Niagara County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Niagara 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 Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. The County is located in the west area of the state.

Parent County
11 March 1808: Created from Genesee 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.

2 April 1821: Erie County was created from southern part.

Record Loss
1813 The courthouse burned, destroying records that also included Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties.

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.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places


 * 1863-1950 Second Methodist Episcopal Church, Newfane Contains baptisms 1863-1950; marriages 1863-1950; probationers' records including deaths 1863-1940; alphabetical records of members in full connection including deaths 1863-1931; class records including deaths 1863-1881; records of official members including deaths 1884-1907, 1927-1931; record of pastors including deaths 1909-1969.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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

 * Souvenir History of Niagara County New York Commemorative of the 25th Anniversary of the Pioneer Association of Niagara County. 1902. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.

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

Online



Microforms



Books




 * The Holland Purchase of Western New York, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.

Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)

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


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

War of 1812
Rabock, Louis L. The war of 1812 of the Niagara frontier (Bufffalo Historical Society 1927) pages 385 FHL Book 974.796 B4

Cruikshank, Ernest Alexander and Lundy's Lane Historical Society, .The Documentary history of the campaign on the Niagara frontier (District of Columbia, Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service ,1968) 1 Microfilm reel FHL Film 1404213

Graves, Donald E., Red coats &amp; grey jackets : the Battle of Chippewa, 5 July 1814 (Toronto, Ontario: Dundrurn Press c1994) pages 210  FHL Book 971.338 C1 M2

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Hartland· Newfane· Pendleton· Somerset.

Regiments. Service men in Niagara 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 Niagara County:


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Battery M.
 * - 1st Regiment, New York Light Artillery, Battery M.
 * - 2nd Regiment, New York Mounted Rifles, Companies A, B, C, E, F and H.
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
 * - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies E and M, 2nd Company L and 3rd Company K.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 12th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company E.
 * - 21st Regiment, New York Infantry,
 * - 23rd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 28th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, I and K
 * - 49th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 100th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
 * - 105th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 129th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies L and M.
 * - 132nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and G.
 * - 151st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 153rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 164th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, C and H.
 * - 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1907-1966 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.

Newspapers

 * Niagara Fall NY Gazette 1854-1969
 * North Tonawanda NY Evening News 1893-1986

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


 * 1822–1932 Listed as "Probate Records" First film is an index.

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 - 1835.
 * 1820-1901 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * Arthur Caswell Parker, Seneca Myths and Folk Tales 1978. Digital version at World Vital Records ($). Includes Niagara County probate records.
 * 1866 - 1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * - Niagara County: Administrations, 1823-1902; Decrees, Minutes, Orders, 1849-1902; Final settlements, 1873-1899, 1919-1935; General index, 1822-1928; Guardianship appointments, 1853-1965; Letters of testamentary, 1831-1901; Probate records, 1930-1971; Real estate records, 1881-1906; Wills, 1840-1971

Probate Records on Microfilm

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


 * 1822–1928 General Index to Petitions
 * 1830–1972 Index to Guardianship Records
 * 1835–1970 Probate Records: Petitions
 * 1820–1906 Probate Records (General Index, Wills, Administrations, Minutes, Final Settlements
 * 1831–1904 Guardianship Records
 * 1930–1971 Probate Records

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Niagara 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
Niagara County Community College Library Special Collections Henrietta G. Lewis Library, Fourth Floor 3111 Saunders Settlement Rd Sanborn NY 14132 716-731-3271 ext. 401 Native America Collection includes reference books, biography, history, and tribes. Periodicals: Native Peoples, Journal of Cherokee Studies, Northeast Indian Quarterly, Akwekon Journal, Turtle Quarterly, Southern Indian Studies Nioga Library System 6575 Wheeler Rd Lockport NY 14094 716-434-6167


 * Barker Free Library
 * Lewiston Public Library
 * Lockport Public Library
 * Middleport Free Library
 * Newfane Free Library
 * Niagara Falls Public Library (Central Library)
 * LaSalle Branch
 * North Tonawanda Public Library
 * Ransomville Free Library
 * Sanborn-Pekin Free Library
 * Wilson Free Library
 * Youngstown Free Library

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

Family History Centers
The following centers are accessible to residents of Niagra County, New York:

Niagara County (Lockport)

St Catharines Ontario Canada Family History Center 351 Glenridge Avenue St Catharines, Ontario L2T 3K6, Canada 1-905-685-5795 Hours: T 6:30pm-9:30pm; Th 10am-4pm Closures: Closed for Christmas and New Years Call to verify hours Buffalo New York Family History Center 1424 Maple Rd Williamsville, New York 14221 1-716-688-2439 M, W 10am-2pm; T, Th 10am-9pm; Sat 10am-2pm Closed Holidays Call to verify hours

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.

Niagara County Genealogical Society 215 Lockport Street Lockport NY 14094-2605 716-433-1033 Hours: Thursday - Saturday 1:00 - 4:45 pm Closed holidays The Niagara County Genealogical Library is located on the second floor of the Niagara County Historical Society Museum. Access to the collection is free to both members and non-members of the society. It includes many unpublished genealogies and manuscripts, 2000 books, cemetery records, census records, city directories, DAR books, maps, atlases and a vertical file. Record holdings relate to Niagara County, other New York Counties, New England, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada. Those who can not personally travel to the research library are invited to join the society and use the look-up service. "We love visitors..." Send general questions or comments to [mailto:comments@niagaragenealogy.org comments@niagaragenealogy.org] Join us on Facebook - Niagara County Genealogical Society

Niagara County Historical Society, History Center and Musuem The Outwater Memorial Building 215 Niagara Street Lockport NY 716-434-7433 Museum open Monday - Saturday 9 am - 5 pm The Niagara County Historical Society complex presents a glimpse of life in Niagara County over the past 175 years. Find us on Facebook -The History Center of Niagra

Western New York Genealogical Society P.O. Box 338 Hamburg, New York 14075-0338 Email: info@wnygs.org Directory


 * Focus is on eight Western New York counties - Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany - which comprise the area of the original Holland Land Company purchase.

Social Groups Online

 * Facebook - Niagara County Historian
 * Join us on Facebook - Niagara County Genealogical Society
 * Find us on Facebook - The History Center of Niagra, Niagara County Historical Society
 * Facebook - Town of Newfane
 * Join the conversation on Twitter - Town of Pendleton
 * Facebook - New York Genealogy Research Community, FamilySearch Research Group
 * Facebook - The Niagara Falls Historian, City of Niagara Falls Historian
 * Facebook - Niagara Falls Public Library
 * Facebook - North Tonawanda Public Library

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

 * 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


 * 1908–1935 at FamilySearch Historical Records – 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 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."


 * 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
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
 * 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."


 * 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.

Additional Resources

Niagara County New York Genealogy Websites

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