One Of A Kind Databases

One-Of-A-Kind Searchable Online Databases

** If you’d like to request a copy of any of these records please email the department at lhg@onlib.org, noting the following information: **

  • In your email include the results of your search – including complete name of your ancestor(s) and the citation
  • Some resources are available electronically and can be emailed to you
  • Many are only available in print; photocopies can be made at a fee of .25 cents per page and a $1 mailing fee
  • While these fees help to defray the actual costs, donations are also gratefully accepted
  • Please feel free to contact us with any questions or help using these databases

 Databases

Search Across Multiple Databases

OR Search Individual Databases

1855 New York State Census for Onondaga County 
Index to the 1855 NY State Census for Syracuse and a partial index to towns in Onondaga County. Records include: head-of-household; visitation number; ward or election district (5,432 records)
** Microfilm of the complete 1855 NYS Census for Onondaga County can be viewed in the LHG Department.

1865 New York State Census for Onondaga County 
Index to the 1865 NY State Census for Syracuse and a partial index to towns in Onondaga County. Records include: head-of-household; visitation number; ward or election district (8,143 records)
** Microfilm of the complete 1865 NYS Census for Onondaga County can be viewed in the LHG Department.

Civil War
In 1909 Mrs. Harriet G. Schwartz, motivated by her desire to honor local Union veterans of the Civil War, combed the New York State Adjutant-General Reports along with provost marshals’ and town clerks’ records to compile a list of men enlisting from, or crediting to, Onondaga County. Her remarkable efforts are the basis of this list containing over 11,000 names of men serving in the war from Onondaga County. The project complemented a grander plan, spearheaded by Mrs. Schwartz with the support of veterans’ groups and Onondaga County, to construct a permanent memorial to local Civil War veterans. In 1910 the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Syracuse’s Clinton Square was officially dedicated. In 2001 the late Robert Nostrant compiled and transcribed for digital access the database shared here.

Local News
The library’s holdings of newsletters and publications produced by organizations, agencies and businesses in Syracuse and Onondaga County. Included are periodicals by local social service and non-profit associations, governmental entities, religious groups and private industries.

Necrology 
This database is a list of deaths mostly of Onondaga County residents.  Many sources are included here; some are WPA records, Minnie Kellogg’s deaths from Syracuse newspapers and directories between 1850-1880, obituaries from Syracuse newspapers and more.  The majority of deaths occurred before 1900.

Obituary Clippings 
Index to the Local History/Genealogy Department's collection of selective obituaries clipped from the Syracuse newspapers for 1862 through 1992.  May include other events, i.e. marriages and probate.  If you'd like a copy of the actual clipping, contact the Local History/Genealogy department at 315.435.1900 or lhg@onlib.org

Onondaga Families
A listing of surname files containing genealogies, manuscripts and correspondence on individual Onondaga County families. The files include donated materials and responses to written genealogy queries collected by the library over the past 100 years.

St. Joseph's Cemetery
Names and dates of interments at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, located at the intersection of Pond and First North streets on Syracuse’s Northside. Established in 1859 by Assumption Catholic Church, the cemetery contained more than 6,000 burials before its closure in the mid-1960s. All remains, the majority unidentified, were transferred to Assumption Cemetery on Court Street in 1966. Information for the database was transcribed from parish records by R. ‘Pat’ Markert and by funeral director Herbert N. Lozott who recorded the identifiable remains.

Timeline 
Compiled from Schramm's "River of Time," Chase's "Syracuse & Environs," and input from Local History/Genealogy staff, this database reflects major local events from 1654 through 1994. (1,846 records to date)

Vitals
This database is an index to LH/G Department's extensive church records holdings and newspaper abstracts; often includes names of parents and siblings. (10,632 records)

Woodlawn Cemetery 
One of the largest cemeteries in Onondaga County located on the east side of the city of Syracuse.  The Woodlawn database contains burial information on local residents, with selective deaths covering the period from 1838 through 1999.  Records include: name, date of death, lot and section number.  (46,034 records)

WPA Files 
This index was done during the Great Depression by Works Progress Administration workers, who compiled a card index of newspaper items of general and historic value to Syracuse and Onondaga County. The material was obtained from newspaper files of the Syracuse Public Library and newspaper files of the Historical Scrap Books of the Onondaga Historical Association. The index covers the years 1814-1900 inclusive. (52,882 records to date)