First-ever New York State Family History Conference September 20 and 21, 2013.

This press release was received from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. I am honored to be among the speakers at this inaugural event. I have some brief New York ancestral connections, have researched that state for clients, and a fun research project on a relative's family has been all over the state.

NEW YORK, NY, March 19, 2013 -- The Central New York Genealogical Society and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society are cosponsoring the first-ever statewide genealogical conference in New York.  The two-day conference will be held on September 20 and 21 at the Holiday Inn & Conference Center Liverpool, just outside Syracuse, New York.  Preconference research activities will be available on September 19.  Attendees will have an opportunity to advance their skills in researching

New York families and to build general skills through 20 lectures in two parallel tracks; two luncheons and a dinner, all with riveting speakers; and exhibits by vendors and societies. The Conference Program and exhibitor information may be found on the Conference website, www.NYSFHC.org.

New York State poses numerous challenges for even the most experienced family history researcher.  The New York State Family History Conference will break down research barriers and provide a forum that brings people together to share their research knowledge and problem-solving experiences and to collaborate on key research issues. Future conferences will be scheduled at regular intervals.The earlybird registration fee for the two-day Conference (excluding meals and printed syllabus) is $115 until July 1, after which it will be $140; members of the CNYGS or the NYG&B receive a $25 discount. Purchase tickets in the online store at www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org. 

Conference speakers include the top names in New York genealogy:  Blaine Bettinger, The Journal of Genetic Genealogy;  Ruth Carr, New York Public Library (retired);  Sachiko Clayton, New York Public Library;  Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, NYG&B Record; Stefani Evans, CG, National Genealogical Society; James D. Folts, New York State Archives;  Karen Mauer Green, CG, NYG&B Record;  Eric Grundset, Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution;  Terry Koch-Bostic, National Genealogical Society; Michael Leclerc, Mocavo; Joseph Lieby, Palatines to America German Genealogical Society;  Maira Liriano, New York Public Library;  Kathleen Roe, New York State Archives;  Paula Stuart-Warren, CG; and  D. Joshua Taylor, findmypast.com.

Sponsors of the conference include: findmypast.com, Mocavo, the National Genealogical Society, the New York Public Library, the Office of Cultural Education/New York State Education Department, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

For more information on the host organizations, please visit their websites:

• The Central New York Genealogical Society www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycnygs.

• New York Genealogical and Biographical Society www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org.

Found: Brooklyn, New York guardianship records (1830s-1852)

Today I have pride in an extremely good deed done by a fellow genealogist. Sandra M. Hewlett (Sandi) returned some missing early Surrogate's Court records to Brooklyn according to today's Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The article states, "The record books, Brooklyn’s “Bonds of Guardianship, Vol. 1 through 4,” date back to 1830 and record the details of guardianships through 1852. The historic volumes were found last year at a used bookstore in Philadelphia by professional genealogist Sandra Hewlett." Sandi is a Board-certified genealogist. 

I am particularly pleased because there might be some clues in there related to my brother-in-law's family. 

Read the full article in the Brooklyn Eagle here.

New York Genealogical and Biographical Society names new editors!

I receive many important press releases and love to share the genealogical and historical news. I take special pleasure in posting this press release. It involves two friends. I have known Laura for just a few years and have been impressed with her work ethic and great spirit. I have known Karen for about twenty years and we have spent time at each other's home, have worked together in business and volunteer work, and I admire her dedication. They are already hard at work on the upcoming issues. Congratulations my friends!


NEW YORK -  The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society has selected Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, and Karen Mauer Green as the new co-editors of The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, replacing Patricia Law Hatcher who retired after completing the October 2010 issue. The NYG&B Record, issued continuously since 1870, is the second oldest genealogical publication in America and one of the field’s most

Family in Gates, New York?

If you ancestral roots are in the town of Gates in New York, which is near Rochester, you are in for a treat. The Gates Historical Society has just published abstracts of early records. The town was originally called Northampton.

"The Settlement of Western New York State With a Review of Early Records of the Town of Gates 1809–1837 is a transcription of a handwritten record of the minutes, finance reports and school district and town board meetings dating to April 4, 1809, when the town was still known as Northhampton. It also includes images from the original document, such as maps and diagrams of the early town of Gates

Read more about it in the Democrat and Chronicle online edition by clicking here.

New York locality based historians

Did you know that many localities in New York State have officially appointed historians?

I was doing some work on my brother-in-law's DuBois genealogy this past weekend and came upon a newspaper article in the Poughkeepsie Journal that talks about the year long vacant job of Dutchess County Historian. This is in violation of state law. Economics is playing a part in the delay of providing someone to fill the job.

As the website for the Association of Public Historians of New York State relates, " In 1919 New York State took the lead with the passage of legislation to create a legion of officially appointed historians in every town, village, city, borough and county across the Empire State. Unique in its concept, it provided every municipality with a distinctly identifiable person whose duties would be to ensure that the history of that area was collected, preserved and used to promote the history and heritage of our communities." The website has a section "Find a NYS Public Historian" where you can check for the historian that represents your ancestral town, city or county. Some have only a mailing address but some do have email contact info listed.

The historian for some localities have an office and others operate out of their own homes. This person may be a genealogist or not, may have excellent files of area information, be able to connect you to other genealogists, may have direct access to the records you need, have indexes, or might be someone eager to help you. A few operate in name only. Not all have websites and may be reached only by letters sent by regular mail. You might find one with records and that allows you to make an appointment to visit in person.

• The town of Greene (Chenango County) has a website with some good reminders for researchers.

• The Bovina Town Historian's 2008 report to the town officials is online.This report presents clues to what one active historian does.

• The Wayne County Historian's website includes details on costs, appointments, and holdings.

• The town of Aurora has a website that details contact information and time for appointments. The website has the notes from a 2007 presentation about what a town historian does.

This latter website provided these statistics for the state of New York in 2007:

• 62 borough and county historians
• 938 town historians
• 566 village historians