Importance of Guardianship Records Guardianship records, which were filed with the courts after a father’s death, are an important resource, potentially providing evidence of birth, marriage and death, as well as identifying family relationships. After a father’s death, his children were considered orphans. One or more guardians would be assigned responsibility for the children’s care,…
What’s Free To View On FamilySearch Go directly to list Throughout the years I have have spent time refining my research techniques and strategies. One of the initial, basic steps involves organizing record collections that are available online versus those only available in physical repositories. Through this post, I thought I would explain one of…
The Reformed Dutch Church in Claverack was first organized in 1716. Construction on the current building (photo to the left) began in 1767 on land owned by the Van Rensselaer family. Over the years, additions were added to the church, creating the sanctuary as it stands today. To learn more about the history of the…
If you have started any sort of family history research, you are most likely already aware of the value of census records. As a supplement to the federal census, New York State census records are a good way to trace your ancestors between federal census years, and they can provide some detail that federal records…
Significance and Use of Local Histories Columbia County local histories can be valuable research tools. They provide historical context that may assist you when utilizing other types of genealogy records in your family research. Columbia County has a number of local histories that may be of use and can be a great source of genealogical…
FamilySearch and the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society are collaborating on a multi-year project to index New York State’s land records. The records (some dating back to the eighteenth-century), including deeds and mortgages from county courthouses, were microfilmed by the LDS church in the 1960s and 1970s. The microfilm was eventually digitized, but the…
Most of my maternal ancestors are from various parts of Ireland. I have had the most success researching John and Julia McDonald, my great-great grandparents. Using a combination of online and on-site research, I have been able to get a sense of who they were, which for me, is one of the joys of genealogical…
Learn about Columbia County genealogy records associated with the Dutch Reformed Church and cemetery in Hillsdale, New York. Also known as the Krum Church, the Hillsdale Reformed Dutch Church was formed in 1776. The name Krum seems to have derived from the association of the Krum family, whose property was in close proximity to the…
As a resident of Columbia County, this is where the foundation of my genealogy work begins. Here is where I most frequently conduct on-site research and gather information on the most relevant genealogy collections specific to the area. To help you learn more, I have summarized the types of Columbia County genealogy records available, which…
If research efforts to find your ancestor’s New York birth record have been unsuccessful, you already know that this can be a difficult task due to the lack of availability of state vital records prior to 1880. Finding evidence of an ancestor’s birth not only potentially confirms the date and location of the event, but…