An Important Message From Marge:

One question that I have received in the past is, "What resources do we have in Wayne County?" In response to all of you, listed below are some names and addresses of places I would have referred you to and you can write to.

For surrogate records, family file information, wills, intestate administrations (died without a will), local histories, some church records (on microfilm), and other like assistance, please write to the following:

Office of the County Historian, Wayne County NY
9 Pearl Street, Suite 3
Lyons, NY 14489-1138

The website of the Office of the County Historian has more information, terrific articles, and a form to order research! There is also a list of all current town and village historians, with contact information. http://www.co.wayne.ny.us/Departments/historian/historian.htm

***** Click here to access further information about research policies and FEES
and the WAYNE COUNTY HISTORIAN'S OFFICE Genealogy Search Request form. *****

For DEEDS, MORTGAGES, AND LAND RECORDS, please contact the:

Wayne County Clerk's Office
Wayne County Clerk's Office
9 Pearl Street
Lyons NY 14489-0608

***** Click here to access further information about research policies and FEES
and the WAYNE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Genealogy Search Request form. *****

The Palmyra Family History Center is an important stop during your personal genealogy trip to Wayne County!
The hours are:
Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday: 1 to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2801 Temple Road
Rear entrance at north end of building

Everyone welcome to come and use these facilities.

I thought that you would be interested in knowing about the Family History Center opening. Thank you for all you do to further the work of finding those who came before us.

Dee Amsden, Director
315-597-1404

For local histories, old newspaper listings on marriages, cemetery listings, old maps and atlas books, deaths, poorhouse records, and possible names of other persons researching your family, you can visit the Palmyra library. Their address is as follows:

The Palmyra Kings Daughters Free Library
127 Cuyler Street
Palmyra, NY 14522

A few other Important Addresses

Clyde-Savannah Public Library
220 Glasgow St
Clyde, NY 14433
315-923-7767
Email: sayers@pls-net.org Please send a S.A.S.E. if writing; Lori Disanto is head librarian.

The Town Historian for Savannah is:
John Spellman
P.O. Box 61
Savannah NY 13146

Free Look-ups - Wayne County History Books
and Reference Material

Volunteers will respond to your request more promptly if you ask for only one specific individual or couple when requesting a look-up, rather than "Do you have any information on the Smith Family". Be patient in waiting for a response and be sure and thank the volunteer for their time after they answer you. That "Thank You in Advance" business is impolite as it implies that you won't bother to thank someone after they take time out of their busy day to assist you.

Barbara Herlan "History of Macedon Academy -- 1841 -- 1891" , complied by the Alumni of Macedon Academy. Mail Stream Printing House, Fairport, NY. 1892.

Barbara Herlan "Landmarks of Wayne County New York" edited by Hon. George w. Cowles of Clyde, NY. published in Syracuse NY, D. Mason & Company, Publishers. 1895. page 60.

Barbara Herlan "Laphams in America", compiled by Bertha Bortle Beal Aldridge. 1932 - 1953. Page 107, family #77.

Barbara Herlan "Pioneers of Macedon and other papers of the Macedon Center Historical Society" , compiled by Mary Louise Eldredge. 1912.

Barbara Herlan also has done extensive genealogical research on the Hance and Packard families of Macedon from 1800 to the present and will share information on these families. The Hance family is from Calvert County, MD and I have them from 1659-1800. The Packard family is from Cummington, Hampshire Co., MA 1638-1800.

Janet Chaney "Rose Neighborhood Sketches", by Alfred S. Roe, published in 1893. It is a great resource for people researching in the Town of Rose. It was the result of Mr. Roe's efforts to visit nearly all the families living in the town of Rose, and compile an account of individuals, relationships, and stories of some of the "old timers" of the time, i.e. the early settlers. Also included is general information on the agriculture and industry of the area. Janet will do lookups for specific names.

If you know your ancestor was in the Civil War serving from Wayne County, but you're not sure which regiment, Gary Welch has a copy of the roster of the Ninth New York Heavy Artillery from the book by Alfred Seelye Roe and will do lookups. This regiment was raised in 1862 with recruits coming primarily from Wayne and Cayuga Counties. The regiment is long and alphabetized by companies, taking time to go though, so please ask for specific individuals only, not just anyone of a surname. "Since there were 11 companies, please try to give as much information as possible. Officers are listed separately for each company. Besides the names there are 1-3 lines for each soldier with place and date of enlistment, muster-out date, and date and place of death if the soldier died while in the service." Gary also tell us that: " Two of my g-g-grandfathers, John Welch and John Kinsella, were in Co. K of the 9th. Both were Irish immigrants who settled in Clyde. I have a picture of John Kinsella in his uniform, George has it posted on his site. He was wounded in the foot and received a 1/4 pension."