Additional Sources of Information

Cemetery File

LH/G has an extensive collection of cemetery resources. Our Cemetery Card Catalog has listings by county, town and name of cemetery. The files give the author’s name and the call numbers for books containing transcriptions of cemetery records or name indexes for cemeteries.

Census Records

LH/G has the Federal census rolls for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont for 1790 – 1880, and for 1900 - 1930 (except New Jersey which begins in 1830). Book indexes for the above states and many others are also available. Microfilm Soundex Indexes are available for New York State for 1880, 1900 and 1920. OCPL also subscribes to two full-text electronic indexes to the Federal Census. 

Some New York State County Census records are also available in microfilm for the years 1855 to 1925.
Census Holdings - Check here for availability 

City Directories - New York State

LH/G holds a large collection of City Directories from around the state.  
City Directory Holdings 

Genealogies

The  genealogies are shelved in the closed shelving area.  Please see staff member to access these.

Local Histories

LHG has county, city, town and village histories and other works arranged by state. LHG concentrates on New York, The New England States, Pennsylvania and New Jersey but has information on other states as well.

Microfiche Resources

  • Boston Transcript
  • Massachusetts Vital Records
  • Land Ownership Maps for New York State Counties
  • International Genealogical Index (Mormon Church)
  • Genealogy and Local History Collection – UMI
  • National Register of Historic Places for New York State

Other Microfilm Resources

  • Revolutionary War Pension Applications
  • War of 1812 Pension Applications
  • War of 1812 Military Bounty and Land Warrants
  • Corbin Manuscript Collections (Massachusetts 1650 – 1850)
  • New York County Histories and Atlases
  • Pennsylvania County Histories and Atlases
  • Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records
  • Vosburgh Collection of New York State Church Records
  • Onondaga County Surrogate Court Records
  • New York Town Clerk’s Registers of Men Who Served (Civil War)
  • Local History Pamphlet Collection
  • Selected New York Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
  • Vermont Vital Records
  • City Directories (some years unavailable)
    • Albany 1900, 1902 – 1910, 1912 – 1935
    • Auburn 1902 – 1935
    • Brooklyn 1899 – 1901
    • Buffalo 1900, 1910, 1920
    • Cortland 1902 – 1910, 1912 – 1918, 1921 – 1935
    • New York, NY 1880 – 81, 1899 – 1935
    • Oswego 1902 – 1912, 1914 – 1935
    • Rochester 1900, 1919, 1920
    • Boston 1900, 1910, 1920
    • Philadelphia 1900, 1910, 1920

NY State City Directories

LH/G holds a large collection of City Directories from around the state. 
City Directory Holdings 

NY State Vital Records Index

This index covers births, deaths, and marriages in NY State. Deaths and marriages are indexed from 1881 to 1956, births through 1931, excluding New York City and Buffalo. The index includes the person’s name, date and place of the event. This is a great tool for tracking down original vital records.

Obituaries

LHG has a multi-volumed index to local obituaries from Syracuse newspapers beginning c. 1860 through 1996. The obituaries are in volumes located in the reference area and may be requested at the Information Desk. For obituaries after 1996, or for those not found in the index, please consult a librarian. OCPL also has access to the Syracuse Newspapers in electronic format; this resource is often helpful in finding newspaper obituaries.

Other Print Resources

  • New York State Adjutant General’s Reports
  • Periodicals
  • WPA Files
  • Works by Syracuse Authors
  • Onondaga Pioneer Index, an index to the materials in this collection on settlers before 1850.
  • Clippings resource books on artists, authors, musicians.
  • Vertical file materials on Onondaga County families

Syracuse City and Suburban Directories

These directories are available in print format for the years 1936 to the present. From 1862 – 1935 they are available on microfilm. There are some earlier directories on microfiche for the years 1844 – 1862.

Syracuse Newspapers

LHG owns the Syracuse Newspapers on microfilm dating from 1850 to within three months of the present. (There are a small number of earlier issues but the collection is incomplete. Please ask about earlier copies.) We also have Vertical Files that include clippings from the newspapers on subjects relating to Syracuse and Onondaga County. OCPL also subscribes to an online full-text index to the Syracuse Newspapers.

Syracuse Telephone Directories

LHG has telephone directories for the Syracuse area from 1894 to the present.