US Civil Records

Boscod

I'm trying to find marriage and death records of relatives that lived in New York state between 1870 and 1940. I've used FamilySearch and Findmypast, however the search results consist of census records for the most part. Can anyone recommend another source that might be more successful.
Thanks.

montgo

Hi,

I found a number of NY records here, hopefully you might find yours.

Coolnabacky1873

montgo wrote: »

Hi,

I found a number of NY records here, hopefully you might find yours.

Italiangen is indeed a great site for the index databases but I just wanted to highlight the distinsction that the BMD indexes on Italiangen are from New York City only. NYC and State have separate BMD records.

Boscod wrote: »

I'm trying to find marriage and death records of relatives that lived in New York state between 1870 and 1940. I've used FamilySearch and Findmypast, however the search results consist of census records for the most part. Can anyone recommend another source that might be more successful.
Thanks.

You need to look at the individual databases on each site as opposed to a blanket search as it just returns too much information. For example, Familysearch has New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 & New York, Marriages, 1686-1980. However a lot of these databases don't have full records right up to the last year in the database title due to privacy laws.

You will need to try and narrow down to a county and then at least a time frame of a few years. If you have a place and year always go the route of getting the record from the town clerk as opposed to the State Health Dept as it is much, much quicker.

I'd also suggest trying to find newspaper information of the events in the Fulton History and New York State Historic Newspapers sites. That might help you narrow down to a place and date.

If you want to post some details, I/we'd be happy to try and help.

IAFC55

I have just found an ancestor who moved to the States in 1872 in the Pennsylvania/New York area, that Fulton History site has been a great help. Whereabouts in NY where your ancestors?

Regards

IanC

Boscod

Hi All.....thanks for your help with my issue.
My relations lived in Albany (city), and I've traced them so far using census records. Here are details.

Mary Anne Donnelly, born Ireland 1846. Last census she is listed in was 1900 - Albany
Edward Donnelly (husband of above), born Ireland 1842 (1844 on census). Last census he is listed in is 1915 - Albany
Margaret Donnelly, (daughter of above) born in Albany in 1876. Last census she is in was 1915 - Albany
Catherine Donnelly (daughter of above) born in Albany in 1877. Again, last census 1915 - Albany

Edward Donnelly, born Massachusetts in 1869. Last census 1930 - Bethlehem, Albany
Anne Donnelly, born Ireland in 1870. Last census 1930 - Bethlehem, Albany

Coolnabacky1873

Try the website of the Troy Irish Genealogy Society, troyirish.com, as they have databases for the Albany area.

There is a local Irish American museum and the resident genealogist, Lisa Walsh Dougherty, could definitely point you in the direction of relevant local records.

Boscod

Hi Coolnabacky. I contacted Lisa and she came back and explained why I'm having this problem. Essentially she is saying that the collection of BMD records did not commence until well into the 1890's and then compliance varied by state, city etc.. Albany, where I'm interested in, is not covered until 1913. She also mentioned that, depending on location, they may not be considered public records and as such will not be found on-line, only at a few repositories around New York state.

Thanks to all for your inputs.