Chemung 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

Chemung County, New York Facts

When was Chemung County, NY Created?
Chemung County was created on March 29, 1836 from Tioga County.

What is the County Seat of Chemung County, NY?
The County Seat is located in Elmira and in addition the county government website is www.chemungcounty.com/

What counties are adjacent to Chemung County, NY?
Bordering Counties are Schuyler County, Tompkins County, Tioga County, Bradford County, PA, Tioga County, PA, Steuben County.

Chemung County, NY Vital Records

Where can find Chemung County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Chemung 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 Chemung 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

Chemung County, NY Census Records

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

Chemung Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Chemung Co. Industry and Agriculture is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Chemung 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
• Chemung County, NY Census Records Links
• Chemung County, NY Census QuickFacts

Chemung County, NY Courthouse and Government Records

Chemung County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Chemung County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Chemung 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 Chemung 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.

• Chemung County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 203 Lake St., Elmira, New York 14901
• Chemung County Clerk
  • Address: 210 Lake Street, PO Box 588, Elmira, NY 14902-0588
  • Phone: 607 737-2920
  • Land Records: 1836
  • Court Records: 1836
• Chemung County Surrogate Court Clerk
  • Address: 224 Lake Street, Post Office Box 588, Elmira, NY 14902-0588
  • Phone: 607 737-2946; 607 737-2819
  • Probate Records: 1836
• Chemung County Historian
  • Address: 1011 Lincoln Street, Elmira, NY 14901
  • Phone: (607) 734-4167
• Abstracts of wills of Chemung County, N.Y. : from 1836 to 1850 : typescript,
• Home for the aged, Elmira, N.Y. : articles of incorporation, by-laws and rules of the society, treasurer’s report, list of off
• New York Wills, 1626-1836
• BLM Land Records

Chemung County, NY Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Steele Memorial Library, One Library Plaza, Elmira, NY 14901
• Chemung Valley History Museum, 415 E. Water Street, Elmira, NY 14901
• 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 Chemung 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)
• Chemung County, New York Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Chemung County, New York Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Chemung County, NY?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Chemung 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.

Chemung 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)
• Chemung County, New York Books (amazon.com)
• Search New York Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Chemung Co. NY Cemeteries & Church Records

• New York Cemetery Research Guide
• Chemung Co., New York Graves (findagrave.com)
• Chemung County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Chemung Co., New York Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Chemung Co., New York Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• New York Church & Bible Research Guide
• New York, Family Bible Records, 1581-1917  (search.ancestry.com)
• Chemung County, New York Church Books (amazon.com)

Chemung 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)

Chemung Co. NY General and History Websites

• See Also State History for New York
• Chemung County, New York Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins, and Schuyler Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of  (search.ancestry.com)
• Our county and its people : a history of the valley and county of Chemung from the closing years of the eighteenth century  (search.ancestry.com)
• A Biographical record of Chemung County, New York  (search.ancestry.com)
• In dairyland  (search.ancestry.com)
• Elmira historical pageant : presented at Elmira, New York, July 4-5, 1923.  (search.ancestry.com)
• Chemung County, New York Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Chemung Co. NY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Chemung County, New York (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – New York – Counties – Chemung (cyndislist.com)
• Chemung County New York (genealogytrails.com)
• Chemung Co. NYGenweb (joycetice.com)
• Chemung County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Chemung Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Chemung 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)

Chemung Co. NY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Chemung Co. NY Military Records

• New York Military Records Research Guide
• 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 Chemung County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.

Chemung Co. NY Schools & Directories

• Elmira, New York Directories, 1889-93  (search.ancestry.com)
• Brigham’s Elmira directory for 1863 and 1864  (search.ancestry.com)
• Elmira directory, with a business directory of Chemung Co., and an appendix of useful information  (search.ancestry.com)
• Gazetteer and business directory of Chemung and Schuyler counties, N.Y., for 1868-9  (search.ancestry.com)