Ulster County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Ulster 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 Irish province of Ulster. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

Original County
1 November 1683: Ulster County was created as an original New York 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.

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.


 * 1715 - Scott, Kenneth. "Settlers West of the Highlands, Orange County, 1715," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 103, No. 4 (Oct. 1972):227-232. Digital version at New York Family History ($); . Identifies early settlers and biographical information.


 * 1750-1799 - Scott, Kenneth. "Ulster County, New York, Jury Lists, 1750-1799," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 60 (1972):169-179..


 * 1798-1812 - Scott, Kenneth, Julius Bloch and Leo Hershkowitz, "Ulster County Freeholders, 1798-1812," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 53 (1965):7-30..

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Early records for Kingston, Ulster County, New York A valuable source records for genealogists with ancestors from Kingston, Dutchess, and Albany counties New York is the Baptismal and marriage registers of the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, Ulster County, New York. It contains records from 1660 to 1809. (The book on Google Books is fully searchable.) Since this church was the only established congregation between New York City and Albany it contains information for many residents of the area, the only records that exist.


 * 1708-1776 - Baptisms, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Westcamp, Ulster Co., NY 1708-1776, courtesy: Betty Fink.


 * Trinity Parish These are part of the DAR collection and are a transcription.
 * Frost, Josephine S.C. Quaker meeting records, state of New York: Ulster County, Columbia County, Albany County, Clinton County ;
 * 1730-1880 Reformed Dutch Church records in Ulster and Orange County Includes baptisms and marriages in Kingston 1766-1776, Catsbaan 1730-1760, Esopus 1790-1850, Clove, High Falls 1808-1850, Woodstock 1805-1880, Shokan 1799-1850, Walden 1793-1853, and Highland 1810-1860.
 * 1887-1908 Stewartville Reformed Church Ulster County, Contains minutes of meetings, records of marriages and baptisms, lists of members.

Court Records

 * 1693-1775 - Scott, Kenneth. "Ulster County, New York, Court Records, 1693-1775," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 60 (1972):276-285; Vol. 61 (1973):60-68, 137-140, 205-212, 295-302..


 * 1779-1782 - Scott, Kenneth. "Ulster County, New York, Court Records, 1779-1782," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 68, No. 1 (Mar. 1980):31-40; Vol. 68, No. 2 (June 1980):148-149. Digital version at National Genealogical Society website ($);.

Directories

 * Ireland, Belfast & Ulster Directories at FindMyPast - index & images ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 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.

Immigration

 * O'Neill, Terri Bradshaw and Patricia Law Hatcher. "The 1708 Palatines of Ulster County," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 139, No. 3 (Jul. 2008):165-185. Digital version at New York Family History ($); . The authors thanked Henry Z. Jones for his advice and encouragement.
 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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

Online



Microforms



Books





Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)

Migration
The migration routes used by early European settlers to and from included:


 * Albany Post Road (or Queen's Road, or King's Road) 1669
 * Minsi Path from Kingston, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Ulster and Delaware Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Ulster and Delaware Turnpike from Salisbury, Connecticut to Bainbridge, New York, that is from the Salisbury and Canaan Turnpike  to the Catskill Turnpike. The Ulster and Delaware Turnpike was a southern branch of the Catskill Turnpike.
 * Hudson River

Revolutionary War
Ulster County men served in the 4th New York Regiment.

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Denning· Esopus· Hardenburgh· Kingston· Lloyd· Marlborough· New Paltz· Olive· Plattekill· Rochester· Saugerties· Shandaken· Wawarsing· Woodstock.

Regiments. Service men in Ulster 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 Ulster County:


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Sharpshooters, 6th Company.
 * - 1st Regiment, New York Engineers, Company E.
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company D.
 * - 7th Veteran Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 20th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies E, L and M.
 * - 48th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 56th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 65th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 71st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K.
 * - 80th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 102nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B and G.
 * - 120th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I.
 * - 124th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 132nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 156th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I.
 * - 168th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 176th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C, E and G.
 * - 178th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 192nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D, F, G, I and K.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1715 - Stryker-Rodda, Kenn. "Ulster County Naturalizations, 1715," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 103, No. 2 (Apr. 1972):85-88. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1791-1980 - at FamilySearch — index and images


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


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


 * Naturalization Record Collection Index Search at Ulster County Clerk - free.

Periodicals
Olde Ulster ran for 10 volumes between 1905 and 1914. Many volumes are available online, see WeRelate. The Family History Library has a complete collection: as well as a comprehensive name index:. This historical and genealogical magazine published, among other items, the early records of Katsbaan Dutch Church.

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


 * (1707) 1787–1921 Listed as "Probate records, 1707–1921 approx." First film is an index to filing boxes.

Online Probate Indexes and Abstracts


 * 1665-1800s Gustave Anjou, Ulster County, N.Y. Probate Records in the Office of the Surrogate, and in the County Clerk's Office at Kingston, N.Y. : A Careful Abstract and Translation of the Dutch and English Wills, Letters of Administration After Intestates, and Inventories from 1665, with Genealogical and Historical Notes, and List of Dutch and Frisian Baptismal Names with Their English Equivalents (New York: G. Anjou, 1906). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books; Internet Archive. Vol. II: Google Books; ; Film 908531 Items 2-3; Book 974.734 P2a.
 * 1787-1896 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).

Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1662–1822 Probate court records, wills and administrations, Surrogate Court.
 * 1787–1916 Probate records: Index to wills 1787–1929, Wills 1787–1917, Minutes 1830–1917, Letters and bonds of administration and testamentary 1787–1906, Surrogate Court.


 * The microfilmed version of Ulster County probate files have a quirk. The index cards follow the probate files, rather than precede them.

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Ulster County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1988). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums
COUNTY ARCHIVES

Ulster County Archives 300 Foxhall Ave, Kingston, New York 12401 Phone: 845-340-3415

The Archives operate under the auspices of the Ulster County Clerk. They have a catalog online. Records available at the county Archives include:


 * Census records and indexes
 * Naturalization records
 * Birth, marriage and death records
 * City directories
 * Poorhouse records
 * Maps

PUBLIC LIBRARIES

There are some eighteen public libraries in Ulster County New York. They belong to the Mid-Hudson Library System that serves the communities of Columbia, Duchess, Greene, Putnam, and Ulster Counties. They share a catalog that includes a sizeable collection of genealogical materials. The shared catalog is found on the library systems main page. For information on the individual libraries in Ulster County, click here.

There are four Ulster County public libraries within the Ramapo Catskill Library System. To see them, Click Here. They are near the bottom of the page.

Courthouses
The Ulster County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and land records as well as the state census. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Ulster County are held, see the Ulster County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

 * Kingston New York Family History Center
 * Middletown New York Family History Center
 * Newburgh New York Family History Center
 * Poughkeepsie New York Family History Center


 * Elting Memorial Library/Haviland-Heidgerd Historial Collection - an affiliate library
 * New Milford Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Ulster County Genealogical Society (UCGS) P.O. Box 536, Hurley, NY 12443

Travel Directions:


 * From New York State Thruway (I-87)
 * Take Exit 19 (Kingston). Follow signs for Route 28 West.
 * After traffic light, take second right onto Route 209 South (Ellenville).
 * At the sign for Hurley make a right, just after you go under the overpass.
 * Make a right at the Stop sign onto Main Street. You will see the Hurley Reformed Church on your left.

The Society research library is located in the basement of Schadewald Hall The society has extensive genealogical reference library located in Hurley Reformed Church. It publishes a quarterly newsletter, "The GENIE", to Society members.The research library has Bible Records, Cemetery Records, Census Records, Church Records, Directories, Gazetteers, Genealogies, Maps, Naturalization Records, Newsletters, Newspapers, Obituaries, Reference Books, Surname File Folders, Tax Lists, Undertaker Records, Vital Records, and Wills.

Ulster County Historical Society Mailing address: Ulster County Historical Society, P.O. Box 279, Stone Ridge, New York 12484-0279 Physical address: Bevier House Museum, 2682 Route 209, Marbletown, New York Telephone: 845-338-5614 Facebook Ulster County Historical Society and museum located in stone farmhouse that was home to Bevier family 1715-1938. Collections of 18th and 19th century furniture, decorative arts and tools. Civil War room, research library.

For a more complete list of Ulster County Societies and museums, arrainged alphabetically by town, Click Here.

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Taxation

 * 1709-1712, 1718-1721 - "Ulster County, New York, Tax Lists, 1709, 1709-10, 1711-12, 1718-19, and 1720-21," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 62, No. 2 (Apr. 1931):146-150; Vol. 62, No. 3 (Jul. 1931):272-283; Vol. 62, No. 4 (Oct. 1931):370-378; Vol. 63, No. 1 (Jan. 1932):86-90; Vol. 63, No. 2 (Apr. 1932):199-203. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1798 - Scott, Kenneth. "Ulster County, New York, 1798 Tax List," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 73 (1985):117-123. Digital version at National Genealogical Society website ($);.

Vital Records

 * 1847-1850 Hasbrouck, Kenneth Edward. Births, Marriages, Deaths, New Paltz, Ulster County, New York: 1847-1850: Taken from an Early Town Clerk's Record. 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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.


 * 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


 * 1908–1935 Marriages.


 * 1908-1935 Marriage Record Index Search at Ulster County Clerk - 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."


 * 1847–1850 Kenneth E. Hasbrouck and Alice Hasbrouck, Marriage Records for Ulster County, N.Y., Covering the Years 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850 (one): Also Miscellaneous Marriages Taken from Postcards and Letters, Filed in the County Clerk's Office (New Paltz, N.Y. : K.E. Hasbrouck, 1965). ;.


 * 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
 * 1880-1956 - Reclaim the Records: New York State Death Index at Archive.org - images of index
 * 1957-1963 - at FamilySearch — Index only

Death Substitutes


 * 1732-1825 Scott, Kenneth. "Early Inquests of Ulster County, New York, 1732-1825," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 57 (1969):53-59, 73..


 * 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."


 * 1847–1850 Kenneth E. Hasbrouck and Alice Hasbrouck, Death Records for Ulster County, N.Y., Covering the Years 1847, 1848, 1849, and one for 1850 (New Paltz, N.Y. : K.E. and A.J. Hasbrouck, 1965). ;.


 * 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

Ulster County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Ulster County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Ulster County NY Genealogy