834 Gertrude A. Barber, Cayuga County, New York, Deaths and Marriages Taken From Cayuga County, N.Y. Newspapers, 1825-1834. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971) . ;.


 * 1847-1850 Cayuga County Deaths 1847-1850 at NYGenWeb - free.


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


 * 1849 Abstracts from Auburn Daily Advertiser in 1849 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.


 * 1863 Death Records for the Year Ending December 31, 1863 at - free.


 * 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.


 * Wiles, Harriett M. Marriages and Deaths from the Lyons Republican and Inscriptions from the Lyons Rural Cemetery. Nelson, N.Y. and Aurora, N.Y. 1900. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Additional Resources

Cayuga County New York Genealogy Websites

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