Local History Research

Life Records Database. Includes index to "paid obits" in the T-U and/or D & C, 1960 to date at http://www2.libraryweb.org/index.asp?orgid=438&storyTypeID=&sid=&

Rochester City Directories 1827 – 1929. pdf scans of every page in over 100 years of the city directories at http://www2.libraryweb.org/index.asp?orgid=467&storyTypeID=&sid=&

Census Records. Access via HeritageQuest Online remote access is available with your Monroe County Library Card’s 14-digit number. Contains federal censuses through 1920; some 1930 at http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/login/barcode?aid=3947

Rochester History. The quarterly magazine published by the Rochester City Historian’s office since 1939. Scans of all issues though 2006. A detailed index to the issues can be found at http://www.libraryweb.org/~rochhist/indexa.htm The Table of Contents for all issues can be found at http://www.libraryweb.org/~rochhist/toc.html

Rochester Images. 22,000 photographs, postcards, and maps, with descriptive text at http://www2.libraryweb.org/index.asp?orgid=91&storyTypeID=&sid=&

Rochester Plat Maps. Street maps of early Rochester. Very helpful to find locations where ancestors or companies were located if those street names no longer exist. At http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us:2080/cgi-bin/cw_cgi?5000+REDIRX+setDatabase_716_w_platt%20maps

All Digital Maps In The Rochester Images Database at http://www.libraryweb.org/rochimag/maps/home.htm

Ancestry.com. A genealogically oriented subscription database. Has many records, including U. S. censuses through 1930. It is available at the Local History Division, Rochester Public Library downtown.

Other Genealogy Links at http://www2.libraryweb.org/orgMain.asp?storyid=148&orgid=155

Rochester Newspaper Index, 1818-1897, coming soon.

UR Rare Books and Special Collections

Mt. Hope Cemetery/ Riverside Cemetery Interment Records though 2002 at http://www.lib.rochester.edu/index.cfm?page=3310

Local History indexes. The four indexes, edited and/or compiled by Karl S. Kabelac, to published volumes. The indexes are to Rochester/Monroe County views, pictures of people, biographical sketches, and 19th century businesses at http://www.lib.rochester.edu/index.cfm?page=3198

Other Databases

Social Security Death Index. Contains over 80 million records; useful for birth dates, death dates, and some other basic information at http://ssdi.rootsweb.com

Upstate New York Newspapers. A database of over 5,000,000 pages, key word searchable. Has the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, late 1800s to mid-1900’s at http://www.Fultonhistory.com

Genealogically Orientated Websites for every state and every county in the United States. Created by volunteers, they vary greatly in design and content at http://www.usgenweb.org