Research

Research Requests

Fee Schedule

Note: If you live outside Cattaraugus County you will be billed for this service

Fees for research requests are set by the County Legislature range from $5.00 to $15.00 dollars for initial research.

When requesting research to be done many sources are consulted to find information. Your fees are based on the following schedule:

County census 1820 through 1880 (census from every five years): $5.00 per name, per year
1892 through 1925 (1900, and every five years after): $10.00 per name, per year
Cemetery stone abstracts: $3.00 per name
Obituary abstracts (complete from 1984 to present): $5.00 per name
Civil War information (known town or regiment): $5.00 per name
Civil War information (unknown town or regiment): $10.00 per name
Surrogate Court Records: $20.00 per name
County Histories (written in 1879 and 1893): $3.00 per name
Maps (1856, 1869, 1915 list land owners): $3.00 per town
Deeds: $5.00 each
Genealogies (on file): $5.00 per name
Marriage records (1908-1925 only): $5.00 per entry
Vital statistics (1847-1849): $3.00 per entry

Donations

Donations are always appreciated. You can mail to:

Cattaraugus County
Historical Museum & Research Library
P.O. Box 352
Machias, NY 14101

Request Form

Please use the following form for research requests.

Request Form in PDF 9 KB

If you need help opening a file please visit the Cattaraugus County help page.

Further Research Information

New York State began to record birth, marriage, and death certificates in 1880. Prior to that records were only kept for a three-year period from 1847-1849. Copies of those records are stored in our Library.

If you are looking for a birth, marriage or death certificate from about 1880 to present, (except for the marriage certificates that are housed in Cattaraugus County from 1908 to 1925), you need to go through the New York State Department of Vital Statistics. You can reach their web site by clicking here or write to them and obtain the forms at the following address:

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York 12237-0023