Founded on November 1, 1683, as one of New York’s original 12 counties, Dutchess County has always benefited from its location. Halfway between Albany and New York City and sandwiched between New England and the Hudson, the county has been a focus of migration since the late 17th century. Join Dutchess County Historian Will Tatum for an overview of the resources available to aid your search for your ancestors in Dutchess County, whether they lived their entire lives in the Mid-Hudson region or simply stopped there as part of a larger life journey. Families throughout the United States and North America can trace their ancestry back to this pivotal crossroads of the Hudson Valley, which benefits from an outstanding survival of documentary resources.
About the Presenter
William P. Tatum III has served as the official government historian of Dutchess County, NY, since October 2012. He holds a BA in History and Anthropology from the College of William & Mary in Virginia, and an MA and PhD in History from Brown University. His extensive research experience, spanning archives from Michigan to Edinburgh, Scotland, has informed his approach to records access and researcher services. During his tenure as Dutchess County Historian, he has designed and supervised 11 years of digitization work on the Dutchess County Ancient Documents Collection, comprising county court records from 1721–1888. He also introduced the Archival Imaging Initiative, through which the county has offered free digitization services to local governments and historical societies to preserve especially valuable archival material and improve public access.