Local History & Genealogy: Genealogy Resources

A guide to local history and genealogy resources for Niagara County.

Open Access Databases

Access to Archival Databases (AAD)
Online access to a selection of NARA records, covering a wide variety of civilian and military functions.
BillionGraves
BillionGraves is the world's largest resource for searchable GPS cemetery data.
Ellis Island Immigration Records
Website of The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation which includes database of passenger records.
Family Search
Comprehensive search tool from the Church of Latter Day Saints. Their search engine will search Ancestral Files, the International Genealogical Index (IGI), Pedigree Resource Files, and websites.
Find A Grave
A search tool for burial and final disposition information. Some listings include biographical information.
Nationwide Gravesite Locator
Created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, this resource searches burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker.
RootsWeb
The supporting organization for thousands of surname discussion lists. Features many primary documents that have been transcribed or scanned by volunteers and made searchable such as obituaries, county histories, tax lists, etc.
USGenWeb
USGenWeb was established in 1996 by a group of genealogists who shared a desire to create online centers for genealogical research. Includes query boards, listings of local sources for records, county and state histories, online genealogy books, research tips, maps, and links to helpful internet resources.

Vital Records

Vital records are birth, marriage, divorce, and death records kept by the government. These records provide names, dates, places, and relationships—information that uniquely identifies a person. Vital records are primary sources and the information on them is usually correct. Vital records provide a strong foundation for building a valid family history.

New York State Vital Records
The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records provides birth and marriage records from 1881, death records from 1880 and divorce records from 1963. Divorce records are maintained for the entire state. New York State Vital Records does not maintain records filed in Albany, Buffalo or Yonkers prior to 1914. Anyone may obtain records of births that occurred at least 75 years ago and records of marriages and deaths that occurred at least 50 years ago. Access to more recent records is restricted to immediate family members with proof of identity.
New York State Death Index
The NYS Death Index from 1880 to 1956 on the Internet Archive
New York Deaths & Burials
Name index to death and burial records from the state of New York, 1795-1952 from Family Search.
New York Marriages
Name index to marriage records from the state of New York from 1686-1980 through Family Search
Finding New York Birth, Marriage, and Death Records
A guide from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.

Military Service

Access to Archival Databases (AAD)
Online access to a selection of NARA records, covering a wide variety of civilian and military functions.
Fold3
Fold3 provides access to military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.
There is a free 7 day trial or else you need to pay for an account.
NPS Soldiers and Sailors Database
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSS) is a database containing information about the men who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Other information on the site includes histories of Union and Confederate regiments, links to descriptions of significant battles, and selected lists of prisoner-of-war records and cemetery records, which will be amended over time. The CWSS is a cooperative effort between the National Park Service and several public and private partners whose goal is to increase Americans' understanding of this decisive era in American history by making information about it widely accessible.

Subscription Database

You can access Ancestry.com at the Lewis Library or from home using your T-Wolves credentials.

Ancestry Library Edition This link opens in a new window
Access a wide range of unique resources for genealogical and historical research. More than 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases, includes records from the United States Census; military records; court, land and probate records; vital and church records; directories; passenger lists and more

Search tips from Ancestry.com

JSTOR

JSTOR for Genealogists
A library guide to utilize JSTOR. Use the rich JSTOR library to build out your family tree’s historical, cultural, and social contexts. Gain the knowledge and details around places, times, and historical trends.

JSTOR This link opens in a new window
JSTOR provides access to more than 10 million academic journal articles, books, and primary sources in many academic disciplines, especially arts, literature, humanities, history and biology.

Genealogical Societies

Niagara County Genealogical Society
The Niagara County Genealogical Society is a non-profit educational group which advances the study of genealogy among its members and the general public. They are located on the second floor of the Niagara County Historical Society Museum.
New York Genealogical & Biographical Society
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, a non-profit educational institution, was founded in 1869. Its purpose is to collect and make available information on genealogy, biography and history, particularly as it relates to the people of New York State.
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK) is a global volunteer organization. Their purpose is to assist others in research
Western New York Genealogical Society
The Western New York Genealogical Society was founded in 1974 to help preserve and encourage interest in the area's rich genealogical heritage.

Family History Center

Buffalo New York Family History Center
The Family History Center located at 1424 Maple Road in Williamsville, New York is open to the public to assist in free family history research. This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions.

Census Records

New York State Census Records
Published statistical schedules compiled from the original returns under the direction of the Secretary of State which describe the population and economy of counties, cities and towns in New York State from the New York State Library.

National Archives

Resources for Genealogists
Guides, tools, and resources from the National Archives.
Access to Archival Databases (AAD)
Online access to a selection of NARA records, covering a wide variety of civilian and military functions.

Books on Genealogy

Crash Course in Genealogy by David R. Dowell
Call Number: CS16 .D68 2011
A basic, how-to book to assist genealogy researchers, this guide can also be used by those who wish to discover and document their family histories.
Sustainable Genealogy by Richard Hite
Call Number: CS16 .H58 2013
This book explains how to avoid the traps many family historians can fall into. Whether it’s a proud family legend, a venerable publication or the claims of an Internet family tree, the unsubstantiated genealogical source does not stand up.
Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com by Nancy Hendrickson
Call Number: CS21.5 .H4649 2018
This book will help you get the most out of your Ancestry.com subscription by showing you how to take advantage of what the world's biggest genealogy website has to offer--and how to find answers to your family tree questions within its billions of records and massive network of family trees.
The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. by Val D. Greenwood
Call Number: CS47 .G79 2017
This guide instructs the researcher in the timeless principles of genealogical research, while identifying the most current classes of records and research tools. It is both a textbook and an all-purpose reference book, designed to help the present generation of family history researchers better understand and utilize all available resources.
History for Genealogists, Using Chronological Time Lines to Find and Understand Your Ancestors. by Judy Jacobson
Call Number: CS49 .J35 2009
History lays the foundation to understand a group of people. Genealogy lays the foundation to understand a person or family using tangible historic evidence.

Organize and Preserve

Legacy Family Tree
A full-featured software program to create a family tree. The standard edition is free. If you try it and like it, there is a deluxe version available at a small cost.
Personal Archiving: Preserving Your Digital Memories
Tips on preserving your research from the Library of Congress.

Land Records

Land records are a valuable source of genealogical and historical information. In addition to researching the history of a property, land records documenting the sale and ownership of land may cite the kinship between parties or provide other vital records information. Land records may infer the approximate date when a person moved to a town or when a building was erected. They may also include the residence of the buyer.

New York State Land Records, 1630-1975
This collection from Family Search contains land and property records from the New York Land Office and county courthouses. The records include land grants, patents, deeds, and mortgages.
General Land Office Records
Resource from the Bureau of Land Management which provides access to Federal land conveyance records for the Public Land States, including image access to more than five million Federal land title records issued between 1788 and the present. There are also images of survey plats and field notes, land status records, and control document index records.

Niagara County Community College. Henrietta G. Lewis Library. 3111 Saunders Settlement Rd., Sanborn, NY 14132 | 716-614-6786