Montgomery County, New York Genealogy

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Guide to Montgomery 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: Fonda
Organized: March 12, 1772
Parent County(s): Albany
Neighboring Counties
Fulton Herkimer Otsego Saratoga Schenectady Schoharie
Courthouse
New York, Montgomery County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Ny-montgomery.png


County Information

Description

The county was named for Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Montgomery County Courthouse
58 Broadway
Fonda, NY 12068
Phone: 518-853-4516
Montgomery County Website

Montgomery 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 1795 1772 1787 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
Census-designated places


History Timeline

Five counties set off over the years.[6]

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 Montgomery 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.
1790 28,848
1800 22,051 −23.6%
1810 41,214 86.9%
1820 37,569 −8.8%
1830 43,715 16.4%
1840 35,818 −18.1%
1850 31,992 −10.7%
1860 30,866 −3.5%
1870 34,457 11.6%
1880 38,315 11.2%
1890 45,699 19.3%
1900 47,488 3.9%
1910 57,567 21.2%
1920 57,928 0.6%
1930 60,076 3.7%
1940 59,142 −1.6%
1950 59,594 0.8%
1960 57,240 −4.0%
1970 55,883 −2.4%
1980 53,439 −4.4%
1990 51,981 −2.7%
2000 49,708 −4.4%
2010 50,219 1.0%
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:

State

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

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


Reformed Protestant Dutch


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

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Herkimer CountyFulton CountySaratoga CountySchenectady CountySchoharie CountyOtsego CountyNY MONTGOMERY.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

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

Military Records

Revolutionary War
Tryon (Montgomery) County men served in the 1st New York Regiment.[9]

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: Amsterdam · Canajoharie · Florida · Glen · Mohawk · Palatine · Root · St. Johnsville.

Regiments. Service men from Oswego County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Montgomery County.[10]

- 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Battery K.
- 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies B and D.
- 32nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B and D.
- 43rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.
- 115th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, D, G, H, I and K.
- 134th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company I.
- 153rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, C, E, F and H.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

  • 1884-1974 Amsterdam NY Evening Recorder 1884-1974

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

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 Montgomery County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1983). At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.746 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

County Historian
Montgomery County Historian
Kelly A. Farquhar, Historian
Old Court House
9 Park Street
P.O. Box 1500
Fonda, New York 12068-1500
Phone: 518-853-8186
Fax: 518-853-8392

Genealogical Resources: Histories and Biographies, Cemetery records, Family Genealogies and Historical Files, Land Records 1772-1788 Tryon/Montgomery County.
Other deeds held at County Clerk's office: Directories and Gazetteers, Vital Records - births, marriage and death extractions.
Certificates are available from the state level or local town/city clerk's offices; Church Records, Census Records, Civil Records transcribed from Supervisor's Minutes from 1793 to present; Military Records, Newspapers, Archives of original records from early 1700's through 1900's. Repository of historical documents, journals, diaries, family papers and more, to 1930.

Montgomery County Department of History and Archives
Old Court House
P.O. Box 1500
Fonda, NY 12068-1500
518-853-8187

Genealogical resources: Family Files Surnames. Also, local histories, biographies, cemetery records, compiled genealogies, land records, newspapers, city directories, gazetteers, vital records, church, census, and military records.

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

Margaret Reaney Memorial Library and Museum
19 Kingsbury Ave.
St. Johnsville, NY 13452
518-568-7822

Genealogical resources: Family Bibles, maps, biographies, surname files, obituaries, censuses, cemetery, marriage, military, church records. City directories, county histories, compiled genealogies, and manuscripts. Great place to study Palatine Germans who settled the Mohawk Valley.

Museums

Noteworthy Indian Museum
2 Prospect Street
Amsterdam, New York 12010
Phone: 518-843-4761
Website

Old Fort Johnson
Phone: 518-843-0300
Email: museum@oldfortjohnson.org
Located at the corner of Routes 5 and 67, two miles west of Amsterdam, New York.
Small admission.
Website

Walter Elwood Museum of the Mohawk Valley
366 West Main Street, Route 5
Amsterdam, New York 12010
Phone: 518-843-5151
Email: info@walterelwoodmuseum.org
Website

Societies

Listed below are societies in Montgomery 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 12220-0175Website

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; 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, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming, and Yates.

Montgomery County NY Historical Societies
9 Park St.
Old Court House
P. O. Box 1500
Fonda, NY 12068-1500
Phone: 518-853-8186
Website

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. Wikipedia contributors, "Montgomery County, New York" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_County,_New_York, accessed 21 Nov 2018
  2. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Montgomery 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), 490. 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, "Montgomery County, New York," in "Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_County,_New_York, accessed 10 Feburary 2020
  6. Handybook, 489-92.
  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. "1st New York Regiment," Valley Forge Legacy, http://valleyforgemusterroll.org/regiments/ny1.asp, accessed 31 May 2012.
  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.