Search Results

Proudly Celebrating 50 Years Our Anniversary (1974-2024) With a proud history dating back to 1974, the Western New York Genealogical Society is excited to celebrate our work, our impact, and the dedication and passion of our members and volunteers. 50th Anniversary Memories As we look back over the past fifty years of the Western New York Genealogical Society, we all have our own memories of how we became interested in genealogy and of our time in the Society. Please share with us any special or unforgettable memories you have. Submissions: Send them to 50Memories@wnygs.org . We will share them throughout the coming year. Shared Memories January-March Memories Memory 1: Carolyn Dawley (#18) of Chandler, AZ [1/3/2024] Memory 2: Glenn Atwell (#13) of Buffalo, NY [1/10/2024] Memory 3: Lynda Zaky Wood ( #3560L) of Buffalo, NY [1/17/2024] Memory 4: Barbara Keil ( #3684) [1/23/2024] Memory 5: Beth Benson (#4034) [1/31 /2024] Memory 6: Nancy Cluff Siders (#2954) [2/7 /2024] Memory 7: Lois Lane (#3782L) [2/13 /2024] Memory 8: Rhonda Hoffman (#3495 L) [2/21 /2024] Mem ory 9: Marie-Cecile Tidwell (#3625L) [2/28/2024] Mem ory 10: Doug Batt (#3098) [3/6/2024] Mem ory 11 : Doug Batt (#3098) [3/13/2024] Mem ory 12: Marsha A. Smith (#3978) [3/20/2024] Memory 13: Nancy Gavin Koester (#3650L) [3/27/2024] Back to Main 50th Anniversary Page ------------------------------ Memory 13: Nancy Gavin Koester (#3650L) Although I didn't become a member of WNYGS until about 15 years ago, my personal experience with them goes back to 1996. I was a lifelong genealogist, beginning at the age of 13, way back in 1978. My grandmother, Bernice Windsor Rich, had been determined to find her connection to Windsor Castle, and her mother (Lena Mather) connection to the Mathers of Boston and the Salem Witch trials. I inherited boxes of documentation from her. But my connection to WNYGS began with the internet. My husband's aunt, a wonderful woman named Dorothy Koester Rauch, was the family historian of Dan's extensive Hamburg, NY genealogy. Dorothy remembered her immigrant grandfather, John Koester, and had heard the stories that his mother died at sea on their journey in 1853. In 1996, I finally hooked to the internet, and used Rootsweb.com (remember Rootsweb?) On it there was a surname index, and a woman wrote a query, that her family story was that her Koester great great grandmother had died at sea. I responded, saying I had the same story, and then a third woman responded, saying the story was true, and filling in the details. This was also her husband's family story. That woman? June Partidge Zintz, founder of WNYGS. June invited me to her house, and she and I spent some time comparing notes, and confirming stories. That information then verified all of the plethora of records on the Koester family (in German with no e, and an umla on the o, and and s at the end) and I was in, hook, line and sinker. 15 years later, I gave a presentation at the Buffalo Irish Genealogical society, and I was asked to join the board of WNYGS, where I was a board member for 6 years, and also vice-president. And that is my WNYGS story! ------------------------------ Memory 12: Marsha A. Smith (#3978) I joined in 2021 and am attending via ZOOM as I now live in Walworth NY. During one program, we broke into small groups and I raised my challenges with locating the grave of my great-grandfather. I had his obituary; I had the Find-a-Grave entry for his wife's (my great-grandmother) grave. But could not locate his burial site. Jeannette Sheliga happened to pop into the session while I was speaking, and she noted my shock when some members suggested he may be in a unmarked grave. Jeannette left the small group, and spoke with Sandra Hawkinson, who was there in person at the meeting. Sandra sent me a note in the chat, offering to help as she is geographically closer. So many interchanges and wonderful guidance from Sandra! After several months we could verify-- with help from Sandra's actual visit to the cemetery-- that my great-grandfather was buried right next to my great-grandmother, in an unmarked grave. Our family followed up on this and have since placed a headstone for great-grandpa, and have added his listing to Find-a-Grave and connected him to his wife and other family members. I am so grateful to Jeannette for getting this started, and to Sandra for the many months and emails and research that she did to make this family moment possible. My WNYGS membership is a treasure! ------------------------------ Memory 11: Doug Batt (#3098) Another memory: I first heard of WNYGS from my father-in-law, Hugh N. Siegel (1919-1995, lived near Utica NY) who was researching his family in South Buffalo and Philadelphia. The story behind Our Lady Help of Christians Chapel in Cheektowaga (book also by Atwell and Batt!) was known in his family as well as mine, so he wondered if we were distantly related, which turned out not to be the case. I joined WNYGS in 2000 after my father, who was very interested in local history, passed away. I started working on my own families (Batt and Schultz in WNY, Heckmann and Stephey in Delaware and south-central PA), and of course the Atwell-Batt genealogy was a tremendous starting point. My current project is expanding and extending Hugh's work on his families (Siegel, Nebrich, Sifkovitz in WNY; Taylor, Croft in Philadelphia) which I hope to write up within the next couple years. ------------------------------ Memory 10: Doug Batt (#3098) Actually, this week's memory did trigger a memory of my own: During a 2009 research trip from my home in Delaware back to Western NY (I grew up in North Tonawanda), I spent a fascinating evening with Glenn Atwell, discussing my research in the Batt, Eckert and Stark families of Erie and Niagara County, as well as other aspects of local history, until the wee hours of the morning. Glenn kindly provided a TON of extremely useful information from his extensive personal archives, and later read sections of the family history of my great-great grandfather John Batt (son of Franz Joseph Batt) which I wrote up the following year, providing many useful comments. During that same research trip, I also spent some time with Ron Batt (my 4th cousin), who had in his possession an 1876 ledger of a grist mill in Tonawanda owned by John Batt. This fascinating document had pages with entries for several other relatives of mine (Xavier Batt, John Baptist Batt, and Michael Stark, a relative of my paternal great-grandmother) as well as other well-known Tonawandans (James Ryan, Alexander G. Kent). ------------------------------ Memory 9: Marie-Cecile (Okoniewski) Tidwell (#3625L) Marie-Cecile (Okoniewski) Tidwell (3625L) of Amherst, NY, member since 2014 When the Western New York Genealogical Society was in its formative stage in the 1970s, I was living in Northern Virginia, outside of Washington, DC. There I attended a class on helping you discover your family history. As a new wife and mother, I was excited to learn more about how to search the history of our new family. Taking my newfound skills to the National Archives in Washington, I learned how to work with a microfilmed copy of the 1900 census, the most recent census available at that time. Scrolling through the film, I found my Polish grandmother’s name, Agnes Ciesielska, in the census. She was living with her father, John, and her younger brother, Wladyslaw (Walter). I was exhilarated by my find. What a moment! My grandmother had died when I was nine, but I still felt very close to her. It was years later that I learned that her mother Anastasia Michalska had died earlier in the year of the census. My grandmother in 1900 was living on Townsend Street in Buffalo’s East Side. On the same street, lived her future husband, Frank Okoniewski, who unfortunately, died before I was born. Frank and Agnes had six children, my father, Matthew, being the youngest. In 2000, I traveled to Salt Lake City to do more research on my family. There I visited the Mormon Church Research Library and Archives. When I asked for the microfilm that could help in my search for my French grandmother’s family in Brittany, I was told that the film was “in the mountain.” The next day the film arrived and after I used it, it was added to the library shelves. I was amazed that I was the first person to view this microfilm, from the mountain, that contained information about my grandmother and her family and neighbors from this small village in France. My grandmother, Maria LeBrigant, was born in the province of Brittany, but later came to Paris to work. My grandfather, Léger Ardelier, was from the central part of France, and served in the French army as a dragoon. When World War I began, his conscription in the army was extended, and at some point, he was in Paris. Maria and Léger soon met, and later were married in a suburb of Paris. Similarly, as history would have it, almost thirty years later my French mother, Denise Ardelier, met my father, Matthew Okoniewski, a U.S. Army Staff Sargent, and they, too, were later married in a suburb of Paris, at the end of yet another World War. The ability to search for your family’s roots is much easier now than it was 50 years ago, when this society was formed. We no longer have to start our search by traveling to archives and handling rolls of microfilm. Instead, we can start our search from the comfort of our homes. Nevertheless, the feeling of exhilaration one experiences when an ancestor is found listed on a historic record for the first time is still there. It’s what keeps us going! ------------------------------ Memory 8: Rhonda Hoffman, B&ECPL Genealogy Librarian (#3495L) I first started attending WNYGS meetings in 2010. The meetings were at the Hamburg High School library or cafeteria. The first presentation I attended was on HeritageQuest Onli ne, a B&ECPL subscription database. The presenter was Pat Hililker Forsberg and she was very kind to put up with my ‘librariany’ interjections about the database. Other meeting topics that I remember from that time were an antiques roadshow, gravestone symbolism, and medical genealogy (things have changed so much!). About a year later I was asked to join the WNYGS board. Glenn Atwell hosted my first board meeting. He often hosted meetings at Christmastime and his home was always so beautifully decorated. Everyone was very welcoming and I enjoyed being snuggled by Glenn’s orange tabby cat (or was that the visiting neighborhood feline?). The other board members that I remember attending were Penn Watson, Pat Forsberg, Sister Claire, Karen Kolb, Ken Nash, Nancy Archdekin (via telephone speaker from Nebraska), and Dr. Jane Clarke. Since then I have had various WNYGS roles including president, JOURNAL editor and production editor, and I am currently the librarian. I will always cherish the society, the experiences it has given me, and the many genealogy friends that I have made along the way. ------------------------------ Memory 7: Loi s Lane (#3782L) Glenn R. Atwell is listed as Editor on the Batt Genealogy (A Record of the descendants of Franz Joseph Batt, Sr. and Barbara Weber AND of the Anthony Batt and Beatrice Gath of Alsace and America, Published by the Batt Family Association of Alsace and America, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., 1976. This book was researched by Ronald Elmer Batt, who is my 1st Cousin 1X Removed. (Lois J. Lane Page 38; Ronald E. Batt, Page 39) ------------------------------ Memory 6: Nancy Cluff Siders (#2954) "I have been a member of WNYGS for approximately 20 years. My maternal grandparents were born and raised around Colden and Aurora with surnames of McKAY and OLDEN. Their families had lived in the area for many generations. A Letson cousin told me about this group, and I joined. Living thousands of miles away and working full-time, I sadly have not been much help to society. When I noticed the WNYGS editor's maiden name was PARTRIDGE, I corresponded with her on our common surname. I was delighted to discover June was my 3rd Cousin! She was born on or near the original Partridge homestead adjoining the Partridge Cemetery, where my 3rd great-grandfather, Asa Partridge, was buried. Note: I have yet to find the original emails where we corresponded and am relying on this 82-year-old mind of mine, which can be in error." ------------------------------ Memory 5: Beth Benson (#4034) “My Dad and I didn’t have a particularly close relationship when I was growing up and I rarely initiated a conversation with him if I could help it, so he was quite surprised when I came home from college one weekend and asked him if he knew a “woman dressed all in green who said her name was Catherine.” He and my mother, who was standing at the stove, turned and gave each other one of those looks that parents do when they’re having a conversation the kids aren’t supposed to hear. Then he turned to me and said “Yes, she was your great-grandmother, Catherine Green, and she came here from Ireland. How do you know about her?” I had gone to Lily Dale with a couple of friends that week for a reading with a Medium. We had never done it before and thought it would be fun. When she got to me she described my father almost perfectly, even where he always sat in the kitchen doing his crossword puzzles. Then the medium spoke of the women in green who had her hand on my father’s shoulder, saying her name was C atherine. My father had always been a good story teller – had a bit of the “blarney stone” in him. Catherine suggested he had stories to tell about his family that I might like to hear. Since my father never spoke about his family I was sure he had stories about them, but wasn’t sure they were fit to tell! But when I got home, he had plenty of stories – Catherine had left Ireland and married my Spanish great-grandfather here in Buffalo and had five children. My grandfather, one of the five, had married a German girl whose family owned a business in the First Ward where they lived. He and his wife had 11 children. Who knew my father had 10 brothers and sisters! I learned enough that day to spark my curiosity, and although I didn’t begin working on genealogy for many years, it opened a dialogue between my father and I. Maybe that’s what Catherine really wanted after all. Who knows? But it all started with a trip to Lily Dale.” ------------------------------ Memory 4 : Barbara Keil (#3684) “Hi…. Whenever it was when WNYGS posted the two upcoming ZOOM programs, I had an OMG moment. I saw the name Margaret M. McMahon, Ph.D and remembered my very first DNA match after I had submitted my sample to AncestryDNA. I had a match with MM whose tree she managed. Because we both had well developed trees I was able to quickly identify that her husband is my 3C1R.” ------------------------------ Memory 3: Lynda Zaky Wood (#3560L) Lynda's first event with WNYGS was March 2013 at St. Louis Roman Catholic Church, with lunch at Ulrich's after the meeting. She stated "little did I know, it was a beginning." Since then, she has served on the board of directors, the programming committee, hospitality, transcribing/indexing, on the committee hosting the Western New York Genealogical Conference. Lynda has also visited the Society of Genealogists in London, England to research family history. She is currently on the preservation committee, the 50th anniversary program committee and serving on the board of directors for a second time. She enjoys volunteering and helping those on the Facebook page. Lynda also hopes to see more young people in the society. ------------------------------ Memory 2 : Glenn Atw ell (#13) Glenn Atwell (#13) of Buffalo, NY, has been part of the society since its beginning. He notes that he is currently "the oldest member of the society in terms of membership." He was there "when June was planning the society." Because "she belonged to several other genealogical societies...she knew how to go about it." In the first issue of the WNYGS Journal, Issue I, Number 1 (June 1974), Glenn is listed as the Organizing Vice-President. He also was one of the JOURNAL's first editors. In Issue XXXIV. Number 1 (December 2007), he wrote the memorial article on the life of the society's founder, June Partridge Zintz (1927-2007), which described their years of working together for the good of the society and of their friendship over the years. ------------------------------ Memory 1: Carolyn Dawley (#18) Carolyn Dawley (#18) of Chandler, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix, was an original member of the WNYGS Board and was the society's first secretary. Her memory of the early years of the society is that the founder, June Zintz, was a "powerhouse." Because June was a member of the DAR, the society board meetings were held at the downtown Buffalo DAR facilities. Carolyn noted that June worked tirelessly at all she did. She worked hard to get guest speakers and a genealogy library section for the society at a local library. As for her own research, Carolyn noted that you will never know "where genealogy will lead you." When researching her husband's family, a man named Matteson, in the late 1600s, had two sons. One moved to Vermont and he was the direct ancestor to her husband. The other moved westward and his descendents eventually settled in New Mexico. When Carolyn decided to add her new son-in-law to the family tree, she found that her son-in-law was a direct descendant of the original Matteson's son who went west. She had to laugh when she informed her daughter that she had married her cousin, albeit, her cousin many generations removed. And that's why Carolyn says that when you do genealogy, you never know where it will lead you.

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 winter/spring dates: Tues., February 3 10a-1p Tues., February 10 12-4p Sun., February 15 12-5p Wed., February 25 12-4p Sun., March 8 12-5p Wed., March 11 12-4p Sat., March 21 1-5p Wed., April 8 12-4p Sun., April 12-5p 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.

Regional and national continuing education opportunities. Genealogy and history. Sharing information at programs, webinars, classes, workshops, conferences, and institutes. Regional & National Programs Regional & National Conferences NYG&B: New York State Family History Conference ($) Sept 19-20, 2025: In person (Kingston, NY) Sept 3-Nov 16 2025: On-demand recorded sessions Sessions include topics about genealogy in the New Netherlands, researching Palatines in your family tree, colonial research, Black Loyalists, Jewish genealogy, researching Native American family history, and much more. Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)—Virtual Fall Sessions 2025 ($) Sept-Nov 2025: Virtual These are generally held weekly over a period of several weeks and are especially for intermediate and advanced learners. New England Regional Genealogical Conference ($) Oct 29–Nov 1, 2025: In person (Manchester, NH) With over 70 sessions, 3 workshops, special interest groups, consultations, and an exhibit hall, there is something for everyone. Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)—1-Week Course ($) Jan 26-30, 2026: Virtual These intensive courses are virtual and held all day every day for five days. Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)—Virtual Spring Sessions 2026 ($) Feb-May 2026: Virtual SLIG offers virtual courses in intermediate and advanced genealogy education held weekly over a period of several weeks between February and May 2026. RootsTech Mar 5-7, 2026 Where: Salt Lake City, UT Virtual - Free In person ($) This annual genealogy conference is the largest genealogy conference in the world. It is a hybrid event, meaning you can participate online or in person. In-person RootsTech includes exclusive classes and personal interaction with exhibitors in the expo hall. Online attendees can enjoy hundreds of virtual sessions in many languages, and online participation is free! Keynote speakers will excite and motivate you in all things genealogy and family history. This conference covers an extensive variety of topics and is appropriate for all levels of genealogy researchers. Would you like to suggest a program or event for inclusion on this page? EMAIL US Western New York Genealogy & History Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Monthly Special Collections Tour [In-person event ] Take a guided tour of the Grosvenor Room, the Central Library’s Special Collections Department. Learn about the history of the library and get an inside look at our Local History, Genealogy, Map and Rare Book Collections, as well as the Mark Twain Room and other exhibits. Join library staff on the 4th Saturday of each month, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Meet in the Grosvenor Room, the Library’s Special Collections Department, located on the main floor of the Central Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203 An Afternoon with Erie Canal Expert Pamela J. Vittorio [In-person event - Ring of Knowledge, Central Library] Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025 Time: 1:00pm - 3:30pm Two free lectures by Erie Canal expert Pamela J. Vittorio: A Mighty Chain of Unfortunate Events: The 1825 Opening of the Erie Cana l 1 pm - 2 pm On October 26, 1825, the Erie Canal commissioners and dignitaries celebrated the canal's grand opening with a ride on a flotilla of the finest packet boats. It ended in NYC with a lavish spread, but only for a select few. Along the route, a series of unfortunate events took place: as cannons boomed, men were killed; canal laborers and boatmen were excluded from the festivities; some canal towns boycotted the event entirely. This presentation brings the passengers of the Seneca Chief and the events of the day to life, with eye-witness accounts from participants and residents along the canal corridor, and recognizes the "unsung" heroes of the day, including the first driver of canal boats. The Erie Canal and the Peopling of Western NY State 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Did your ancestors arrive in the port of NY from 1820 to 1850? How did they travel? Discover more about the rise of boomtowns, early canal passenger lists, records of businessmen, farmers, mill or factory owners, and how our early nineteenth-century families took up residence along the canals. Complete event information here .

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 Erie & Niagara Cou nt y : Elaine Timm & Concordia Cemetery Recognized with WNY German Culture Award Nov 13, 2025 Article in November-December issue of The German Citizen [p. 1, 3] discussing the award recipients' important work in Upstate New York. 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 .

Directions and map (for two locations) for paid "Save Our Cemeteries" workshop on July 13, 2024. "Save Our Cemeteries" Program - Directions July 13, 2024 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Directions The map above shows the I-190 thruway Exit 23 - Packard Road and Exit 24 - Witmer Road. Morning Session - Directions from the South to the Calvin K. Richards Community Center (7000 Lockport Road): 1. Take the I-190 NY State Thruway North across Grand Island to exit 23 and turn right on to Packard Road. 2. Get into left lane and at the 2nd light (Military Road-RT 265) turn left . Travel north 1 mile to Lockport Road. 3. Turn right onto Lockport Road and head east 0.5 miles past the Active Hose Fire Co. & the Helmel Manufacturing. 4. Turn left onto Veterans Memorial Park 7000 Lockport Road. At the stop sign turn left onto Joe Rotella Way. 5. Follow this road through the park to the Calvin K. Richards Community Center (0.5 mile). Parking is in the rear. Afternoon Session - Directions from the Calvin K. Richards Community Center to Witmer Cemetery: 1. Go out through the park via Joe Rotella Way and turn right on to Lockport Road, go past the Active Hose Fire Co. 2. At the traffic light, turn right on to Military Road (Route 265). 3. Travel north 0.8 miles to Witmer Road (Route 31) and at the traffic light turn left onto Witmer Road. 4. Go straight 1 mile through the traffic light at the Niagara University entrance and just past Cerrone Trucking (on the left side), turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue and drive to the parking area in the front of the cemetery.

Preservation Program Microfilming & Digitization As genealogists, historical records are essential in our understanding family and regional histories. WNYGS is committed to preserving and sharing local resources and helping document those individuals who called Western N ew York home. Our Preservation Program preserves old church, cemetery, and historical records of genealogical significance in Western New York. After project review and approval by the Board, the society will microfilm and/or digitize any records, preferably from the 19th century and earlier, that have not previously been preserved. WNYGS will staff and/or fund the project and furnish the recordholder with a copy of the materials. In return, the society will receive copies which will then be placed in the Zintz Library Collection for member and researcher use. Scanning documents for our enhanced bible and marriage records indexing project. P roject Possibilities Are you a recordholder seeking a preservation partner? Are there important or at-risk materials the society should be made aware of? Please email the Preservation Chair with any suggestions, leads, and possibilities. Preservation Chair: preservation@wnygs.org Recent Society Projects Erie & Niagara Counties: Kittinger Family Bible Click link above for full project description. St. Colu mba's R.C. Church Parishioner Index (1938-1940) (Buffalo, NY) [Compiled from Z intz Library collection holdings: 974.7 ER BUF 1938 chu sca; 974.7 ER BUF 1939 chu sca; 974.7 ER BUF 1940 chu sca] Genesee County: Church Book of the German Lutheran Concordia Church / German Evangelical Lutheran Concordia Church (Byron, NY) Church Book of the German Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul’s - Gemeinde U.A.C. of East Oakfield / Oakfield German Lutheran Church (Oakfield, NY) Conducting church record inventory prior to microfilming. On-site image capture for record indexing project. Transcription & Indexing Committee An important component of the WNYGS mission is to further member access to Western New York-related genealogy documents. Through the years, this undertaking has made a considerable amount of records available, all through the efforts of our dedicated volunteers. Are you are interested in making a difference by volunteering to transcribe or index? You are encouraged to contact the Transcriptions Committee Chair at transcriptions@wnygs.org . Transcription Chair: transcripti ons@wnygs.org Genealogists with connections to Western New York are encouraged support this important work. Whether you decide to make a charitable contribution or purchase a Lifetime Membership, your generosity makes preservation possible . SUPPORT

Privacy Policy Technology offers the Western New York Genealogical Society exciting tools that help us deliver on our mission and better serve our members and the larger genealogical community. Our Society takes privacy seriously. We will never sell, share, or otherwise provide your personal information to other people, companies, or entities without your knowledge or permission (unless required by law). Why We Collect Certain Data: We collect Non-Personal and Personal Information for the following purposes: 1. To support the work and mission of the Society; 2. To process requests, memberships, product/service orders, and donations by site users; 3. To provide our site users with ongoing customer and technical support; 4. To be able to contact our members and site users with general and personalized information, updates, and other promotional messages; 5. To create compiled statistical data and other aggregated and/or inferred Non-Personal Information, which we or our business partners may use to provide and improve our respective services; 6. To comply with any applicable laws and regulations. What Data We Collect: While providing information and services through its website, the Western New York Genealogical Society may ask you to disclose voluntarily certain information about yourself and, sometimes, your household. This “Personal Identifiable Information” (PII) consists of both information supplied by you (e.g., your name, email address, mailing address, and telephone number) and information collected about how you engage with our website. When logged into our website, we receive, collect, and store the Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet; login; email address; password; computer and connection information; purchase history (e.g., membership sign-ups/renewals, product/service purchases, and donations); and program registration information. The Society also collects other “Non-Personal Information,” which is anonymous and contains no specific names, contact information, credit card information, or other individual data. We use this data to measure and analyze aggregated user demographics, traffic and usage patterns, and session information, including page response times, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information, and methods of browsing away from a page. In such cases, the data are used for internal analysis and improvement and shared only with the leadership team and relevant business partners. The Platform: The Society’s website is hosted on the Wix.com platform. Their software and technical infrastructure allow us to provide our memberships, products, services, and resources online. Your data may be stored on Wix.com’s data storage, databases, and general applications. All data is saved on secure servers behind a firewall. Financial Transactions: All direct payment gateways offered by Wix.com and used by WNYGS adhere to the standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help ensure the secure handling of credit card information by our store and its service providers. As part of this processing, our website integrates with PayPal processing for its secure payment and donation transactions. External Links: While fulfilling our mission, WNYGS may share links to other organizations, entities, and resources on our website and in publications. The Society holds no responsibility for the privacy policies, practices, or content associated with these websites. Changes/Opt-Out: If you would like to: access, correct, amend, or delete any personal information we have about you, please contact us at webmaster@wnygs.org or mail a written request to: Western New York Genealogical Society Attn: Webmaster PO Box 338 Hamburg, New York 14075-0338 Modify/Change We reserve the right to modify this privacy policy at any time. Changes and clarifications will take effect immediately upon their posting on the website. If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated. Policy on Recommendations Policy on Living Policy on Facebook

Society Membership Member Benefits Society Membership Membership Period A society membership runs annually from May 1st to April 30th and starts with the June issue of the Western New York Genealogist , regardless of the date on which you join. For all annual memberships, renewal is due on or before May 15th each year. For those joining mid-year, back issues of the Genealogist will be sent electronically. Member Benefits Meetings & Programs Minimum of six meetings (in-person and online) per year featuring speaker programs, workshops, and member field trips. Western New York Genealogist Four issues (June, September, December, and March) of our quarterly member publication, the Western New York Genealogist . Content includes topics such as research strategies and techniques, resource profiles, developments in the field of genealogy, and upcoming regional and national programs. June Partridge Zintz Memorial Library Use of the society's reference library located in the Grosvenor Room of the B&ECPL Central Library (downtown Buffalo). The Zintz Collection contains more than 3,000 books, 700 reels of microfilm, and hundreds of genealogical and historical periodicals. Our library also includes such unique society resources as the Vital Index of Early Western New York Families , bible and marriage records , and member-submitted ancestor charts. Website Members Area Access to the special "Members Area" of the society's website, which contains such resources as recorded programs, handouts, publication back issues, annual indexes, databases, and records. Community & Connection Share, learn, break down brick walls, and get the latest updates from the society via our website and private Facebook Discussion Group . Volunteer Opportunities Help the researchers of today and tomorrow by sharing your time, skills, and expertise with the society. Participate in ongoing society service opportunities including record transcription and indexing, microfilming and digitization, and community outreach. Annual Memberships INDIVIDUAL One Adult. Annual Dues: $30 JUNIOR Age 18 & Younger. Digital Version of P ublication. Annual Dues: $10 FAMILY Two Adults, One Household. Annual Dues: $35 SOCIETIES & LIBRARIES One Organization. Print Version of Public ation. Annual Dues: $30 Life Memberships LIFE One-Time Payment . Individual Dues : $350 Family Dues: $500 Supporting the Work Today & in the Future Your convenient one-time payment* entitles you to a lifetime of membership benefits. Full balance must be received within one year. * O ne-time and semi-annual payment op tions are availab le. The membership process just became even easier. Click the link below to join or renew online through our store. At checkout, simply select whether you will be paying by PayPal or check (to be mailed to address provided). JOIN OR RENEW ONLINE Prefer to submit your membership or renewal using a mailed paper form? WNYGSMembershipForm WNYGSRenewalForm Click the icon to print/download the appropriate membership form. When completing, please remember to include your zip code + four to help facilitate society mailings. Mail your completed form and check (payable to "WNYGS") to the address indicated on the form. Need Further Assistance? Have any questions about membership? Need additional information about the sign-up or renewal process? Need to update your contact information? EMAIL US Society Registrar: Becky Burke registrar@wnygs .o rg Mailing Address: P.O. Box 338 Hamburg, NY 14075

Contact Us Contact Information Western New York Genealogical Society P.O. Box 338 Hamburg, New York 14075-0338 Email: info@wnygs.org For the fastest response to specific questions, please address all inquiries and requests to the appropriate officer or committee chairperson. Library Location June P. Zintz Memorial Library Collection Buffalo & Erie County Public Library - Central Branch Grosvenor Room (Special Collections & Local History) 1 Lafayette Square Buffalo, NY 14203 Click to view current l ibrary hours . President Marie-Cecile Tidwell, PhD president@wnygs. org Accounts Payable & Rec eivable Laury Lakas – Treasurer treasurer@wnygs.org Bible & Marriage Records biblerecords@wnygs.org Books for Review bookreviews@wnygs.org Community Outreach & Publicity Kaitlyn Pauley – Chair publicity@wnygs.org Library (Inquiries, Donations, & Acquisitions) Rhonda Hoffman – Chair librarian@wnygs .org Memberships (New, Renewal, & Address Changes) Becky Burke – Registr ar registrar@wnygs.org NextGen Special Interest Group (SIG) Gabrielle Kandefer nextgen@wnygs.org Preservation (Microfilming & Digitization) Vacant - Chair preservation@wnygs.org Programs & Events Jeanette S heliga – Chair programs@wnygs.org Publications: WNY Genealogist (formerly Journal ) (Article Submissions, Books Reviews, & Comments) Marie-Cecile Tidwell, PhD – Editor (Interim) editor@wnygs.org Society Clippings (Member News & Obituaries) Frederick Kester – Society Historian 1172 Woodstock Avenue, Tonawanda, NY 14150-4604 Transcriptions /Indexing Vacant – Chair transcriptio ns@wny gs.org Volunteers - General volunteers@wnygs.org Volunteers - Zintz Library Linda Kennedy – Coordinator libvolcoordinator@wnygs.org Website Jennifer Liber Raines – Webmaster webmaster@wnygs.org WNY Historian Project Marie-Cecile Tidwell, PhD – Chair historianproject@wnygs.org

Remembering the Last 50 Years Celebrating Our 50th Anniversary With a proud history dating back to 1974, the Western New York Genealogical Society celebrated its work, impact, and the dedication and passion of its members and volunteers in 2024. 50th Anniversary Memories As we looked back over the past fifty years of the Western New York Genealogical Society, many of our members shared memories of how they became interested in genealogy and of their time in the Society. Project Compiler: Lynda Zaky Wood Shared Memories January-March Memories Memory 1: Carolyn Dawley (#18) of Chandler, AZ [1/3/2024] Memory 2: Glenn Atwell (#13) of Buffalo, NY [1/10/2024] Memory 3: Lynda Zaky Wood (#3560L) of Buffalo, NY [1/17/2024] Memory 4: Barbara Keil (#3684) [1/23/2024] Memory 5: Beth Benson (#4034) [1/31/2024] Memory 6: Nancy Cluff Siders (#2954) [2/7/2024] Memory 7: Lois Lane (#3782L) [2/13/2024] Memory 8: Rhonda Hoffman (#3495L) [2/21/2024] Memory 9: Marie-Cecile Tidwell (#3625L) [2/28/2024] Memory 10: Doug Batt (#3098) [3/6/2024] Memory 11: Doug Batt (#3098) [3/13/2024] Memory 12: Marsha A. Smith (#3978) [3/20/2024] Memory 13: Nancy Gavin Koester (#3650L) [3/27/2024] April-June Memories Memory 14: Shirley Vivion [4/3/2024] Memory 15: William Martin [4/10/2024] Memory 16: Brian Cotton (#3512) [4/17/2024] Memory 17: Michele Bewley (#3392) [4/24/2024] Memory 18: Shawna Rose-Wickman [5/1/2024] Memory 19: Nancy Bernard Watson [5/8/2024] Memory 20: Ae Dustin [5/14/2024] Memory 21: Brenda Rainey Farrara [5/22/2024] Memory 22: Larry Naukam (#1163) [5/29/2024] Memory 23: Wilfred Vasile (#69L) [6/5/2024] Memory 24: Gale Murray (#416L) [6/12/2024] Memory 25: Delores Calandra (#3566) [6/18/2024] Memory 26: Diane Kujawski (#1764) [6/26/2024] July-September Memory 27: Pamela Bouquin (#3378) [7/3/2024] Memory 28: Suzanne Scripter Harris (#3520L) [7/10/2024] Memory 29: Dennis Gates (#1508) [7/17/2024] Memory 30: Peter Ames (#3375) [7/24/2024] Memory 31: Dr. John R. Schmidt (#3699L) [7/31/2024] Memory 32: Lois Lane (#3782L) [8/7/2024] Memory 33: Lois Lane (#3782L) [8/14/2024] Memory 34: Becky Burke (#3790F) [8/21/2024] Memory 35: Kay White (#3974) [8/28/2024] Memory 36: Fred Kester (#364) [9/4/2024] Memory 37: Fred Kester (#364) [9/11/2024] Memory 38: P. Marthia (#3970) [9/18/2024] Memory 39: P. Richard (Dick) Kreitner (#3756) [9/25/2024] October-December Memory 40: Charleen Scime (#4028) [10/2/2024] Memory 41: Mary Kay Wright (#1202) [10/9/2024] Memory 42: Gloria Osborne (#2909) [10/16/2024] Memory 43 : Lisa (Schreiner) Berta [10/23 /2024] Memory 44 : Sandy Hudson (#1461) [10/30 /2024] Memory 45 : Sandy Hudson (#1461) [11/6 /2024] Memory 46: Barbara A. Jones (#3593) [11/14/2024] Memory 47: Dave Yearke (#2380L) [11/20/2024] Memory 48: Joanne Clements (#3767) [11/27/2024] Memory 49: Jack Donohue (#3968) [12/4/2024] Memory 50a: Vincent Hazewski (#4063) [12/11/2024] Memory 50b: Lynda Zaky Wood (3560L): [12/11/2024] Click to see 1st Quarter Member Memories (#1-13, January-March 2024) Click to see 2nd Quarter Member Memories (#14-26, April-June 2024) Click to see 3rd Quarter Member Memories (#27-39, July-September 2024) Memory 50b : Lynda Zaky Wood (#3560L ) Asking a genealogist for a memory for the WNYGS 50th anniversary is nearly impossible. A genealogist isn’t worthy of the name or a grain of salt if they only have one. As our family’s historian now, memories have flashed through my mind like a dying man’s life passing before his eyes. COULD THE MEMORY BE THE BEGINNING OF MY JOURNEY. I have been working on our tree for nearly as long as the society has existed. During WWII my mom and her sister lived in New Jersey while her parents worked for the war effort; it was during that time, her journey began. My interest was piqued after reading Roots by Alex Haley and how his family’s history unfolded with the journey of Kunte Kinte, Haley’s 4th great grandfather. I’d begun to think of my family’s history. That Christmas in 1977, I gifted my mother Finding Your Roots from Doubleday Book club. The book came with worksheets to complete. Off and running, a lot of time was spent in municipality and county basements looking through musty and dusty census, birth, marriage, and death records. Not to mention the deeds and search and surveys. Once a discovery was made, we recorded it in triplicate or more. MAYBE THE MEMORY IS THE PASSING OF MY MOTHER: All the family history was passed to me. Not just the title of family historian, but the physical history; every copy of each document. She’s been gone since 1993 and I’m still discovering record copies. With the age of computers and the internet, I’ve made it so that much of that information is now down to just three copies of each: hard copy, in the computer hard drive and on a flash drive as well. OR WHEN I had brick walls on both sides of our tree. I’d seen an event for WNYGS on Facebook. Mom had been a member and a director on the Board of Directors, and I remembered how much she’d learned from June Partridge Zintz, Glenn Atwell and the society. I went to a program at St. Louis RC Church with lunch at Ulrich’s where I met other members of WNYGS who would help me break some of those walls while becoming forever friends. AFTER THAT, OF COURSE, MY MEMORY COULD BE: My WNYGS journey began when I was part of the 3-person programming committee consisting of Jennifer Libre Raines and Sandi Russo. The three of us pulled together some memorable programs including researching your Native American roots and the Western New York Genealogical Conference. At the latter, I met Josh Taylor, President of NYGBS and Blaine Bettinger, The Genetic Genealogist. The day of any program, fellow programming committee member, Sandi and I would be found manning the hospitality table, greeting members and hoping to bring in more members. These programs were pre-Covid-19 and pre-zoom, so most programs were recorded and available to members to view. AND IT COULD BE. Indexing and transcribing which became my favorite past-time, either on my own or for familysearch.org . It wasn’t long before I began doing the same for WNYGS. Soon after, I was asked to join the Board of Directors. During lockdown I was asked to help with several transcription and indexing projects. Once these projects ended, I was asked to come back to the Board again, but this time serve but this time on the 50th anniversary committee as the memory coordinator. HOWEVER, The best memory by far has been accepting the founders award on behalf of my mother during the Founder’s Day luncheon this past October. I’m humbled and honored to have accepted it on her behalf. It has been my pleasure to be the memory coordinator. While I will be stepping away from the board and programming committee, I will be making more memories working on my own family tree and stories. -------------- Memory 50a : Vincent Hazewski (#4063 ) Although I only recently became a member (#4063) I have been actively researching my family history for the past 30 years. A recent experience prompted me to write it down and share. I am currently employed as the facility manager for the Center for the Arts at UB’s North Campus. I also have a part time seasonal position operating a high pressure steam plant as a stationary engineer in a mixed use facility. I was working the part time job, making building rounds. My tour takes me to the loading dock, where a large open top dumpster resides. It was filled to the top with miscellaneous items, much of it discarded items from tenants. Perched on top was a high school yearbook from 1955. I picked it up, thinking it would be interesting to leaf through during my break, which I did. And got interested in who it belonged to. The owner’s name was written inside. There were many signatures, mostly of the senior class, though the owner was a sophomore at the time. It turns out the owner’s sister was a senior and likely knew many of them. I got to thinking, did the yearbook get separated from its owner by accident, and maybe they would like to have it back? Or maybe a relative might like to have it? I just could not let it go to the landfill without making an effort to put it into the hands of someone who would appreciate having it. So I put my genealogical research skills to work to help make that happen. I found her in the 1950 US Census, so I had her parents’ names. Digging further, I learned she was employed as a junior high math teacher in Lancaster after graduating from Houghton College and marrying a dentist soon thereafter. The trail went cold for a while, finding nothing on her until I found her husband’s obituary. In it were listed the names of her daughter and two sons, both of which were noted as PhDs. I found it interesting that the obituary noted their advanced degrees. One of the sons had a spouse and son noted, so I concentrated on researching him. He got his doctorate at UB. Further research found a paper online he had authored. The paper included his email address at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. Armed with this information, I emailed him, explaining the circumstances of how a found the yearbook and asking if he would like to have it. He emailed me back, informing me that his mother had just sold her home of 60 years, and he did not know of the existence of this yearbook, and would like to see it. He also noted my email sigfile had my affiliation with the CFA at UB. He asked if I had possibly met his mother, as she had been a volunteer usher at many CFA events. I had not, but our events staff (with who I shared this story) fondly remembered her. The yearbook is on its way to the owner’s son. -------------- Memory 49: Jack Donohue (#3968) Like many of you, my memories of and questions about family members started when I was young. My mother's side of the family had plenty to offer - ultimately dating back to the Mayflower. My father's side was altogether a different matter. While he grew up in South Buffalo, the second generation of Irish immigrants, with loads of family scattered around the area, he didn't have a great interest in keeping up with his family roots - or they were distorted with family lore with little basis of fact (ah, the Irish). And I'm sure like many of us, it was only after he died that I realized I hadn't been more attentive to finding out his family history. That changed when I read Tim Bohen's book "Against the Grain". I came back to Buffalo on a regular basis to explore churches, the Holy Cross Cemetery in Lackawanna, and the fabulous Grosvenor Room in the downtown library. ...And the even more fabulous people there, especially Rhonda Hoffman, who helped me find a great, great grandfather I didn't know I had (see above: "ah, the Irish"). ...And then discovering after I joined the WNYGS, my high school European Studies teacher (in 1976) was a founding member of the Society - Glenn Atwell. Congrats to the WNYGS for our first 50 years. Thanks for helping me on my genealogical journey. May the next 50 be as prosperous. -------------- Memory 48: Joanne Clements (#3767) I joined the Western New York Genealogical Society a few years ago in hopes of finding out more about my ancestors who emigrated from Germany to Niagara County in the 1800’s. Since joining, I have been introduced to distant relatives who live in Niagara County. They have been able to provide additional clues to why those ancestors emigrated in the first place. I have also learned more about the history of Buffalo and surrounding areas. I have relatives buried in the Concordia Cemetery and have been interested to read about the Concordia Cemetery project. By being on the Board of the Society, I have met several wonderful people who have been able to give suggestions and tips for further research. Thank you WNYGS! ---------------- Memory 47: Dave Yearke (#2380L) I had always wondered about the origin of the name "Yearke." There were various surnames that sounded similar and had similar spellings, but as far as I knew only people in our direct family spelled it that way. So, in 1985, I decided to start investigating. I wrote to some relatives, who were quite helpful in other ways, but none had an answer on this issue. I pursued this on and off for a few years, but not diligently. I went to various places and looked up records, but didn't have any luck. On July 29th, 1993, I hit paydirt. I was in the basement of Erie County Hall, looking through marriage records, and found license applications for my great-grandfather and all of his siblings, except for his brother Charles, the eldest sibling. After going through all the indexes of males, I decided to look for his wife in the indexes of females and found a record showing her husband as "Charles Gierke." I started looking for that last name, and in a short amount of time had a marriage license for his mother, who remarried after my g-g-grandfather died, as well as for a sibling who remarried. The dates and details checked out, so I knew I was on the right track. Charles is listed with the last name "Yearke" in the 1884 Buffalo city directory, and this is the earliest use of that spelling I can find, other than a William Yearke in the 1883 directory, and for whom I am still trying to establish a relationship with our family (if any). All of his siblings started using the same spelling in 1887, after their father died the previous year. I don't know if they were trying to make the name more phonetic, or if it was a spelling error they just decided to keep, or if there was a reason they were trying to distance themselves from the original spelling. It's still a mystery to me. Since then, I have used that spelling to find newspaper articles, census records, and other interesting items for the early family. I know now my g-g-grandparents probably came from Prussia, but I have not yet found any records from that area. I guess more searching is in order. ---------------- Memory 46: Barbara A. Jones (#3593) It was the early 1990s and my son asked me some questions concerning his ancestors. I knew my paternal grandparents were buried in the cemetery across the street but so were my gr grandparents. But then a brick wall on that line. I can now trace the paternal line to 1637 in colonial MA. In my research I experienced a few unique events. 1 - I was at the LDS library in the early 1990s when a man who was doing research for the first time. The volunteer was very helpful but when she finished I mentioned he might try Surrogate's Court. I had found this helpful since at that time census records were on microfilm and knowing an address helped narrow the search. I had just found my grandfather’s uncle who passed away in 1899. The new person recognized the Surname Hauser. He said his aunt married a Hauser and mentioned his name. I couldn’t believe it but he was the 6 month old on my microfilm reader. He mentioned his aunt was still alive and another nephew had researched the Hausers. I couldn’t believe it. The researcher was a college professor who taught religious German studies. He was kind enough to share his research back to a town in 1500s in Germany, now a B&B. 2 - Also about 1990 I was at the WNYGS library on South Park. I showed the volunteer my gr grandfather’s death certificate. It stated he died in Johnsburg NY. The volunteer stated she thought it was Johnsonburg. Sure enough, she was correct. It is what allowed me to break through. I would have never found him since my gr grandmother was born in Bath NY and my grandfather was born in MI. I just figured his father was from MI. I would never have looked in Wyoming County. This broke the brick wall for my Coburn line. Another surprise was that on the census was a Fullington family who were neighbors of the Coburn family and connected through a marriage. This was mid 1800s. In 1940s my Dad married my mom, a Hauser and her sister married a descendant of the Fullington family. Johnsonburg is located about an hour by car from the Hauser family in north Buffalo. I spent over 20 years looking the Kromer surname in Cleveland where my grandmother was born. Finally found them on a Google search since my gr grandfather’s brother was a famous singer. He preformed at Carnegie Hall and the White House. I feel the most interesting aspect is the part my ancestors had in the history of Buffalo. A Coburn and Wolfe (from the Hausers) married into the Rumsey family. In fact Mary Coburn was the mother in law of Ansley Wilcox. Thank you for all you do. I might still be looking for Coburns had it not been for a very helpful volunteer who was willing to help me. -------------- Memory 45: Sandy Hudson (#1461) Many years ago, while reading my newly delivered copy of the Journal I noticed an article written by one of our members stating that she had been given a very old family bible from a friend who had purchased it at a flea market. He thought that she might be able to find someone in the society who would be related to this family. I could hardly believe my eyes when I read the names of my great-great grandparents. I immediately made a phone call explaining that I was interested in purchasing the bible that was mentioned in the Journal. She then invited me to her home and said that as long as I could show her proof of my relationship, she would be delighted to turn it over to me. Her friend who purchased the bible did not want any compensation in return but thought that perhaps making a donation to the society would be nice. Wow. How unbelievable and wonderful! Over the years I have been able to show the bible to other members of my family who were just as excited as I was to see this family treasure that we probably never would have known existed had it not been for the kindness of those two individuals. -------------- Memory 44: Sandy Hudson (#1461) Many years ago, while reading the newspaper I came across an article that mentioned The Western New York Genealogy Society. What? I didn't realize that there was a genealogical society in WNY. Had I known, I definitely would have attended that very first meeting 50 years ago. My interest in family history began when I was about 12 years old. One Sunday afternoon while visiting my grandparents after church I was playing a card game with my grandma and during a lull in the game I asked her the names of her mother and father, and then I wanted to know when they came to America, and then I asked her what country they emigrated from, etc. I wrote down everything she told me that afternoon on a tiny piece of paper before heading home. Over the next 65 years that tiny piece of paper has grown to twenty-three 3-ring binders, trees online, DNA testing, etc. ---------------- Memory 43: Lisa (Schreiner) Berta I grew up in Hamburg, NY. My father, John “Jack” Schreiner’s has Lola Kimmel as an elementary school teacher. The Kimmels were former neighbors of my paternal grandparents, Francis and Agnes (Petrie) Schreiner. Mrs. Kimmel was also my fourth-grade teacher at Charlotte Avenue Elementary School, and fostered my love of reading and science by gifting me a copy of Eleanor Clymer’s “Search for a Living Fossil: The Story of the Coelacanth.” As the end of fourth grade approached, my mother, Jane (Clark) Schreiner, said I was to have a schedule and purpose that summer break, and every summer afterwards. And she had already set it up during a parent-teacher conference. There was a schedule of mornings to pack lunch, hop on my bike, and report to Mrs. Kimmel at the Hamburg Historical Society Museum on South Park Avenue until she said my volunteer day was complete. That generally happened as the museum was locked up in the afternoon. After reporting to Mrs. Kimmel, I received assignments to clean floors, dust, clean more surfaces, help with filing, clean, clean the back room, and clean a bit more. Turns our Mrs. Kimmel had a great sense of humor that I missed as a student. WNYGS was housed in the Museum, and member of WNYGS asked for help moving huge bound books of the Erie County Independent. Over the weeks, I helped Mrs. June Partridge Zintz with more WNYGS books, reshelving with Mrs. Kimmel’s approval, or helping members find and read microfilm. Weeks later, Mrs. Zintz asked what I knew of my family tree. I had spotted my great aunt Edna (Clark) Schnautz’s book “Alanson Clark, 1807-1888," and I was excited to show her my name in the book. Mrs. Zintz encouraged me to continue researching my tree. Several years later, my genealogy binder received 4-H blue ribbons at the Erie County and New York State Fairs. I became a life member of WNYGS in 2007. Today, I’ve joined nearly 40 lineage societies and assist prospective members with their genealogy research for several societies. ---------------- Memory 42: Gloria Osborne (#2909) Even as a kid I was always interested in where my family came from. Finding time was always a problem, but in the early 1990's I began serious research. Although I lived in Michigan, my family still lived in the Buffalo area. I joined both the WNYGS and the Niagara County Genealogical Society since some of my mother's Irish family originally located in Lockport. My Dad's German family was from Buffalo and also Tonawanda and both Orleans and Genesee Counties. I returned often to visit my family, of course, but also made many stops at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library where I found many useful resources; newspaper microfilm, filmed local church records and clippings scrapbooks among others. My mother was a wonderful source of information to get me started and the research findings provided a great rapport with her as she aged. I greatly expanded her basic knowledge and found much more that she didn't know about her family, information which she always looked forward to hearing about. I look forward to the quarterly Genealogist journal from the Society for their helpful indexes and transcriptions and local history. I made contact with a cousin who is also a member. In 2006 I compiled a book on my dad's paternal family for a family reunion and now I am currently putting all this 30-plus years of research about my mother's 4 Irish ancestor families into a book for my own family. ----------------- Memory 41: Mary Kay Wright (#1202) My memory goes back over 40 years concerning the Journal. When my husband and I joined, we volunteered to help collate and mail the Journal as a way of becoming acquainted with active members. At first, we worked in the DAR on Delaware. Collating by hand took many helpers and we soon enjoyed the task and company. Our next move was to a room in the Marine Drive apartments where Isabelle Clifford lived. Over time, the collating was handled by the printer. My late husband, Joe, had retired from the Post Office and ways of handling the mailing changed. Preparing and presorting the Journal for the Post Office was a big job. Many changes have been made over the years resulting in our current. professional Western New York Genealogist. I look back with fondness on all my fellow Journal volunteers. ------------------- Memory 40: Charleen Scime (#4038) I am a new member of WYNGS with a nearly 20 -year journey in genealogy. I am second generation Italian on one side and third generation on the other. My families came to the US around 1900. It all started in 2006 when I joined a computer club that had a SIG on genealogy. At that time using the internet for information was fairly new, and not nearly as sophisticated as it is now! We were taught how to use AOL search, Ask Jeeves, Mamma, Alta Vista and many more for our research. After a couple months I was hooked. As in many families, the “old people” did not share information. Maybe I was just too young to ask, or maybe they thought if they didn’t talk about it they would assimilate into the American culture better. All I knew is that I was Sicilian on one side of my family and Calabrese on the other side. All Italian – this will be so easy, I thought! Well, as all of you know, nothing in genealogy runs in a straight line. I had quite a bit of information on names of ancestors on my Mom’s side of the family but very little on my Dad’s. In order to get started on my Dad’s side I started writing letters in English and using a translator to add the Italian, looked up all the Scime families near my grandfather’s town, stamped the envelopes and popped them in the mail. I sent 11 letters and got answers from 3. I still had relatives in the same town! I was amazed and even more excited to see what I could learn. One of my cousins sent me a handwritten list of my grandfather and his siblings. There were THIRTEEN in all and only 4 came to the US. That was new information. I worked both ends to the middle with that information….. I followed up on the Scime family in Castelvetrano, Sicily and Springfield, Illinois in the US. I looked up those relatives on Facebook, if you can imagine! I found so many of them and we began to talk about what we knew. We created a “family” Facebook page where we could exchange that information. We relied heavily on google translate! Well, that is where it all began. I was fortunate enough to meet my cousins from Springfield, Illinois and in 2017 (and just recently in July of 2024) in Sicily. What an awesome feeling to meet second cousins and find we looked so much alike! I now teach beginning genealogy classes in Florida and in NY – showing new or aspiring genealogists and family historians some unusual places to start, how to get organized, and sources as to where to go from “here”. My hobby goes hot and cold, depending on what I have going on – but every one of us knows – once you start going down a rabbit hole….. it is very hard to come up!

Donations & Support Our all-volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit organization gladly accept support in all forms. Financial Support 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. Your support makes our work possible! Click the link below to make a charitable donation today. At checkout, simply choose whether you will be paying by PayPal or check (to be mailed to address provided). DONATE Donations of Genealogical and Historical Materials If you have materials you are interested in donating, please email librarian@wnygs.org with the specific information listed below. Traditional Library Materials: The society’s main interest is materials associated with the eight counties of Western New York - Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming. Please provide the following details in your email: Books – Titles, authors, publication dates Digital materials – Content, subject, file size (MB, GB, etc.), and format (PDF, tiff, MS Word version, etc.) Periodicals – Titles, dates, number of issues Microfilm – Content, dates, number of reels WNYGS does not accept: Audiovisual materials Three-dimensional artifacts [The Buffalo History Museum may be appropriate for this donation type.] Obsolete formats (i.e. floppy disks) Personal Collection and Research Papers: The WNYGS library has limited space. Donations of personal collections and research papers will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please provide the following details in your email: Volume of materials (linear feet) Content type (i.e. typed manuscript, photocopies of documents, handwritten notes, photographs, etc.) Subject matter How the materials are organized Condition of the materials. EMAIL US

Orleans County Vital Records Dates of First Vital Statistics Records (as published in the Western New York Genealogical Society Journal ) Click the county below to view individual town and village record information: Allegany County Cattaraugus County Chautauqua County Erie County Genesee County Niagara County Orleans County Wyoming County This map shows each Western New York county's founding date and the name of its parent county. Town and Date Births Marriages Deaths Notes ALBION - Incorporated 15 Jan 1875 ALBION VILLAGE - Incorporated 21 April 1828 2 Jul 1887 6 Aug 1887 14 Jul 1887 BARRE - Incorporated 6 Mar 1818 16 Sep 1884 16 Jan 1908 26 Sep 1884 CARLTON - Incorporated 13 April 1822 CLARENDON - Incorporated 23 Feb 1821 1 Mar 1847-1849, 9 Oct 1884 10 Feb 1847-1849, 2 Oct 1884 12 Feb 1847-1849, 29 Oct 1884 No records from 1849 to 1884. GAINES - Incorporated 14 Feb 1816 8 Apr 1884 25 Dec 1883 8 Feb 1884 HOLLEY - VILLAGE Record kept by Murray Town Clerk. KENDALL - Incorporated 7 Apr 1837 Records kept at Town Hall, Kendall, NY 14476. MEDINA VILLAGE - Incorporated 3 Mar 1832 1 Jul 1885 1 Jul 1885 1 Jul 1885 MURRAY - Incorporated 8 Apr 1808 9 Aug 1884 29 Jul 1884 17 Aug 1884 RIDGEWAY - Incorporated 6 Apr 1813 7 Feb 1882; delayed births 1869-1902. 11 Jan 1882 2 Feb 1882 Have births, deaths and marriages for 1848-1849. SHELBY - Incorporated 6 Mar 1818 1 Jun 1882 13 Jun 1882 19 Aug 1882 YATES - Incorporated ca1820-1822 Aug 1883 Sep 1883 Aug 1883 Source: WNYGS JOURNAL , Vol. 2, No. 2, September 1975 In cases where data is not available, it can be assumed that the dates of records are similar to the other towns in the county.

Niagara County Vital Records Dates of First Vital Statistics Records (as published in the Western New York Genealogical Society Journal ) Click the county below to view individual town and village record information: Allegany County Cattaraugus County Chautauqua County Erie County Genesee County Niagara County Orleans County Wyoming County This map shows each Western New York county's founding date and the name of its parent county. Town and Date Births Marriages Deaths Notes CAMBRIA - Incorporated 11 March 1808 12 Feb 1884 26 Feb 1884 13 Feb 1884 HARTLAND - Incorporated 1 June 1812 23 May 1848 to 12 Aug 1849, 1 June 1881 11 Oct 1848 to 27 Dec 1849, 7 Apr 1888 17 Feb 1848 to 10 Dec 1849, 15 July 1887 LEWISTON - Incorporated 27 Feb 1818 8 Jan 1847 to 6 June 1868, 21 Sept 1882 5 Jan 1847 to 14 Aug 1876, 21 Aug 1882 15 Jan 1847 to 5 May 1876, 15 Dec 1883 LEWISTON VILLAGE - Incorporated 17 Apr 1822 See Town of Lewiston records LOCKPORT - Incorporated 2 Feb 1824 27 Apr 1882 29 Jan 1908 27 Nov 1884 LOCKPORT CITY - Incorporated 26 March 1829 as Village; 1865 as city Feb 1868 3 Nov 1881 14 Nov 1881 NEWFANE - Incorporated 20 March 1824 8 Sept 1869 28 Nov 1883 10 Sept 1883 NIAGARA - Incorporated 1 June 1812 as Schlosser; 14 Feb 1816 as Niagara 14 July 1891 1 May 1908 11 May 1892 NIAGARA FALLS - Incorporated 7 July 1848 as Village; 17 Mar 1892 as City 2 Jan 1892 6 Apr 1882 23 Mar 1882 NORTH TONAWANDA - Incorporated 8 May 1868 as Village; 24 Apr 1897 as City 28 Sep 1887 9 Nov 1887 15 Nov 1887 PENDLETON - Incorporated 16 Apr 1827 3 Jan 1886 29 Sep 1886 5 Feb 1886 PORTER - Incorporated 1 June 1812 9 Jan 1884 7 Jun 1883 31 Dee 1883 YOUNGSTOWN VILLAGE - Incorporated 22 Aug 1854 7 Feb 1886 3 Mar 1886 to 8 Dec 1907 (later records kept by Town) 8 Mar 1886 ROYALTON - Incorporated 5 Apr 1817 3 Oct 1888 1 Sep 1888 25 Aug 1888 MIDDLEPORT VILLAGE - Incorporated 1859 14 Jun 1887 7 Sep 1887 28 Jul 1887 SOMERSET - Incorporated 8 Feb 1823 19 Jun 1882 2 Jul 1882 20 Jun 1882 BARKER VILLAGE - Incorporated 1908 See Town of Somerset records WHEATFIELD - Incorporated 12 May 1836 9 Jan 1879 20 Feb 1879 4 Jan 1879 WILSON - Incorporated 10 Apr 1818 1 Jun 1884 4 Jul 1884 29 Jun 1884 WILSON VILLAGE - Incorporated 25 June 1858 13 Sep 1899 see Town of Wilson records 6 Oct 1899 Source: WNYGS JOURNAL , Vol. 1, No.2, September 1974 In cases where data is not available, it can be assumed that the dates of records are similar to the other towns in the county.

Sorry, it looks like this is an old link. We've recently updated our website and some of the page links have changed. Check the URL, or go back to our homepage and try again. Image of Buffalo "newsies" (newspaper boys) ready for work (1910) Source: Library of Congress Digital Collections Back to Homepage

Society Store Prefer to submit your membership or renewal using a paper form? ​ Visit the Memb ership page to download the appropriate PDF version of membership form. Complete and mail the form and your check to the address provided. ​ Publication Back Issues Digital Download Journal Back Issue Collection: Vol. 1-48 (1974 - 2022) Price $60.00 Donations Your charitable contribution makes our work possible! ​ Click below to select your preferred donation amount. You can tailor the amount by adding multiple quantities of each item. Online donations may be paid using PayPal or check (mailed to address provided). Support Our Mission $5 Charitable Donation Price $5.00 Support Our Mission $25 Charitable Donation Price $25.00 Support Our Mission $100 Charitable Donation Price $100.00 Memberships Publications Donations Memberships Join or Renew Online ​ Click below to select your desired membership type. Make your selections and submit your contact and billing information online. At checkout, s elect whether you will be paying by PayPal or check (to be mailed to address provided). ​ Age 18 & Under Junior Membership: Annual (May 1 - April 30) Price $10.00 Individual Membership: Annual (May 1 - April 30) Price $30.00 Family Membership: Annual (May 1 - April 30) Price $35.00 For Organizations Societies & Libraries Membership: Annual (May 1 - April 30) Price $30.00 Be A Supporting Member Life Membership: Individual Price $350.00 Be A Supporting Member Life Membership: Family Price $500.00 Memberships Donations Publications

Sat, Jul 13 | Calvin K. Richards Community Center "Save Our Cemeteries" Workshop Join us as we travel to Niagara County to learn more about cemeteries. This full-day event will take place at two locations - Calvin K. Richards Community Center & Witmer Cemetery (both in Town of Niagara, NY). Registration is closed. See other events Time & Location Jul 13, 2024, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EDT Calvin K. Richards Community Center, 7000 Lockport Rd, Niagara Falls, NY 14305, USA About the event Morning Program: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Location #1: Calvin K. Richards Community Center, 7000 Lockport Road, Town of Niagara, New York 9am - 10am Registration with coffee/snacks-displays 10am - 10:45am Presentation “Uncovering the Past: Using Cemetery Records for Genealogy Research ” by Lewiston Librarian/Genealogist, Michelle Kratts Michelle Kratts is the local history librarian and genealogist at the Lewiston Public Library.She has written, edited or contributed to several books of local interest including: Niagara Falls in World War II, the Italians of Niagara Falls series and more. 10:45 - 11:00 a.m. Break 11:00am - 11:30am Presentation: “Importance of Volunteerism ” by Hugh Golden, Business Manager of Lake View Cemetery Association, Jamestown, NY 11:30am - 12:00am Presentation: “Cemeteries in New York State ” by Michael Catena and Cynthia Craig, NYS Department of State, Division of Cemeteries 12:00pm-1pm Lunch provided (Wegmans subs with chips and water) Afternoon Program : 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. Location #2: Witmer Cemetery, corner of Witmer Road and Pennsylvania Avenue, Town of Niagara, New York Special Note: Attendees wanting or needing seating during the cemetery portion of the program are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Gather at Witmer Cemetery and divide into four groups for workshop sessions 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Four Rotating Sessions Session #1: Pete Ames/Jeff Manning will lead a tour of the cemetery to share results of restoration process there. Session #2: Maureen Gleason shows the proper way to clean headstones. Session #3: Nick Cornett from Cornell Cooperative talks about landscaping and combatting invasive species. Session #4: Gary Strenkoski local masonry expert demonstrates headstone repair and resetting techniques. Directions: >> Click here for directions to both locations with annotated map. Have questions? Call the event coordinator, Peter Ames, at 716-297-4429. Show More Tickets Ticket type "Save Our Cemeteries" Ticket More info Full-day workshop ticket Price From $20.00 to $50.00 Sale ended WNYGS Members $20.00 Non-Members $25.00 New Ind. Membership & Ticket $50.00 Total $0.00 Checkout Share this event