As town clerk and vital statistic
register one of my job duties,and most favorite is to aid people in finding
information regarding their family Genealogy.
How do you start?
I have found some of the best information
comes from our seniors, family bibles, or just looking at old photographs
or albums. Somehow there is a story to be told, you just have to find the
clues to piece the story together, to link you with your history. Sometimes,
I think of it as putting a puzzle together. People are always delighted
to find a piece of information that either I have in the Town Clerk’s office
or our wonderful Historian, Bridget
Swartz may have.
Secondly, try to verify dates
and locations. This can be done many ways:
Through
vital statistics in local towns and villages
Census records
through our County Historian, Barb Dix
Cemetery
records and burial permits
NYS Department
of Health, Genealogy Section
Local Church
records
Local Historian
A few other helpful hints of information
that you may want to think about when
doing your research.
The state did not require municipalities
to file records with them until 1881. Most
towns do not have information before
that date. You will need to check with the
municipality that you are interested
in. Sometimes you may get lucky.
Remember when searching for death
records, the record is located where the
person was pronounced dead not necessarily
where he lived.
State guidelines to release information
is very strict to protect people’s right of
confidentiality. The clerks are
not allowed to permit the public to personally look
through vital statistic books, the
clerks will search for you.
What records are available:
according to NYS Health Rules and Regulations:
No information
shall be released from a record of birth unless the record has
been on
file for at least 75 years and the person to whom the record relates
is known
to the applicant to be deceased.
No information
shall be released from a record of death unless the record
has been
on file for at least 50 years.
No information
shall be released from a record of marriage unless the record
has been
on file for at least 50 years and the parties to the marriage are
know to
the applicant to be deceased.
The time periods specified are waived
if the applicant is a descendent or has been designated to act on behalf
of a descendent of the person whose record is being
requested. All uncertified copies,
abstracts, or information issued for genealogical
research purposes shall be clearly
marked with the statement "For Genealogical
Purposes Only".
The fee- $11.00 includes search and
uncertified copy or notification of no record.
The Parish Town Clerk’s office
has:
Minute Books from 1912–
present
Vital Records:
Birth – 1881-present a few
prior births
Marriage – 1881– present
Death – 1881 – present
The Methodist Church has marriage
and birth records before 1881.
Important Contact Numbers:
Kelly Reader
Parish Town Clerk
(315) 625– 4507
M. Bridget Swartz
Parish Town Historian
(315) 625– 7833
Barbara Dix
Oswego County Historian
(315) 349– 8460
I hope I have provided you with
useful information to begin your family tree.
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