Chautauqua County Clerk's Office

Chautauqua County
Clerk's Office
Resources


Return to Chautauqua County Gen Web page.


Below is a listing of resources available at the
Chautauqua County Clerk's Office.


OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK
P.O. BOX 170
MAYVILLE, NEW YORK  14757-0170
Sandra K. Sopak - County Clerk

The County Clerk’s office performs a wide variety of functions and the Clerk’s archives include many of the county’s earliest legal and court records dating from 1811.  The materials filed and recorded with the County Clerk are generally available to public access, inspection, and for securing copies.  Records of particular interest to genealogists and local historians include:

LAND RECORDS - 1811 to present:
One of the County Clerk’s primary responsibilities as Registrar is the Recording of Deeds. Deeds pertain to real property (land) and are recorded and maintained for reference.  The office is responsible for providing and maintaining all dockets, books, files, and equipment necessary for filing, recording and disposition of a wide range of documents including mortgages, maps, UCC statements, leases, contracts, assignments, powers of attorney, and all other papers that affect real estate.

MARRIAGE RECORDS,  1908 - April 1935
Marriage records are indexed by both the bride’s and groom’s names and also include the age, residence, and occupation for each party, and the names of their parents.

STATE and FEDERAL CENSUS RECORDS 1825-1925  (Chautauqua County Only)
Early census records  (1825 -1845) include the names of heads of each household, their age, occupation and place of birth.  Agricultural statistics are also included.  Later census records  (1850 -1925) are much more detailed,  providing information about each member of each household including name, age, birthplace, citizenship, marital status, education, mental and physical health and race.

NATURALIZATION RECORDS,  1811 - to present.
Documents relating to the process of becoming a citizen of the United States include an initial Declaration of Intention and a Petition or Final Application.  Some Declarations include a photograph of the applicant.  Other documents were sometimes filed with the Final Application, including Certificates of Arrival and Affidavits of
Witnesses.

COURT RECORDS, 1811 - to present
As Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, the County Clerk maintains the records of all court proceedings and documents, both of a civil and criminal nature. All civil matters such as monetary lawsuits, , foreclosurjudgmentses, changes of name, seperationagseparationreements, divorces etc. are filed and executions for the collection of
judgments are issued.  In addition, the County Clerk maintains the records of and issues certificates of conservatorships/guardianships.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS of the COUNTY CLERK
The County Clerk’s office also administers and files military discharges, Notaries Public, corporation and business certificates, and official oaths.  The County Clerk also acts as Passport Agent, as agent for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and as agent for the  Department of Environmental Conservation in issuing
hunting, fishing, trapping, and other conservation licenses.

07 AUGUST 2001