Erie County is situated on the western border of New York State. It is bounded by Lake Erie to the west and is bordered by Niagara County and Canada to the north, Genesee and Wyoming Counties to the east, and Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties to the south.
Parent County: Niagara
Daughter Counties: None
Formed: April 2, 1821
Major Land Transactions: Holland Land Company Purchase 1792–1796
Indian Territories: Seneca Nation: Cattaraugus Reservation (1797–present), Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians: Tonawanda Reservation (1797–present)
Table of Contents
- History
- Cities, Towns, and Villages
- Repositories, Resources, and Societies – County
- Repositories, Resources, and Societies – Regional
- Repositories, Resources, and Societies – Local
- Civil, Public, and Vital Records
- Federal Census Records
- State Census Records
- Other Online Resources
- Selected Bibliography
History
Erie County was established by New York State in 1821. While the colony of New York first established counties in 1683, much of Western New York was still Indian territory and not part of the colony. Significant European settlement began in Erie during the early 19th century and the county was created out of land from Niagara County and officially established in 1821.
Settlers flocked to Western New York during the early 1800s, initially for agricultural and trading opportunities. The commencement of the Industrial Revolution in the United States transformed the area's economy into a supplier of raw materials and resources to existing factories and a frontier for new manufacturing facilities. The majority of settlers in Erie County were of German, Polish, Italian, and Irish descent.
The county was the site of the western end of the Erie Canal. Proposed in 1807 as a way to connect New York’s eastern seaboard with the western interior, construction had begun on the canal in Rome in 1817 and the waterway opened on October 26, 1825. The canal was an engineering marvel and directly linked the Great Lakes with the Hudson River, and New York Harbor. Commercial trade flourished in New York State, as per-ton shipping costs from Western New York to New York City were cut by approximately 95%. In 2000, the U.S. Congress designated the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in recognition of the canal's significance as the most influential man-made waterway and one of the greatest achievements in civil engineering in North America.
During the Civil War, the hamlet of Town Line voted to secede from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America. Several men from the town crossed the Mason-Dixon Line and fought against the Union for the Confederacy. On January 24, 1946, in a special ceremony overseen by movie stars Cesar Romero and Martha Stewart, the people of Town Line overturned the original vote of secession and the hamlet became the last settlement in America to officially renounce allegiance to the Confederate States of America.
Erie’s county seat and largest city is Buffalo, which is also the second-largest metropolitan area in the state of New York. Buffalo was burned by the British during the War of 1812. Reconstruction benefited Buffalo, as its city planners designed the new waterfront with the intentions of creating a significant port city. The city was strategically placed on the western end of the Erie Canal as a way of providing direct access to the key ports of the Great Lakes region. During the 1840s, Buffalo's port developed as a leading shipping center on the Great Lakes and the world's first steam-powered elevator was patented as a way to move greater volumes of freight. President Abraham Lincoln visited Buffalo on February 16, 1861 during his national tour before accepting his presidency. The city's population increased during the Civil War and was an important source of soldiers and manufactured goods for the Union. World War II saw a period of low unemployment for Buffalo, which served as a major manufacturing center for railroad cars and munitions. Buffalo’s economy began to decline during the 1950s due to new trade routes that bypassed the city and the trend of suburbanization. Like many other "Rust Belt" cities, Buffalo attempted to revitalize its economy during the early 2000s. Population levels have slowly begun to recover as the city’s economy and demographics diversify. According to 2012 estimates by the U.S. census, Buffalo’s present population is approximately 259,384.
Erie has had a long-standing connection to the Presidency of the United States. President Grover Cleveland's first political position was serving as the Sheriff of Erie County from 1871 to 1873, followed by a brief stint as Mayor of Buffalo in 1882. Additionally President William McKinley was shot in Buffalo at the Pan-American Exposition on September 6, 1901 and died eight days later. Theodore Roosevelt was then sworn in as the 26th President of the United States at the Wilcox Mansion at 641 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY. Erie County is also the resting place of U.S. President Millard Filmore. His gravesite is in the historic cemetery of Forest Lawn in Buffalo.
Sources
- Buffalo Net: Buffalo and Western New York's Internet Historical Resource
- Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
- New York State: Canal History
- The Buffalo History Gazette: Hamlet of Town Line "Heads South" in 1861
- United States Census Bureau: Erie County Quick Facts
- Buffalo History Works
- History of Buffalo
- New York State Military Museum: Erie County in the Civil War
- Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies: Theodore Roosevelt, 1901
Repositories, Resources, and Societies - County
Erie County Clerk
Website: Erie County Clerk
Address: 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: (716) 858-8785
Email: ErieCountyClerkOffice@erie.gov
Website provides information on holdings, which include federal censuses 1850–1920; New York state censuses 1855–1925, marriages 1878–1935, divorces 1830–present, naturalizations 1827–1929, and City of Buffalo births 1881–1913. Selection of documents online including land records. Also holds Niagara County naturalization and land records (1808–1821).
Erie County – City, Town, and Village Clerks
Birth, marriage, and death records are maintained by the clerk of the municipality in which the event occurred; see Introduction to County Guides for details of other records which may also be held by municipal clerks. See municipal websites for details and contact information. Unlike most city clerks, Buffalo City Clerk holds some vital records not available at the New York State Department of Health; see full listing below.
Erie County Surrogate’s Court
Address: 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: (716) 845-2560
Holds probate records from the early 1800s to the present. Also holds probate records (1808–1821) from Niagara County.
Erie County Public Libraries
Website: Erie County Public Libraries
Erie County maintains the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System. Many hold genealogy and local history collections including maps and newspapers. For more information visit the “Special Collections” section of the System’s website. For example, the Frank E. Merriweather Library has an extensive African-American history collection. Also see listing below for the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library: Grosvenor Room.
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library: Grosvenor Room
Website: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library: Grosvenor Room
Address: Central Library, One Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203
Phone: (716) 858-8900
Email: Email access on website
Holds a copy of the New York State Department of Health vital records indexes. Census records on microfilm and census indexes for Western New York, local histories, scrapbooks, family files, city directories, newspapers, local church and cemetery records, maps, and rare books. Website contains a list of genealogy holdings, a genealogy and local history blog, subject guides, digital projects, and databases. The Western New York Genealogical Society collection is located in the Grosvenor Room.
The Buffalo History Museum
Website: The Buffalo History Museum
Address: One Museum Court, Buffalo, NY 14216
Phone: (716) 873-9644
Email: library@buffalohistory.org
Formerly the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. Local directories, local histories, biographies, census microfilm and indexes, microfilm of church and cemetery records, marriage index, military records, institution records, thousands of microfilms of newspapers, obituary index with over 99,000 names and family files. Online resources include Buffalo address books, Crystal Beach photographs, manuscripts and drawings from the War of 1812, and finding aids. Holdings include records for parent county (Niagara) pre-1821—before Erie County was formed. Website contains list of finding aids and collection inventories.
Erie County Historian
Website: Erie County Historian
Email: doug.kohler@erie.gov
Erie County – All Municipal Historians
While not authorized to answer genealogical inquiries, city, town, and village historians can provide valuable historical information and research advice; some maintain collections and webpages which may include transcribed records, local histories, and other genealogical material. See contact information at the Government Appointed Historians of Western New York or at the website of the Association of Public Historians of New York State.
Erie County Historial Federation
Website: Erie County Historical Federation
Consortium of Erie County historic sites. Member list available online.
Niederlander Research Library and Archives
Website: Niederlander Research Library and Archives
Address: 3755 Tonawanda Creek Road, Amherst, NY 14228
Phone: (716) 689-1440
Email: amhmuseum@adelphia.net
Library is located in the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village/Amherst Museum. Extensive genealogy collection includes: ledgers, scrapbooks, certificates, newspapers, maps, and photographs. The Amherst Bee is available on microfilm, dating from 1879–present. The library’s catalog is searchable online.
Afro American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier
Website: Afro American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier
Address: PO Box 63, Buffalo, NY 14207
The Association preserves the history of, and promotes research and scholarship on, African Americans in western New York. It publishes a biannual interdisciplinary journal, Afro American New York Life and History. An index of past issues is available on the website.
Neto Hatinakwe Onkwehowe
Website: Neto Hatinakwe Onkwehowe
Address: Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, 1201 Pine Avenue, Niagara Falls, NY 14301
The organization hosts programs, collections, and exhibitions on the art, history and culture of the indigenous people of western New York.
University at Buffalo: Polish Room
Website: University at Buffalo: Polish Room
Address: Lockwood Library, Room 517, Buffalo, NY 14260-2200
Phone: (716) 645-2820
Email: library@buffalo.edu
The genealogical resources of the Polish Room include handbooks, geographical resources, armorials, biographies, and research guides; a description is on the website, as are some digital collections. The Album Pamiatkowe: A Guide to Buffalo's Polonia from 1906, may be downloaded for free from the website. The Polish Room is accessible to the public by appointment.
Repositories, Resources, and Societies - Regional
SUNY Fredonia: Daniel A. Reed Library: Archives & Special Collections
Website: SUNY Fredonia: Daniel A. Reed Library: Archives & Special Collections
Address: Fredonia, NY 14063
Phone: (716) 673-3184
Special collections include: Local HIstory (state census microfilm, cemetery records, church records, vital records, newspapers, and histories); an American Indian Collection; and records and maps of the Holland Land Company.
University of Rochester: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation
Address: Rush Rhees Library, Second Floor, Room 225, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0055
Phone: (585)-275-4477
The University's collection of Rochester, Western New York, and New York State material includes local histories (more than 1,500 volumes), broadsides and circulars, Farmers' Library of Wheatland manuscripts (1805-1870), maps, newspapers 1820-1870, photographs and postcards, prints, stereo views, and upstate imprints.
Western New York Genealogical Society
Website: Western New York Genealogical Society
Address: PO Box 338, Hamburg, NY 14075-0338
Phone: (716) 858-8900
Email: info@wnygs.org
Documents genealogy and history of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. The June P. Zintz Memorial Library of the Western New York Genealogical Society is located in the Grosvenor Room of the downtown Central Branch of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library and contains atlases and gazetteers; directories (including Buffalo City Directories 1832–present); histories; Bible, birth, baptism, church, marriage, burial, cemetery, and death records; a card file vital record index of early Western New York families; census materials for the eight Western New York counties (federal and state); ancestor charts, biographies, family histories, and genealogies; immigration lists and indexes; and military records.
The Society’s projects include a Church and Cemetery Records Microfilming Program, which funds the microfilming of records from Western New York and makes them available to researchers at the Zintz Memorial Library. A complete list of records that have been microfilmed is available on the Society’s website. The website also contains a list of surnames currently being researched by its members, partial indexes for the 1865 state census , and a limited amount of transcribed records.
The Society has published the Western New York Genealogical Society Journal since 1974, which includes unpublished records, book reviews, and research advice. A list of article titles from 1998 to 2010 is available on the website.
Western New York Heritage Press
Website: Western New York Heritage Press
Address: 495 Pine Ridge Heritage Boulevard, Cheektowaga, NY 14225-2503
Phone: (716) 893-4011
Email: emaillist@wnyheritagepress.org
Publishes original research on Western New York, including Heritage Magazine.
Repositories, Resources, and Societies - Local
Alphabetized by location
Alden Historical Society and Museum
Website: Alden Historical Society and Museum
Address: 13213 Broadway, Alden, NY 14004
Phone: (716) 937-3700
Email: AldenHistSoc@gmail.com
Holdings include artifacts and documents relating to Native American, military, agricultural, and railroad history, as well as the history of daily life in the town of Alden.
Brant-Farnham Historical Society
Website: Brant-Farnham Historical Society
Address: 1294 Brant-North Collins Road, Brant, NY 14027
Phone: (716) 549-0282
Email: Address on website
Holdings include newspaper clippings and photographs.
Boston Historical Society and Museum
Website: Boston Historical Society and Museum
Address: Old Pioneer Church, 9410 Boston State Road, PO Box 31 Boston, NY 14025
Phone: (716) 941-5015
Email: historicalsociety@townofboston.com
Original deeds, mortgages, promissory notes dating to the early 1800s, and cemetery records. Website contains an in-depth history of the town of Boston with a bibliography.
Brant-Farnham Historical Society
Website: Brant-Farnham Historical Society
Address: 1294 Brant-North Collins Road, Brant, NY 14027
Phone: (716) 549-0282
Email: Address on website
Holdings include newspaper clippings and photographs.
Buffalo City Clerk and Records Management
Website: Buffalo City Clerk and Records Management
Address of City Clerk: 1308 City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: (716) 851-5431
Address of Records Management: 85 River Rock Drive, Suite 301, Buffalo, NY 14207
Phone: (716) 874-6401 or 570-8721
Email: Address on website
Holdings for the City of Buffalo include births 1878–present, marriages 1877–present, and deaths 1852–present. Birth and death records 1914–present, and marriage records 1908–present are also available at the New York State Department of Health in Albany.
Buffalo Genealogical Society of the African Diaspora
Website: Buffalo Genealogical Society of the African Diaspora
Address: PO Box 155, Buffalo, NY 14209-0155
Email: BGSAD@verizon.net
Collection includes over 7,000 funeral programs. Website contains index of current research projects with contact information for each researcher; information includes surnames with research locations and dates. Meetings are held at the Merriweather Library.
Cheektowaga Historical Association and Museum
Website: Cheektowaga Historical Association and Museum
Address: Alexander Community Center, 275 Alexander Avenue, 3329 Broadway (Museum), Cheektowaga, NY 14227
Phone: (716) 684-6544
Email: cheektowagahistory@yahoo.com
The Association’s collection of local history documents and artifacts dates from the 1850s. Publishes the Cheektowaga Archival News.
Clarence Historical Society, Museum, and Genealogy Library
Website: Clarence Historical Society, Museum, and Genealogy Library
Address of Society: 10456 Main Street, Clarence, NY 14031
Address of Genealogy Library: 10871 Main Street, Clarence, NY 14031
Phone: (716) 759-8575
Email: info@clarencehistory.com
Holdings include genealogies and memoirs of local World War II veterans.
Elma Historical Society and Museum
Website: Elma Historical Society and Museum
Address: 3011 Bowen Road, PO Box 84, Elma, NY 14059-0084
Email: elmahistory@aol.com
Website includes a town history and photograph collection.
Marilla Historical Society and Museum
Website: Marilla Historical Society and Museum
Address: 1810 Two Rod Road, PO Box 36, Marilla, NY 14102
Phone: (716) 652-1827
Email: Address on website
Museum and the town historian’s office are located in the Marilla Community Center. Holdings include cemetery records, newspapers, and tax records. The town historian accepts genealogy requests.
Concord Historical Society and Museum and Lucy Bensley Center
Website: Concord Historical Society and Museum and Lucy Bensley Center
Address: 23 North Buffalo Street, PO Box 425, Springville, NY 14141
Phone: (716) 592-0094
Email: bensley@localnet.com
Society maintains the Lucy Bensley Center, which is the site of the Society’s office, its genealogy and history library, and the repository for Springville newspapers. Website includes a Concord history timeline (1800–1999).
Historical Society of the Tonawanda
Website: Historical Society of the Tonawandas
Address: 113 Main Street, Tonawanda, NY 14150-2129
Phone: (716) 694-7406
Email: tonahist@gmail.com
Documents the history of the two Tonawandas: the City of Tonawanda, Erie County, and the adjacent City of North Tonawanda, Niagara County. It maintains a research library, photo file, and extensive genealogical and historical collection. Holdings include cemetery records and gravestone inscriptions, church records, city directories, documents, local newspapers (Tonawanda Herald, Evening News, and Tonawanda News), local veterans information, maps, obituaries (1877–present), photographs, scrapbooks, yearbooks, artifacts, and information pertaining to local medical practice, entertainment, municipal history, Indian American history, transportation, and industry. Website includes articles and guide to research at the Society. It has a monthly newsletter, The Lumber Shover.
Tonawanda-Kenmore Historical Society and Museum
Website: Tonawanda-Kenmore Historical Society and Museum
Address: 100 Knoche Road, Tonawanda, NY 14150
Phone: (716) 873-5774
Email: lach@roadrunner.com
Holdings include records of the St. Peter’s (German) Evangelical Church Cemetery.
Civil, Public, and Vital Records
Civil Records are those created, recorded and/or maintained by a governmental body and include births, marriages, deaths, censuses, property, and probate. NB: The New York State government began collecting vital record data in 1880. Birth, marriage, and death records from New York State (excluding the five boroughs of New York City) after 1880 on can be obtained from the New York State Department of Health. For vital records previous to 1880, consult the municipality in which the event took place. Learn more about New York's vital records in our online guide.
Vital Records Agency, New York State Health Department, and individual local registers. City of Buffalo: Birth, Marriage, and Death Records
Federal Census Records
Population schedules: 1790-1940 (except 1890). Online at Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Findmypast.com (free to NYG&B members).
Access on Findmypast:
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State Census Records
- County originals at Erie County Clerk’s Office: 1855, 1865*, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, 1925 (1825, 1835, and 1845 are lost)
- State originals at the NYSA: 1915, 1925
- Microfilm at the Family History Library, the New York Public Library, and the New York State Library
- Many years are online at FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com.
Other Online Resources
There are vast numbers of records on Ancestry.com that pertain to people who have lived in New York State. A search of the online card catalog by county may reveal lesser known resources that pertain to a locality, such as town records, abstracts, transcriptions, city directories, and local histories.
Collection of links and information relating to the folklore and local history of Buffalo.
Guide to Buffalo history and culture, including photographs.
Buffalo and Western New York History. “Online community and archive,” including genealogical “Peoples History Pages,” forum, photographs, and articles.
Information, resources, and links to online materials relating to the history and genealogy of Buffalo, including city directories, maps, obituaries, images, vital records, cemetery, church, and probate records, and information about obtaining documents on microfilm, etc.
Erie County, New York Cemeteries Past and Present
Listing of Erie County, New York cemeteries by town.
FamilySearch has extensive collections of New York records, including religious records, which are searchable by name and location, but not by county. The following collections include record images (browsable, but not searchable) that are organized by county:
“New York, Land Records, 1630–1975.” Includes land and property records.
“New York, Probate Records, 1629–1971.” Includes wills, letters of administration, and guardianship papers.
For both collections, choose the browse option and then select Erie to view the available records sets.
New York Heritage Digital Collections
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
Together, the two collections provide free access to more than 50 digitized city and family directories for Buffalo.
New York Heritage Digital Collections: New York State Newspaper Project
The website provides links to digital newspapers collections in 26 counties (currently) made accessible through New York Heritage, New York State Historic Newspapers, HRVH Historical Newspapers, and other providers.
Part of the national USGenWeb volunteer initiative, the website provides information and resources for county research.
The website provides free access to a vast collection of digitized New York newspapers, including 15 titles for Erie County.
General Resources
- Erie County Clerk
- Buffalo and Erie County Public Library: Genealogy Websites
- Records at Erie County Hall
- City of Buffalo Genealogy
- Erie County History and Genealogy
- Erie County Wiki
- NYGenealogy101: Erie County
- Histopolis: Erie County Genealogy and History
- Kindred Trails: Erie County
- My Genealogist: Erie County
- Public Records Search: Erie County
- Public Records Directory: Erie County
- Western New York Roots: Erie County, NY, Archives, Town Historians, Historical Societies, and Historical Museums
- Anderson, Joseph C. II. "The Samuel Bennett Family of Vermont; Essex, Cayuga, Niagara, and Erie Counties, New York; Indiana; and Michigan." The Record, Vol. 138, No. 2 (116-127).
- Barnette, Mic. "Southerners in Erie County in 1850." The Record, Vol. 141, No. 4 (274-291).
Deaths and Burials
- Cemetery Inscriptions, Erie County, NY (List generated in 1932), including transcriptions from the Old Cemetery in the Village of East Aurora, Homes Hill Cemetery, Wales, NY; South Wales Village Cemetery, Wales, NY; and Holland Cemetery, Holland, NY
- Erie County, N.Y. Cemetery Inscriptions (list generated in 1941), including transcriptions from Protection Cemetery, Protection, NY; Pratham Catholic Cemetery, Sardinia, NY; Pratham Protestant Cemetery, Sardinia, NY; Holland Catholic Cemetery, Holland, NY; Humphrey Cemetery, Holland, NY; a cemetery in Wales, NY; and Hunters Creek Cemetery, Wales, NY
- Gravestone Inscriptions, Sundry Cemeteries in Cattaraugus, Erie and Wyoming Counties, NY (List generated in 1934), includes transcriptions from seven cemeteries.
- Wales Hollow Cemetery, Wales Hollow, Erie County, NY (List generated in 1932)
- Erie County Cemetery Listing
- Cemeteries in Erie County
- Erie County
- Buffalo NY Deaths
- Genealogy Trails: Erie County Obituaries
- Newspaper Obituaries: Erie County
- Erie County Obituaries
- Forest Lawn Cemetery
- Prospect Lawn Cemetery
- Buffalo Catholic Cemeteries
- Jewish Buffalo: Erie County Lodge Cemetery Records
- City of Buffalo: Firefighters' Memoriam
- Archives.com
- Genealogy Bank: New York Historical Obituaries
Military Records
- Erie County Clerk: Military Discharges
- National Archives: Military Records
- New York State Archives: Military Records
- New York State Military Museum
Religious Records
- Diocese of Buffalo
- USGenNet: Buffalo Roman Catholic Parishes
- Local Catholic: Diocese of Buffalo
- FamilySearch.org
- Cornell University: Study Center for Early Religious Life in Western New York
- Jewish Genealogical Society of Buffalo
Ethnic Groups and Organizations
- Native Cultural Center: Neto Hatinakwe Onkwehowe
- History of Buffalo: German-American History in Buffalo, NY
- Pan-American Exposition of 1901
- New York State Archives: Thomas Indian School Records
Maps
- City Data of Erie County
- Erie County Maps
- Maps of Erie County
- Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Routes
- Erie County
- 101: New York State and County Maps and Atlases
- SUNY Buffalo: Map Collection
Transportation
Erie County has long been a vital transportation hub for Upstate New York and the industrial American Northwest. The most significant event in Erie County transportation was the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. The canal allowed for goods to be shipped directly from Western New York to Albany, where they would be sent down the Hudson River to the markets and international ports of New York City. This caused a boom in New York State's economy, drastically reduced shipping costs for merchants, and started a "canal boom" across New York and much of the United States. The construction, opening, and operation of the Erie Canal has since become the center of many New York legends and folklore. Although the canal has mainly been used for recreational sailing since the automobile became the preferred method of transporting goods, beginning in 2008, the canal began to see resurgence in commercial transportation.
Erie's access to Lake Erie and, by proxy, all of the major industry complexes of the Great Lakes Region, as well as Canada, has helped the county's economy prosper. Buffalo is the headquarters of several prominent Northwestern shipping companies and is also a major center for rail and road transportation.
The Buffalo Metropolitan Area is serviced by two airports, a harbor, a metro rail line, and a network of public buses.
- Transportation
- ErieCanal.org
- Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
- Erie Canal
- New York State Canal System History
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Erie Canal
- Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
- Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition
- Maag, Christopher. "Hints of Comeback for Nation's First Superhighway." The New York Times, 2 November 2008.
- Hill, Ronald A. "James Snowden, Stonecutter on the Erie Canal." The Record, Vol. 143, No. 3 (165-185).
Selected Bibliography
Abstracts, Indexes & Transcriptions
- Barber, Gertrude Audrey. “Erie County, New York Gravestone Inscriptions: Including Cemeteries in South Newstead and Sardinia.” Typescript, 1930. Family History Library, Salt Lake City. [books.FamilySearch.org]
- Barber, Gertrude Audrey. “Erie County, N.Y. Cemetery Inscriptions: Including Ceme-teries in Protection, Sardinia, Holland and Wales.” Typescript, 1931. NYPL, New York. [NYG&B eLibrary]
- Barber, Gertrude Audrey. “Gravestone (Cemetery) Inscriptions, Erie County, New York.” Typescript, 1932. NYPL, New York. Includes cemeteries in East Aurora, Wales, and Holland, NY. [NYG&B eLibrary]
- Barber, Gertrude Audrey.“Gravestone Inscriptions, Sundry Cemeteries in Cattaraugus, Erie and Wyoming Counties, New York.” Typescript, 1934. NYPL, New York. Includes East Concord cemetery. [NYG&B eLibrary]
- Barber, Gertrude Audrey.“Wales Hollow Cemetery, Wales Hollow, Erie County, NY.” Typescript, n.d. NYPL, New York. [NYG&B eLibrary]
- County of Erie Abstracts. Syracuse: Central New York Genealogical Society, 2000. Abstracts for a range of genealogical records originally published in the quarterly Tree Talks. A name index is on the CNYGS website.
- Daughters of the American Revolution, comps. New York DAR Genealogical Records Committee Report. Since 1913 DAR volunteers have transcribed many thousands of unpublished cemetery, church, and town records throughout New York. The reports are at the DAR Library; copies are at the NYSL and the NYPL. The DAR has a searchable name index to all the GRC reports at http://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search/?Tab_ID=6. See Jean Worden’s index below for a listing by county of the New York record sets that were transcribed by the DAR before 1998.
- Kelly, Arthur C. M. Index to Tree Talks County Packet: Erie County. Rhinebeck, NY: Kinship, 2002.
- Reamy, Bill. Erie County, New York Obituaries as Found in the Files of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. Finksburg, MD: Pipe Creek Publishing, 1992.
- Worden, Jean D. “Book 1, Subject Index.” In Revised Master Index to the New York State Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogical Records Volumes. Zephyrhills, FL: J. D. Worden, 1998. The Subject Index includes a listing by county of the cemeteries, churches, towns, and other sources of records transcribed by the DAR.
- Zintz, June P. Index of Marriages from Buffalo Newspapers, 1811–1884: From a File in the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, Supplemented with Additional Information from Erie County Hall. Hamburg, NY: J. P. Zintz, 1999.
Other Resources
- Beers, F. W. Illustrated Historical Atlas of Erie Co., New York: From Actual Surveys and Records. Evansville, IN: Whipporwill Publications, 1985. First published 1880. [NYPL Digital Gallery]
- The Buffalo City and Erie County Register and Business Directory Including a Directory of Farmers. Rochester, 1870.
- Clark, Donna K. Erie County, New York, Genealogical Depositories of Local Records by TAD (The Ancestor Detective). Arvada, CO: Ancestor Publishers, 1986.
- Devoy, John. A History of the City of Buffalo and Niagara Falls: From the Earliest Authentic Date to the Present Period; Biographical Sketches. Buffalo, 1896.
- Dunn, Walter S. History of Erie County, 1870–1970. Buffalo: Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, 1972.
- Eberle, Scott G., and Joseph A. Grande. Second Looks: A Pictorial History of Buffalo and Erie County. Norfolk: Donning Co, 1987.
- Foley, Janet W. Early Settlers of New York State: Their Ancestors and Descendants. 9 vols. Akron, NY: 1934–1942. Reprint, 2 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1993.
- Hill, Henry W. Municipality of Buffalo, New York: A History, 1720–1923. 4 vols. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1923. Book includes biographical sketches.
- Johnson, Crisfield. Centennial History of Erie County, New York: Being Its Annals from the Earliest Recorded Events to the Hundredth Year of American Independence. Buffalo, 1876.
- Ketchum, William. An Authentic and Comprehensive History of Buffalo: With Some Account of Its Early Inhabitants, Both Savage and Civilized, Comprising Historic Notices of the Six Nations or Iroquois Indians, Including a Sketch of the Life of Sir William Johnson, and of Other Prominent White Men, Long Resident Among the Senecas, Arranged in Chronological Order. 2 vols. Buffalo, 1864-1865.
- Laughlin, John. A Complete Pocket Guide of the City of Buffalo: Containing a Brief Sketch of the City, Descriptions of All Places of Interest, a Directory of Places of Amusement, Churches, Public Buildings, Parks, and a Classified Directory of Leading Business Firms to Which is Appended a Street Guide and Map of the City. Also a Guide to Niagara Falls, and a Thousand Facts Worth Knowing. Buffalo, 1894?
- McNallie, Ridgway, and Henry P. Smith. Early Settlers of Erie County, New York: Being a Complete Name Index to the History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County in Two Volumes. Buffalo, 1950.
- Memorial and Family History of Erie County, New York. Buffalo: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1906–1908.
- Men of Buffalo: A Collection of Portraits of Men Who Deserve to Rank as Typical Representatives of the Best Citizenship, Foremost Activities, and Highest Aspirations of the City of Buffalo. Chicago: A. N. Marquis & Co., 1902.
- New York Historical Resources Center. Guide to Historical Resources in Erie County, New York, Repositories. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, 1983. [books.FamilySearch.org]
- Records of the Ithaca College Study Center for Early Religious Life in Western New York, 1978–1981. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library. A description of the holdings for each county is at http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/eguides/lists/churchlist1.htm.
- Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Syracuse, 1884.
- Stone & Stewart Publishers. New Topographical Atlas of Erie Co., New York: From Actual Surveys Especially For This Atlas. Philadelphia, 1866. [NYPL Digital Gallery]
- Sweeney, Daniel J., comp. History of Buffalo and Erie County, 1914–1919. Buffalo: Committee of One Hundred, 1920.
- Van Ness, Cynthia. “Is There a Buffalo in Your Family Tree?” New York Researcher, Spring 2006. Updated May 2011 and published as a Research Aid on NewYorkFamilyHistory.org.
- Western New York Genealogical Society Journal. Hamburg, NY: Western New York Genealogical Society, 1974–present. [wnygs.org]
- White, Truman C. Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York. Boston, 1898.
The materials above are a compilation of resources available, with an emphasis on online resources, which might be useful to someone doing research within this county. The inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement of its content or accuracy. Please send any additions or corrections to webmaster@nygbs.org.