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Monroe County, New York Genealogy

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Guide to Monroe 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: Rochester
Organized: February 23, 1821
Parent County(s): Genesee, Ontario
Neighboring Counties
Genesee • Livingston • Ontario (Canada) • Ontario • Orleans • Wayne
Courthouse
New York, Monroe County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Ny-monroe.png

County Information

Description

The county was named for James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. The county is located in the western area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Monroe County Courthouse
99 Exchange Blvd
Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: 585-371-3412
Monroe County Website

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

Monroe 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 1908 1880 1860 1821 1824 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:[5]

Cities
Towns
Villages
Hamlets
  • Parma Center
  • Riga Center
  • Sweden Center
  • West Webster
  • North Chili
  • Clarkson Corners
  • Gates Center
  • North Gates
  • Clifton
  • Industry
  • Belcoda
  • Coldwater
  • Barnard
  • Beattie Beach
  • Braddock Bay
  • Braddock Heights
  • Elmgrove
  • Grandview Heights
  • Grand View Beach
  • North Greece
  • Ridgemont
  • West Greece
Census-designated places


History Timeline

  • Monroe County was part of several counties before becoming its own county:
  • 1683-1772: part of Albany County
  • 1772-1784: part of Tryon County
  • 1784-1789: name of the county was changed to Montgomery County
  • 1789-1802: part of Ontario County
  • 1802-1821: part of Ontario County and Genesee County
  • 23 February 1821: Monroe County was formed from parts of Ontario County and Genesee 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 Monroe 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. %±
1830 49,855 —
1840 64,902 30.2%
1850 87,650 35.0%
1860 100,648 14.8%
1870 117,868 17.1%
1880 144,903 22.9%
1890 189,586 30.8%
1900 217,854 14.9%
1910 283,212 30.0%
1920 352,034 24.3%
1930 423,881 20.4%
1940 438,230 3.4%
1950 487,632 11.3%
1960 586,387 20.3%
1970 711,917 21.4%
1980 702,238 −1.4%
1990 713,968 1.7%
2000 735,343 3.0%
2010 744,344 1.2%
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.[6]
  • 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.
  • 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.


State Census Records

Source 1825 1835 1845 1855 1865 1875 1892 1905 1915 1925
Ancestry.com - - - Yes - Yes Yes - Yes Yes
FamilySearch Library - - - Yes Yes
FamilySearch Historical Records - - - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
New York State Library - - - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

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

Church Records


Baptist

  • 1819-1861 Sweden Baptist Church (Sweden, New York) FS Library film 1036289 Item 5 Records include Articles of Faith, List of members received 1819-1860, and Minutes of meetings 1819-1861.


Catholic


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)

Green check.png
The usage of "Mormon" and "LDS" on this page is approved according to current policy.


  • 1895-1941 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Rochester and Cumorah Districts FS Library film 1961 Items 8-10 Contains records of members. Usually contain birth and marriage information


Lutheran


Methodist

  • 1875-1904 Records of Rev. E. J. Whitney marriages and burials with a few baptisms and membership records, 1875-1904 FS Library film 1381557 Rev. Whitney officiated in the Newfane Methodist Episcopal Circuit. Records from Parma, Hamlin, Clarkson and other towns in Monroe County; Kendall and other towns in Orleans County; Wilson and other towns in Niagara County; and Castile and other towns in Wyoming County


Presbyterian

  • 1836-1906 Records of Bethel Free Church, Washington Street Church, Central Presbyterian Church and Central Presbyterian Church Sunday School, 1836-1906: typescript. 1985. Digital version at Ancestry – ($).
  • 1894-1931 Brick Church Index [pdf file] - created from the monthly church bulletins of the Brick Church, which span the years from March, 1894 to June, 1931; from the Monroe County Public Library System


Society of Friends (Quaker)

  • Quaker Records: Rochester Monthly Meeting Monroe County, New York. Digital version at Ancestry – ($).


Unitarian

  • 1846-1879 Karen E. Dau and Rev. George Washington Montogomery, Marriage Records of Rev. George Washington Montgomery, 1846-1879. (Rochester, New York : Rochester Genealogical Society, 1992.) WorldCat 37217766; FS Library film 1440334 Item 3, and book 974.788 V2m. Reverend Montgomery was the founding minister of the First Universalist Society of the city of Rochester. This is transcribed from the original record with indexes added for bride, groom, and witnesses. Also includes ages and occupations.


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.

The Monroe County Clerk has court records from 1860 to the present. The County Clerk is the Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts.

A search can be made of the public court records in person at the County Clerk's office or a request by phone or fax can be made asking the Clerk to do a search. For information about making such requests, including costs, see the County Clerk General Information and Requests web site.


Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

History of Land Records in Monroe County

Monroe County New York Early Land tracts.PNG

New York and Massachusetts both claimed the area of Monroe County. After the Revolution, the two states settled by allowing New York to have the right to govern, while Massachusetts had the right of pre-emption or first right to sell the land. Massachusetts sold those rights to Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham. Most of these rights later went to Robert Morris. Morris sold most of his rights to the Holland Land Company. The purchasers were also to acquire rights to the land from the Indians. For additional information, see Phelps and Gorham Purchase and My New York Genealogy, Monroe County.

An online index, 1973 to the present plus images, 1976 to the present is available online. Registration is required to use this free database.

Local Histories

When it became a county on February 23, 1821, it already had 28,000 settlers with several towns and villages that provided agricultural support to the mill town of Rochester. Rochester became the county seat. Today, Monroe county is composed of 19 towns, 10 villages, and the City of Rochester.

Maps and Gazetteers

Orleans CountyGenesee CountyLivingston CountyOntario CountyWayne CountyNY MONROE.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Early migration routes to and from Monroe County for European settlers included:[8]

Military Records

Since Monroe County was created in 1821, no one representing the county served in the Revolutionary War nor the War of 1812. However veterans of those wars became residents of Monroe County and have records there or in Monroe county's parent counties.

Various Wars
War Dead, from the Revolutionary War to the Lebanon Conflict (pdf) -- This information was taken from material provided by the County Historian's Office and contains about 2,800 names. From the Monroe County Public Library System.

Civil War

Monroe County Civil War Roster is an online transcription of pages from the History of Monroe County 1788-1877 that list the men who served in the Civil War from Monroe County.The men are arranged by town, then by name. The entries give name, unit, enlistment and discharge dates, and whether wounded or killed.
Civil War Master List - a compilation of names taken from various sources such as card files, the 1865 census, and the County Historian's Office. It contains over 38,000 names primarily from the Rochester and Monroe County area. From the Monroe County Library System

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: Brighton · Chili · Clarkson · Gates · Greece · Henrietta · Irondequoit · Ogden · Parma · Penfield · Perinton · Sweden · Webster.

Regiments. Service men in Monroe County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are military units that were specifically formed in Monroe County:[10]

- 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Batteries L and M.
- 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery (National Guard), Batteries A and B.
- 1st Regiment, New York Light Artillery, Battery L.
- 6th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery, Companies C and G.
- 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies C and G.
- 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L and M, 2nd Companies K and L, 3rd Company K.
- 13th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- 14th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company E.
- 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company E.
- 16th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies G and K.
- 20th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
- 21st Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies C, G, K and L.
- 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A, B, C, D, F, G, I, K and M.
- 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies H and L.
- 27th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
- 55th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
- 67th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
- 78th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
- 89th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
- 100th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.
- 104th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company F.
- 105th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies F, G, H and I.
- 108th Regiment, New York Infantry
- 129th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies L and M.
- 140th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- 151st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
- 164th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
- 175th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and E.
- 178th Regiment, New York Infantry
- 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C, E, H and I.


World War II
World War II and Korean Casualties (pdf) -- This information was taken from data punch cards with cells of newspaper film kept by the Local History Division and contains about 6,500 names.
World War II Master File (pdf) -- This information was taken from card files in the Local History Division and contains about 7,000 names. From the Monroe County Public Library System.

Korean and Vietnam

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

  • Fairport (NY) Herald; 1873-1925
  • Fairport (NY) Monroe County Herald Mail; 1885-1992
  • Greece (NY) Press; 1934-1958
  • Hilton (NY) Record; 1906-1968
  • Rochester (NY) Album; 1825-1828
  • Rochester (NY) Daily Advertiser & Telegraph; 1828-1829
  • Rochester (NY) Daily Record; 1910-1974
  • Rochester (NY) Democrat Chronicle; 1884-1948
  • Rochester (NY) Republican; 1829-1849
  • Rochester (NY) Telegraph; 1818-1820
  • Rochester (NY) Union & Advertiser; 1862-1885
  • Spencerport (NY) Suburban News; 1961-1994
  • Webster (NY) Herald; 1938-1981
  • Moore's Rural New Yorker; 1872

Other resources:

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.[11] See New York Probate Records for online resources, details, links, and more.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

  • Spencerport High School Yearbook Index (pdf) -- This name index covers the years 1911 through 1922, and then various years through the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. From the Monroe County Public Library System.

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.

Monroe County is considered a consolidated county because birth and death records were collected from the towns, cities and villages. Birth and death records are at the Monroe County Health Department's Office of Vital Records. This site also explains the record availability and eligibility requirements. A separate page is specific to Genealogy Records and Resources. An online form can be completed online, but then the page must be printed and mailed with payment (see page for instructions).

  • 1801-1892 Monroe County, New York, master card file index of vital and other records. FS Library Film 1432348 Item 3 (first of 4 films). Microfilm of original card file in Hilton, New York in the possession of the Hamlin town historian. Information indexed in the cards was taken from the following sources: Clarkson census, 1820-1850; Union census, 1855; Hamlin census 1865- 1892; original purchases of lots on Triangle Tract, 1801-1809; records of the following churches: Clarkson Congregational, Walker Baptist, and Morton Baptist; bounty payments made to Civil War enlistees and draftees and/or substitutes in all Monroe Co. towns; birth records of Dr. Mann; records of the following cemeteries: Blossom, Garland, Walker, Baxter, West Clarkson, Parma Union, Morton, Wright; records of the Harmon Monument Co.; veteran burials in Hamlin per Monroe Co. Grave Register; gazetteer and business directory, 1869-1870; deaths recorded in the diaries of Frank Cary; people mentioned in early town minutes, 1861-1871; excerpts from the Tenny genealogy; obituaries clipped from Br. Rep. and D and C; town of Hamlin birth, marriage, and death records.

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 Monroe County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1983–4). At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.788 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

County Historian
Office of Historian
Lavery Library
St John Fisher College
3690 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
Phone: 585-385-8244
Fax: 585-428-8353

Genealogical Resources; 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.

Records and Archives room
Website

Monroe County has a significant collection of drawings of construction jobs dating back to the 1870s and many aerial photographs.

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

Monroe County Library System
115 South Ave
Rochester, NY 14604
Phone: 585-428-7300
Website
Multiple locations

Scottsville Free Library
28 Main St
Scottsville, NY
Phone: 585-889-2023
Website

Museums

High Falls Heritage Area
Website

Rochester, New York, has information about the area history, geography, commerce and culture.

Societies

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

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; six meetings/year; publishes Tree Talks (At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.7 B2t) quarterly with annual index.
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, Oreleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming, and Yates.

Western Monroe Historical Society
151 Main St
Brockport, NY 14420
Phone: 585-637-3645
Website

Pioneer Society of Rochester and Western N.Y.
was created Sept., 31, 1847 in Rochester. The organization faded after 1870. This site lists the members in 1847, 1854, 1866, and those listed in newspapers.
Website at NY GenWeb

Rochester Historical Society
115 South Ave
Rochester, NY 14604
Phone: 585-428-8470
Website

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Monroe County, New York" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_County,_New_York, accessed 21 Nov 2018
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Monroe 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. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.; Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Monroe County, New York," in "Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_County,_New_York, accessed 12 Feburary 2020.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ "Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: An Inventory of Selected Congregational Records of the American Lutheran Church in Minnesota at the Minnesota Historical Society," Collection Finding Aids, Minnesota Historical Society, http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/01009.xml, accessed 10 June 2013.
  8. ↑ Handybook, 847-61.
  9. ↑ Compare the more northerly route in Handybook, 849, with the more southerly route described in Wikipedia contributors, "New York State Route 5" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Route_5 (accessed 28 June 2011).
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ 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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