Genealogy Resources in the Grems-Doolittle Library

Genealogy researchers who visit us especially appreciate our holdings of local church records of birth/baptism, marriage, death/burial, and membership. Many of the church records in our collections are transcriptions; the above image is a photostat copy of a page of baptismal records from the Woestina Reformed Church in Rotterdam. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Collections. 

Many of the researchers who visit our Library come to research the history of their family in the area. We have a wealth of resources for visitors conducting genealogical and biographical research about Schenectady County people, from seventeenth-century manuscripts to twentieth-century high school yearbooks. Experienced Library staff and volunteers are available to assist you during your visit and to brainstorm about other possible resources when you get stuck.

Our surname guide to photographs in our collection can help connect people with images of their local ancestors. This nineteenth-century photograph can be found in the Fuller photograph file. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

Our Library collections page features a general at-a-glance guide to the kinds of materials we have in our holdings that tend to be of most interest to genealogy researchers. Our collections page also features thematic research guides, indexes, and listings of documents in our Historic Manuscripts Collection -- from accounts and education to correspondence and deeds. The page also includes guides to frequently-accessed materials such as surname files, city directories, church records, and yearbooks. Not all of our collections are represented online, but exploring our collections page is a great way to get a sense of some of the materials in our holdings before you plan a visit.

One resource you won't find listed on our website is our collection of books and published genealogy guides. These materials can be a wonderful resource for researchers. This page comes from one of the volumes of Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files, compiled by Virgil White. 

In addition to materials in our library, we often feature programs and events that focus on genealogy research and resources. Our annual Genealogy Day, which will be held this Saturday, October 19, 2013. The event is free for SCHS members; the admission charge for non-members is $5.00. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. and our first speaker begins at 9:30 a.m. a schedule for this year's Genealogy Day is listed below:

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
The Role of the County Clerk’s Office in Genealogy - Real Life Stories
by John Woodward, Schenectady County Clerk

10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Using Court Records for Genealogy Research
by Nancy Curran, Professional Genealogy Researcher

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Local History Resources in Union College Special Collections and Archives
by Ellen Fladger, Special Collections Librarian, Union College

12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch Break – lunch off-site. List of nearby restaurants provided upon request.

1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Accessing Historical Newspapers Online
by Melissa Tacke, Librarian/Archivist, Schenectady County Historical Society

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Open Research Time in the Library

There is no need to register for Genealogy Day. For more information, contact Melissa Tacke, Librarian/Archivist at the Schenectady County Historical Society, by phone at 518-374-0263, option “3”, or by email at librarian@schenectadyhistorical.org. The Schenectady County Historical Society is wheelchair accessible, with off-street parking behind the building and overflow parking next door at the YWCA.