Sunday, September 11, 2011

General Comments

Perhaps I should have named it the once a month blog, that seems to be the average for posting for me.
I have been busy with family problems and not doing research, at least, hardly any.
I did buy a book "The Genealogist's Guide to researching Tax Records" by Carol Cooke Darrow CG and Susan Winchester, Ph.D, C.P.A. and if it had been any state except New York it would have been invaluable. It is well written and very informative on how to find tax records almost anywhere, it gives instruction on using the FHL catalog to look for areas in states and counties, but when you try New York areas there are no tax records listed, at least not in my counties.
That means that the individual Villages, Cities, Towns and Counties may have them, but you have to check each one individually. Of course, they are not online so that means going there or paying someone to look for them, rather difficult on a pension.
A few years ago I did manage a trip and was able to find the tax records for Unadilla, Otsego Co., in a book written by the late Shirley Goerlich at the Sidney library. This gave me the tax records for my Thomas Graves, unfortunately I could not find the tax records for Sidney itself which I need to prove my William Wright was there in the 1820's through the 1840's. and I was unable to get to Delhi to try to find them. Delhi is where the county records are kept for Delaware while Cooperstown is where the Otsego county records are kept. I happened to be there during the Baseball Hall of Fame event and couldn't get near the records building.
This seems to be a rather rambling narrative this month, but if I have given anyone information on research in New York I hope they can use it.
Just remember that the census for New York is not usually taken except by Town which is an area of perhaps 26 miles +, therefore you have to find out which Hamlet or village your ancestor lived in or around in order to make sure you have the correct ancestor or to find their records.
Enough rambling this month, I will try to get back to my research now that the family seems to be settling down.

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