Westchester County, New York Genealogy

United States New York  Westchester County

Parent County
1683 Westchester County (with what later became the Bronx) was created an original county from the North Riding of Yorkshire in the Province of New York, earlier part of New Netherland.

Neighboring Counties
Bronx· Nassau· New York (Manhattan)· Orange· Putnam· Queens· Rockland· Suffolk· Connecticut county: Fairfield· New Jersey county: Bergen

Boundary Changes
1664 Yorkshire became the first large government unit (not actually a county) organized by New York after the English took control from the Netherlands. It was divided into three ridings including North Riding (Westchester (including the Bronx), New York (Manhattan), Nassau and part of Queens counties). 1683 New York ended Yorkshire, creating Westchester County including the Bronx from part of Yorkshire.

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

 * Reynolds, Cuyler. Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Building of a Nation, Volume 3 (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.

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


 * New York Family History research - contains lists of cemeteries in the New York City and surrounding areas (and lots of other research info and links).
 * The New York Family History Centers
 * The Political Graveyard: Westchester

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.

State

 * Westchester County NYGenWeb's Census Page

Church Records
Records of the Dutch Reformed Church at Cortlandt begin in 1741.


 * 1660-1889 - The Presbyterian Church Within the Field of the Presbytery of Westchester, Synod of New York, 1660-1889, courtesy: Family History Archives - free.


 * 1724-1908 - Eardeley, William Applebie. Amawalk, Westchester County, New York, Friends Monthly Meeting Records: Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1724-1908. Brooklyn, N.Y., 1914. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * Bolton, Robert. History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the County of Westchester, from Its Foundation, 1693, to 1853. New York: Stanford and Swords, 1855. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.

History

 * Baird, Charles W. Chronicle of a border town: history of Rye, Westchester county, New York, 1660-1870, including Harrison and the White Plains till 1788. (Anson D.F. Randolph and Company, 1871) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Bolton, Robert. A guide to New Rochelle and its vicinity: Pelham, West Chester, West Farms, Morrissania, Fordham, Yonkers, East Chester, White Plains, Mamaroneck, and Rye (Reprinted Harbor Hill Books, 1976)
 * Bolton, Robert. A History of the County of Westchester, from Its First Settlement to the Present Time. 2 vols. (Alexander S. Gould, 1848) Volume 1 Volume 2 Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Bolton, Robert. History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the county of Westchester, from its foundation, 1693, to 1853. (Stanford &amp; Swords, 1855) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Dawson, Henry Barton. Westchester County, New York, during the American Revolution (s.n., 1886) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * De Lancey, Edward Floyd Origin and history of manors in the province of New York and in the county of Westchester (s.n., 1886) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * French, Alvah P. History of Westchester county, New York 5 volumes. (Lewis historical publishing company, inc., 1927)
 * Hall, Edward Hagaman. Philipse Manor Hall at Yonkers, NY: The Site, the Building and Its Occupants. (c. 1925) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Jones, Thomas. Editor: Edward F. De Lancey. History of New York During the Revolutionary War and of the Leading Events in the Other Colonies. Volume 1 (New York: The New York Historical Society, 1879). Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Judd, Jacob and Philip Van Cortlandt. The Revolutionary War memoir and selected correspondence of Philip Van Cortlandt. (Tarrytown, NY: Sleepy Hollow Restoration) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Morris, Fordham. The borough town of Westchester: An address delivered By Fordham Morris on the 28th day of October, 1896, before the Westchester County Historical Society in the Court House at White Plains, N. Y. (White Plains: The Eastern State Journal, printer; 1895) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Scharf, J. Thomas History of Westchester county: New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York city, 2 vols. (L. E. Preston &amp; co., 1886) Volume 1, Volume 2 Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.
 * Shonnard, Frederic History of Westchester County, New York: from its earliest settlement to the year 1900, Part 1 (New York History Co., 1900) Download a copy in PDF format from Google Books.

Land and Property

 * 1763 - Freeholders of Mamaroneck, 1763, courtesy: Olive Tree Genealogy


 * Prior to 1700 - Land Owners in Mamaroneck Prior to 1700, courtesy: Olive Tree Genealogy

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


 * the Atlantic Ocean
 * Long Island Sound
 * with connections to:
 * Mohawk River
 * with connections to Richelieu River, Chambly Canal and St. Lawrence River
 * Lake Champlain Trail pre-historic
 * Champlain Canal 1823
 * Erie Canal 1825
 * King's Highway (or Boston Post Road, or New York-Philadelphia Post Road) 1664
 * Albany Post Road (or Queen's Road, or King's Road) 1669
 * Hudson River Path

Military
Civil War 

Available towns. Registers are available for: Bedford· Pound Ridge.

Regiments. Service men in Westchester 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 Westchester County:


 * - 5th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 7th Veteran Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 9th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 17th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 27th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 32nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 38th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 48th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 49th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 59th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 65th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 95th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 135th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 146th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 164th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 168th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 176th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 186th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 189th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 191st Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 192nd Regiment, New York Infantry

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1808-1955 Naturalization Records, 1808-1955 - Personal Name Index at Westchester County Archives - free.


 * 1824–1941 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * 1917-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.

Indexes

 * 1792-1989 Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 at Ancestry ($). This database is based on NARA's Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. All 5 boroughs are included.

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm:. The courts this index covers are:


 * City Court of Brooklyn, 1836-1894
 * Kings County Court, 1806-1906
 * New York City Marine Court, 1806-1849
 * New York County Common Pleas Court, 1792-1895
 * New York County Superior Court, 1828-1895
 * New York City and County Supreme Court, 1868-1906
 * Queens County Court, 1799-1906
 * Queens County Surrogate Court, 1888-1898
 * Richmond County Court, 1869-1906
 * U.S. Circuit Court Southern District, 1846-1876
 * U.S. District Court Eastern District, (Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties), 1865-1906
 * U.S. District Court Southern Court Southern District, (New York, Bronx and also Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties), 1824-1906

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


 * 1775–1900 Listed as "Estate tax files, 1775–1900".

Online Probate Abstracts and Indexes


 * 1664-1784 - Early Wills of Westchester County, New York, from 1664 to 1784: A Careful Abstract of All Wills (Nearly 800) Recorded in New York Surrogate's Office and at White Plains, N.Y., from 1664-1784 - full-text freely available via Brigham Young University. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1775-1941 - Wills (Surrogate Records), 1775-1941 - Personal Name Index at Westchester County Archives - free.
 * 1775-1909 - Inventories (Surrogate Records), 1774-1951 - Personal Name Index at Westchester County Archives - free.
 * 1784-1830 - Old Wills of New Rochelle: Copies of Wills by Citizens of New Rochelle, N.Y., 1784-1830. New Rochelle, N.Y.: New Rochelle Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1991. Digital version at Ancestry ($); another Ancestry ($) version.
 * 1787-1843 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1787-1835 - Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at New York Ancestors ($); includes.
 * 1787-1811 - Bristol, Theresa Hall. "Abstracts of Wills Recorded at White Plains, Westchester County, N.Y., Subsequent to May 1, 1787," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1787-1790s (Liber A): Vol. 55, No. 2 (Apr. 1924):143-154; 1790-1800 (Liber B): Vol. 55, No. 3 (Jul. 1924):262-269; 1791-1799 (Liber B): Vol. 55, No. 4 (Oct. 1924):330-338; 1793-1799 (Liber B): Vol. 56 126; 1800-1802 (Liber C): Vol. 57, No. 1 (Jan. 1926):5-10; 1802-1803 (Liber C): Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr. 1926):102-107; 1803-1805 (Liber F): Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul. 1926):248-253; 1805-1807 (Liber F): Vol. 57, No. 4 (Oct. 1926):320-325; 1807-1808 (Liber F): Vol 58, No. 1 (Jan. 1927):40-44; 1808-1811 (Liber E): Vol. 58, No. 2 (Apr. 1927):143-149; 1812 (Liber E): Vol. 58, No. 3 (Jul. 1927):202-208; 1812-1813 (Liber F), 1808-1809 (Liber G): Vol. 58, No. 4 (Oct. 1927):381-388; 1809-1811 (Liber G): Vol. 60, No. 2 (Apr. 1929):149-155. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.

Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1775-1900 – Estate Tax Files (includes Petitions)
 * 1777-1905 – Letters of Administration; 1787-1905 – Wills; 1802-1901 – Letters of Guardianship; 1813-1983 – Index to Wills

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Westchester County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1991). - free; ; Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Courthouses
The Westchester County Clerk's office has probate, divorce and court records. The County Archives has probate, land and naturalization records as well as military discharge records and maps. For further information about where the records for Westchester County are held, see the Westchester County Courthouses page.

Social Groups Online

 * Westchester County Historical Society - Facebook.


 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Taxation

 * 1699–1734 Tax assesment rolls New York Public Library; . These rolls are a great finding aid to locate someone that was a city resident and finding the ward they belonged to; includes renters and owners. There is a break in the years from 1710 to 1720. The rolls from 1721 to 1734 include Queens, Richmond, and Westchester as well as New York City.

Birth
Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – 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

 * 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.


 * 1908–1935 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free;.


 * 1908-1935 Marriage Records, 1908-1935 - Personal Name Index at Westchester County Archives - free.

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.

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.


 * 1853-1881 Haacker, Frederick C. New Rochelle, New York Deaths, 1853-1881: Copied from the New Rochelle Press Almanacs, 1879-1882, and Records of Deaths in New Rochelle from Account Books of Cornelius Seacord, Coffin Maker. 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * 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 the Civil War section of Military for death information.

Additional Resources 

Websites

 * Westchester County NYGenWeb site
 * Westchester County Resources in The NYG&amp;B Record
 * Mackenzie's Families of Philipsburgh