Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York

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Richmond County New York Historical Facts

Officially, the Borough of Staten Island is one of five boroughs of greater New York City since 1898. Richmond County was coterminous with the Borough of Richmond (meaning they had identical borders). In 1975 the Borough of Richmond was officially renamed the Borough of Staten Island.

Boundary Changes

1664 Yorkshire became the first large government unit (not actually a county) organized by New York after the English took control from the Netherlands. It was divided into three ridings including West Riding (Staten Island, Brooklyn, and modern Elmhurst in Queens).^{[6] [7]}
1683 New York extinguished Yorkshire, creating Richmond County from part of Yorkshire.^{[6] [7]}
1687 Administrative divisions were started which eventually evolved into townships. ^[9]
1898 The five boroughs were consolidated into New York City, and her county governments were dissolved. Staten Island joined New York City as the Borough of Richmond. ^[10]
1975 The Borough of Richmond was officially renamed the Borough of Staten Island. ^[9]

Record Loss

Richmond County New York Genealogy Resources

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.
  

Biography

Business Records and Commerce

Cemeteries

Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Census

For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.

• 1655 - van Laer, A.J.F. "A List of Settlers on Staten Island Who Survived the Massacre of 1655," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Jul. 1903):210-211. Digital versions at Google Books - free; New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 34.
• 1706 - Stillwell, John E. "Census of Staten Island in the Year 1706," Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey, Vol. 1 (1903):149-155.^[11] Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• The 1890 Census is lost. For a substitute, see Directories.
  

Federal

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.^[12]
• 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 which can be ordered through any Family History Center.

State

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. These can be ordered through any Family History Center.

Church Records

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.

• to 1899 - Records of Burials in the Dutch Church, New York. New York, USA: Reformed Dutch Church, 1899. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1688-1804 - Registers of the Births, Marriages, and Deaths of the "Eglise Françoise à la Nouvelle York" : from 1688 to 1804. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1968. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• 1696-1790 - Port Richmond Reformed Dutch Church Baptisms 1696-1790, courtesy: NYGenWeb; Ancestral Things
  
• 1696-1828 - Wright, Tobias Alexander, ed. Records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Port Richmond. New York, USA: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1909. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive; World Vital Records ($); another World Vital Records ($) version. Dutch Reformed Church of Port Richmond baptisms 1696-1772; United Brethren Congregation births/baptisms 1749-1853, marriages 1764-1863, deaths/burials 1758-1828; St. Andrews Church at Richmond births/baptisms 1752-1795, marriages 1754-1808.^[13]
• 1696-1790 - "Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of Port Richmond, Staten Island, N.Y. Baptisms," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1696-1715: Vol. 36, No. 3 (Jul. 1905):177-184; 1715-1721: Vol. 36, No. 4 (Oct. 1905):267-276; 1720-1726: Vol. 37, No. 1 (Jan. 1906):27-34; 1726-1731: Vol. 37, No. 2 (Apr. 1906):122-130; 1731-1738: Vol. 37, No. 3 (Jul. 1906):189-196; 1738-1790: Vol. 37, No. 4 (Oct. 1906):284-302. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 36-37. Internet Archive has digitized Vol. 36 and Vol. 37 - free.
  
• 1696- - "Register Boek Van De K--K[?] Namen Der Kinderen Dewelck Gedoopt Bennen Op Staten Eylandt Van D ----- Beginne Van Het Jaer Anno 1696," in John E. Stillwell, Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey. Vol. 1 (New York, 1903). Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• 1749-1863 - "Records of the United Brethren Congregation, Commonly Called Moravian Church, Staten Island, N.Y.," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Baptisms 1749-1800: Vol. 38, No. 1 (Jan. 1907):39-54; Baptisms 1798-1813: Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr. 1907):113-128; Baptisms 1813-1827: Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. 1907):177-192; Baptisms 1821-1837: Vol. 38, No. 4 (Oct. 1907):257-272; Baptisms 1834-1851: Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan. 1908):17-32; Baptisms 1851-1862, Marriages 1764-1782: Vol. 39, No. 2 (Apr. 1908):93-108; Marriages 1782-1815: Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul. 1908):167-178; Marriages 1815-1835: Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct. 1908):253-268; Marriages 1835-1863: Vol. 40, No. 1 (Jan. 1909):33-45. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 38-40. Internet Archive has digitized Vol. 38, Vol. 39, and Vol. 40 - free.^[14]
  
• 1764-1863 - Staten Island - Moravian Church, Marriages 1764-1863, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
• 1790-1811 - Staten Island Dutch Reformed Church Marriages 1790-1811, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
• 1790-1871 - Vosburgh, Royden Woodward. "Marriage Records of the Reformed Dutch Church on Staten Island," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Marriages 1790-1803: Vol. 124, No. 1 (Jan. 1993):9-12; Marriages 1803-1811: Vol. 124, No. 2 (Apr. 1993):90-91; Marriages 1811-1820: Vol. 124, No. 3 (Jul. 1993):157-160; Marriages 1820-1825: Vol. 124, No. 4 (Oct. 1993):230-232. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 124.
• 1823-1871 - Vosburgh, Royden Woodward. Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Tompkinsville, Staten Island, Richmond County, N.Y. 2 vols. 1922. Digital version at NYGenWeb (partial). Baptisms and births 1823-1854; marriages 1824-1854; members 1823-1854; church officers 1848-1858; members 1854-1871; marriages 1852-1871.
• 1813-1901 St. Andrew's church records, Staten Island, FHL film 509192 items 2-3 Contains birth and death records, 1813-1900

Additional Church Records

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York Church Records  in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Court Records

Ancestors may have also been involved in municipal, state, or federal court cases. See also New York Court Records and United States Court Records.

Liber A (1680-1709) has been published and is available online.^[15]

Crime and Criminals

Directories

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups

Gazetteers

Genealogy

• Rootsweb message board for Richmond County 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

Jewish Records

The Museum of Family History has compiled a list of synagogues that operated in Richmond (Staten Island). Synagogue names and addresses are included.^[16]

Land and Property

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 Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York 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: Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York deeds. (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
• Family History Library Catalog using the search phrase: 1, New York - Land and Property. (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)

Additional resources

Additional resources for Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York land records may be found in the Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York – Land Records topic page of the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Maps

Migration

Early migration routes to and from Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York for settlers included:^[17]

• the Atlantic Ocean, and Long Island Sound connected New York City with Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America
• Hudson River a navigable river stretching from north of Albany then flowing south to empty into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City
• Raritan River a navigable river which rises in Morris County and flows through central New Jersey past Manville to New Brunswick where it meets the tide.
• Great Shamokin Path a pre-historic Indian path from Long Island to Lake Erie mostly in Pennsylvania
• Port of New York City 1624 where ships from around the world brought immigrants, and boats could go up the Hudson River
• Albany Post Road (or Queen's Road, or King's Road) 1669
• King's Highway (or Boston Post Road) 1673 connected Boston, Massachusetts to Charleston, South Carolina and many coastal cities between including New York City and Philadelphia
• Morris Canal 1831 connected Jersey City, New Jersey (and NY City) to Philipsburg, New Jersey on the Delaware River and part of Pennsylvania
• Delaware and Raritan Canal 1834 connected New Brunswick, New Jersey on the Raritan River (and NY City) to Bordontown, New Jersey on the Delaware River and parts of Pennsylvania including Philadelphia.

Military

Revolutionary War

Richmond County men served in the 2nd New York Regiment.^[18]

Civil War

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) and can be ordered for viewing at your local Family History Center. They are also indexed and available at Ancestry.com ($).

Available towns. Registers are available for: Southfield.

Regiments. Service men in Richmond County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.^[19]

- 132nd Regiment, New York Infantry

- 145th Regiment, New York Infantry

- 191st Regiment, New York Infantry

Naturalization and Citizenship

Italian Genealogical Group  offers free indexes to the following:

• Petitions: 1898-1903, 1907-1959
• Declarations: 1906-1953, 1957
• Military: 1918, 1919, 1921-1924
• Intentions: 1883 - 1898

• 1865–1957 New York, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, 1865-1957 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

Indexes

• 1792-1989 Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 at Ancestry ($). This database is based on NARA's Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. All 5 boroughs are included.

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm: FHL Film 1419807 (1st of 294 films). The courts this index covers are:

• City Court of Brooklyn, 1836-1894
• Kings County Court, 1806-1906
• New York City Marine Court, 1806-1849
• New York County Common Pleas Court, 1792-1895
• New York County Superior Court, 1828-1895
• New York City and County Supreme Court, 1868-1906
• Queens County Court, 1799-1906
• Queens County Surrogate Court, 1888-1898
• Richmond County Court, 1869-1906
• U.S. Circuit Court Southern District, 1846-1876
• U.S. District Court Eastern District, (Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties), 1865-1906
• U.S. District Court Southern Court Southern District, (New York, Bronx and also Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties), 1824-1906^[20]

Newspapers

Obituaries

Periodicals

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

Probate Records

Probate records including original estates and wills for New York are held in the office of the Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York 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. ^{[21] [22]}

References

1. ↑ New York, New York, Department of Health, "Index to Births, Richmond County, New York, 1847-1897" (New York, New York : Microfilming Service, Recordak Corp., 1964. Microfilm copy of handwritten alphabetical card file at the Municipal Archives, New York City.) FHL Film 1324935-37.
2. ↑ "Early New Jersey Marriages Relating to Staten Islanders" in RootsWeb at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyrichmo/misc/early_nj_marr_staten.html (accessed 1 February 2012).
3. ↑ New York, New York, Department of Health, "Index to Deaths, Richmond County, New York, 1847-1897" (New York, New York : Microfilming Service, Recordak Corp., 1964. Microfilm copy of handwritten alphabetical card file at the Municipal Archives, New York City.) FHL Films 1324932-34.
4. ↑ Carol M. Meyers, Early New York State Census Records, 1663–1772 (Gardena, Calif.: RAM Publishers, 1965), 116. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 X28m. Includes "A List of Names [that is Slaves] Male and Female Belonging to Staten Island North Division, 1755."
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, "Miscellaneous genealogical records, wills, deeds, etc., 1649-1925" (Salt Lake City, Utah : Genealogical Society of Utah, 1967. Microreproduction of ms. and typescript at the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences). FHL Film 514658.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Kathryn Ford Thorne, New York Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993), 157. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 E7t.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Wikipedia contributors, "York Shire (Province of New York)" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_Shire_(Province_of_New_York) (accessed 7 January 2012).
8. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 478. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Staten Island" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staten_Island (accessed 16 December 2011).
10. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Borough (New York City)" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Boroughs (accessed 16 December 2011).
11. ↑ For an analysis of this source, see: Patricia Law Hatcher, "The Staten Island Census A List Analysis," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 140, No. 4 (Oct. 2009):261-271. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 140.
12. ↑ 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.
13. ↑ Staten Island, New York Church Records, 1749-1828, Ancestry, http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4272 (accessed 17 November 2011).
14. ↑ WeRelate contributors, "Source:New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (New York Genealogical and Biographical Society)," in WeRelate, http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Source:New_York_Genealogical_and_Biographical_Record_%28New_York_Genealogical_and_Biographical_Society%29, accessed 9 February 2012.
15. ↑ John E. Stillwell, Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey. Vol. 1 (New York, 1903). Digital version at Internet Archive.
16. ↑ "Former Synagogues of NYC," UpFront with NGS: Blog of the National Genealogical Society, http://upfront.ngsgenealogy.org/2011/12/former-synagogues-of-nyc.html, accessed 29 December 2011.
17. ↑ Handybook, 847-61.
18. ↑ "2nd New York Regiment," Valley Forge Legacy, http://valleyforgemusterroll.org/regiments/ny2.asp, accessed 31 May 2012.
19. ↑ 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.
20. ↑ Family History Library Catalog, FamilySearch, accessed 6 December 2011, http://www.familysearch.org.
21. ↑ 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.
22. ↑ 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 Richmond (Staten Island) County Surrogate Court.

Online Abstracts and Indexes

• 1787-1847 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
  
• 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at New York Ancestors ($); includes Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York.^[1]
  

Probate Records on Microfilm

• 1787–1967 Probate Records: Index to Wills, 1787–1959; Wills, 1787–1967; Guardianship, 1882–1940; Decrees and orders, 1882–1967. Surrogate Court FHL Film 509198 (121 Films)
• 1664–1866 Probate Records: Index to Wills, 1787–1863, Guardianship, 1787–1866. Surrogate Court FHL Film 509190

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York probate wills in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Repositories

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Richmond County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1985). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.726 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

College of Staten Island (CUNY)^[2]
Archives and Special Collections
Library, 1L-216
2800 Victory Boulevard
Staten Island, New York 10314
Phone 718-982-4128
Fax: 718-982-4127
Email: archives@mail.csi.cuny.edu

Richmondtown Library
New York Public Library
200 Clarke Avenue (at Amber St.)
Staten Island, New York 10306
Phone:718-668-0413
Email
Other public libraries in Staten Island

Staten Island Museum^[2]
aka Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences
History Library and Archives
75 Stuyvesant Place
Staten Island, New York 10301
Phone: 718-727-1135 ext. 122, archivist
Dorothy D'Eletto, Archivist/Researcher
History Archives & Library Collection

Wagner College^[2]
The Horrmann Library
1 Campus Road
Staten Island, New York 10301
Phone: 718-390-3401
Email: library@wagner.edu

• Archives of the Metropolitan New York Synod
  
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in American, dating from 1786
  
• College archives
  

Borough Registrar

New York City Registrar
Borough of Staten Island^[2]
Staten Island Business Center
350 St. Marks Place
Staten Island, New York 10457

• Official record of real estate and personal property transfers, recording deeds and mortgages

City Clerk's Office

City Clerk's Office
Borough Administrator
Robin Aryakia^[2]
Staten Island Office
Borough Hall Building
10 Richmond Terrace, Third Floor, Room 311
Staten Island, New York 10301
Phone: 718-816-2290

• Marriages from 1866 to 1907
  
• After 1907 if bride's residence or licenses of nonresidents was obtained in Staten Island
  

County Historian

Courthouses

The Richmond (Staten Island) County Clerk's office land records; the Surrogate Court has probate records; and the County Health Department has marriage and death records. For further information about where the records for Richmond County are held, see the Richmond (Staten Island) County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources for family history research.

The main FHC for Richmond (Staten Island) County, New York is the Staten Island New York Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.

Societies

Sandy Ground Historical Society^[2]
1538 Woodrow Road
Staten Island, New York 10309
Phone: 718-317-5796

• contains "largest documentary collection of African-American culture and history of Staten Island"
  

Staten Island Historical Society^[2]
Historic Richmond Town
411 Clarke Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10306-1198
Phone: 718-351-1611
Fax: 718-351-6057
Email: sihs-library@si.rr.com

Quarter publication: Richmondtown Restoration: Newsletter of the Staten Island Historical Society, Staten Island Historian

Tottenville Historical Society^[2]
PO Box 70185
Staten Island, New York 10307-0185
Phone: 646-291-7005
Email: info@tottenvillehisotry.com

• They provide research services in their library and off-site at local repositories for a fee. They accept requests through mail or email. For more information.

Social Groups Online

• New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Taxation

• 1699–1734 Tax assesment rolls New York Public Library; Family History Library's Film 484033. These rolls are a great finding aid to locate someone that was a city resident and finding the ward they belonged to; includes renters and owners. There is a break in the years from 1710 to 1720. The rolls from 1721 to 1734 include Queens, Richmond, and Westchester as well as New York City. ^[4]

Town Records

Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. 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.

Vital Records

Birth

Birth records from 1898 to 1909 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City birth records is available at FamilySearch Books Online. Birth records from 1909 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).

• 1847-1897 Department of Health. Index to Births, Richmond County, New York, 1847-1897; FHL Films 1324935-1324937.
  
• 1881-1965 Births Reported in the City of New York, 1881-1965; FHL Film 1322457 (1st of 30 films).
  
• 1898-1902 Births Reported in the City of New York, 1891-1902 at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1898-1965 Birth Index at Vital Search ($).
  
• 1898-1909 Department of Health. Division of Vital Statistics. State of New York (Richmond Borough) Certificate and Record of Birth, 1898-1909. FHL Films 1984042 (1st of 10 films).
  
• 1898-1965 Department of Health. Births Reported in the City of New York, 1881-1965. 1322457 (1st of 30 films).
  
• 1901-1909 New York City Birth index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1901-1909 New York City Births at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

Birth Substitutes

• 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.
  
• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.

Marriage

Marriage records from 1898 to 1937 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City marriages is available at FamilySearch Books Online. Marriage records from 1929 to the present can be obtained from the City Clerk of New York City ($).

• 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.
  

• 1665-1800 Early New Jersey Marriages Relating to Staten Islanders at NYGenWeb - free.
  

• 1882-1897 Richmond County Clerk. Card Index to Marriages, 1882-1897. FHL Film 1378932 Item 2 (1st of 3 films).
  

• 1897-1932 Marriage Records Richmond County, New York, 1897-1932. FHL Film 1674406 (1st of 28 films).
  

• 1898-1937 New York City Grooms Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

• 1898-1937 New York City Brides Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  
• 1898-1937 New York City Grooms Record index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1898-1937 Marriage Index at Vital Search ($).
  
• 1898-1937 New York City Brides Record Index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1898-1937 New York City Index to Marriages in All Boroughs, 1888-1937; 1653852 Items 1 - 2 (1st of 12 films).
  

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.
  
• 1790-1947 Pantle, Alberta. Records of Marriages and Deaths from the New York Magazine, or Literary Repository, 1790-1797, 1900-1905, 1924-1947 and Bible Records. MSS., Staten Island Historical Society Museum. Microfilmed 1967: FHL Films 509186-509187.
  
• 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."
  
• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.
  
• 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 browseable.
  
• 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.
  
• 1875 Marriages Records on the 1875 State Census at NYGenWeb - free.

Divorce

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

Death records from 1898 to 1948 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City death records is available at FamilySearch Books Online. Death records from 1948 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).

• 1847-1897 Department of Health. Index to Deaths, Richmond County, New York, 1847-1897; FHL Films 1324932-1324934.
  
• 1892-1902 Deaths Reported in the City of New York. New York, USA: Department of Health. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1898-1948 New York City Death Records Search 1891-1948 at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  
• 1898-1948 New York City Death Index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1898-1913 Death Index at Vital Search ($).
  
• 1898-1949 Department of Health. Richmond County, New York Death Certificates, 1898-1949; FHL Films 1322793 (1st of 79 films).
  
• 1898-1965 Department of Health. Index to Deaths, New York City, 1888-1965; FHL Film 1324913 Item 1 (1st of 18 films).
  

Death Substitutes

• 1790-1947 Pantle, Alberta. Records of Marriages and Deaths from the New York Magazine, or Literary Repository, 1790-1797, 1900-1905, 1924-1947 and Bible Records. MSS., Staten Island Historical Society Museum. Microfilmed 1967: FHL Films 509186-509187.
• 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."
  
• 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.
  
• 1849-50 1850 Census Mortality Schedules at NYGenWeb - free.
  
• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.
  
• 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 browseable.
  
• 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.
  
• 1874-5 Deaths Recorded on the 1875 State Census at NYGenWeb - free.
  
• 1909-1911 The Forgotten of Ellis Island - Deaths in Quarantine, 1909-1911 - free.
  
• 1980-present New York Times and New York City Newspapers Obituaries Archive at Obits Archive.
  
• 1999-2011 Index to Some Staten Island Obituaries at NYGenWeb - free.
  

Additional Resources

• Dickenson, Richard and Julie Moody Ojelade. Afro-American Vital Records and 20th Century Abstracts Richmond County Staten Island 1915 and 1925 New York State Census Records. Staten Island, New York: Sandy Ground Historical Society, c1985. FHL Book 974.726 F2d.

Additional resources for Richmond County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Richmond– Vital Records topic page of the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Voting Registers

Richmond County New York Genealogy Websites

• The Richmond County (Staten Island) NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project

Richmond County New York Genealogy Places

Richmond County New York Genealogy References

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