Hi Toni in NZ, Because you did not include years, here's a partial answer: Prior to January 1, 1898, Whitestone and Flushing were both villages (municipal corporations) in the Town of Flushing in Queens County, and since that date, they are neighborhoods in the New York City Borough of Queens (coterminous with the New York State County of Queens). Jefferson is a hamlet (an unincorporated area) in the Town of Jefferson in Schoharie County. (There is also Port Jefferson, a village in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County.) Orleans is a town in Jefferson County. Probate search would be in the Surrogate's Court in the County where the person died, which may be different from the County where the person was residing immediately prior to death. I'm including after my name a NYS Geographic Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal zone. I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting. L'Shannah Tovah* & Happy 5767, Walter Greenspan Great Falls, MT & Jericho, NY * L'Shannah Tovah (li-SHAH-nuh TOH-vuh; li-shah-NAH toh-VAH) Hebrew. Lit. for a good year. The common greeting during Rosh ha Shannah and the Days of Awe. This is a shortening of "L'Shannah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or, to women, "L'Shannah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." This year, Rosh ha Shannah, because it will occur on Shabbat (Sabbath), begins 18 minutes before sunset on Friday, September 22 on the civil calendar. .....Cities, Towns, Villages, Hamlets and Postal Zones in New York State New York State is divided into counties. County A county is a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to perform state functions; a "regional" government. All counties are divided into cities, towns and Indian reservations. City A city is a unique governmental entity with its own special charter. Cities are not sub-divided, except into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Town A town is a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within the state except that within cities or Indian reservations. Towns can be sub-divided into villages and hamlets. Village A village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with municipal services. The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a city. A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Hamlet A hamlet is an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed at-large by the town(s) it is in. A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Postal Zone "City" and "Town" A postal zone "City" and "Town" is an administrative district established by the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail. Postal zone "City" and "Town" may not (but are encouraged to) conform to municipal or community borders. Thus, postal zone location does not always determine city, village or hamlet location. Please be aware: In many areas of New York State, the problem of non-conforming postal zones leads to a situation where the majority of places have a different community name in their mailing address than the community where that place is actually located.