County Historian

Holiday Closures:
Monday, Dec. 24th - Wed., Dec. 26th, 2018
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The purpose of the Office of the County Historian is to collect, preserve, and interpret Livingston County's documentary heritage and manage historical records for the public.


Duties and Responsibilities


The County Historian:
  • Provides guidance and support to the 17 town historians of Livingston County
  • Assists the general public on research projects. Can't visit in person? Fill out our form here: Requesting Research. Know you want to order an image online? Fill out this form: Request Digital Copies
  • Publishes a periodic newsletter, Out of the Archives
  • Sets up displays on topics of historical significance
  • Attends events
  • Is available to give talks on subjects of historical interest to various groups. See list of topics.

Research Center


The research center is free and open to the public. Drop-in hours are Monday - Friday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and morning appointments are available by request. Contact us to schedule a visit.

Researchers with scholarly special projects are encouraged to contact the office ahead of time and make an appointment in order to be better served.

Some reference items may be available for copying at a rate of $0.25/page for photocopies or $0.50/page for microfilm. You may also view our rates for mailing copies here: Mailing Rates.

The following resources are available in the research center; those marked "online" have been indexed in the County Historian's Online Records Index:

 
  • Cemetery Files - Survey of all marked graves in the county to 1885 (online); indexes to a 2005 photograph survey (click here); additional surveys and maps of assorted cemeteries
  • Census Records
    • Federal: 1790 to 1930
    • New York State Census (Livingston County only): 1855 (online), 1865 (partially online), 1875, 1892 (Town of Sparta only; online), 1915 (online), and 1925 (online)
    • 1890 Special Census of Union Civil War Veterans and Widows
    • All State and Federal census schedules are also indexed through familysearch.org; most original images are available for free.
  • Church Records - as early as 1804, from various churches around the county (some indexed online)
  • Coroner's Records - Coroner's Inquests, Coroner's Decisions, and related documents from 1906-1936 (bulk 1923-1936). Please contact us regarding specific cases.
  • Family Files - Over 1,400 folders of correspondence, articles, and genealogy of local families
  • Local History References
    • Reference collection includes: County histories, town histories, directories, gazetteers, atlases, supervisors' proceedings, published genealogies, and more
    • Subject binders include: buildings and homes, agriculture, businesses, cemeteries, Groveland Shakers, hotels / taverns / inns, military history, notable women, railroads, salt mines, schools, and others too numerous to mention
    • Genesee Valley regional history: Genesee River, Genesee Valley Canal, Genesee Valley Greenway, Genesee Valley Hunt, pioneer settlement
  • Maps - Early 19th- through 20th-century maps encompassing Livingston County and the Genesee Valley region. Some are available online:
  • Naturalizations 1821 to 1954 - from 1821 to 1906, most holdings are declarations of intention and final orders; after 1906, the declaration of intention, petition, and certificates are all on file (indexed online)
  • Newspapers on Microfilm - ranging from 1801 to 2014, with the bulk between 1824 and 2014; many are indexed for births, deaths, and marriages up to 1900 (indexes partially online). Recent obituaries indexed from 1989 to present
  • Photographs and Postcards - Large cataloged collection pertaining to Livingston County. Hundreds of postcards from every town in the county are also available. See our digital files policy
  • Special Collections - available for serious research by special advance request and permission
  • Veteran's Files - Veterans' information from the Revolutionary War to present (online). Some files in the archives include original photographs, military and biographical information, and newspaper clippings. You can order digital copies of these files via this form: Requesting Digital Copies.
  • Vital Records - This office does not hold official birth, death, and marriage certificates, with two exceptions: 1) Town Clerks' returns for birth, marriage, and death records for Caledonia through York, 1847 to 1849 (none for Avon or Ossian; some scattered); and 2) marriage records and/or indices from the County Clerk between 1908 to 1926 (online). New York State did not require town clerks to keep birth, death, and marriage records until 1880; after this date, birth and death records are available from the local registrar of the municipality where the event occurred. Marriage records are available from the Town Clerk where the marriage license was issued. If the location of these events is unknown, check Reclaim the Records to access an index.

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NEW at the Historian's Office!

Coroner's Records, 1906-1936

November 2018

This series, the bulk from 1923-1936, primarily comprises detailed Coroner's Inquests and corresponding Coroner's Decisions. Because of the sensitive nature of these records, no index is published. Please contact us about a specific case.

Clipping of a Coroner's Decision

Civil War Deserters, 1862-1863

September 2018

These valuable lists document men who were identified as deserting their regiments during the Civil War. View original images here!

Civil War Deserters

National Register of Historic Places Signage Program, William G. Pomeroy Foundation

September 2018

Grants are now available for signage for public properties and historic districts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places! The William G. Pomeroy Foundation can provide funding for a plaque or free-standing marker to identify the property's designation as a place of historical significance. View the website and application here. At this time, funding is not available for private residences or commercial properties. The County Historian's Office is happy to help facilitate applications; please contact us.

sign

Medical Registers, c. 1873-1963

September 2018

Those with licenses to practice as physicians, surgeons, dentists, registered nurses, optometrists, and veterinarians registered with the Livingston County Clerk. Some of these records also give information when and where the individual was born and his or her education. Do you have a medical professional in your family tree? Search by name in our Online Records Index.

Dr. David Miner

Wills Index, 1821-1935

July 2018

Browse our searchable PDF of wills to discover more about your ancestor's property, place of residence, family relationships, and more. Contact us for a copy.

wills

Record of Inmates, Livingston County Almshouse, 1920-1934

April 2018

This register of residents at the County Almshouse, or Poorhouse, covers the beginning of the Great Depression era. It gives an exceptionally detailed view of those who were admitted and helps trace ancestors who may have slipped under the radar. Search by name on our Online Records Index, where this record book has been indexed by our wonderful intern.

hoyt
2005 Ossian West View Cem DVD_177

Livingston County Cemeteries Photograph Survey, 2005


March 2018

Around 2005, former Lima Town Historian Doug Morgan photographed most major and minor cemeteries in Livingston County. These photographs are now indexed! Researchers can search the indexes here to locate burials and request specific digital images.

WW I Collection from the Livingston County Veteran Services Agency

June 2017

This collection of WW I papers may be of use to those planning to attend college

The La Verne Noyes Scholarship is for direct descendants of honorably discharged American veterans who served in World War I. 

Eligible students apply through the colleges offering the scholarship, and they need to show proof of their lineage and of their ancestor's military service. This collection may help - please inquire!

Andolina
Childs, David N.

Livingston County Vital Records, 1847 to 1849

November 2016

This exciting series includes Town Clerks' returns for birth, marriage, and death records for Caledonia through York, 1847 to 1849 (none for Avon or Ossian; some scattered). Since this remains the earliest source of vital records for Livingston County until about 1881, it is an incredible resource. All records in this series are indexed in the Ledger series through the Online Records Index.

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Books

 Contact the County Historian's Office to find out how to receive or order a copy of the following:

 

Audio Tours

Livingston County Heritage Trail: OnCell Audio Tours 

Grab your phone and keys! Four Heritage Trail Tours are available:

Videos

 Local History Out Loud, Chapter One

 Click here for the County Historian's latest video project, Local History Out Loud Chapter One: From the Iroquois Confederacy to Pre-Civil War Era.

 Explore Livingston County's rich cultural heritage through spoken narratives arranged with historical imagery and music in this engaging video.