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Oneida County New York Genealogy and History

County seat: Utica

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Search Free Oneida County New York Genealogy and Family History Records Online including census, cemetery, vital, military and other genealogical and historical records that can be used for your family history research.

Oneida County, New York genealogy and family history page is a place where you can come in and research your genealogy and family history. We also do our best to provide a history of the area, to provide you with an overview of the time in which your ancestors lived.

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Oneida County New York History

When colonial counties were established by England in New York State in 1683, the territory of present Oneida County was included in a very large, mostly undeveloped Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present state of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.

On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other sections, Tryon County, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately five miles west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River. The area then designated as Tryon County included what are now 37 individual counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York.

During and after the Revolution, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War, Americans changed the name of Tryon County to Montgomery County to honor the general, Richard Montgomery, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec. They replaced the name of the then hated British governor.

In 1789, the size of Montgomery County was reduced by the splitting off of Ontario County from Montgomery. The actual area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, also including the present Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Steuben, Wyoming, Yates, and part of Schuyler and Wayne Counties.

In 1791, Herkimer County was one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Otsego, and Tioga County). This was much larger than the present county, however, and was reduced by a number of subsequent splits.

In 1794, Herkimer County was reduced in size by the splitting off of Onondaga County. This county was larger than the current Onondaga County, including the present Cayuga, Cortland, and part of Oswego counties.

In 1798, Oneida County was created from a part of Herkimer County. This county was larger than the current Oneida County, including the present Jefferson, Lewis, and part of Oswego counties.

In 1805, Jefferson and Lewis counties were split off from Oneida. In 1816, parts of Oneida and Onondaga counties were taken to form the new Oswego County.

In 1848, John Humphrey Noyes founded a religious and Utopian community, the Oneida Community, near Oneida. Its unconventional views on religion and relations between the sexes led to much controversy. The community lasted until 1881. The Oneida Silver Company was founded here to manufacture sterling silver, silverplate holloware and later stainless steel flatware.


Oneida County New York Genealogy Records Online

Oneida County New York Cemetery Records

Oneida County New York Census Records

Oneida County New York Church Records

Oneida County New York Cities & Towns

Oneida County New York Newspapers

Oneida County New York Obituaries

Oneida County New York School Records

Oneida County New York Vital Records

Oneida County New York Wills and Probate Records


Genealogical Research in Oneida County, New York

Oneida County Clerk
Sandra J. DePerno
Oneida County Office Building
800 Park Avenue
Utica, New York 13501
Phone: (315) 798-5776
Website: http://www.ocgov.net/countyclerk

Oneida County Historian
Keven Marken
1608 Genesee St.
Utica, New York 13502
Phone: 315-735-3642

Jervis Library
613 North Washington St.
Rome, New York 13440
Phone: 315-336-4570
The Jervis Library has it's own genealogy research room. They have DAR records, family histories, county histories, the Rome Telegraph and the Rome Citizen on microfilm, etc.

Utica Public Library
303 Genesee St.
Utica, New York 13501
Phone: 315-735-2279
Resources: Many local newspapers on microfilm, City of Utica Directories, Owners of Land in 1814, census records 1855 - 1920, and much more.


Genealogical and Historical Societies

Oneida County Genealogical Club
c/o Oneida County Historical Society
318 Genesee Street
Utica, New York 13502


Adjacent counties