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Greene County, New York Genealogy

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Guide to Greene County, New York ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Catskill
Organized: March 25, 1800
Parent County(s): Albany, Ulster
Neighboring Counties
Albany • Columbia • Delaware • Rensselaer • Schoharie • Ulster
See County Maps
Courthouse
New York, Greene County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Ny-greene.png


County Information

Description

The county was named for the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Greene County Courthouse
320 Main St
Catskill, NY 12414
Phone: 518-625-3160
Green County Website

The Greene County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and land records. The Surrogate Court has probate records.

Greene County, New York Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[2]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1880 1900 1880 1800 1800 1803 1663
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]

Towns
Villages
Hamlets
Census-designated places


History Timeline

  • 1801: 90 square miles (Prattsville, Vly Mountain, Halcott Center, Bushneville, Highmount, Shandaken, Lanesville and Pine Hill) transferred from Delaware and Ulster counties.
  • 26 May 1812: a portion (Pine Hill, Highmount and Shandaken) was transferred back to Ulster County.
  • 15 April 1814: the county borders were re-surveyed with no change in area but Prattsville was found to be inside Greene County.
  • 23 April 1822: the border was again re-surveyed, and the Hudson River border with Columbia County realigned.
  • 3 March 1836: 30 square miles (Manorkill) lost to Schoharie County.

Resources

Bible Records

  • 1581-1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry ($) – index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Greene County, New York online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See New York Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1800 12,584 —
1810 19,536 55.2%
1820 22,996 17.7%
1830 29,525 28.4%
1840 30,446 3.1%
1850 33,126 8.8%
1860 31,930 −3.6%
1870 31,832 −0.3%
1880 32,695 2.7%
1890 31,598 −3.4%
1900 31,478 −0.4%
1910 30,214 −4.0%
1920 25,796 −14.6%
1930 25,808 0.0%
1940 27,926 8.2%
1950 28,745 2.9%
1960 31,372 9.1%
1970 33,136 5.6%
1980 40,861 23.3%
1990 44,739 9.5%
2000 48,195 7.7%
2010 49,221 2.1%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.

Federal
U.S. Census Mortality Schedules for New York, 1850-1880:

  • Available online at Ancestry ($).
  • Deaths are included for the 12 months prior to the census, 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, and 1879-80 beginning 1 June and ending 31 May of the census year.[7]
  • Basic contents of the records include: Name, sex, age, color, marital status, place of birth, month of death, occupation, and cause of death. 1870 also has parents' birthplace. 1880 lists how long a resident of the county.
  • Also on FS Library Films 1415128–42.
  • The 1890 Census is lost. For a substitute, see Greene.
  • 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.

State

Source 1825 1835 1845 1855 1865 1875 1892 1905 1915 1925
Ancestry.com - - - Yes - Yes Yes - Yes Yes
FamilySearch Library - - - Yes
FamilySearch Images - - - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
New York State Library - - - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
  • 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.
  • 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.

New York State 1865 and 1875 Census Marriage, Mortality; and 1865 Soldier Mortality records:

  • Images available online at New York State Census, 1865 and New York State Census, 1875. Click on the link to go to the page, then click on the ‘Browse through images’ link and select your county, then select an ancestor's town and browse to the end of the population schedule until you find the Marriage, Mortality, and 1865 soldier mortality schedules.
  • Includes marriages and deaths for the 12 months prior to the census, ending 1 June of the census year.
  • Marriage entry content: Husband's name, wife's name, ages and previous marital status, month and day and place of marriage, and church or civil ceremony.
  • Death entry content: Name, age, sex, color, marital status, month and day of death, native state or country, occupation and cause of death.
  • 1865 deaths of officers and enlisted men entry content: Name, age, marital status, citizenship status, enlistment date, original regiment, original rank, regiment at death, rank at death, promotions, death date and place, manner of death, surviving associates, and burial place.
  • Also on microfilm. See the FamilySearch Library line in the above State Census Chart.


Church Records


Catholic


Baptist


Society of Friends

  • 1761-1867 Monthly Meeting Records, 1761-1867(*) by Society of Friends, Coeymans Monthly Meeting at FamilySearch Catalog - births and deaths 1812-1867, marriages 1829-1867, men's monthly meetings 1828-1867, women's monthly meetings 1828-1861.


Presbyterian

  • Dates Vary Church records of Greene County churches(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - holographic manuscripts of baptisms, 1798-1831, and marriages, 1833-1843, from Prattsville Reformed Church, baptisms, 1830-1833, marriages, 1842-1868, and members, 1830-1833, from Cairo Presbyterian Church, baptisms, 1799- 1888, and members, 1792-1888, from the First Presbyterian Church at Durham.
  • 1826-1901 First Reformed Church, Athens, NY. Baptisms and Marriages at Tracing Your Roots in Greene County - archived page


Reformed Churches


Methodist

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Ancestors may have been involved in municipal, state, or federal court cases and actions. See also New York Court Records and United States Court Records.

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Delaware CountyUlster CountyDutchess CountyColumbia CountyRensselaer CountyAlbany CountySchoharie CountyNY GREENE.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Catskill Turnpike.png

Migration routes for early European settlers to and from Greene County included:[8]

NY MA CT.png

Military Records

Civil War

Town registers. The New York town clerks kept a bound register of all soldiers from their town serving in the Civil War 1861-1865. Registers are arranged by county, and town. Some town registers are missing. The registers include an index at the start of each town.

Content. Many register entries include full name, residence, date and place of birth, parents names, marital status, date of enlistment and muster and rank, discharges, death, or promotion.

Access. The original registers are at the New York State Archives in Albany, New York. Microfilm copies are found at the FamilySearch Library (FS Library Film 1993401-37). They are also indexed and available at Ancestry.com ($). Available towns. Registers are available for: Ashland · Athens · Cairo · Catskill · Coxsackie · Durham · Greenville · Halcott · Hunter · Jewett · Lexington · New Baltimore · Prattsville · Windham.

Regiments. Service men in Greene County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.[29]

- 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A
- 65th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B
- 120th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D, F and K
- 156th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

  • Catskill NY Recorder 1805-1951
  • Catskill NY Western Constellation 1800-1805

Obituaries

Other Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records (wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions) for New York are held in the office of the county Surrogate Court beginning in 1787, or when the county was formed. Prior to 1787, most are housed at the New York State Archives.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Probate Petitions In 1830, state law required the Surrogate Court clerk to issue a probate petition for a deceased individual with property. This petition, unique to New York, usually lists the deceased's death date. It also lists the heirs, their relationship to the deceased, and their residence. These petitions are often found in the estate files.[30] See New York Probate Records for online resources, details, links, and more.

Online Probate Indexes and Records
The petitions for Greene County are also available on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library and its centers:

School Records

Social Security Records


Tax Records

Town Records

Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. Vital records from 1880/1882 are kept by town and village clerks, although some (Kent’s and Putnam Valley’s) are available in the County Historian’s Office. See:

  • New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources by Gordon L. Remington. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002. FS Library Book 974.7 D27r; At various libraries (WorldCat); Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists.

Vital Records

Vital records of birth, marriage or death were first recorded at the local level in the village clerk, town clerk, or city clerk’s ledger book.

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Divorce judgment papers often include date and place of the marriage and the names and birthdates of any children. Local newspapers may publish notices of divorce actions.

  • Pre–1787 All divorces were granted by the governor or legislature and were very rare.
  • 1787–1847 All divorces were granted by the court of chancery. These records are found in the New York State Archives or for the New York City area at the New York County Clerk's office.These divorces were granted only on the grounds of adultery.
  • 1847–present All divorces are handled by the county Supreme Court where the divorce was granted. Divorce files in New York are sealed for 100 years. Contact the County Clerk for information about divorce records.

Voting Records

Research Facilities

Archives

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Greene County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1988). At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.737 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

County Historian
Greene County Historian
David Dorpfeld
71 Sutton Place
Coxsackie, NY 12051
Telephone: (518) 320-8545
The County Historian may provide access to obituaries, vital records, church records, maps, and family files or journals. Some historians provide search services for their office records and others may refer you to local genealogists who research in the area.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Mid-Hudson Library System
103 Market Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-471-6060
Website
For additional information on member libraries: Greene County New York Public Libraries, Mid-Hudson member libraries

Vedder Research Library
email: archivist@gchistory.org
Website
Collections include historical records, documents, books, paper maps, manuscripts, letters, journals, relics and things which may establish or illustrate the history, growth and progress of the County of Greene and its surroundings.

Museums

Durham Center Museum (open by appointment)
Route 145,
P.O. Box 192
East Durham, NY 12423
Phone: (518) 239-8461 or (518)239-4081
Email: DurhamCenterMu@aol.com

The museum has two major collections of records known as the Rossi records and the Staats records. They also have cemetery records, family Bibles, family files, church records, Scrapbooks, local history books, board of supervisor’s rolls, assessment rolls, genealogical newsletters, pictures, maps and more. Records focus on Green, Albany, and Columbia Counties.

Societies

Listed below are societies in Greene County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see New York Societies.

Capital District Genealogical Society
Empire State Plaza Station
PO Box 2175
Albany, NY 12220-0175
Website

Counties served: Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington.

Central New York Genealogical Society
Box 104, Colvin Station
Syracuse, NY 13205
Email: contact@cnygs.org
Web Contact Form
Website

Member queries; surname research list; online resources; publication: Tree Talks ; (At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.7 B2t) quarterly with annual index in which you can search for people by county.
Counties served: Albany, Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming, and Yates.

Greene County Historical Society
P.O. Box 44
90 County Route 42
Coxsackie, NY 12051
Phone: 518-731-6490
Website
Society has a non-circulating collection containing historical and genealogical material and publishes a quarterly Journal for Society members.

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Greene County, New York" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greene_County,_New_York, accessed 19 Nov 2018
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Greene County, New York. Page 488-493 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 490-492.
  3. ↑ https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Albany_County,_New_York
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 489. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Greene County, New York," in "Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greene_County,_New_York, accessed 13 January 2020.
  7. ↑ Arlene Eakle, and Johni Cerni, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1984), 103. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27ts.
  8. ↑ Handybook, 847-61.
  9. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Old Albany Post Road" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Albany_Post_Road (accessed 23 June 2011).
  10. ↑ Frederic J. Wood, The Turnpikes of New England and the Evolution of the Same Through England, Virginia, and Maryland (Boston: Marshall Jones, 1919), map between 56 and 57, and 168. Internet Archive version online.
  11. ↑ Isaac Huntting, History of the Little Nine Partners of North East Precinct and Pine Plains, New York, Dutchess County (Amenia, NY: Chas. Walsh, 1897), 99-101. Google Book edition.
  12. ↑ List of turnpikes in New York in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia (accessed 6 November 2014).
  13. ↑ Turnpike in Routes in the Northeastern United States: Historic Trails, Roads and Migration Routes (accessed 6 November 2014). The Ancram Turnpike went from Springield, MA to Catskill, NY; and was called the Catskill Road.
  14. ↑ Almira E Morgan, The Catskill Turnpike: A Wilderness Path (Ithaca, N.Y.: DeWitt Historical Society of Thompkins County, 1971), 5. Online digital copy.
  15. ↑ Catskill Turnpike in Routes in the Northeastern United States: Historic Trails, Roads and Migration Routes (accessed 6 November 2014). The Catskill Road went west from Catskill, NY to Bath, NY; the east part was called the Susquehanna Turnpike.
  16. ↑ Huntting, 97-99.
  17. ↑ List of turnpikes in New York in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia (accessed 1 November 2014).
  18. ↑ Anastassia Zinke, The Susquehanna Turnpike and America's Frontier History in Catskill Mountain Foundation (accessed 1 November 2014).
  19. ↑ Joan Odess, The Susquehanna Turnpike (pdf accessed 1 November 2014).
  20. ↑ Wood, map between 56 and 57, and 186-88.
  21. ↑ Wood, map between 330 and 331, and 348-49.
  22. ↑ Wood, map between 56 and 57, and 203-205.
  23. ↑ Wood, map between 56 and 57, and 166-67.
  24. ↑ Wood, map between 56 and 57, and 76-78.
  25. ↑ Wood, map between 56 and 57, and 79-80.
  26. ↑ Handybook, 851.
  27. ↑ Bethlehem Pike in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia (accessed 17 November 2014).
  28. ↑ Wood, map between 330 and 331, and 363-64.
  29. ↑ Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912). Internet Archive digital copy; At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Film 1486494-96; Fiche 6083559-64; Book 974.7 M2p.
  30. ↑ Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 479. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27rb 2004. Henry B. Hoff, "Navigating New York Probate," American Ancestors 12 (Fall 2011): 54.
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