Local History & Genealogy Database List
One-Of-A-Kind Searchable Online Databases
1855 New York State Census for Onondaga County
Index to the 1855 NY State Census for Syracuse and a partial index to towns in Onondaga County. Records include: head-of-household; visitation number; ward or election district (5,432 records)
Microfilm of the complete 1855 NYS Census for Onondaga County can be viewed in the LHG Department.
1865 New York State Census for Onondaga County
Index to the 1865 NY State Census for Syracuse and a partial index to towns in Onondaga County. Records include: head-of-household; visitation number; ward or election district (8,143 records)
Microfilm of the complete 1865 NYS Census for Onondaga County can be viewed in the LHG Department.
WPA Files
This index was done during the Great Depression by Works Progress Administration workers, who compiled a card index of newspaper items of general and historic value to Syracuse and Onondaga County. The material was obtained from newspaper files of the Syrapcue Public Library and newspaper files of the Historical Scrap Books of the Onondaga Historical Association. The index covers the years 1814-1900 inclusive. (52,882 records to date)
Additional One-of-A-Kind Databases
[In Library Use Only]
The following resources have been compiled by OCPL staff
and are available for use in the department only
Biofile
This database includes biographical information on local authors, artists, musicians, Post Standard Women of Achievement (1949-1992), politicians and other prominent residents cited in newspaper clippings and other resources. It spans approximately from the mid-1800’s through the late 1990’s. (over 12,000 records)
Cemetery Index
This database indexes LH/G’s Onondaga County cemetery holdings. Records include: name, town/village, call number and author.
Civil War Index
This database indexes Onondaga County soldiers and sailors incluing regiment information. The records are from a database compiled by the late Robert Nostrant. Explanation of codes can be found by entering the word [codes] in the NAME field. (23,485 records)
Fires Index
This database indexes local fires and related fireman stories culled from the local newspapers. It covers 1872 – 1968. (388 records)
Football Database
This database contains scores and names of teams played by Syracuse University from 1889 through 1994. (806 records)
Jones Index
This database indexes the JONES surname (births, deaths & marriages) Information was compiled from the NY State vital Records Index on microfiche. It covers Onondaga County and parts of Central NY [1881 through 1928 for births, 1880 through 1954 for deaths and marriages].
(1910 records to date)
Local History / Genealogy CD-ROM Index
Includes descriptive notes, call numbers and accession numbers. (315 records to date)
LocNews Index
This database indexes the holdings in the LH/G closed shelving area. Resources include: newsletters, business journals and other publications from local organizations and agencies, e.g. Peace Council, Easy Washer, Carrier Corp., etc. (774 records to date)
News Index
This database indexes LH/G’s selective newspaper clippings files, reflecting local newspaper (Herald-Journal, Herald-American, Post-Standard, Syracuse New Times) articles. It covers 1993 through 2002 (to the present for selected Syracuse New Times articles). (40,138 records to date)
Obit96
Compiled from the Post-Standard’s “Deaths of the Week” column, this database reflects almost all area deaths/obituaries including name, date of death, and date of the newspaper notice. The database covers the period of Jan 1996 through Dec 2003.
Obituary Index
This database indexes LH/G's selective obituaries. It may include other events, i.e. marriages and probate clipped from local newspapers for 1862 through 1995. (75,133 records)
Postcard Index
This database indexes LH/G's postcard collection housed in closed shelving. It includes street scenes from the Picture File newspaper clippings. (1707 records)
St. Joseph's Index
This database indexes St. Joseph’s German Cemetery Interment Records (cemetery was formerly on Pond St. and removed to Assumption Cemetery in Syracuse) Based on P. Markert’s manuscript that may include: name, age, date of death burial, spouse with maiden name, parents with maiden and notes with birth date and address at time of death. (6734 records)
Timeline
Compiled from Schramm’s “River of Time,” Chase’s “Syracuse & Its Environs,” and input from Local History/Genealogy staff, this database reflects major local events from 1654 through 1994.
(1,846 records to date)
VFOnon
This database is an index to surnames in Onondaga County Family Manuscript Collection. It is housed in the Vertical Files.
Vitals Index
This database is an index to LH/G Department's extensive church records holdings and newspaper abstracts; often includes names of parents and siblings. (10,632 records)
Woodlawn
One of the largest Protestant cemeteries in Onondaga County, this database contains burial information on local residents, with selective deaths covering the period from 1838 through 2003. Records include: name, date of death, lot and section number. (46,393 records)
WPA
This is a searchable database of the WPA (Works Progress Administration) subject card index to selected 19th century Syracuse newspapers with citations for Early Residents, Births, Deaths, Marriages and a portion of Persons Prominent. (52,882 records)
Last updated: December 7, 2009