----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce" <brustay@rochester.rr.com> To: "Ellen Keyne Seebacher" <niagara@unchi.org> Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2000 8:02 AM Subject: Re: State Records > According to the "International Vital Records Handbook" by Thomas Jay Kemp, > 3rd ed., the NY vital records section has records of births, marriages & > deaths from 1881 to present & divorces from 1963, except those that occurred > in NY City or those that occurred in Albany, Buffalo or Yonkers prior to > 1914. For those 3 cities, you should write to the City Clerk in the City > Hall of that city. > > The NY State address is: > NY State Dept. of Health > Vital Records Section > Corning Tower > Empire State Plaza > Albany, NY 12237-0023 > > Prices listed for certified records are as follows, but I have found > variations, so I'd recommend checking the NY genweb site to double check: > > Birth $15. > Marr. 5. > Divorce 15. > Death 15. > Duplicate copies ord. @ same time $5. > > Hope this helps. > > Carolyn > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ellen Keyne Seebacher" <niagara@unchi.org> > To: <NYNIAGAR-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, August 18, 2000 4:17 AM > Subject: Re: State Records > > > > > Could someone tell me how far back NYS's records are available for > > > births, deaths, and marriages? > > > > A state law was passed in 1880 mandating _all_ cities and towns to > > keep birth/marriage/death records, but compliance was spotty (50-90%) > > for over a generation; a stricter law had to be passed in 1915. > > > > Earlier birth, death, and/or marriage records are available in a few > > jurisdictions (including NYC, Albany, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Rochester, > > Syracuse, Utica, Yonkers) though they aren't directly relevant to > > Niagara County research. However, you might find a *few* marriages > > from the 1847-1850 period: an 1847 state law required registration > > of marriages, and most jurisdictions tried to comply for a couple of > > years, though eventually everyone just gave up. (If anyone knows of > > an index to Niagara County marriages for this period, *please* share!) > > > > > > Ellen <niagara@unchi.org> > > > > > > ==== NYNIAGAR Mailing List ==== > > The New York State Archives and Records Administration is at > > <http://www.sara.nysed.gov/>. > > > > >