On (11/27/05 10:30:43 AM MST), in a posting to NYSUFFOL-L@rootsweb.com, supplemented by a private eMail, Margaret Babicsak Loroff (marlo50@nwonline.net) asked, "I am trying to find information about the above names. In 1880 Mitzlaff was in Lawrence County, Ohio. 1900 census shows them in Suffolk County, NY. Any information about those names in that location would be greatly appreciated. This is a lateral line for my search." For questions such as yours, you may want to contact the Lindenhurst Memorial Library and the Babylon Public Library (the library can suggest which local newspaper might have this information and other possible sources of information): Lindenhurst Memorial Library 1 Lee Avenue Lindenhurst, NY 11757-5399 Tel: 631/957-7755 Fax: 631/957-7114 eMail: lindlib@suffolk.lib.ny.us http://lml.suffolk.lib.ny.us/ Babylon Public Library 24 South Carll Avenue Babylon, NY 11702 Tel: 631/669-1624 Fax: 631/669-7826 eMail: bablref@suffolk.lib.ny.us http://www.suffolk.lib.ny.us/libraries/babl/ The pertinent geography of Lindenhurst: Lindenhurst is a village (incorporated in 1923) in the south part of the Town of Babylon, in the southwest part of Suffolk County. There are 3 villages (municipal corporations) 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 Lindenhurst in the Town of Babylon is bordered on the north by the Hamlet of North Lindenhurst; on the east by the Hamlet of West Babylon; on the south by the Great South Bay; and, on the west by the Hamlet of Copiague and the Hamlet of North Amityville. And, as occurs in every one of Suffolk County's 157 communities (0 cities, 31 villages and 126 hamlets), the Village of Lindenhurst has a different border than does the "Lindenhurst, NY 11757" postal zone (i.e., a place can have a Lindenhurst mailing address and not be in Lindenhurst and a place can have other than a Lindenhurst mailing address and be in Lindenhurst). Those places that have a "Lindenhurst, NY" mailing address that are not in the Village of Lindenhurst are in the Hamlet of North Lindenhurst; and, at the same time, there are places in the Village of Lindenhurst with a "West Babylon, NY 11704" mailing address. The pertinent geography of Babylon: It is important to know that there are 3 "Babylons" (from smallest to largest, in order of acreage): 1. There is the Village of Babylon 2. There is the Babylon, NY 11702 postal zone 3. There is the Town of Babylon Babylon is a village (incorporated in 1893) in the southeast part of the Town of Babylon, in the southwest part of Suffolk County (along the Babylon/Islip town line). There are 3 villages (municipal corporations) 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 Babylon in the Town of Babylon is bordered on the north by the Hamlet of North Babylon; on the east by the Hamlet of West Islip in the Town of Islip (the Babylon/Islip town line); on the south by the Great South Bay; and, on the west by the Hamlet of West Babylon. And, as occurs in every one of Suffolk County's 157 communities (0 cities, 31 villages and 126 hamlets), the Village of Babylon has a different border than does the "Babylon, NY 11702" postal zone (i.e., a place can have a Babylon mailing address and not be in Babylon and a place can have other than a Babylon mailing address and be in Babylon). Those places that have a "Babylon, NY" mailing address that are not in the Village of Babylon are in the Hamlet of North Babylon and in the Hamlet of West Babylon; and, at the same time, there are places in the Village of Babylon with a "West Babylon, NY 11704" mailing address. For those who have their copy of the 2004 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 Lindenhurst (incorporated in 1923) and the Village of Babylon (incorporated in 1893) 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.