New York State Archives—A Guide

A Comprehensive Overview of the Holdings of the New York State Archives

The vast unique holdings of the New York State Archives offer untold discoveries for anyone searching for New York ancestors.

Scholars, biographers, and family historians have not yet tapped the entirety of the Archive’s holdings. Only a fraction of the series available at one of New York’s most valuable and treasured repositories have been digitized, making this guide an essential resource.

The publication will provide a comprehensive overview of the holdings of the New York State Archives for those tracing families across the state.

Each chapter will communicate the contents—and accessibility—of these important records of interest to family and local historians.

Inside the Guide

After an introduction to the publication, the first chapter will include a history and overview of records held by the New York State Archives (NYSA). The chapter will review accessing the Archive’s materials, specifically covering online finding aids; digitized records on Ancestry.com; restrictions to records; general procedures; and other important details.

This essential section will be followed by a series of chapters relating to specific subjects. Each chapter will include:

• An overview of the subject: the types of records available, their reasons for creation, and the department/agency responsible for creating the records, as applicable.
• Details on specific records: a table or listing of selected NYSA records for the subject with date ranges, index and digitization information, and access notes (including quantities of material, format for access, and access restrictions).
• Specific record examples: Spotlights of the materials that can be found within the series.

Two appendices will provide additional resources for readers—record series accessible on major genealogical websites, relating them to the New York State Archives record series.

Meet the Author and Editorial Team

Author Jane E. Wilcox serves on the New York State Archives Advisory Committee.

She speaks at national genealogy conferences and institutes. With her company, Forget-Me-Not Ancestry, in Kingston, NY, Jane is a full-time professional genealogist, specializing in colonial and early national New York and area research. She also serves on the NYG&B’s New York Family History Advisory Committee.

Ms. Wilcox’s work is supported by an editorial team of editors and reviewers, including staff from the New York States Archives and the NYG&B, members of the NYG&B’s Family History Advisory Committee, and other New York experts.

Table of Contents

Readers can expect to find chapters including, but not limited to, the following subjects:

• Introduction
  • History and Overview of the New York State Archives
  • Accessing and Using NYSA Records
  • Record Restrictions
  • Using New York State Archives—A Guide
• Appointments and Elected Officials
• British Colonial
• Canals
• Census
• Citizenship: Naturalization, Resident Aliens, and Electors
• Court
• Dutch Colonial
• Education
• Financial
• Indigenous People/American Indian
• Institutional
• Land: Patents and Deeds, Mortgages and Mortgage Foreclosures, and Taxes
• Legislation
• Local Records
• Loyalists
• Military
• Occupational
• Penal, Executive Clemency, and Extradition
• Probate and Estate Matters
• Vital Records and Matrimonial Actions
• Miscellaneous

NYSA Sponsors

We are grateful to the sponsors who made this book possible:

Empire Sponsors

Big Apple Sponsors