Genealogy

Located: Room 201 Upstairs

Our extensive genealogy room contains a wealth of historical information from both the local Central New York area as well as the entire United States.

The genealogy room is currently staffed with volunteers to assist patrons during the following times: 

 

If you plan to visit, it is best to call ahead (315-735-2279) to check if a volunteer will be available.

If a volunteer is not available, we can provide a reference question request form for you to fill out in person.

If you know the specific date an article/obituary appears in the paper and would like it photocopied and mailed to you we can do this for a fee:

• Free if you live in Oneida, Herkimer, or Madison County.
• $10.00 if you live in New York State.
• $15.00 if you live in the rest of the U.S.

Please call us if you have any questions at 315-735-2279.

Resources Available in Genealogy Room:

1. The New York Genealogical and Biographic Records from 1870
2. New England Historical and Genealogical Register from 1847
3. DAR Lineage Books - 1890 to 1928
4. DAR Patriot Index
5. Published Family Histories
6. State, County, Town, City and Village Histories
7. Genealogical Magazines
8. Genealogical Societies' Publications
9. New York State Department of Health Vital Records Genealogy Indexes are available on microfiche.  The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc. awarded the Library a grant for the purchase of a microfiche reader. This resource is only available during the time the Genealogy Room is staffed, see above for days and times. 

Index Years:

Births—1881 to 1937

Deaths—1881 to 1963

Marriages—1881 to 1963

 

Database Resources

1. Ancestry Library Edition/ Heritage Quest
   This resource is available for use here at Utica Public Library. Please contact us (315-735-2279) for more information.

Quality Internet Resources

• NY State Historical Newspapers - This website has digitized newspapers from across the state, dates ranging from early 19th century to the present day. The prominent Oneida County newspapers available are Utica Observer, Utica Daily Observer, Oneida Whig, and the Rome Sentinel/Daily Sentinel.
• Fultonhistory.com - This is another good website to view historic NY newspapers.  Utica newspapers, including the Utica Daily Press and Observer Dispatch, are included in the collection.
• Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites - Over 264,000 links to Genealogy Websites.
• Ancestry.com New York - Ancestry.com and several New York repositories have developed a partnership to digitize family history records. For free access to New York records, start your search then click on your results. You will be prompted to "Create a Free Account." DO NOT click on the "Subscribe" button or the "14-day Free Trial Offer" unless you are interested in access to all of Ancestry. You will need an email address to set up an account.
• Oneida County Cemetery Records - This website has links to various Oneida County cemeteries. Each cemetery has a list of who is buried there with the birth and death dates if they are known. 
• Złota księga, czyli, Pięć lat pracy dla Polski w Utica, N.Y. (A Golden Book, or Five years of work for Poland in Utica, N.Y.) - During the Great War, 1914-1918, Poles in Utica, N.Y. worked tirelessly in support of the war, war relief and the re-establishment of Poland as an independent nation.  Złota księga, czyli, Pięć lat pracy dla Polski w Utica, N.Y. (A Golden Book, or Five years of work for Poland in Utica, N.Y.) published in 1919, celebrates these efforts and recognizes the countless people, both foreign- and native-born who contributed to them.
• Census Records from the National Archives 
• New York Heritage Digital Collections - Select digitized yearbooks and digitized photos of over thirty historical churches located in Utica, NY from our collection. Items were digitized in partnership of the Empire State Digital Network.
• Catholic Cemeteries Search Tool - A search tool provided by the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse to locate loved ones in local Catholic cemeteries. 

Resources available in Reference Room:

1. Census Records
   • United States 1790
   • New York State Census Index 1800 - 1870
   • New York Veterans Census and Index 1890
   • Oneida County 1800 - 1930
2. DAR Bible, Cemetery and Church Records (microfilm)
3. Obituary Indexes 1976 - present
4. List of Cemeteries and Cemetery inscriptions
5. Utica City Directories from 1817 (microfilm and microfiche)
6. Utica Newspapers from 1825
7. Utica Telephone Directories from 1947

Resources available ONLY from within the Utica Public Library networks:

(from our Public computers or your own wireless device connected to our wifi's)

1. Ancestry genealogical
2. Heritage genealogical