Jefferson County New York Genealogy

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 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

• Genealogy and History of Adams New York

Biographies of Jefferson County New York

• Biographies of Adams New York
  • Biographies of Adams, Jefferson County, New York
    These 123 biographies and biographical sketches were extracted from the Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y., 1685-1890, History of Jefferson County, New York, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, 1878, and Seventh Day Baptist Yearbook, 1922.
• Biographies of Alexandria New York
  • Biography of Thomas Benton Marshall
  • Biography of Azariah Walton
  • Biography of Chauncey Westcott
• Biographies of Antwerp New York
  • Biography of Leonard A. Bacon
  • Biography of E. A. Carpenter
  • Biography of Abraham Cooper
  • Biography of Caleb G. Hall
  • Biography of Elijah Houghton
  • Biography of Colonel Hiram B. Keene
  • Lewis Family of Antwerp New York
  • Biography of Hiram T. Nutting
  • Biography of Lawrence Weston
  • Biography of Henry S. White
• Biographies of Brownville, Jefferson County, New York
  These 91 biographical sketches were extracted from the Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y., 1685-1890.
• Biographies of Watertown, New York
  • Life Sketch of William Huntington (1784-1846)

Cemeteries in Jefferson County New York

• Adams
  • Adams Rural Cemetery, Adams Village, New York
• Alexandria
  • Barnes Cemetery
  • Barnes Settlement Cemetery
  • Cemetery Listings, Town of Alexandria
• Antwerp
  • Old Cemeteries of Antwerp New York
• Brownville
  • Luther Hill Cemetery

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

• Funerals from the Records of Rev. J. Stewart, 1864 Only
• North Country Methodists
  Selected Preacher Records, Principally from Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties 1839 – 1907
• Adams
  • Adams Center
    • The Seventh-Day Baptist Church of Adams Center NY
  • Adams Village
    • The Baptist Church and Society
    • The Emanuel Episcopal Church
    • The First Congregational Society
    • The Methodist Episcopal Church
    • The Presbyterian Church
  • North Adams
    • History of the Second Congregational Church in North Adams NY
• Alexandria Bay
  • Historical sketch of the Reformed Church of the Thousand Isles, Alexandria Bay, N.Y.. Alexandria Bay, N.Y.?: unknown, 1986. $$
• Antwerp
  • History of the First Congregational Church of Antwerp
  • History of St. Paul’s Church, Antwerp, New York
• Evans Mills Charge
  • Methodist Circuit Accounts – 1878 – 1880
• Hammond Charge
  • Methodist Circuit Accounts – 1878 – 1880
• Lafargeville
  • Church Records of the Evangelical Association, 1853-1903
    Spoken of as the “German Evangelical Church.” This Church Was Located 3 miles South of Lafargeville in Jefferson County, N. Y.
• Oxbow
  • Presbyterian Church from approx. 1857-1912
• Plessis Charge
  • Methodist Circuit Accounts – 1882-1888
• Watertown
  • The Black River Conference Memorials
    • The Black River conference memorial
      Containing sketches of the life and character of the deceased members of the Black River conference of the M.E. Church by Gorrie, P. Douglass (Peter Douglass), 1813-1884.
    • Black River and Northern New York conference memorial
      Second series. Containing sketches of the life and character of the deceased members of the above conferences, not included in the former work. Brought down to the present time, 1800, by Gorrie, P. Douglass (Peter Douglass), 1813-1884.
  • 1920 Year Book $$
    Arlington Street Church of Christ, Arlington near Franklin, Watertown.
  • Years of Faith $$
    Kimball, Frederick H.. Years of faith: a history of the First Presbyterian Church of Watertown, New York, 1803-1953. Watertown, N.Y.: Hungerford-Holbrook, 1953.

Directories of Jefferson County New York

• Child’s Gazetteer and directory of Jefferson County, New York, for 1866-7 $$
  Digital black and white copy of the business directory of Jefferson County NY published by Child in
  • 1866 Jefferson County Business Directory
    Transcription of the list of businesses operating in Child’s directory above.
• Businesses in Jefferson County 1867-1868
  Transcribed from the Northern New York Business Directory 1867-68 published by Waite Brothers & Co.
• 1879 Kimball’s Jefferson county New York directory
  Digital copy. Containing a classified business directory of the entire county, an alphabetical list of assessed farmers and property owners, the number of acres for which they were assessed, with their post office address; also much general information, interspersed with a few advertisements of the most liberal and extensive dealers.
• Watertown, NY, 1888. Watertown, NY: M.M. Kimball, 1888. $$
• Watertown, NY, 1889-90. Watertown, NY: M.M. Kimball, 1889. $$
• Child’s Gazetteer and directory of Jefferson County, New York, for 1890
  • 1890 Business Directory of Adams New York
  • 1890 Business Directory of Brownville New York
• Watertown, NY, 1891. Watertown, NY: J. C. Kimball, 1891. $$
• Watertown, NY, 1892. Watertown, NY: J. C. Kimball, 1892. $$
• 1893 Kimball’s Jefferson county New York directory
• 1918 Jefferson County Farm Directory and Reference Book

Genealogy of Jefferson County New York

• Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson County New York
  • Vol 1
  • Vol 2
• 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

• Old Fulton NY Newspapers
  • Adams New York
    • Adams Herald 1876-1877
    • Jefferson County Journal
  • Clayton
    • On the St. Lawrence and Clayton Independent 1890-1891
  • Watertown
    • New York Reformer 1850-1863
• NYS Historic Newspapers
  • Cape Vincent
    • Cape Vincent eagle. (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) 188?-1951
    • Cape Vincent eagle. (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) 1872-18??
    • The Cape-Vincent gazette. (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) 1858-1862
    • The Democratic eagle. (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) 18??-188?
    • Frontier patriot. (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) 1862-186?
  • Watertown
    • The Cannon. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1992-current
    • The Cannoneer. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1965-1966
    • Jefferson Chronicle. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1991-1992
    • Jefferson Community News. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1964-1964
    • The New York reformer. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1850-1867
    • Northern New York journal. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1849-1866
    • Northern New York semi-weekly journal. (Watertown, N.Y.) 186?-186?
    • Northern New York weekly journal. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1866-1868
    • Northern state journal. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1846-1849
    • The Watertown herald. (Watertown, Jefferson County, N.Y.) 1886-191?
    • Watertown re-union. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1866-1918
    • Watertown times. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1890-1894
    • The Word. (Watertown, N.Y.) 1966-1989

History of Jefferson County New York

• Jefferson County New York Prior to 1797
• 1854 A history of Jefferson County in the state of New York
• 1878 History of Jefferson County NY – Everts and Holcomb
  • History of Adams New York
• Child’s Geographical Gazetteer of Jefferson County, N.Y., 1685-1890
  • Adams New York History from Childs 1890 Gazetteer
  • Brownville New York History from Childs 1890 Gazetteer
• The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894
• Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, 1898
• Jefferson County New York centennial, 1905: speeches, addresses and stories of the towns
• The History of Penet Square
  And herein a brief sketch of the life, character and operations of Peter Penet: an address delivered on the occasion of the observance of the centennial of Jefferson County, New York, at Watertown, N.Y., on June 22, 1905.
• The North Country
  A history embracing Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Lewis and Franklin Counties, New York.
  • Volume 1
  • Volume 2
  • Volume 3
• Folk-stories of the northern border. By Frank D. Rogers.
  “Annals of the American settlers of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario regions, once popularly known as the Black River country.”–Pref. The localities mentioned appear to be mainly in Jefferson County, N.Y.
• The Sapbush Run, an informal history of the Black River & Utica Railroad.
• Cape Vincent and its History
  Casler, Nelie Horton. Cape Vincent and its history. Watertown, N.Y.: Hungerford-Holbrook, 1906.
• A brief historical sketch of Carthage, New York $$
  A brief historical sketch of Carthage, New York. Carthage, N.Y.?: Carthage Chamber of Commerce, 1986.
• 150 Years of Watertown $$
  Landon, Harry F. 150 years of Watertown. Watertown, N.Y.: Watertown Daily Times, 1950. The history has been prepared largely from original sources, from old journals and recollections of the pioneers but principally from Watertown newpapers from 1817 to date.
• Outline of the object, work, condition, and needs of the society $$
  Some historic facts and pictures of Jefferson County and the city of Watertown. Watertown, N.Y.?: A.W. Munk, 1928.
• Watertown, N.Y.
  A history of its settlement and progress, with a description of its commercial advantages: as a manufacturing point, its location, its unsurpassed water power, its industries and general features of attraction to capitalists and manufacturers.
• Watertown and its mile of saloons $$
  An economical and scientific study of a local matter of vital interest. Waterford, N.Y.: Hungerford-Holbrook, 1915?
• Through Eleven Decades of History $$
  Monroe, Joel Henry. Through eleven decades of history: Watertown, a history from 1800 to 1912 with illustrations and many incidents. Watertown, N.Y.: Hungerford-Holbrook, 1912.
• Memories of the Old Homestead
  Lyman, Henry H. Memories of the old homestead. Oswego, N.Y.: R.J. Oliphant, 1900.
• A souvenir of the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River from Kingston and Cape Vincent to Morristown and Brockville
  With their recorded history from the earliest times, their legends, their romances, their fortifications, and their contests: including both the American and Canadian channels. Alexandria Bay, N.Y.: J.A. Haddock, 1896.
• 1000 Island House, season of ’86  $$
  Alexandria Bay, River St. Lawrence. New York?: unknown, 1886.
• Historical Sacket [sic] Harbor museum and Madison Barracks $$
  Located at the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the Roosevelt Highway. Watertown, N.Y.?: unknown, 1986. First published in 1948.

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

• Picturesque Watertown, N.Y.
• Views of Watertown, N.Y., and its picturesque park

Military Records of Jefferson County New York

• Brownville Co. K 35th Regiment New York Infantry
• Jefferson County in the World War
  A record of the activities of the various organizations and individuals who devoted their energies to the cause of freedom in the great conflict of 1914-1918, compiled by George W. Reeves. (Watertown, N. Y.: Hungerford-Holbrook, 1920)

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.

• Adams
  • James R. Adams House at Adams Cove
  • Andrew Blackstone House in Adams
  • John C. Cooper House near Adams
  • Syms A. Merriam House in Adams
  • The Morton Home in Adams
  • David Smith House in Adams
  • Philander Smith House in Adams
  • Joseph Sterling House in Adams
  • Willis A. Waite Residence in Adams
  • Historic Brick Mansion in Adams
• Adams Center
  • Mrs Lloyd H Casler house – east of Talcott’s on the Watertown-Syracuse Rd.
  • Denny House near Talcott’s Tavern
  • Former Tavern near Talcott’s Falls on Adams Center Road
  • Heman Colton House on North Harbor Road
  • Luman Arms House at Adams Center
  • Jonathan Davis Store in Adams Center
• Antwerp
  • Luther Conklin House in Antwerp
  • Copeland House on VanBuren Street, Antwerp
  • The Keene House in Town of Antwerp
  • Ira Hinsdale House on Oxbow – Antwerp Road
• Brownville
  • Major General Jacob Brown mansion at Brownville
  • Massey Mansion at Brownville
  • Mrs James A Kilborne house at Brownville
  • Henry Brown house, relative of General Jacob Brown at Brownville
  • Dr L Otis Fox house at Brownville
  • John Lfarge, LaFargeville-Brownville Highway
  • Francis G Taylor, east side of the road to Perch river Brownville
  • Colonel Newton B Lord, Brownville
    • Colonel Newton B Lord, Brownville
  • Edwin Coffeen White mansion near Watertown (Glen Park/Brownville)
  • The Barrett Home in Brownville
  • Biggers Residence few miles out of Brownville village on the Perch Lake road
  • Schaber Residence 3 miles northeast of the village on the road from the Perch River road past the Arthur Biggers farm
  • Old Aaron Brown House west side of the Perch Lake road not far outside of Brownville village
  • Thomas L Knap Limestone House in Brownville
  • Brownville Hotel
  • Old Gilson Home – Washington St
  • Robert Mullin House on the Mullin Street road in town of Brownville
  • Daniel Hare House at Paddy Hill
  • Nicholas Lawyer House at Lawyer’s Corners on Perch River Rd
  • Calvin Britton Farm near Brownville
  • Knight House on Brownville – Perch River Road
  • John Paddock store in Brownville
  • William M Lord Farm near Brownville – probably on Evans Rd map provided
  • Alanson Skinner House northwest corner of Basin (Main St) and Franklin Streets in Brownville
  • James Wood House at Glen Park
  • Horace Skinner House in Brownville
  • Thomas Y. How House in Brownville
  • Bonny House located only a short distance west of the Clayton state highway near stone Baptist church in town of Brownville
  • James I Hunt House in Brownville
  • War of 1812 Hospital in Brownville
  • Levi Torrey Place in Brownville
  • William Stow Ely House in Brownville
  • Joseph W Brown House in Brownville
  • General Jacob Brown Mansion Doorway at Brownville
• Champion
  • Third Residence of Noadiah Hubbard at Champion
  • Hiram Hubbard stone house at Champion
  • Front Door of Hiram Hubbard Mansion at Champion
  • Wilmot House near Champion Village
  • Hiram Hubbard House at Champion
  • Amos Stebbins House on Champion Rd.
  • Whitney House near Champion Huddle
  • Granger House near Champion Village
  • Hiram Kilborn Large White Squarish Frame House in South Champion
  • Rockwood House two miles north of the hamlet of Champion and a half mile east of Champion Huddle
  • Colonel Elias Sage Brick House in South Champion
  • Dr John P Johnson Wood Frame House in Champion
  • Wait Wood Frame House Located on the old state stagecoach road
  • William Case Wood Frame House in South Champion
  • Jeremiah Babcock Wood Frame House north of Champion Huddle on the road from Champion to Great Bend
  • Andrew Colburn Wood Frame House in the Town of Champion
  • John Abbott Wood Frame House at Champion Huddle
  • Early Brick Store in Champion Village
  • Amos Stebbins Mansion Doorway on Champion Rd
• Smithville
  • John Mills, Smithville
  • Jesse Smith, Smithville
  • Austin Robbins, Smithville
  • Alva Grow mansion near Smithville
  • Former Red Brick Tavern in Smithville
  • Walsworth House near North Adams
  • Harry Tyler House at Butterville

Yearbooks of Jefferson County New York

• Adams Township
  • 1923 Adams High School Senior Annual
  • 1924 Adams High School Senior Annual
• Watertown
  • Jefferson Community College – Jeffersonian 1965-2001
  • Watertown High School Annual Yearbooks 1907-2010