I am new to this list and new to researching ancestry in NY state. Could someone please tell me if birth and/or marriage records exist for the first half of the 1800s -- and if so where they are located and how they can be accessed? Or perhaps if there might be other records that one can search to find ancestors or their parentage? Any advice anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated. My great-grandfather Simeon Coons was said to have been born in Albany, NY in 1818 and married to an Ann Alida Van Austrand. Their older children were also born in NY (Isaac -abt. 1836, Michael H. - abt. 1841, Alonzo - abt 1843, George W. - abt 1845, and Barnett D. - abt 1847). Other researchers claim that Simeon was a son of a Jacob Coons (Kuntz), a descendant of the Palatines that populated the upper Hudson region. A book I found at the LDS library in Salt Lake City on the Coons/Kuntz, etc. stops too early for Simeon. So far, I have not connected with anyone who has any proof of that claim and would like to link Simeon with his parents, etc. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Beth

Here they are in 1850. Simon and wife with her mother ? Name probably closer to Van Ostrand or Van Norstrand which are NY names. Look for variations in spellings. 1850 United States Federal Censusabout Simon CoonsName: Simon CoonsAge: 34Estimated Birth Year: abt 1816Birth Place: New YorkGender: MaleHome in 1850(City,County,State): Pitt, Wyandot, OhioHousehold Members: Name AgeAlonzo Coons 7Ann A Coons 31Barnett D Coons 3George W Coons 5Isaac I Coons 14Michael H Coons 9Simon Coons 34Alida VA Austeand  70 Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Pitt, Wyandot, Ohio; Roll: M432_741; Page: 231; Image: 457.

Locations for Simeon's in 1840 NY census to help narrow where to look.Try NYGENWEB sites for each county.Simeon Coons Clermont, Columbia, New York Simeon Coons Marbletown, Ulster, New York