Onondaga County History and Information

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
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Onondaga County was created in 1794 and formed from Herkimer County . Onondaga County was named for the Onondaga Native American tribe and the County Seat is Syracuse. See also Extended History for more historical details.

The Onondaga County Courthouse is located at 421 Montgomery St., Syracuse , NY 13202; (315) 671-2100 and the Official County Website is located at http://www.ongov.net/.

Onondaga County Borders Oswego County (North), Madison County (East), Cortland County (South), Cayuga County (West) .

Onondaga County Municipalities: Cities include Syracuse. Towns include Camillus, Cicero, Clay, DeWitt, Elbridge, Fabius, Geddes, LaFayette, Lysander, Manlius, Marcellus, Onondaga, Otisco, Pompey, Salina, Skaneateles, Spafford, Tully, Van Buren. Villages include Baldwinsville, Camillus, East Syracuse, Elbridge, Fabius, Fayetteville, Jordan, Liverpool, Manlius, Marcellus, Minoa, North Syracuse, Skaneateles, Solvay, Tully. Principal hamlets include Amber, Amboy, Apulia, Apulia Station, Borodino, Brewerton, Bridgeport, Cardiff, Cedarvale, Cicero, Clay, Clintonville, Collingwood, Delphi, Delphi Falls, DeWitt, Fairmount, Galeville, Geddes, Hart Lot, Hinsdale, Howlett Hill, Indian Village, Jamesville, Kirkville, LaFayette, Long Branch, Lysander, Marcellus Falls, Marietta, Mattydale, Memphis, Mottville, Navarino, Nedrow, Onondaga Hill, Oran, Otisco, Plainville, Pompey, Pompey Center, Rose Hill, Skaneateles Falls, South Onondaga, South Spafford, Southwood, Spafford, Split Rock, State Fair Grounds, Taunton, Thorn Hill, Van Buren, Vesper, Warners, Watervale . Town Clerks are responsible for vast amounts of local information from deeds, property transfers, and genealogical materials. Research on place and road names, the history of property transfers and much more are available through your Town Clerk. They are a tremendous resources.

  • Onondaga County, New York History Books at Amazon.com
  • Search Historical Newspapers from New York (1719 - 1992) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
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County Court Records

See Also New York Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Search New York Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Onondaga County Clerk has Land & Court Records from 1784 and is located at 401 Montgomery St., Syracuse, NY 13202; Phone: (315) 435-2227, Fax: (315) 435-3455 .

The county clerk is the keeper of most civil and criminal trial court records for Supreme Court and County Court, naturalizations, marriages (1908–35), censuses (Some county clerks' offices hold duplicate copies of some of the State censuses taken periodically between 1825 and 1925 and copies of the federal census), as well as deeds and mortgages.

Land conveyances (deeds and mortgages) are recorded in the county clerks' offices or in the New York City Register's Office. Recording of deeds became mandatory statewide in 1840. Before that many deeds were not recorded.

Marriages Prior to 1784 couples intending to marry were required to obtain licenses from and file bonds with the provincial secretary, if the impending marriage was not announced in a church. These Marriage Bonds were mostly destroyed in the 1911 Capitol fire. Published abstracts are available in Names of persons for whom marriage licenses were issued by the secretary of the province of New York, previous to 1784. (Albany: 1860; repr. with supplements 1984); and in New York Marriage Bonds, 1753-1783, comp. Kenneth Scott (New York: 1972).

Naturalization records are created by the Federal and State courts. State court naturalization records generally remain in custody of the county clerks. Older Federal court naturalization records have been transferred to the National Archives. Photocopies of naturalization documents and indexes for New York City for the period 1792-1906 (both Federal and State courts) are held by the National Archives--Northeast Region, 201 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014.

Onondaga County Surrogate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1796 and is located at County Courthouse, 401 Montgomery Street, Syracuse, New York 12302; (315) 671-2100 .

The Surrogate's Court in each county generally has records dating back to the establishment of the county or 1787, whichever was later. Record keeping was systematized by an 1830 statute. Surrogate's Courts maintain records of wills, letters testamentary, letters of administration, orders and decrees, and appointments of guardians; and filed papers, including original wills, petitions for probate (gives date of death and lists next of kin), performance bonds, property inventories (seldom found after ca. 1900), administrator's or executor's accountings, etc. Surrogate's Courts create comprehensive indexes to records and files.

In recent decades many courts have ceased recording documents in books and substituted microfilm recording. Some courts have disposed of old property inventories, which have no continuing legal value. Most Surrogate's Court records are retained permanently because they may document title to real property or the legal status of individuals. Surrogate's Court records statewide occupy over 200,000 cubic feet, with over half a million record retrievals yearly. The court is authorized to charge substantial fees for records searches conducted by court staff. Prior to that time most estates were handled in New York City, the capital until 1797. Before 1787, some wills were recorded in the counties and occasionally in town records.

Onondaga County Historian is located at 31 Montgomery, Syracuse, NY 13202.In New York State, every municipality (town, city, village, county) must have an appointed historian. Most of the towns have their own historians as well and each can be contacted. A county historian may be appointed for each county, check for availability.

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in New York

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! The New York State Department of Health does not file records of births and deaths that occurred in New York City and marriage licenses that were obtained in New York City. To obtain information about genealogy services available for New York City records, please visit the New York City Municipal Archives web page.

New York State Dept of Health, Vital Records Section, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12237; (518) 474-3077, (518) 474-3038 Information, Fax: (518) 432-6286, Vital records registration started in New York State outside of New York City in 1881. Please allow up to approximately 7-8 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. Generally, the New York State Department of Health provides uncertified copies of the following types of records for genealogy research purposes:

  • Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates: Birth, Marriage & Death records maintained by New York State Dept of Health, since 1881 through the present. Genealogy copies are available for Birth records if on file for at least 75 years and the person whose name is on the certificate is known to be deceased. Genealogy copies are available for Marriage & Death records if on file for at least 50 years and the person whose name is on the certificate is known to be deceased. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon
  • Divorce Certificates: Divorce Certificates from Jan 1963. If the records are not available at the State office, they should be available from the County Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Since 1847 divorce actions in New York have been handled in the supreme court for the county in which the divorce was heard. New York divorce files, however, are sealed for one hundred years. In colonial times, petitions for divorce had to be made to the governor or legislature, and only a few were granted. The court of chancery granted divorces from 1787 to 1847. These older records are in the State Archives. Divorce records dating prior to July 1, 1847, are filed either at the New York State Archives (upstate counties) or the New York County Clerk's Office, 31 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007; phone (212) 374-4376 (downstate counties).
  • Cost: The cost of a birth, marriage or death record is $22.00, Divorce Certificates are $30 - Fee is for verification only. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $22.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Processing Time: 7-8 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Exceptions: The New York State Department of Health does not file records of birth, death and marriage from the Cities of Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers prior to January 1, 1914. To obtain records from these municipalities contact the Local Registrar for birth and death record requests or the City Clerk for marriage record requests. The addresses follow:
    • For birth and death record requests Order Online or submit request to the Local Registrar of the appropriate city:
      City of Albany, Room 254M, City Hall, Albany, NY 12207
      City of Buffalo, Room 1308, 65 Niagara Square, Buffalo, NY 14202
      City of Yonkers, Room 107, City Hall, Yonkers, NY 10701
    • For marriage record requests Order Online or submit request to the City Clerk of the appropriate city:
      City Clerk, City of Albany, Room 202, City Hall, Albany, NY 12207
      City Clerk, City of Buffalo, Room 1308, 65 Niagara Square, Buffalo, NY 14202
      City Clerk, City of Yonkers, Room 107, City Hall, Yonkers, NY 10701
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Order In Person:  The Vital Records Office provides eligible applicants with copies of birth and death certificates for births and deaths in New York State outside of New York City (1881-present), marriage licenses obtained in New York State outside of New York City (1880-present) and dissolution of marriage certificates for all of New York State (1963-present). The certificates may be ordered by coming into this office at 800 North Pearl Street, 2nd Floor - Room 200, Menands, NY 12204. The Vital Records customer service lobby is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, excluding holidays.
  • Order By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "New York Vital Records " along with the necessary information to the following address: New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Section, Genealogy Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Please include return address on envelope and application form (Birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Marriage Certificate or Divorce Certificate.

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for New York

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Onondaga County, New York are 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Onondaga County, New York are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • New York Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 Federal Census Index; 1800 Federal Census Index; 1810 Federal Census Index; 1815 Port Arrivals Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule; 1890 Naval Veterans Schedule; Early Census Index.
  • New York State Census Collection: This database is an index to, with corresponding images of, parts of the 1880, 1892, and 1905 censuses.
  • Onondaga County, New York Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for New Yorkand other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for New York showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for New York showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps.

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Maps. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Maps by clicking the link below:

  • Atlases of New York city
  • Onondaga County, New York Map Books at Amazon.com
  • Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
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County Military Records

See Also Military Records in New York

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

New Yorkers have participated in military efforts since the colonial era. Military records shed light on the lives of soldiers, the struggles of the forces, as well as war's impact on the home front. They offer researchers a unique view of our past.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Scattered town and precinct tax records for a few years in the 1770s and 1780s and nearly complete lists for the whole state, 1799-1804, are at the New York State Archives, although for the latter period the surviving 1804 rolls cover only delinquent taxes of nonresidents. New York City tax records are at the Municipal Archives. Some early assessment rolls have been published in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, such as those for New York City, 1730, in volume 95; New Rochelle, 1767, in volume 107; and Ulster County, 1709-21, in volume 62. See also volumes 43-44 of the New-York Historical Society's Collections for New York City assessments 1695-99. A few counties such as Ontario have retained their early tax records, but most do not have them until about 1850 or even later. Many old tax lists are to be found in manuscript collections. Dutchess County is fortunate to have a long series of eighteenth century tax records. Some of the 1798 U.S. Direct Tax records survive for New York.

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Onondaga County, New York Tax Books at Amazon.com
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County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other New York Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Onondaga County Birth & Death, 421 Montgomery St # 20, Syracuse, NY 13202; (315) 435-3241 \
    Your request must clearly state "For Genealogical Purposes Only." Fee for Search Time: $10.00 per hour or fractional part of an hour for each search. Fee for Uncertified Copy or Abstract: $1.00 per copy.
  • Onondaga Historical Association, 321 Montgomery St., Syracuse, NY. 13202; 315-428-1864, Fax:315-471-2133
  • New York State Archives and Records Administration, The State Education Department, Cultural Education Center, 11th Floor; Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230; (518) 474-8955, [EMAIL]
    Referred to here as the New York State Archives for brevity, it was the last such archives to be established in the United States. It houses land and court records, military and tax records, New York state vital records indexes, pre-settlement survey maps, and legislative records.
  • New York State Library, Cultural Education Center, 7th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230; The state library has a large collection of published and manuscript material on New York, including genealogies and local histories, federal and state censuses, city directories, and periodicals. It is also one of the two depositories for the State of New York DAR collection.
  • The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 122 East 58th Street, New York, New York 10022-1939; 212-755-8532, Fax: 212-754-4218; A private society, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society publishes the NYG&B Newsletter and a quarterly, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Its library holds much New York State and related material, both for New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. For New York there are censuses, federal and state; a large manuscript collection of church, cemetery, Bible, and other records; and an extensive amount of published family and local histories. Nonmembers can use the library for a small fee, but only members have access to the stacks, manuscripts, and microforms. The library provides a list of area researchers.
  • New York State Historical Association, West Lake Road, P.O. Box 800, Cooperstown, New York, 13326-0800
  • National Archives--Northeast Region, 201 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014.
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • New York Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in New York

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Onondaga County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Onondaga County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Many church records, mostly early and particularly for Long Island, New York City, and the Hudson River Valley, have been published in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record with a large collection of unpublished records maintained by the New York. Particularly useful as vital records substitutes among the surviving New York church records are those of the Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Anglican, and Quaker groups.

The largest number of New York cemetery records (the bulk of which are actually transcriptions of cemetery marker inscriptions) is found in the multivolume collection of the Daughters of the American Revolution in the State of New York, Church, and Town Records, located at the New York State Library, the New York Public Library, and the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. Scattered volumes are found in other libraries including many local libraries in the area in which a particular cemetery is located.

Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Onondaga County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Onondaga County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

ln few States have the Indian names been so perpetuated as they were by the early settlers of New York. The very word Onondaga takes one back centuries to that time when all of the territory was under the dominion of the red race. The Onondagas were one of the powerful tribes in New York. Although they had only fourteen of the fifty chiefs that ruled the Confederation, the vote in council was by nations, each having one. Their great advantage lay in the fact that they had the great council fire of the Five Nations, to which came all envoys, Indian or white.

It was through this necessity of coming to make peace or to seek favors that the white man so early became acquainted with the country now within the borders of Onondaga County. As early as 1648 the location of this tribe of Indians was known and described; a dozen years before this both the Dutch and French had dealings with them; Champlain is supposed to have attacked an Onondaga village in 1615, but this is doubtful, although he passed through the present County on his way to an Oneida town. The Frenchman, Radisson, in 1652, captured and adopted by the Mohawks, was the first white man to stay for a time in this region, he to be followed shortly by many of his nationality, Jesuit priests and soldiers. The first chapel was erected within the limits of the town of Pompey, November 11, 1655, and the first colony, French, settled on Lake Onondaga one week later of the same year. Frontenac invaded and burned Onondaga in 1696.

So much for early dates. While there were many who settled here before the Revolution, the great development of the County area did not begin until after that great event. In concluding peace with this new nation, the English made no provision for their Indian allies. In 1784 the great council at Fort Stanwix was held and an endeavor made to placate the tribes was unsuccessful. But two years later a treaty was made at the same place whereby the Onondagas ceded to the State of New York all their lands except certain reservations.

Although having no legal title to the land they preempted, men like Asa Danforth had established themselves and family in 1788. Others soon followed. On September 16, 1776, Congress had promised bounties for 88 battalions. In 1783 New York added the promise of lands to their troops. This was the genesis of the "Military tract," a land grant constantly referred to in State history. On January 1, 1791, drawing for the lots laid out in this tract began, and the land was quickly disposed of. Many of the soldiers did not settle on the acres, but sold to others. Much was bought up by speculators. But in the main, many came and stayed and by 1799 there were known to be 879 people in the present County limits. In 1920 there were 241,465.

Meanwhile, Onondaga had organized as a County on June 6, 1794. Formed from Herkimer, she embraced much of the military tract and benefited by its distribution. Cayuga County was taken off five years later, Cortland in 1808, and Oswego in 1816, leaving it as it now exists, an almost square body of land thirty by thirty-four miles, or in terms of square miles, 781. The first court was held in Asa Danforth's house in Onondaga town. It was not until 1805 that the County's business was cared for in an unfinished building on Onondaga Hill. This courthouse was completed two years later and used until new buildings were erected in Syracuse in 1830, the County seat having been removed to a location half way between this place and Salina. A new penitentiary was built near by in 1854, and after the burning of the courthouse, 1856, another was erected on the north side of the canal the next year. The present fine structure was completed in 1907.

Onondaga County is in a somewhat elevated district, the lowest point being 350 feet above sea level, and ranges to hills well over 2,000. Five valleys cross the County from north to south and there are many, and some large, lakes. The country was originally well forested and the products of the forest supplied the first industries. The trapper and the digger of ginseng first ranged the region. When the settlers began to clear the woodlands the timber was a loss until they began to burn the log heaps and export potash. Later the saw mill disposed of the timber to greater profit. At one time, 1826, Baldwinsville had fifteen saws in operation; now there are none. Hemlock and oak were plentiful, hence came the tanneries. These made a market for hides, and cattle and sheep were brought in. Weaving and spinning at one time attained a real importance, but the mills have long since disappeared.

Agriculture has had its changes. The grains are now grown more cheaply elsewhere, a return to the cattle industry came about. But this time it was the dairy cow that was grown; milk, with the increasing large cities, proving profitable. Fruits, vegetables, poultry, for the same reason took on new values. Salt was the main mineral resource from Indian days, the Onondagas reserving rights to the "salt lakes." When the white man began to evaporate brine, all manner of industries grew up about it. Woods were needed to boil the brine, barrels in which to pack the salt, means of transportation to get it to market. This salt industry has held its own amid the changes time has wrought in other industries.

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