On 4/12/04 (4:32:24 PM MDT), as part of a posting to NYC-ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com, ????? (Elizabeth.McDermott@oracle.com) asked, "Bartholomew McDermott must have come before 1892 as I have not found an Ellis Island entry. He purchased a grave plot in Calvary Cemetery in 1891. He was a Fire Captain and last known address was Amityville, NY. However, he may of started in Staten Island." For questions such as yours, you may want to contact the Amityville Public Library (the library can suggest which local newspaper might have this information and other possible sources of information): Amityville Public Library Oak and John Streets Amityville, NY 11701 Tel: 631/264-0567 Fax: 631/???-???? eMail: ???????? http://www.suffolk.lib.ny.us/libraries/amty/ While the Village of Amityville is in the Town of Babylon, Suffolk County, it is interesting to note that the majority of places that have an "Amityville, NY" mailing address are not in the Village of Amityville. Those places with an "Amityville, NY" mailing address that are not in the Village of Amityville are in the Hamlet of Copiague and the Hamlet of North Amityville in the Town of Babylon, and in the Hamlet of East Massapequa in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County. The pertinent geography: Amityville is a village (incorporated in 1894) in the southwestern part of the Town of Babylon, in the southwestern part of Suffolk County (along the Babylon/Oyster Bay town line and the Suffolk/Nassau County line). There are 3 villages and 12 hamlets (unincorporated areas) all or partly in the Town of Babylon. There are no cities and 10 towns in Suffolk County. There are 2 Indian reservations in Suffolk County. (I'm including after my name a NYS Geographic Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal zone.) Beginning on the north and moving in a clockwise direction, the Village of Amityville in the Town of Babylon is bordered on the north by the Hamlet of North Amityville; on the east by the Hamlet of Copiague; on the south by the Great South Bay; and, on the west by the Hamlet of East Massapequa in the town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County (the Babylon/Oyster Bay town line and the Suffolk/Nassau County line). And, as occurs in every one of Suffolk County's 157 communities (0 cities, 31 villages and 126 hamlets), the Village of Amityville has a different border than does the "Amityville, NY 11701" postal zone (i.e., a place can have an Amityville mailing address and not be in Amityville). Those places that have an "Amityville, NY" mailing address that are not in the Village of Amityville are in the Hamlet of Copiague and the Hamlet of North Amityville in the Town of Babylon and in the Hamlet of East Massapequa in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County. For those who have their copy of the 2002 or earlier edition of the LI Population Survey or have already downloaded the report from the Long Island Power Authority web site (eMail me directly if you need instructions on how to access and download the report), you'll find the Village of Amityville (incorporated in 1894) in the Town of Babylon, Suffolk County on pages 14 & 18 (map) and 19 (population estimate). I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting. Regards, Walter Greenspan . 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.