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The Western New York Genealogical Society's mission is to help preserve and encourage interest in Western New York's rich genealogical heritage - specifically Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, & Wyoming Counties. We focus on education and preservation. Image of Buffalo waterfront Source: Library of Congress Digital Collections Shared History We stern New York’s strategic location on the Great Lakes has made it both a terminus and a gateway of migration. First home to Native American communities, the region was later settled primarily by New Englanders following the Revolutionary War. The opening of the Erie Canal provided an easy route west, attracting the first of many waves of immigrants from Europe. Many people remained in the area and have been followed by others from around the world. Membership Experience everything membership has to offer - both in-person and online. JOIN Volunteer Make a difference by sharing your time, skills, and expertise with WNYGS. HELP Donate Support our work and mission by making financial contribution today. GIVE Upcoming Society Programs Next Gen SIG Virtual Meeting Sat., August 15, 2026 10:30a-12:00p EST Virtual Program - Zoom Join Us! Upcoming Community Events Concordia Cemetery Family History Day Saturday, July 25, 2026 | 10 am – 2 pm 438 Walden Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14211 Visit various local historical and genealogical groups for help with your "brick walls." Concordia volunteers will also be available to assist in locating ancestral graves within the cemetery. Chautauqua County History EXPO Sunday, August 2, 2026 | 10 am – 4 pm Chautauqua Municipal Building, 2 Academy Street, Mayville, NY 14757 This free event features vendor tables with artifacts and books, videopresentations, and local history lectures. Featured Resources SOCIETY LIBRARY June Partridge Zintz Memorial Library Collection DATABASE Buffalo New York Deaths Collection Index PUBLICATIONS Western New York Genealogist and Journal NEXTGEN SIG Connect Through Our Special Interest Group Collection Assistance Days Each month, WNYGS volunteers are on-site at the Central Library to assist researchers with the society's library collection and answer general research questions. Join us for these upcoming summer dates: Wed., July 29th 9a-1p Fri., August 14th 9a-12p Wed., August 19th 12-4p Sat., August 29th 9a-1p In addition to these special assistance days, the collection remains accessible to all members and patrons during regular library hours. Original Holland Land Company Vault (Mayville, NY) News and Updates Jan 1, 2026 : New and Returning Board Members Start Term

June Partridge Zintz Memorial Library June Partridge Zintz (1927–2007) Founder & First President The Western New York Genealogical Society maintains an expanding reference library that serves as a repository of genealogical information pertaining to Western New York. The primary focus is the eight counties of Western New York - specifically Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming. However, the collection also contains information on New York State, New England, as well as other states and many foreign countries. The collection includes more than 3,000 books and 700 rolls of microfilm, family histories, periodicals, and card indexes. DONATE MATERIALS Collection Catalog As a reference library, collection materials are non-circulating. Books are arranged in a "modified" Dewey Decimal Classification system which is easily understood and usable. Items are catalogued by author, title and subject. SEARCH Library Chair: Rhonda Hoffman libra rian@wnygs.org For Download WNYGSCatalog-Web VITAL INDEX OF EARLY WESTERN NEW YORK FAMILIES Resource of approximately 120,000 index cards containing the birth, death, & marriage information for early Western New York families collected and complied from 75 sources. VITAL RECORDS & VITAL RECORD SUBSTITUTES Church R ecords Birth, Marriage, Death Records Cemetery R ecords Member-Submitted Bible and Marriage Records Published & Unpublished Record Manuscripts ANCESTOR CHARTS, FAMILY HISTORIES, & GENEALOGIES Collection of Member-Submitted Ancestor Charts Published & Unpublished Family Histories & Manuscripts Buffalo & Erie County Public Library & the Western New York Genealogical Society present "Buffalo's Neighborhoods: Exploring Our Migrant and Immigrant Heritage" View Digital Exhibit General Collection Holdings Atlases, Gazetteers, & Maps Immigration Resources Microfilmed Records Military Records & Resources Directories & Histories Guides & Indexes Periodicals How To Books Floor Plan Download WNYGS-ZintzMap Collection Assistance Days Each month, WNYGS volunteers are on-site at the Central Library to assist researchers with the society's library collection and answer general research questions. Join us for these upcoming summer dates: Wed., July 29th 9a-1p Fri., August 14th 9a-12p Wed., August 19th 12-4p Sat., August 29th 9a-1p In addition to these special assistance days, the collection remains accessible to all members and patrons during regular library hours. Have questions about this program? Email our volunteer coordinator at volunteers@wnygs.org to learn more. Research Requests & Referrals Research Assistance A s an all-vo lunteer organization, the s oci ety has neither the personnel nor the facilities to handle individual research requests . While the society does not recommend specific individu als, it encourages everyone seeking assistance to do their own research before hiring an outside professional. Locally, the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library and The Buffalo History Museum maintain lists of known researchers for hire. Additionally, several professional genealogy trade associations including the Association of Professional Genealogists , the Board for Certification of Genealogists , and the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists offer member directories; please note each organization is responsible for establishing its own membership requirements and professional/ethical standards. In addition to our Collection Assistance Days, the WNYGS Facebook Discussion Group offers society and community members the opportunity to post their questions for fellow researchers. With more than 3,500 members participating, you never know what you might learn o r find. B&ECPL Library Research Services The Grosvenor Room offers select research services. A summary of services can be found on the library’s website . Collection Location The Zintz Collection is housed at the following location: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library - Central Branch Grosvenor Room (Special Collections & Local History) 1 Lafayette Square Buffalo, NY 14203 Click to view current library hours . Grosvenor Room Policies See the Grosvenor Room’s Visiting Us webpage for information on the library’s policies and amenities. Collection Guides The Grosvenor Room's collection finding guides include many WNYGS resources. Duplication: Duplication of library materials is restricted to small quantities for personal research. Written permission from WNYGS is required to reproduce more than a small portion (a few images) of an item from the WNYGS collection.

Western New York Historian Project About the Project What is the Western New York Historian Project? In the summer of 2020, we reached out to the village, town, city, and county historians of the eight counties of WNY and asked them to participate in the society 's Western New York Historian Project. We did this by emailing or mailing a questionnaire to each of the historians for whom we had an email or address listed. We hoped they would share with us their response to our questions. What is the purpose of this Project? We wanted to learn from the historians, in their own words, about their job and role as the guardians of their municipality's history the historic records and collections within their village, town, city or county the means they use to provide this information to the community at large their goals, as historian, for the next four years, and how, and in what ways, WNYGS could help them in achieving these goals. Image: Genesee County History Department Research Library (Batavia, NY) WNY Historian Project Chair: Marie-Cecile Tidwell, PhD historianproject@wnygs.org What have we learned so far? The WNY historians are very dedicated and loyal keepers of history. Some are new to the task, while others have been in their role for as many as 45 years. They often fulfill their duties with little or no pay; even office and storage space can be limited, if any. Some historians work in conjunction with the county and town historical museums and societies, as well as with local government officials. Municipality websites may have sections devoted to local history and often include material presented by their local historians. What is our goal as a result of the Historian Project? Our goal is to share with our membership what we have learned through this project in order to help them with their family research of their WNY ancestors. It is our hope that in addition to learning more about the history of the eight counties of WNY, our membership, as well as others in the community, will volunteer with these local historians and societies in the preservation of these important and often irreplaceable pieces of family and local history. The mission of the Western New York Genealogical Society is to preserve public and historical records, and to encourage interest, knowledge, and research in the WNY region's rich genealogical heritag e. This is a mission we share with all local historians across WNY. Find A Government Historian Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS) Government Appointed Historians of Western New York (GAHWNY) News & Events of Interest In Western New York WNY Tombstone Trail New York 250 has created a tombstone trail to commemorate the Nation's 250th birthday. Events held throughout the year at various WNY Cemeteries. Concordia Cemetery Family History Day Saturday, July 25, 2026 | 10 am – 2 pm 438 Walden Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14211 Visit various local historical and genealogical groups for help with your "brick walls." Concordia volunteers will also be available to assist in locating ancestral graves within the cemetery. Chautauqua County History EXPO Sunday, August 2, 2026 | 10 am – 4 pm Chautauqua Municipal Building, 2 Academy Street, Mayville, NY 14757 This free event features vendor tables with artifacts and books, video presentations, and local history lectures. Society-Published Historian Profiles Click title t o download and view the PDF. The Role of a Town Historian: "In Her Own Words" WNYGS JOURNAL - Vol. 47, No. 4, p. 145-150 By Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD and Jeanne M est, Town of Sheldon Historian Historic "Gems" of Genesee County WNYGS JOURNAL - Vol. 48, No. 1, p. 7-12 By Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD The Historians of Erie County WNYGS JOURNAL - Vol. 48, No. 2, p. 52-56 By Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD The Historians & Treasures of Cattaraugus County WNYGS JOURNAL - Vol. 48, No. 3, p. 76-81 By Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD Orleans County: Its Historians and Treasures Western New York Genealogist , Vol. 49, No. 1, p. 13-16 by Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD Wyoming County: Its Historians and Treasures Western New York Genealogist , Vol. 49, No. 2, p. 35-42 by Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD Allegany County: Its Historians and Treasures Western New York Genealogist , Vol. 49, No. 3 , p. 52 -56 by Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD Niagara County: Its Historians a nd Treasures Western New York Genealogist , Vol. 50, No. 1 , p. 13-20 by Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD Chautauqua County: Its Historians a nd Treasures Western New York Genealogist , Vol. 50, No. 2 , p. 32-40 by Marie-Cecile O. Tidwell, PhD BE A MEMBER When you become a member, you'll receive this and other helpful content in The Western New York Genealogist .