Oswego County, New York Genealogy
Guide to Oswego County, New York ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
This page describes sources of genealogical data about Oswego County, New York Genealogy families, including links to smaller localities at the bottom of this page. New York, United States Genealogy-related pages show useful statewide sources. United States Genealogy pages explain the terminology and contents of genealogical records.
Oswego County, New York | |
Map | |
![]() Location in the state of New York, United States Genealogy | |
![]() Location of New York in the U.S. | |
Facts | |
Founded | March 1, 1816 |
---|---|
County Seat | Oswego |
Courthouse | |
Address | 46 East Bridge Street Oswego, New York 13126 Oswego County Website |
Contents
- 1 Oswego County New York Historical Facts
- 2 Oswego County New York Genealogy Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biography
- 2.3 Business Records and Commerce
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Crime and Criminals
- 2.9 Directories
- 2.10 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.11 Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
- 2.12 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.13 Genealogy
- 2.14 History
- 2.15 Land and Property
- 2.16 Maps
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Periodicals
- 2.23 Poorhouses, Poor law, etc.
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 Repositories
- 2.26 Social Groups Online
- 2.27 Taxation
- 2.28 Town Records
- 2.29 Vital Records
- 3 Oswego County New York Places
- 4 Oswego County New York Genealogy Websites
- 5 Oswego County New York Genealogy References
Oswego County New York Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for the Mohawk language word meaning "the outpouring", referring to the mouth of the Oswego River. The County is located in the west central area of the state. [1]
Oswego County, New York Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1880 | 1907 | 1880 | 1791 | 1791 | 1816 | 1663 |
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1 March 1816: Oswego County was created from parts of Oneida and Onondaga counties.[3]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[4]
Cities | ||
Towns | ||
Villages | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Oswego County New York Genealogy Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- 1581–1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); Index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.
- 1581–1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); 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[edit | edit source]
Business Records and Commerce[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.
Online Grave Transcripts | Published Grave Transcripts | County Cemetery Directories |
Findagrave.com* | Family History Library* | Findagrave.com* |
Interment.net* | WorldCat* | Tombstone Transcription Project* |
Cemetery Site* | NYGenWeb Cemeteries* | |
New York Gravestones* | Names in Stone* | |
NYGenWeb Cemeteries* | Billion Graves* | |
Billion Graves* | FamilySearch Places | |
Names in Stone* | ||
Linkpendium* | ||
Ancestry* | ||
NY Genealogy - Stories in Stone[5] | ||
USGenWb Archives | ||
*See the New York Cemeteries page for details about each site. |
- 1800-1965 - New York, Cemetery Abstracts, 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — index
Census[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1820 | 12,374 | — |
1830 | 27,119 | 119.2% |
1840 | 43,619 | 60.8% |
1850 | 62,198 | 42.6% |
1860 | 75,958 | 22.1% |
1870 | 77,941 | 2.6% |
1880 | 77,911 | −0.0% |
1890 | 71,883 | −7.7% |
1900 | 70,881 | −1.4% |
1910 | 71,664 | 1.1% |
1920 | 71,045 | −0.9% |
1930 | 69,645 | −2.0% |
1940 | 71,275 | 2.3% |
1950 | 77,181 | 8.3% |
1960 | 86,118 | 11.6% |
1970 | 100,897 | 17.2% |
1980 | 113,901 | 12.9% |
1990 | 121,771 | 6.9% |
2000 | 122,377 | 0.5% |
2010 | 122,109 | −0.2% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.
Federal[edit | edit source]
U.S. Census Mortality Schedules for New York, 1850-1880:
- Available online at Ancestry ($).
- Deaths are included for the 12 months prior to the census, 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, and 1879-80 beginning 1 June and ending 31 May of the census year.[6]
- Basic contents of the records include: Name, sex, age, color, marital status, place of birth, month of death, occupation, and cause of death. 1870 also has parents' birthplace. 1880 lists how long a resident of the county.
- Also on FHL Films 1415128–42.
State[edit | edit source]
Source | 1825 | 1835 | 1845 | 1855 | 1865 | 1875 | 1892 | 1905 | 1915 | 1925 |
Ancestry.com | - | - | - | Yes | - | Yes | Yes | - | Yes | Yes |
Family History Library Films | - | - | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
FamilySearch Images | - | - | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
New York State Library Films | - | - | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | - | Yes | Yes |
New York State 1865 and 1875 Census Marriage, Mortality; and 1865 Soldier Mortality records:
- Images available online at New York State Census, 1865 and New York State Census, 1875. Click on the link to go to the page, then click on the ‘Browse through images’ link and select your county, then select an ancestor's town and browse to the end of the population schedule until you find the Marriage, Mortality, and 1865 soldier mortality schedules.
- Includes marriages and deaths for the 12 months prior to the census, ending 1 June of the census year.
- Marriage entry content: Husband's name, wife's name, ages and previous marital status, month and day and place of marriage, and church or civil ceremony.
- Death entry content: Name, age, sex, color, marital status, month and day of death, native state or country, occupation and cause of death.
- 1865 deaths of officers and enlisted men entry content: Name, age, marital status, citizenship status, enlistment date, original regiment, original rank, regiment at death, rank at death, promotions, death date and place, manner of death, surviving associates, and burial place.
- Also on microfilm. See the Family History Library line in the above State Census Chart.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records are good substitutes for birth, marriage, and death information and are most often found on a local city/town or county level. Published and manuscript church records can be found at public, university, and private libraries.
For a brief general history of denominations and a guide to finding various New York denomination's records, see New York Church Records Wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- 1840s-1870s - Marriages by Rev. J.H. Steward, Watertown, N.Y., courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.
- 1854-1886 - Marriages at The Old Corn Hill Methodist Church, Utica, N.Y., 1854-1886, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.
- 1880s-1920s - Baptisms and Death Sightings, Oswego County, N.Y., courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.
- 1881 - Minutes of the Forty-Ninth Anniversary of the Oswego Baptist Association, 1881, courtesy: NYGenWeb - free.
- 1865-1969 Sandy Creek Methodist Episcopal Church FHL film 1378829 Item 11 Contains baptisms 1865-1895, marriages 1865-1883, alphabetical list of members including deaths 1854-1915, class record including deaths 1867-1918. Includes many members listed as residing at Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York.
Cornell University's Study Center for Early Religious Life in Western New York has an online guide to Oswego County church records in their library.
Additional Church Records
Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Oswego County, New York Genealogy Church Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Ancestors may have also been involved in municipal, state, or federal court cases. See also New York Court Records and United States Court Records.
Crime and Criminals[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1906-1942 - New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
for more resources
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
- Rootsweb message board for Oswego County, New York Genealogy 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.
- Additional Resources
*Oswego County, New York Genealogy and Historical Resource Site
History[edit | edit source]
- Oswego County New York History - Select by town (AHGP History Section)
- Town Historians and Historical Societies- Oswego County NYGenWeb
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See New York Land and Property for more details, especially about the papers generated in New York State by large speculative land companies.
Original land records in Oswego County, New York Genealogy began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].
Online
Microforms
Books
Additional land records can sometimes be found using these catalogs:
- WorldCat using the search phase: Oswego County, New York Genealogy deeds. (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
- FamilySearch Catalog using the search phrase: 1, New York - Land and Property. (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search.)
- 1791-1836 - Oswego Deed Index 1791-1836
Additional resources
Additional resources for Oswego County, New York Genealogy land records may be found in the Oswego County, New York Genealogy – Land Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche may be available for viewing at various Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.
Maps[edit | edit source]
- Maps of New York (1683-1915)
- Oswego County 1867 Shows Towns of Oswego - New York Public Library Online
- Map of towns of Central New York - Only shows sourthern towns of Oswego County - Cortland County NYGenWeb
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Oswego County for European settlers included:[7]
- Lake Ontario pre-historic
- Mohawk or Iroquois Trail 1722
Military[edit | edit source]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
- 1861-1865 - New York, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
Town registers. The New York town clerks kept a bound register of all soldiers from their town serving in the Civil War 1861-1865. Registers are arranged by county, and town. Some town registers are missing. The registers include an index at the start of each town.
Content. Many register entries include full name, residence, date and place of birth, parents names, marital status, date of enlistment and muster and rank, discharges, death, or promotion.
Access. The original registers are at the New York State Archives in Albany, New York. Microfilm copies are found at the Family History Library (FHL Film 1993401-37). They are also indexed and available at Ancestry.com ($).
Available towns. Registers are available for: Albion · Amboy · Boylston · Constantia · Hastings · Orwell · Oswego · Palermo · Parish · Redfield · Richland · Sandy Creek · Schroeppel · Scriba · Williamstown.
- Wolcott, Walter. The military history of Yates County, N. Y. : comprising a record of the services rendered by citizens of this county in the army and navy, from the foundation of the government to the present time. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992) FHL Fiche 6083569
Regiments. Service men from Oswego County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.[8]
- - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Batteries A and G.
- - 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Company G.
- - 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
- - 6th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery, Company L.
- - 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company B.
- - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies F and M, 2nd Company L.
- - 11th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company F.
- - 12th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A and G.
- - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies B and I.
- - 16th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
- - 20th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company B, I, K, L and M.
- - 21st Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company B and D.
- - 21st Regiment, New York Infantry
- - 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A, C, E, F, G, I and K.
- - 24th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- - 28th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
- - 37th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K.
- - 81st Regiment, New York Infantry
- - 110th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- - 147th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- - 149th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
- - 189th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D, E and H.
- - 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, D, E and I.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1791-1980 - New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1829-1957 - Oswego County Records Center - Will perform a search of naturalization records 1829 - 1957 for a $5 fee per name.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Northern New York Historical Newspapers - Search the Fulton Patriot, years 1916-1954 , the Oswegonian, years 1935-2002, the Pulaski Democrat, years 1834-1990, and the Sandy Creek News, years 1871-1985, or all of them at once.
- Old Fulton Postcards - Free searchable web site which holds newspapers from upstate New York, including Oswego county.
- Oswego Palladium Times Ancestry ($)
Old Fulton NY Post Cards has the largest online collection of 400 New York 1795-2007 newspapers. The instructions for this quirky site are needed to get the most out of it.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards has the following Oswego County, New York Genealogy newspaper images:
- Cleveland NY Lakeside Press 1877-1930
- Fulton NY Chronicle 1837-1840
- Fulton NY Newspaper Index 1820-1880
- Fulton Patriot 1900-1993
- Fulton Patriot 1916-1954
- Fulton Times 1881-1917
- Mexico NY Independent 1861-1972
- Oswegonian of SUNY Oswego 1935-2002
- Phoenix NY Register 1958
- Valley News 1947-1999
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Poorhouses, Poor law, etc.[edit | edit source]
There were two poorhouses and two insane asylums in Oswego County. There was a poorhouse and asylum for the city of Oswego which was located within the city. The County poorhouse and insane asylum were located in the town of Mexico.
Some information about inmates of the County Insane Asylum in Mexico can be found in the Staff of the County Insane Asylum at Mexico, NY
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records including original estates and wills for New York are held in the office of the county Surrogate Court beginning in 1787, or when the county was formed. Prior to 1787, most are housed at the New York State Archives. See New York Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distribution.
Probate Petitions
In 1830, state law required the Surrogate Court clerk to issue a probate petition for a deceased individual with property. This petition, unique to New York, usually lists the deceased's death date. It also lists the heirs, their relationship to the deceased, and their residence. Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 479. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004. Henry B. Hoff, "Navigating New York Probate," American Ancestors 12 (Fall 2011): 57.
These petitions are often found in the estate files and can be obtained from the county Surrogate Court.
Online Abstracts and Indexes
- 1629 - 1971 New York Probate Records 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
- 1816-1901 - SAMPUBCO Browsable Index of testators of wills.
- 1866 - 1923 New York Kings County Estate Files 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
Online Probate Records
Original county-by-county New York, Probate Records, 1629-1971 are available free online at FamilySearch. To access these records, click Historical Records below, then click "Browse through 1,630,900 images". Then select the county name, and then the probate records and time of interest.
- Historical Records - Oswego County: Administration bonds 1896-1900; Administration index 1827-1893; Administration orders 1896-1905; Administration records 1821-1830; Appraisal records 1849-1906; Common orders 1856-1892; Decrees, Orders 1896-1904; Dower records 1831-1880; Estate index 1846-1916; Final settlements 1856-1916; Guardianship appointments 1831-1852; Guardianship bonds 1890-1911; Guardianship index 1847-1892; Guardianship records 1896-1910; Letters of administration 1883-1909; Letters of administration, Letters of testamentary 1825-1904; Letters of guardianship 1852-1916; Minutes 1834-1865; Proceedings 1896-1908; Proceedings index 1896-1902; Sales 1816-1955; Surrogate record index 1846-1876, 1912-1931; Surrogate records 1865-1896; Testamentary index 1837-1893; Will index 1816-1915, 1932-1971; Wills 1816-1901
Probate Records on Microfilm
Probate records found at Historical Records and described in Online Probate Records above are also found on microfilm as follows:
- 1816–1915 Probate Records FHL Film 866842 (50 films)
Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts
Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Oswego County, New York Genealogy probate wills in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Repositories[edit | edit source]
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Oswego County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1984). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.767 A3g and film 1425056 Item 7. Includes index. Includes sources for family history and genealogy.
Archives, Libraries and Museums[edit | edit source]
Penfield Library |
Genealogical Resources: Newspapers, manuscripts, maps, and more. |
County Historian's Office[edit | edit source]
Justin White, Historian |
Hours: Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Genealogical Resources: Federal census: 1820, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880; New York State census: 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, 1925; naturalizations, marriages 1908-1935, miscellaneous records, civil court records, maps, Oswego City directories 1869-present, Fulton City directories of 20th century, cemetery records for 180 cemeteries, and local histories. |
Courthouses[edit | edit source]
The Oswego County Clerk's office has marriage, land, court and military discharge records. The Records Center has the state census from 1850-1925, naturalization and some burial records. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Oswego County are held, see the Oswego County Courthouse page.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Societies[edit | edit source]
Oswego County Historical Society
135 East 3rd St.
Oswego, New York 13126
Phone: 315-343-1342
E-mail: och@rbhousemuseum.org
Oswego Masonic District Historical Society
Phoenix Temple
451 Main Street
Phoenix, New York 13135
Heritage Foundation of Oswego County |
Genealogical Resources: The Heritage Foundation "protects and promotes the historic and architectural landmarks of Oswego County". The group gives tours of some of the 19th Century buildings. |
Central New York Genealogical Society[9] |
Genealogical Resources: :Member queries; surname research list; online resources; six meetings/year; publication: Tree Talks (At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 B2t) quarterly with annual index.
|
- Town Historians and Historical Societies - Oswego County NYGenWeb
Social Groups Online[edit | edit source]
- New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Town Records[edit source]
Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. Vital records from 1880/1882 are kept by town and village clerks, although some (Kent’s and Putnam Valley’s) are available in the County Historian’s Office. For further details, try the links to individual town Wiki pages found in Places. See also:
- Gordon L. Remington, New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002). NEHGS online edition; At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 D27r. Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists.
- Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1904 (New York: Martin B. Brown, 1905)
- Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1922 (Poughkeepsie: Lansing Broas, 1923)
- List of Town Clerks, Record Managers and Historical Societies
The County Archives has the following records:
- 031 Petitions, Licenses, and recognizance to sell liquor (Tavern licenses) 1813-1878
- 139 Monthly Reports of Hunting and fishing licenses, 1908-1938
- 165 Certificates of Qualifications as Examiner in Lunacy, 1883-1947
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records of birth, marriage or death were first recorded at the local level in the village clerk, town clerk, or city clerk’s ledger book. If you know where a birth, marriage or death took place, a copy of the certificate or record may be obtained by writing to the town, village or city clerk. See also How to order New York Vital Records or order electronically online.
See the heading Places on this wiki page for links to local community wiki pages and their available records. See New York Vital Records for a discussion about beginning dates and availability of vital records in New York.
Use substitute records for birth, marriage, and death information. These substitute records include Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records.
- 1834-2002 Northern NY Library Network Newspaper Search. Includes Fulton Patriot (1916-1954), Oswegonian (1935-2002), Pulaski Democrat (1834-1990), and Sandy Creek News (1871-1985).
Birth[edit | edit source]
Early births were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording births in 1881. Births were not recorded on the county level.
- Oswego County Vital Records Links - Public Records Search
- Oswego County Vital Records Links - Public Records Search
- 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Archive.org - images of index
Birth Substitutes
- 1640–1962 New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
- 1640–1962 New York Births and Christenings, 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.
- See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for birth information.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Early marriages were sometimes recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. In 1880, town clerks were to record the marriage and a copy was sent to the New York State Department of Health (state level). Town clerks continue to record marriages. The marriages in this county were recorded by the county clerk from 1907 until 1934.[10]
- 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($); At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2. Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.
- 1664–1784 New York. Secretary of State, Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784 (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University digital library-free; Internet Archive - free; Ancestry edition($); At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2. Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.
- 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index
- Oswego County Vital Records Links - Public Records Search
- Oswego County Vital Records Links - Public Records Search
Marriage Substitutes
- 1686-1980 New York Marriages, 1686–1890 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.
- 1686-1980 New York Marriages, 1686–1890 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– ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groom, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.
- 1800–1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry– ($); 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– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
- 1801–1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry– ($); 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– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable.
- 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); 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, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Pre–1787 |
All divorces were granted by the governor or legislature and were very rare. |
1787–1847 |
All divorces were granted by the court of chancery. These records are found in the New York State Archives or for the New York City area at the New York County Clerk's office.These divorces were granted only on the grounds of adultery. |
1847–present |
All divorces are handled by the county Supreme Court where the divorce was granted. Divorce files in New York are sealed for 100 years. Contact the County Clerk for information about divorce records. |
Divorce judgment papers often include date and place of the marriage and the names and birthdates of any children. Local newspapers may publish notices of divorce actions.
Death[edit | edit source]
Early deaths were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording deaths in 1881. Deaths were not recorded on the county level.
Death Indexes
- 1824-1962 - New York, Church and Civil Deaths, 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — index
- 1880-1956 - New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1880-1956 - New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry — ($), index only
- 1880-1956 - Reclaim the Records: New York State Death Index at Archive.org - images of index
- 1957-1963 - New York State Health Department, Genealogical Research Death Index, 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — Index only
- Oswego County Vital Records Links - Public Records Search
Death Substitutes
- 1795–1952 New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.
- 1795–1952 New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.
- 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
- 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
- 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.
- 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.
- 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Additional resources for Oswego County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Oswego– Vital Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.
Oswego County New York Places[edit | edit source]
Click on the map to go to the town page.

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Oswego County New York Genealogy Websites[edit | edit source]
- Oswego County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- The Oswego County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- US Gen Web Archives Owego County
- Oswego County Links - Cyndi's List - Scroll or search down to "Oswego" for Oswego County Links
- Oswego County Links - Gen Net - American Local History Network (ALHN) and the American History and Genealogy Project (AHGP).
- Oswego County Links - GenealogyLinks.net
- Oswego County Links - My New York Genealogy
- Oswego County Links - I Dream of Genealogy - Scroll to Oswego County
- Oswego County Vital Records Links - Public Records Search
- Oswego County Links - Oswego County Records Center
- Oswego County Genealogy
Oswego County New York Genealogy References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Oswego, New York" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswego_County,_New_York accessed 21 Nov 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Oswego County, New York. Page 488-493 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 490-492.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 491. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Oswego County, New York," in "Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswego_County,_New_York, accessed 20 Feburary 2020.
- ↑ Searches Jefferson, Lewis, and Oswego County cemeteries.
- ↑ Arlene Eakle, and Johni Cerni, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1984), 103. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27ts.
- ↑ Handybook, 847-61.
- ↑ Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912). Internet Archive digital copy; At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Film 1486494-96; Fiche 6083559-64; Book 974.7 M2p.
- ↑ Central New York Genealogical Society at http://cnygs.org/ (accessed 31 Oct 2018).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 488-493. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.