Bethlehem, Albany County, New York Genealogy

United States

New York

Albany County

Town of Bethlehem

Bethlehem, New York
Map
Location in Albany County, New York
Albany County, New York's location in the state of New York
Facts
Founded	March 12, 1793
Address	445 Delaware Avenue Delmar, NY 12054
Website: www.townofbethlehem.org/

Quick Facts

Named after biblical town of Bethlehem.

1609: Henry Hudson may have landed at this spot.

12 March 1793: Town of Bethlehem founded, from Town of Watervliet.

1832: part of Town set off to create Town of New Scotland.

Villages, Halets and Communities

• Beckers Corners – A hamlet in the south part of the town at Route 9W.
• Bethlehem Center – A hamlet in the northeast part of the town.
• Cedar Hill – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town, east of the Thruway.
• Delmar, New York – A hamlet near the center of the town and the location of the town government. Formerly known as Adamsville.
• Elsmere – A hamlet east of and adjacent to Delmar.
• Glenmont, New York – A hamlet in the eastern part of the town.
• Houcks Corners – A hamlet south of Delmar.
• Karlsville – A hamlet in the north part of the town.
• Kenwood – A hamlet in the northeast part of the town.
• Normansville – A hamlet in the north part of the town.
• North Bethlehem – A hamlet at the north town line in the northeast part of the town.
• Selkirk, New York – A hamlet east of South Bethlehem.
• Slingerlands – A hamlet immediately west of Delmar and near the west town line.
• Spawn Hollow – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town.
• South Albany – A hamlet in the south part of the town, north of South Bethlehem.
• South Bethlehem – A hamlet in the south part of the town.
• Wemple – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town.

Neighboring Towns

• East: Hudson River
• North: City of Albany, Town of Guilderland
• West: Town of Scotland
• South: Town of Coeymans

Resources

All titles, unless otherwise indicated, are FamilySearch Catalog (FS Library) entries.

Cemeteries

• Burying ground inscriptions, Town of Bethlehem, pub. 1947-1948 (FS Library)
• Dutch Settlers Society Collection
• Inscriptions of Old family burying grounds, Town of Bethlehem, pub. 1940 (FS Library)

Beth Emeth Cemetery

Glenmont, NY 518-436-9761

Bethlehem Cemetery

• Bethlehem Cemetery Association
• Findagrave.com

Calvary Cemetery

Located in Bethlehem Center 518-465-3970

• Findagrave.com

Elmwood Cemetery

80 Old Ravena Road, Selkirk, NY

• Dutch Settlers Society Collection, pub. 1927-1945 (FS Library)
• Elmwood cemetery records, pub. 1932 (FS Library)
• New York Gravestone Photo Project
• Findagrave.com

Holy Spirit Evangelical Lutheran (Trinity)

• Findagrave.com

Jerusalem Cemetery

Located on Old Quarry Rd, Feura Bush, NY

• Findagrave.com

Kimmey Cemetery

Delmar, NY

• Findagrave.com

Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Contact the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, P.O. Box 68, South Bethlehem NY 12161

• FindaGrave

Our Lady Help of Christians Cemetery

Glenmont, NY

• FindaGrave

St Matthew’s Lutheran Cemetery

Bethlehem Center, NY

• FindaGrave

Church History and Records

Reformed Dutch

• Records of Harvey B. Kimmey, Minister. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Film 1697874 Item 15
• Church records of the Reformed Churches at Bethlehem and Coeymans. FS Library Film 17539
  Baptisms 1794-1870
  Marriages 1799-1861
• Reformed Church, Bethlehem Township, Albany, New York computer printout; births or christenings, 1799-1871. FS Library Film 882995 Item 8
• Reformed Church, Bethlehem Township, Albany, New York computer printout; marriages, 1799-1861. FS Library Film 1205006 Item 5

First Reformed

First known in early years as Congregation of Bethlehem and Jericho. (original and photostatic records)

• Records of the Church of Bethlehem and Jericho, 1794-1924. FS Library Film 533487
• Church records. FS Library Film 17538 Items 1-4
  Baptisms 1794-1924
  Marriages 1798-1924
  Deaths 1871-1924
  List of members

History

• Bethlehem revisted, a bicentennial story, 1793-1993. FS Library Book 974.743 K2a
• Times remembered: Chronicles of the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland, New York. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.742/B1 H2b
• Index to Times remembered: chronicles of the towns of Bethlehem and Scotland, New York by Allison Bennett 1984. FS Library Book 974.742 H2b index
• Records of the people of the town of Bethelehem, Albany County, New York, 1698-1880. FS Library Book 974.742/B1 H2r

Native Races

• Bethlehem revisted, a bicentennial story, 1793-1993 (including information about Mohican and River (Mohegan) Indians. FS Library Book 974.742/B1 H2b

Repositories

Archives, Libraries and Museums

Bethlehem Public Library
451 Delaware Avenue
Delmar, NY 12054
Phone: 518–439–9314
Email: bpl@uhls.lib.ny.us
Collection: Local Genealogy, published records, and passenger lists.

Societies

Town of Bethlehem Historical Association
Old Cedar Hill Schoolhouse
1003 River Road
Selkirk, NY 12158
Phone: 518–767–9432
Email: info@BethlehemHistorical.org

Town Clerk

Bethlehem Town Clerk
Town Hall
Room 104
445 Delaware Avenue>
Delmar, NY 12054
Phone: 518–439–1699
sleath@townofbethlehem.org

Town Historian

Bethlehem Town Historian
Susan E. Leath
Town Hall
445 Delaware Avenue
Delmar, NY 12054
Phone: 518–439–4955, ext. 1160
Email: sleath@townofbethlehem.org

Town Records

To locate additional published and transcribed records for Bethlehem, Albany County, New York Genealogy check:

• Gordon L. Remington, New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002). American Ancestors online edition; At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.7 D27r. Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists. The codes used under Church and Cemetery are defined in the link above the listing of towns, cities and villages.