The Vosburgh Collection of New York Church Records
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Originally published in The
NYG&B Newsletter, Fall 1998
Between 1913 and
1921, Royden Woodward Vosburgh (1875-1931) transcribed for The New York Genealogical
and Biographical Society records of some 94 New York State Protestant churches,
in 104 volumes. In 1922-1925 he transcribed an additional ten volumes of
Richmond County church and cemetery records for the Staten Island Institute
of Arts and Sciences (SIIAS). The NYG&B Library has copies of these transcripts
in its Manuscript Collection. NYG&B filmed the volumes it had commissioned
(except those for New York County), and that film series is available at
NYG&B and at other libraries. Other filmings of all the NYG&B and
SIIAS volumes are available through the Family History Library in Salt Lake
City.
Partial inventories
of the collection were published in the Record in 1918 (49:11-16)
and 1921 (52:152-57). The revised inventory given below covers all of the
volumes in the collection, indicating location, church name, years covered,
and NYG&B film and manuscript numbers. The film numbers apply only to
the NYG&B filming, not to the FHL films of these records.
Records of some
of these churches have also been transcribed by others and published by them
in book or article form with indexes that are lacking for most of Vosburgh’s
work. However, researchers who make use of these other publications may still
want to check Vosburgh’s version of the same records, as he is more
likely to have followed the original format of the church registers, and
may have read a name differently from the other transcriber. Also, while
other transcripts may cover only marriages and baptisms, Vosburgh transcribed
these plus deaths or burials, and membership, confirmation and communion
rolls.
For more information
on Mr. Vosburgh see his obituary in the Record 63(1932):185-86.
The following list
is taken from a more detailed compilation available in the Library, prepared
by former NYG&B Assistant Librarian Michael Marrone. Members who want
to use the manuscript volumes will find those for all counties except New
York and Richmond on the open shelves in the New York Room; for the New York
County and Richmond County volumes, a call slip must be filled out and presented
to a librarian. 
Albany County
- Albany, First Lutheran,
1784-1900 (reel 1, item 1; MS. A 1, A 2; partial index in A 1)
- Albany, First Presbyterian,
1785-1870 (reel 1, item 2; MS. A 2A)
- Berne, Reformed Dutch Church
of the Beaver Dam, 1763-1877 (reel 1, item 4; MS. B 1A, index)
- Berne, St. Paul’s Evangelical
Lutheran, 1790-1875 (reel 1, item 5; MS. B 2, B 2 index, B 3)
- New Scotland, Presbyterian,
1787-1893 (reel 9, item 6; MS. N 13)
Cayuga County
- Fleming, Reformed Protestant
Dutch Church at the Owasco Outlet, 1807-1886 (reel 9, item 2; MS. O 13)
- Owasco, Reformed Dutch,
1799-1834 (reel 9, item 3; MS. O 13)
Columbia County
- Canaan, Congregational Church
and Society of New Canaan, 1740-1884 (reel 2, item 7; MS. C 3D)
- Canaan, First Presbyterian,
1830-1854 (reel 2, item 6; MS. C 3C)
- Chatham, Congregational
Church of New Concord, 1781-1854 (reel 5, item 6; MS. G 6, index)
- Claverack, St. Thomas Evangelical
Lutheran, 1760-1905 (reel 2, item 9; MS. C 5, index)
- Germantown, Christ’s
Evangelical Lutheran, 1746-1859 (reel 5, item 2; MS. G 3, index)
- Ghent, Christ’s Evangelical
Lutheran, 1801-1901 (reel 5, item 3; MS. G 4, index)
- Ghent, Reformed Dutch (known
as Christ Church), 1775-1919 (reel 5, item 5; MS. G 6, index)
- Hillsdale, Reformed Dutch,
b 1776-1849 (reel 6, item 3; MS. H 2, index)
- Kinderhook, Reformed Dutch,
1716-1864 (reel 7, item 3; MS. K 1 [3 vols.])
- Manorton (Livingston), St.
John’s Evangelical Lutheran, 1764-1848 (reel 7, item 6; MS. M 2),
1794-1872 (reel 8, item 1; MS. M 3 [2 vols.])
- West Copake, Reformed Church
of West Copake (formerly Reformed Church of Taghkanick), 1783-1856 (reel
12, item 6; MS. W 6)
Delaware County
- Harpersfield, Presbyterian
Congregation, 1787-1837 (reel 11, item 2; MS. S 10C)
- Moresville (Roxbury), Reformed
Dutch, 1836-1889 (reel 9, item 1; MS. P 5, pp. 126-147)
- Stamford, First Presbyterian,
1834-1882 (reel 11, item 3; MS. S 10C [2 vols.])
- Stamford, St. Peter’s
Episcopal Church in Hobart, 1794-1907 (reel 11, item 1; MS. S 10A [3 vols.])
Dutchess County
- Pine Plains, Round Top Lutheran,
1760-1788 (reel 8, item 6; MS. P 17)
Fulton County
- Broadalbin, First Presbyterian,
1799-1895 (reel 8, item 2; MS. M 8, pp. 28-88)
- Johnstown, Presbyterian,
1785-1867 (reel 6, item 6; MS. J 1)
- Johnstown, St. John’s
Episcopal, 1815-1862 (reel 7, item 1; MS. J 2)
- Mayfield, Reformed Dutch,
1792-1821 (reel 8, item 2; MS. M 8, pp. 1-27)
- Perth, First Presbyterian
Church of West Galway (formerly First Presbyterian Church in Galloway),
1793-1912 (reel 13, item 2; MS. W 10)
- Perth, United Presbyterian
Church of Broadalbin, 1821-1918 (reel 8, item 2; MS. M 8, pp. 89-192)
Greene County
- Catskill, Reformed Dutch,
1732-1833 (reel 3, item 3; MS. C 14, index)
- Durham, First Presbyterian,
1792-1857 (reel 3, item 6; MS. D 2)
- Durham, Reformed Dutch Church
in Oak Hill, 1794-1832 (reel 4, item 2; MS. D 3)
- Durham, Second Presbyterian,
1816-1872 (reel 3, item 7, and reel 4, item 1; MS. D 2)
- Prattsville, Reformed Dutch,
1798-1896 (reel 9, item 1; MS. P 5, pp. 1-125)
- West Coxsackie, First Reformed,
1738-1918 (reel 3, item 2; MS. C 11, C 12, C13, index to C 11 only)
Herkimer County
- German Flatts, Reformed
Protestant Dutch, 1763-1848 (reel 5, item 4; MS. G 5 [2 vols.], index)
- Herkimer, Reformed Protestant
Dutch Church, 1801-1848 (reel 6, item 5; MS. H 8 and H 9, index; and H
10 for land records of the church)

Montgomery County
- Florida, United Presbyterian,
1743-1861 (reel 7, item 2; MS. J 2)
- Florida, Reformed Protestant
Dutch, 1808-1918 (reel 4, item 7, and reel 5, item 2; MS. F 12, pp. 9-189)
- Fonda, Reformed (formerly
Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Caughnawaga), 1758-1858 (reel 4, item
5; MS. F 3; F 4; F 5)
- Glen, First Reformed Protestant
Dutch (formerly First R.P.D. Church at Charleston), 1805-1882 (reel 6,
item 2; MS. G 18)
- Minden, St. Paul’s
Lutheran (otherwise known as the Geisenberg Church, formerly at Hallsville),
1792-1836 (reel 8, item 3; MS. M 10)
- Minden, Reformed Dutch Church
at Fort Plain (formerly Reformed Calvinist Church at Canajoharie), 1788-1850
(reel 4, item 6; MS. F 7, index; MS. M25 has additional records 1835-1950)
- Palatine, Lutheran Trinity
Church of Stone Arabia, 1751-1866 (reel 11, item 4; MS. S 12, S 13, S 14)
- Palatine, Reformed Dutch,
1739-1912 (reel 11, item 5, and reel 12, item 1; MS. S 15, S 16, S 17)
- St. Johnsville, St. John’s
Dutch Reformed, 1788-1878 (reel 9, item 9; MS. S 1 and S 2)
New York County
- Christ Protestant Episcopal,
1793-1848 (no NYG&B film; MS. N.Y. 25A, 26)
- Reformed Dutch Church at
Greenwich [Greenwich Village], 1804-1859 (no NYG&B film; LOCALITY SHELF 2 (N71 D101))
- Madison Avenue Reformed
(formerly Reformed Dutch Church in Sugar Loaf Street, and North West Reformed
Dutch Church in Franklin Street), 1808-1850 (no NYG&B film; LOCALITY SHELF 2 (N71 D102))
- South Reformed Dutch Church
("in Garden Street" to 1835, "in Murray Street" 1837-48),1812-1853
(no NYG&B film; LOCALITY SHELF 2 (N71 D103))
Oneida County
- Clinton,Congregational Church
(also known as the Society of Clinton), 1788-1846 (reel 8, item 7; MS.
P 17)
- New Hartford, Presbyterian
Church (formerly the First Religious Society in Whitestown), 1791-1887
(reel 9, item 5; MS. N 14)
- Paris, Congregational Church
(also known as Paris Religious Society), 1795-1855 (reel 8, item 9; MS.
P 8)
- Utica, First Presbyterian,
1797-1852 (reel 12, item 5; MS. U 1)
- Whitestown, First Presbyterian
Church of Whitesboro, 1795-1898 (reel 13, item 3; MS. W 10A)
Oswego County
- Oswego, First Presbyterian,
1832-1870 (reel 9, item 4; O 1)
Otsego County
- Cherry Valley, First Presbyterian,
1799-1849 (reel 3, item 4; MS. C 17, index)
- Cooperstown, Presbyterian,
1800-1869 (reel 3, item 5; MS. C 18, index)
- Springfield, First Baptist,
1787-1852 (reel 2, item 5; MS. C 3C)
Rensselaer County
- Brunswick, Gilead Evangelical,
1777-1859 (reel 1, item 6; MS. B 6, B7, index in B 6 A)
- East Greenbush, Reformed
Protestant Dutch,1787-1910 (reel 5, item 7; MS. G 7 [2 vols., index to
vol. 1, pp. 1-115])
- Hoosick, Reformed Dutch
Church of Taishokeat Buskirk (formerly Buskirk’s Bridge, or Tiossick)
1792-1873 (reel 12, item 3; MS. T2)
- Lansingburgh, First Presbyterian,
1804-1827, 1833-1858 (reel 7, item 4; MS. L 1, pp. 163-183)
- Nassau, Reformed Dutch,
1804-1878 (reel 8, item 5; MS. N 1)
- North Greenbush, Reformed
Protestant Dutch Church of Wynantskill, 1794-1889 (reel 13, item 1; MS.
W 9)
- Schodack, Reformed Dutch
Church of Schodackat Muitzeskill, 1770-1832 (reel 9, item 11, and reel
10, item 1; MS. S 5)
- Troy, First Presbyterian,
1793-1864 (reel 7, item 4; MS. L 1, pp. 1-162)
- Troy, Second Street Presbyterian,
1834-1911 (reel 12, item 4; MS. T 3)
- West Sandlake, First Evangelical
Lutheran Church (formerly the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rensselaerwyck
and Greenbush),1785-1868 (reel 12, item 7; MS. W 7)
Richmond County (Staten Island)
- New Springville (in former
Town of Northfield), Asbury Methodist Episcopal (formerly M.E. Church in
Town of Northfield),1802-1809, 1856-1881 (no NYG&B film; MS. S.I. 7)
- Port Richmond (Northfield),
Reformed Protestant Dutch Church on Staten Island, 1790-1871 (no NYG&B
film; MS. S.I. 2)
- Richmond (Northfield), St.
Andrew’s Protestant Episcopal, 1808-1875 (no NYG&B film; MS. S.I.
6)
- Rossville (Westfield), St.
Luke’s Protestant Episcopal, 1844-1877 (no NYG&B film; MS. S.I.
4)
- Tompkinsville (Castleton),
Reformed Protestant Dutch (in 1922 the Reformed Church of Brighton Heights),
1823-1871 (no NYG&B film; MS. S.I. 3)
- Tompkinsville (Castleton),
St. Paul’s Protestant Episcopal, 1833-1876 (no NYG&B film; MS.
S.I. 1)
- West New Brighton (Castleton),
St.Mary’s [Protestant Episcopal], 1849-1875 (no NYG&B film; MS.
S.I. 10, includes index)
- Woodrow (Westfield), Woodrow
Methodist Episcopal, 1798-1876 (no NYG&B film; MS. S.I. 5)
Rockland County
- Kakiat, Reformed Dutch,
1774-1864 (reel 12,item 8; MS. W 8)

Saratoga County
- Ballston, First Presbyterian,
1783-1865 (reel 1, item 3; MS. B 1)
- Charlton, Freehold Presbyterian,
1800-1861 (reel 2, item 8; MS. C 4, index)
- Charlton, United Presbyterian
Church at West Charlton, 1794-1858 (reel 8, item 8; MS. P 17)
- Clifton Park, Reformed Dutch
Church of Amity, 1802-1856 (reel 9, item 8; no MS. version)
- Schuylerville, Reformed
Protestant Dutch Church of Saratoga, 1789-1857 (reel 9, item 10; MS. S
3)
- Stillwater, First Congregational,
1752-1849 (reel 12, item 2; MS. S 22, pp. 1-40)
- Stillwater, First Presbyterian,
1791-1904 (reel 12, item 2; MS. S 22, pp. 40-124)
Schenectady County
- Duanesburgh, Reformed Protestant
Dutch,1798-1804 (reel 4, item 7; MS. F 12, pp. 1-8)
- Niskayuna, Protestant Reformed
Dutch, 1783-1861 (reel 9, item 7; MS. N 10)
Schoharie County
- Blenheim, Reformed Dutch,
1797-1831 (reel 6, item 1; MS. G 17, pp. 120-179)
- Cobleskill, Union Reformed
Dutch, 1827-1848 reel 7, item 5; MS. C 7, pp. 193-202)
- Cobleskill, Zion’s
Evangelical Lutheran, 1795-1871 (reel 3, item 1; MS. C 7, pp. 1-189)
- Gilboa, Reformed (formerly
the Reformed Dutch Church in Dyse’s Manor in Broome), 1801-1885 (reel
6, item 1; MS. G 17, pp.1-119)
- Middleburgh, Reformed Dutch,
1786-1865 (reel 8, item 4; MS. M 12)
- New Rhinebeck, German Reformed
(later the Reformed Church of Lawyersville in Cobleskill), 1788-1882 (reel
7, item 5; MS. C 7, pp.1-192)
- Schoharie, Reformed (formerly
the High and Low Dutch Reformed Congregation), 1730-1892 (reel 10, item
3; MS. S 8A; S 8B, S 8C)
- Schoharie, St. Paul’s
Evangelical Lutheran, 1728-1882 (reel 10, item 2; MS. S 6, S 7, S 8)
Washington County
- Cambridge, First United
Presbyterian Congregation, 1794-1869 (reel 2, item 3; MS. C 3B)
- Cambridge, Protestant Presbyterian
Congregation, 1791-1886 (reel 2, item 2; MS. C 3A)
- Easton, Reformed Protestant
Dutch, 1803-1909 (reel 4, item 3; MS. E 1)
- Greenwich, Reformed Dutch
(formerly Reformed Dutch Church of Union Village), 1809-1879 (reel 4, item
4; MS. E 1)
Bennington County, Vermont
- Sandgate, Congregational,
1782-1835, 1860, 1867 (reel 2, item 4; MS. C 3B)
Warren County, New Jersey
- Johnsonburg, Hardwick Friends
Meeting, 1803-1822, women’s minutes (reel 6, item 4; no MS. version)

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