Jefferson County New York Genealogy

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Jefferson County, created in 1805 from Oneida County, was named in honor of President Thomas Jefferson. Settlement started as early as 1794. The economy has always been heavily supported by agriculture — particularly dairy farming — and by some of the oldest paper mills in the state. The county is located at the east end of Lake Ontario, in a region of New York called the “North Country.” It is bordered on the northwest by the St. Lawrence River, on the northeast by St. Lawrence County, on the east by Lewis County, and on the south by Oswego County. The only city is Watertown, population roughly 30,000, located about 80 miles north of Syracuse, Onondaga Co., New York. Today, the county features numerous historic and tourist attractions, including the Thousand Islands Region and Sackets Harbor, site of two battles during the War of 1812.

Jefferson County Map 1855
Jefferson County Map 1855

Jefferson County New York Genealogy is part of the New York History and Genealogy Project. My name is Dennis Partridge and I am the county coordinator. If you have information about this county you would like to place online, then please contact me using the contact form on this website. The American History & Genealogy Project (AHGP) is a group of like-minded individuals committed to providing free access to American genealogical and historical information online. Organized by locations, volunteers host states, counties, and sometimes town or city websites specializing in their areas of interest. Come join us today!

Townships of Jefferson County New York

Biographies of Jefferson County New York

Cemeteries in Jefferson County New York

Census Records for Jefferson County New York

  • Census Records for Jefferson County New York
    The first census specific to Jefferson County New York occurred in 1810. From 1810-1840 only the heads of household were indexed by name, along with the number of other members of the household, their sex and a range of ages which varied between each census. From 1850 onward you are able to find all members of a family listed along with their age given at the time of the census.

Church Records for Jefferson County NY

Directories of Jefferson County New York

Genealogy of Jefferson County New York

  • Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson County New York
  • Camp Genealogy of Jefferson County New York
    Provides genealogies of the Camp families: George Camp, Talcott H. Camp, and Walter B. Camp. These families settled in Sackett’s Harbor and Watertown New York.
  • Flower Genealogy of Jefferson County New York
    Provides genealogies of the Flower families: Nathan M. Flower, George W. Flower, Roswell P. Flower, Anson R. Flower, and Frederick S. Flower. These families resided in Theresa and Watertown New York.
  • Hungerford Genealogy of Jefferson County New York
    Provides genealogies of the Hungerford Families: Thomas Hungerford Family of East Haddam Connecticut; Thomas M. Hungerford Family of East Haddam, Connecticut; Benjamin Hungerford Family of Bristol, Connecticut; Timothy Hungerford Family of Watertown, New York; Timothy Hungerford Family of Watertown Center, New York; Edwin Hungerford Family of Evans Mills, New York; Elbert Hungerford Family of Evans Mills, New York; James Montrose Hungerford Family of Clayton, New York; Dexter Hungerford Family of Brownville, New York; General Solon Dexter Hungerford Family of Adams, New York; and Orville Hungerford Family of Watertown, New York.
  • Some descendants of Thomas Fortune (1821-1900) and Ann Hagan (1832-1902) of Jefferson County, New York
    Thomas Fortune (1821-1900), a son of Garrett and Elizabeth Fortune, immigrated from Balleygarrett, Wexford County, Ireland to Ogdensberg, New York in 1848; he immigrated chiefly because of the potato famine. He married Ann Hagan in 1850, and lived briefly in Rennselaer County before moving to Alexandria, Jefferson County, New York. Descendants and relatives lived in New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Maryland, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, California, Alaska and elsewhere.
  • Hubbard Genealogy and History
    Hubbard and related families of Jefferson County, New York by Thomas James Hubbard.Published in 1997. Thomas James Hubbard was apparently born in New York City in 1790 and later moved into Jefferson County. He married Nancy Brown in 1814. Most descendants stayed in New York. Includes Aubertine, Bearup, Benore, Constance, Cornaire, Edus, Margrey, O’Conner, Peck, Reinagle, Vautrin & White. Includes name index.
  • Descendants of the Laughlin Families of Wolfe Island, Ontario
    Laughlin Descendants Settled in: Jefferson County, New York; Frontenac County, Ontario; and Oconto County, Wisconsin. Published in May 1996 by Linda Longway Malinich of Rochester NY. James Laughlin was born in 1784 in Scotland. He married Susan Jones. They lived in Northern Ireland. In 1841, James and four of his children immigrated to Quebec and eventually settled on Wolfe Island, Ontario. James died in 1857. Includes Related Families of: Minnick, Parkinson, Putnam, and Van Ness.

Historical Newspapers in Jefferson County NY

History of Jefferson County New York

Transactions of the Jefferson County New York Historical Society

  • 1886-7 Transactions
    Some Causes of the War of 1812 – Sackets Harbor and the war of 1812 – Hon. Joseph Mullins – Mounds at Perch Lake, Jefferson County – Paper on “early Rutland” – Champion: Historical Incidents – Historical Reminiscences – The Aborigines – Hon. Moses Eames – Local and Economical Geology – Reminiscences of Adams – Early History of Adams – Jason Fairbanks
  • 1895 Transactions
    Recollections of Capt. Bortell Minor – Battle of Big Sandy – A Participants Recollections of Big Sandy – Reforesting since the Glacial Epoch – Swinestone – Intersting Pot-hole find – Glacial grooving – Gas and Oil Wells – Flying Squirrel and Owl Pipes – Indian Villages in Jefferson County – Odd Form of an Oneida Indian Pipe – Early Watertown – Mr. and Mrs. John A. Sherman

Photos of Jefferson County, New York

Military Records of Jefferson County New York

Old Houses of the North Country

Articles written by David F. Lane about the old homes and the families who built and lived in them; published in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times, 1941-1956 in a series titled Old Mansions of the North Country (No. 1-87), Old Homes of the North Country (No. 91-99, 103), and Old Houses of the North Country. Placed online by the Genealogy Department of Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library, Watertown, NY.

Yearbooks of Jefferson County New York

Genealogical and Family History of Northern New York

Genealogical and Family History of Northern New York A RECORD OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER PEOPLE IN THE MAKINGOF A COMMONWEALTH AND THEFOUNDING OF A NATION. COMPILED UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF WILLIAM RICHARD CUTTER, A. M. Historian of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society; Librarian emeritus of Woburn Public Library:Author of “The Cutter Family,” “History of Arlington,” “Bibliography of Woburn,” etc. etc. Volume I-III Illustrated. New YorkLewis Historical Publishing Company1910. Table of Contents:

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The Birth of the Northern Counties

The Birth of the Northern Counties: The erection of St. Lawrence County — the meeting at Denmark out of which grew Jefferson and Lewis counties — the erection of Oswego County — David Parish buys the Village of Ogdensburg — the visits of De Witt Clinton and Bishop Asbury.
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The Coming of the Pioneers

The Coming of the Pioneers: The first north country towns — Washington Irving’s tour of northern New York — how the pioneers lived — the circuit riders and their parish — the first churches in the north.
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The Great Land Patents

The Great Land Patents: The Ten Towns — Macomb’s Purchase — Scriba’s Patent — “Grand Rapides’ Promised Land” — The Era Of Settlement
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Border Warfare

Border Warfare: The Abbe Picque and the founding of La Presentation—Old Fort Oswego—the French and Indian War in the north country— Carlelton Island and the Revolution.
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The Onondaga War Trail

The Onondaga War Trail: Early Indian occupation of northern New York—the coming of Champlain—Father Poncet and the Oswegatchie Trail—the Great Peace Conference at La Famine—the expedition of Count Frontenac.
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Genealogy of the Hough Family of Northern New York

This name is inseparably connected with the formative period of history in Northern New York. Posterity is deeply indebted to Dr. Franklin B., Hough for his care in learning and preserving the history of early settlements in Lewis, Jefferson, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties. The ancestry was located early in Massachusetts, and worthy sons have been instrumental in settling and developing many sections of the United States. Many physicians have been found among the descendants, but most have been mechanics or tillers of the soil.
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Hungerford Genealogy of Jefferson County New York

Provides genealogies of the Hungerford Families: Thomas Hungerford Family of East Haddam Connecticut; Thomas M. Hungerford Family of East Haddam, Connecticut; Benjamin Hungerford Family of Bristol, Connecticut; Timothy Hungerford Family of Watertown, New York; Timothy Hungerford Family of Watertown Center, New York; Edwin Hungerford Family of Evans Mills, New York; Elbert Hungerford Family of Evans Mills, New York; James Montrose Hungerford Family of Clayton, New York; Dexter Hungerford Family of Brownville, New York; General Solon Dexter Hungerford Family of Adams, New York; and Orville Hungerford Family of Watertown, New York.
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History of St. Paul’s Church, Antwerp, New York

Rev. Robert Horwood held the first Episcopal service in Antwerp, and administered the first baptism, to Annis Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander P. and Elizabeth S. Sterling, at Sterlingburgh, September 6, 1855. In August, 1858, Rev. J. Winslow commenced his labors in Carthage, Champion, and Sterlingville. In 1866 he organized a parish in Gouverneur, and held missionary services in Antwerp, where he presented a class for confirmation by Right Rev. Bishop Coxe, the first bishop to visit Antwerp. Mr. Winslow was succeeded by Rev. Frederick Hyde, then a young deacon. He remained six months. Rev. William A. Ely, deacon, succeeded him,…

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History of the First Congregational Church of Antwerp

The First Congregational Church of Antwerp was organized in July, 1819, by Rev. Isaac Clinton, then principal of the academy at Lowville. The event took place in Copeland Hall, upon the site of the present Proctor House. The original members were William Randall, Percival Hawley, Edward Foster, Elijah Hoyt, Hosea Hough, Mrs. Hawley, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Frances Eaton, and Mrs. Polly Copeland. It was agreed beforehand to employ either a Presbyterian or a Congregational minister, as might be most convenient, and to allow him to choose the polity of the organization.
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History of Sprague’s Corners, New York

Sprague’s Corners is the name given to a cluster of buildings lying partly in Antwerp and partly in St. Lawrence county, at a point nearly half a mile southeast from the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh railroad, at Keene’s Station, which name is often applied to the village.
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History of Sterlingburgh, New York

1864 Map of Sterlingville New York On the southern bank of Indian river, about one mile above Antwerp bridge, is a cluster of buildings which, though hardly entitled to the appellation of village, is collectively known as Sterlingburgh, from James Sterling, who was its proprietor for many years. It consists of an excellent grist-mill, a saw-mill, and a few dwellings, besides several large buildings, relics of past enterprise, now in disuse, and some in actual decay. The water-power is better here than at Antwerp village, and it is difficult to understand why, in view of this…

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History of Ox Bow, New York

This little village is located on the left bank of the Oswegatchie, at the southernmost point of the groat bend in that river. It lies due north of Antwerp village seven and one-half miles, and its communication with the latter place is over an excellent turnpike-road. Ox Bow, at the present time, contains a post-office, one hotel, four stores, one physician, one drugstore, one wagon-shop, three blacksmith-shops, one harness- and saddlery-shop, a good school-house, two churches, and about 300 inhabitants.
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History of Ives Seminary

Ives Seminary, located in Antwerp village, is an outgrowth of two previously-existing educational enterprises, — the Antwerp Liberal Literary Institute and the Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary. The last-named institution was incorporated April 5, 1828, and was successfully conducted as a grammar-school until 1837, when it was placed under the patronage of the Black River conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, and became their conference seminary, with Rev. Jesse T. Peck as principal. It remained under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal church until 1869, when, as the buildings and facilities had become inadequate to the needs of the institution, it was…
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Organization of the Town of Antwerp, New York

Antwerp was erected a town on the 5th of April, 1810. Its territory — the same which is included in its present boundaries — was partitioned off from Le Ray. Its name was given in honor of the Antwerp company, who owned large tracts of land in this and in the neighboring townships. The organization went into effect on the 1st of January, 1811, and the first annual meeting of the new town was held on the 5th of the following March, “at the house of Francis McAllaster, occupied by William Fletcher, innkeeper, in said Town.” Daniel Sterling was chosen…

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Incorporation of the Village of Antwerp, New York

Antwerp was incorporated a village, by order of the court of sessions, under the general act, in the year 1851 and the incorporation was ratified, by a vote of fifty-three to three, at a special meeting, held at Stowell & Taylor hotel, on the 30th of July in that year. The boundary are recorded as embracing a rectangular tract of 660 acre being 80 chains in width from north to south, and 82 chains and 50 links in length from east to west; but a re-survey, made by Henry L. Scott in 1875, gives an area of 661.15 acres. The…

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The First Settlers of Antwerp, New York

It is doubtful whether the honor of having made the first settlement in the territory now forming the town of Antwerp belonged to Captain William Lee or to Peter Vrooman, for it appears evident that both settled during the same year, 1803, though both were then but squatters on land which they afterwards purchased. Lee located on the State road on lot No. 657, and Vrooman built his log house at the great bend of the Oswegatchie, at a point near the lower end of the present village of Ox Bow. Both these settlers opened their log dwellings as public-houses…

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Jefferson County New York Newspapers

Jefferson County New York libraries, organizations, and societies have placed a considerable number of historical newspaper titles online. This set of Newspapers can be searched and we provide a link below along with each specific title available. Remember, that a search alone in online records like these is not considered a “thorough” search, as they rely on OCR capability and rarely have been edited by a human eye. Expect errors, so if you have an approximate date and cannot find the information, then check the corresponding issues of the local newspaper.The American Eagle was begun at Watertown, by Henry Coffeen…

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Alexandria Township New York History and Genealogy

1864 Map of Alexandria Township New York The first improvement in this town was made about 1811 by Le Ray, who caused a clearing to be made at Alexandria Center, to afford facilities to the first settlers, by supplying them with grain until it could be raised by themselves. He paid twelve dollars per acre with the ashes and half the first crop for these jobs, and built a log barn. In 1811 the proprietors made the Morris and Hammond road, extending from Hammond village to the Red tavern, near Theresa, where it intersected another road…

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Flower Genealogy of Jefferson County New York

Colonel George Walton Flower, the subject of the following memoir, was of English descent, his ancestors, known by the name Floier, holding large possessions in Devonshire at the time of the Conquest. One of the ancestors, Captain William Floier, was born near the city of Exeter in 1450 and accompanied the army of King Edward IV in the descent on France in 1490. He married Phillipa Crooke and became later a resident of Willston, Dorsetshire. Of his three sons, William, born 1530, married Elizabeth Kirk.
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History of Westminster Park, New York

This place of resort for the summer months has been inaugurated by the Presbyterians, on the lower end of Wellesley Island, in the St. Lawrence river, in the confines of the town of Alexandria. The association under whose auspices the park is maintained is incorporated under the Act of the Legislature of New York passed in 1853, being chapter 117 of the session laws of that year, and the acts mandatory thereof. The articles of association were dated in 1875, and filed in the proper offices, of the Secretary of State, and county clerk of Jefferson County, wherein the association…

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6 thoughts on “Jefferson County New York Genealogy”

  1. My grandmother who is now 97 years old typed me her manuscript and in it was some fascinating information about a childless couple named duane and gertrude Shampine who took her in during summers (as part of the fresh air fund) from Harlem NY from age 6-17, they would take no one else. They fell in love with my grandmother antoinette mennona (she was known to them as nettie) they stayed in contact and wrote letters all the time, she lost touch with them after duane died and gertie lost the farm. I believe the farm was located at 84 mccallister ave antwerp NY but am not 100% positive, I don;t believe that address exsists anymore. It would be a great joy to some how give her en picture of the farm she spent every summer at, or even if she could find long lost relatives of the shampines and maybe they have photographes?? thank you for listening to our beautiful family story

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  3. Great web site, but I had a g grandfather, John W. Chase, who died in Orleans, Jefferson county, and I have never been able to find out anything about his death or buriel. He died between 1800 and 1855. Seems those things are not posted. Would you know how I could find some records of cemeteries, Buriel places. or the like . My email address is rw90doane@comcast.net

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  4. Some of the recent pictures of houses listed under Mansions and Old Houses of the North Country” would benefit from a review. The color picture of the William Martin House in LaFargeville (#120) is a picture of the Rottier house (#68). The addition to the right of the structure in b/w is missing. I also wonder if #39 and #68 depict the same house, although I would not rule out that they had an architect in common.

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  5. I was directed to your site in hopes of possible help with my 5th Great Grandmothers family. My 5th Great Grandmother, Azubah Strickland, marrIed Richard Arthur on the 27 October 1796 in Westfield, Massachusetts. Richard and Azubah were living in Martinsburg, New York at the time of Richard Arthur’s death in 1841. The Arthur family lived in Lewis County, New York. The individual that referred me thought that since Jefferson and Lewis county are close and she had heard or been to Strickland Corners thought there possibly been a connection. I have found nothing on who Azubah’s parents were. The individual that referred me to you said that in Jefferson County, New York because there is, I believe, a large farm called Strickland Corners that possibly might be relatives of Azubah Strickland. I have unable to find any information other than it is on County Rd 29 and County Rd 30. I have also located on a 1855 historical map of land ownership in Jefferson County northwest of Lorraine a name of, R. Strickland. Azubah Strickland Arthur passed away on 10 February 1852 in Martinsburg, Lewis County, New York. This is obviously three years before this historical map.. I would be grateful with any assistance or direction to possibly locate information on Strickland Corners Latitude: 44.1153396 and Longitude: -75.7043751. Thank for any assistance in advance.
    Lisa Bishop

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  6. Greetings. I was wondering if you or someone else here could help me track down an ancestor of mine and her family. Her name was Elisabeth Smith (she was also known as Betsy or Betsey, likely a nickname), and she is listed as being born in 1818 (Feb 14 from some accounts) – Adams Center, Jefferson County, NY. I do not have a record of her parents. There is a possibility she had a sister by the name of Sarah, who was born around December 1815 or December 1816 and whose DOB is listed as being in Watertown, NY. I believe this family or some of this family emigrated to Canada West (now Ontario) in the 1830’s. Just wondered if anyone on here can point me in the right direction. I looked at the 1810 and 1820 Jefferson County Census and there are Smiths listed here, but alas, only the head of the family.

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