My research is a journey through time, guided by the clues and insights found within historical documents. The published materials, manuscripts and collections I use to advance my research provide the foundation for my investigations. The 1855 New York State census is a valuable resource I often turn to when researching the state’s history in…
My genealogical research, both for clients and my own family history, has led me to discover some helpful online resources. My intention is to create a series of posts to share these resources with you, in the hopes that they will assist in your own research efforts. This post focuses on an Albany newspaper called…
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…
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…
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…