In a message dated 10/29/2003 6:17:48 PM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > Are there any 1815 marriage records available from Onondaga Co.? Thank > you. Mitzi > Hopefully you know the TOWN where your relatives lived in Onondaga County. Have you found them in the US Census yet? Let's start with where you won't find early marriage records. Since civil marriage records were not kept on a systematic basis in the state of NY until about 1905, you will not find a 1797 or an 1815 marriage record at Albany. Many of the towns began keeping civil marriage records about 1880, which means that you won't find a 1797 or an 1815 marriage record in the town halls. If you knew what church or denomination your relatives belonged to, and the records of that church were complete, you might find a 1797 or an 1815 marriage record. If you are able to visit the Onondaga Historical Association in Syracuse, their card files on various Onondaga County surnames might contain a transcription or even the actual marriage notice from the newspaper [if there WAS a newspaper published at that time -- consult the National Union List of United States Newspapers]. That's how I found the announcement of the marriage of George W. Montgomery to Almira Gunn, my third greatgrandparents at OHA: "Montgomery, George and Elmira Gunn, marriage announcement," Onondaga Standard, 30 December 1829: "MARRIED- In the town of Onondaga, on the 14th inst, by the Rev. Mr. Spaulding, Mr. G. W. Montgomery to Miss Elmira Gunn, all of that town." Likewise, the resources of the Onondaga County Public Library are vast -- and the librarians are super helpful. There might be a family Bible extant for your relatives in someone's possession or archive. Diaries, letters and other ephemera may contain the date of a marriage. I found the date of marriage for Almira Gunn's parents [Charles Gunn and Charity Pettibone] contained in a deposition within Rev. War pension papers at the National Archives. The widow applying for a pension must prove that she was married to the soldier. Probate documents, guadianship papers and property records occasionally will contain genealogical information which may give you a clue to finding your relatives' marriage date. Legal proceedings may contain genealogical information which may give you a clue to finding your relatives' marriage date. County histories, so-called "mug books," will sometimes contain dates of birth and marriage. Proud descendants often outlined their pioneer ancestors' f amily history in order to increase their own prominence in the community.The images of the following histories -- and about 70 more -- can be found on genealogy.com's subscription database, Family & Local Histories. [The same images plus the US Census for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1860,1870, 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910 and 1920 are available through the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society's membership: nygbs.org] Clayton, W. W. History of Onondaga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason, 1878, 610  pgs. Bruce, Dwight H. Onondaga's centennial : gleanings of a century. Boston: The Boston History Company, 1896, 1996  pgs. Beauchamp, William Martin, Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908. New York: The S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1908, 1631  pgs. Chase, Franklin H. Syracuse and its environs : a history. New York ; Chicago: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1924, 1619  pgs. Fitch, Charles E. The press of Onondaga : a lecture delivered before the Onondaga Historical Association. Syracuse: Daily Standard Print, 1868, 16  pgs. Beauchamp, William Martin, Revolutionary soldiers resident or dying in Onondaga County, N.Y. : with supplementary list of possible veterans based on a pension list of Franklin H. Chase, Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse, N.Y.: McDonnell Co., 1913, 309  pgs. Hope this helps, Diane Wilson Flynn