Cattaraugus County, New York
Genealogy, History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

Cattaraugus County, New York Facts

When was Cattaraugus County, NY Created?
Cattaraugus County was created on March 11, 1808 from Genessee County.

What is the County Seat of Cattaraugus County, NY?
The County Seat is located in Little Valley and in addition the county government website is www.co.cattaraugus.ny.us

What counties are adjacent to Cattaraugus County, NY?
Bordering Counties are Erie County, Wyoming County, Allegany County, McKean County, PA, Warren County, PA, Chautauqua County.

Cattaraugus County, NY Vital Records

Where can find Cattaraugus County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Cattaraugus County vital records can be found at the New York Department of Health which has copies of birth records after 1881 and death records after 1880, copies of marriage since 1881 and a Divorce records since 1847 . There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in New York for current fees and application process.

You can search online for Cattaraugus County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for New York Birth and Death Certificate, Marriage and Divorce Certificate Application to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• USGenweb Archives New York Marriage Project
• New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962
• New York, County Marriages, 1908-1935
• New York Marriages, 1686-1980
• New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952

Cattaraugus County, NY Census Records

What Cattaraugus County, NY census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Cattaraugus County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Cattaraugus Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Cattaraugus Co. Industry and Agriculture is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Cattaraugus Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be obtained for 1890.

There are New York State censuses from 1880, 1892, 1905, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, 1925. You can get free downloadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also New York Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, New York, 1850-1880
• Cattaraugus County, NY Census Records Links
• Cattaraugus County, NY Census QuickFacts

Cattaraugus County, NY Courthouse and Government Records

Cattaraugus County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Cattaraugus County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Cattaraugus County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in New York courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless New York residents. The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Cattaraugus County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also New York Corthouse Records Research Guide.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!! Please call the clerk’s department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The files are available to interested parties, barring private issues. Many staff will guide individuals in locating the materials, however it’s up to the person to carry out the research. Cattaraugus had no county government until 1817. Its records were first kept in Buffalo, but they were destroyed in 1813 when the British burned the courthouse. In 1812 Cattaraugus was annexed to Allegany County, and from 1814 – 17 county records for the eastern towns of Olean and Ischua were kept in Belmont and for the western town of Perry, in Buffalo.

• Cattaraugus County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755
• Cattaraugus County Clerk
  • Phone: (716) 938-9111
  • Land Records: 1817
  • Court Records: 1817
• Cattaraugus County Surrogate Court Clerk
  • Phone: (716) 938-2327
  • Probate Records: 1817
• Cattaraugus County Historian
  • Address: 9824 Route 16, PO Box 352, Machias, NY 14101
  • Phone: 716-353-8200
• New York Wills, 1626-1836
• BLM Land Records

Cattaraugus County, NY Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Cattaraugus County, NY?
A list of Cattaraugus County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide New York Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Cattaraugus County Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 404, Salamanca, New York 14779,
• Cattaraugus County Historical Museum and Research Library, 9824 Route 16, PO Box 352, Machias, NY 14101 , 1-716-353-8200 (This is a genealogy/research center, operated by the county. They will perform research requests for a fee. Some the records include: county census, Civil War rolls, cemetery stone abstracts, marriage records (1908-1925 only) and obituary abstracts)
• Allegany Public Library, 90 West Main Street, Allegany, NY 14706, Phone: 1-716-373-1056,
• Delvan-Yorkshire Public Library, P.O. Box 185, 28 School Street, Delevan, NY 14042, Phone: 1-716-492-1961,
• Gowanda Free Library, 56 West Main Street, Gowanda, NY 14070, Phone: 1-716-532-3451
• Memorial Library of Little Valley, 110 Rock City Street, Little Valley, NY 14755, Phone: 1-716-938-6301 ,
• Ellicottville Memorial Library, 1 Washington Street, Ellicottville, NY 14731, Phone: 1-716-699-2842,
• King Memorial Library, Town Hall, Roszyk Hill Road, Machias, NY 14101, Phone: 1-716-353-9915
• Myers Memorial Library, P.O. Box 559, 26 Ivory Street, Frewsburg, NY 14738, Phone 1-716-569-5515,
• Seneca Nation Library-Cattaraugus Branch, 1490 Route 438, Irving, NY 14081, Phone: 1-716-532-9449
• Seneca-Iroquois National Museum, 814 Broad Street, Salamanca, NY 14779, Phone: (716) 945-1760
• New York State Archives and Records Administration, 11th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230; (518) 474-8955
• New York State Library, Cultural Education Center, 7th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230
• The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 122 East 58th Street, New York, New York 10022-1939
• New York State Historical Association, West Lake Road, P.O. Box 800, Cooperstown, New York, 13326-0800

Where can I connect with other Cattaraugus County, NY Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• New York Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
• New York State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Cattaraugus County, New York Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Cattaraugus County, New York Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Cattaraugus County, NY?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Cattaraugus County. Most of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a cost. This is simply a listing that has been compiled or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another.

Cattaraugus Co. NY Books, Newspapers & Publications

• New York Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• New York historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from New York (1719 – 1992) (genealogybank.com)
• Olean Evening Times (Olean, New York)  (search.ancestry.com)
• Times Herald (Olean, New York)  (search.ancestry.com)
• Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York)  (search.ancestry.com)
• The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York)  (search.ancestry.com)
• Salamanca Republican Press (Salamanca, New York)  (search.ancestry.com)
• The Democrat (Olean, New York)  (search.ancestry.com)
• Cattaraugus County, New York Books (amazon.com)
• Search New York Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Cattaraugus Co. NY Cemeteries & Church Records

• New York Cemetery Research Guide
• Gravestone inscriptions in Cattaraugus County, New York : including cemeteries in the towns of Freedom, Franklinville and Yorks  (search.ancestry.com)
• Gravestone inscriptions of Cadiz, Franklinville, Sugartown, Delevan, and Yorkshire cemetery.  (search.ancestry.com)
• Cattaraugus Co., New York Graves (findagrave.com)
• Cattaraugus County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Cattaraugus Co., New York Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Cattaraugus Co., New York Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• New York Church & Bible Research Guide
• New York, Family Bible Records, 1581-1917  (search.ancestry.com)
• Cattaraugus County, New York Church Books (amazon.com)

Cattaraugus Co. NY Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• New York Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
• Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)

Cattaraugus Co. NY General and History Websites

• See Also State History for New York
• Cattaraugus County, New York Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• History of Cattaraugus Co., New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.  (search.ancestry.com)
• Historical and biographical history of the township of Dayton, Cattaraugus County, New York, comprising the villages of Cottage  (search.ancestry.com)
• Franklinville, N.Y., in pictures and story  (search.ancestry.com)
• Historical sketch of the village of Gowanda, N.Y. : in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation, August 8  (search.ancestry.com)
• Cattaraugus County : embracing its agricultural society, newspapers, civil list …, biographies of the old pioneers .., coloni  (search.ancestry.com)
• Cattaraugus County, New York Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Cattaraugus Co. NY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Cattaraugus County, New York (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – New York – Counties – Cattaraugus (cyndislist.com)
• Cattaraugus County New York (genealogytrails.com)
• Cattaraugus Co. NYGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Cattaraugus County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Cattaraugus Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Cattaraugus Co. NY Immigration & Naturalization

• See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for New York
• New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924  (familysearch.org)
• Early New York Naturalizations  (search.ancestry.com)

Cattaraugus Co. NY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of New York Links and Information
• 1895 Cattaraugus County Map (livgenmi.com)

Cattaraugus Co. NY Military Records

• New York Military Records Research Guide
• Revolutionary soldiers buried in Cattaraugus County, New York : typescript,  (search.ancestry.com)
• New York, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865  (familysearch.org)
• New York Civil War Records (1861-65)  (search.ancestry.com)
• New York Military Records (Fold3.com) provides easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the New York both women and men who served. Perfect for Cattaraugus County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.