The email or phone call comes in to the NYG&B, “I need the marriage record I found on Ancestry.com that says it’s found in the 1932 NYG&B Record. I can’t find it. Can you send it to me?”
The answer is simple, yes and no. If the Ancestry.com record cites “Source: The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly), 1932, selected extracts,” (see figure 1) then yes, we can help. But no, the marriage record isn’t found in the NYG&B Record.
Example Index Record
Let’s look at an example. The marriage of Graham Polley to Mary Wright is noted in an Ancestry.com index.[1] The date given for the marriage is 3 October 1839 and the place is New York City, New York.
|
Name |
Graham Polley |
|
Spouse Name |
Mary Wright |
|
Marriage Date |
3 Oct 1839 |
|
Marriage Place |
New York City, New York, New York |
|
Source |
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly), 1932, selected extracts |
|
Publisher |
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society |
|
Publication Place |
New York, NY |
|
Marriage ID |
2220316624 |
|
Other Comments |
On microfilm at Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. |
Figure 1
While the source notation on records like these states The NYG&B Record, it is not. And the marriage ID number note does not reference a FamilySearch Image Group Number (formerly called DGS) or a Family History Library number. Nor does the number reference any NYG&B collection. Likely the marriage ID number comes from a compact disk at the FamilySearch Library rather than a microfilm.[2] With this knowledge of where the records are not, we now need to proceed to the actual source.
Correct Source
The source to check is James P. Maher’s Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald.[3] This published book is the NYG&B headquarters and many libraries. While it is unknown if every record in this Ancestry.com collection is from Maher’s index, it is the first place to be checked. Once an entry is found, there is more to do.
Next Steps
When a marriage or death index record is found referencing the New York Herald [published under various titles], accessing images would be the best practice. The Chronicalling America website notes the various titles and has digitized select issues (https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83045442). Researchers with access to the America’s Historical Newspapers website (check for access at your local library) or Newspapers.com, for example, can view digitized copies.
The date of the marriage would not often match the date of publication; therefore, searching the date and several days following may be necessary. Likewise, the noted date may be the date the notice was published and not the marriage date, as is the case for the Polley–Wright marriage (figure 2) that occurred on “On Sunday evening.” The calculated marriage date for this couple is Sunday, 29 September 1839, rather than 3 October.[4]
Married.
On Sunday evening, Mr. Graham Pooley, of Williamsburg,
L.I. to Miss Mary Wright, of this city.
Figure 2
Conclusion
Digging deeper than an index entry is necessary, as is understanding the source of information. If research has led you to the “The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly), 1932, selected extracts,” a new path can be added to your research plan. While extra time is needed in cases like this, the effort is rewarded.
Footnotes
[1] Graham Polley to Mary Wright, 3 October 1839, Ancestry database “The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly) 1932, selected extracts. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7854/records/270074.
[2] Credit to Robert Raymond, former Deputy Chief Genealogical Office, FamilySearch for this information.
[3] James P. Maher, Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald: 1835–1855, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1987. 4 vols. The NYG&B holds this work but is not the publisher of these volumes.
[4] The author thanks Aaron Goodwin for his initial question, leading to this article.