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Westchester County, NY |
PURCHASE
This page was last updated: Saturday, 15-Aug-2009 13:04:45 MDT
«Cemeteries » « Maps » «Library » «Town Web Site» « Census » « Directories »
«Bibliography » « Cultural and/or Historical sites » « Renowned Residents »
«Surnames » «Other Institutions of Genealogical Interest » «Military info » «Loyalists»
«Picture Gallery» « Surname Query and Links»
«Town Index List» «Main County Page»
History
In 1697, John Harrison of Flushing (Long Island), New York, was awarded a patent from New York's Provincial Governor. This tract of land became known as Harrison's Purchase. A more detailed history of Harrison's Purchase can be found in Scharf's History of Westchester County.....
The upper half of Harrison's Purchase was originally settled by Quakers around 1724. Although settled early, little development took place until 1890's.
Vital Records
- Town Clerk's office
- Municipal Building
- 1 Heineman Place, Harrison, NY
- Phone: 914-835-2000
- County Records
For more information at a county level, see the NYGenWeb Westchester County Resources page as well as the main site page.
- Naturalizations
For an index of naturalizations within the county, see the web pages of the Westchester County Archives.
- NY State Vital Records
The web page for the New York State Dept. of Health can be found at http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/consumer/vr.htm. Also, check out the following web pages: http://www.vitalchek.com/us/ny.html
Also, see if there is any additional information on the Vital Records page at this site.
Historical Society
Charles Dawson History Center of Harrison
- 2 Madison Street, West Harrison, NY 10604
- Phone: 914-948-2550
The History Center is located in the same building as the library and it has local histories as well as some biographical information on local families. Research at the History Center must be done in person only.
Don't overlook the many resources held at the Westchester County Historical Society.
Churches and
Synagogues
- Quaker Meeting House, Religious Society of Friends
- Corner Lake & Purchase Streets, Purchase, NY 10577; Phone: 914-946-0206
- Roman Catholic
- Roman catholic churches in Westchester county are under the juridiction of the Archdiocese of New York. You can search their parish listing at the following web page:
http://www.ny-archdiocese.org/pastoral/parishes.cfm
- Episcopal Churches -- New York
- See a list of Episcopal Churches in New Yorkhttp://www.episcopalchurch.org/webpages/p2.html#NewYork or use their Parish Finder search engine.
Cemeteries
- Anderson Hill Burial Cemetery
- Anderson Hill Road, Purchase
- Quaker Cemetery
- Adjacent to Quaker Meeting House
- Thomas Family Cemetery
- Lincoln Ave., Purchase; on SUNY campus behind Neuberger Museum
- Also see the listings under Harrison.
Transcribed Cemetery Inscriptions
Carretta, Katherine A., compiler. A Guide to Listings of Old Cemetery Inscriptions and other Genealogical Aids for Westchester County, New York. [Westchester County Historical Society, 1977]
Eardeley, William A., compiler. Westchester County, New York, Cemeteries... 1704-1914. [Brooklyn, 1914]. Contains inscriptions on tombs from Armonk, Bedford, Westchester, Croton, Mt. Kisco, Chestnut Ridge, Harrison, Mamaroneck, and Eastchester. Copy available at New York Public Library's Genealogical & Local History Room.
Horton, William P. Cemetery Inscriptions of Westchester County, NY. [Peekskill, NY: 1928] Copy available at New York Public Library's Genealogical & Local History Room.
Manville, Margaret. Revolutionary War Soldiers buried in Cemeteries in Westchester County, New York. [White Plains, NY: 1966] Copy available at New York Public Library's Genealogical & Local History Room.
Spies, Francis F. Inscriptions copied from gravestones in West Chester County yards with genealogical notes. Copy available at New York Public Library's Genealogical & Local History Room.
Spies, Francis F. Inscriptions copies from Quaker burying grounds, with notes.... Copy available at New York Public Library's Genealogical & Local History Room.
The Westchester County Historical Society also has extensive manuscripts giving inventories of many old cemeteries located throughout the County. Also check with the local historical society for information about the above cemeteries.
Have you looked at the cemetery listings here at the Westchester NYGenWeb site?
Maps
The Sanborn Map Company has issued Insurance maps of the town of Port Chester, New York (including Town of Rye, City of Rye, and Town of Harrison) [1934], copies of which are available in the Map Division of the New York Public Library. Insurance maps were detailed to the point of showing each building on each street so that insurance companies knew what to pay the insurer in the event of fire or destruction.
Many town historical societies hold maps of their vicinities, including copies of the Sanborn insurance maps. Be sure to inquire at such institutions as well as at local libraries.
Also, see additional information on the Maps page at this Westchester site.
Library
Purchase Free Library
- Purchase Street, Purchase, NY 10577
- Phone: 914-948-0550
Town Web Site
We are not aware of any town web site at this time. However, if you know of one, please please contact the county coordinator for this web site.with its web address.
Census Information
New York State Census
The only NY State censuses which survived are for the years 1905, 1915, and 1925. Check at your local LDS Family History Center for these films.
Federal Census
Fuller, Elizabeth Griffen. Index to Westchester County Names in the Federal Censuses, 1790-1840 [Elmsford: Westchester Cty. Historical Society] 1994.
Some census information for Westchester county can be found at the Census page.
Directories
Also see the City Directories page on this Westchester Site.
If you know of any directories for this town, please please contact the county coordinator for this web site.about adding that information to this page.
Annotated Bibliography
Baird, Charles W. Chronicle of a Border Town: History of Rye, 1660-1870. Includes history of White Plains and Harrison until 1788. [Harbor Hills, reprint c. 1983.]
Delaney, Gretchen E. Purchase, New York: a history...
Fuller, Elizabeth Griffen. Index to Westchester County Names in the Federal Censuses, 1790-1840 [Elmsford: Westchester Cty. Historical Society] 1994.
Fuller, Elizabeth Griffen. Index of Personal Names in J. Thomas Scharf's "History of Westchester County, New York...."
Pelletreau, William S., Am. M. Early Wills of Westchester County, New York 1664-1784 Pub. 1898. Cornell University Library has scanned this book and placed it on the web at the following address: http://moa.cit.cornell.edu/MOA/bookp.html
For other books containing information related to this town but covering a county-wide level, see the County section of the Bibliography page.
Cultural and/or Historical sites
If you have any such information relating to this location, please contact the county coordinator for this web site.
Renowned Residents
If you know of any notable residents from this town, please please contact the county coordinator for this web site.about adding them to this section and please identify when the person resided here as well as why you consider them to be notable.
Other Institutions of Genealogical Interest
Westchester County Genealogical Society
The Westchester County Genealogical Society has been publishing a series of articles in their monthly newsletter for some time which gives an overview of each town within the county. This Focus on Harrison/West Harrison/Purchase [WCGS Newsletter, Oct. 1997] series includes a brief history of the town, a listing of some houses of worship, some cemeteries and often a bibliography. See the information about ordering back issues of the newsletter.
If you know any additional information relating to this town, please please contact the county coordinator for this web site.about adding it to this page.
Military Info
See the Military & War Links page for more information.
As we find information relating specifically to this town, we'll post it here. If you have any such information or know of other web pages to link to, please please contact the county coordinator for this web site.with particulars.
Loyalist Info
Have you a Loyalist in your family tree? If so, the Loyalist page may be of interest to you. If you have any specific information relating to this town and loyalists, please contact the county coordinator for this web site. about adding the information to this page.
Picture Gallery
If you have a scanned picture relating to any location within Westchester and would like to add it to this site, please please contact the county coordinator for this web site.with particulars.
Some Surnames associated with this town
See the Surname Web Pages for links to web pages of researchers in Westchester but not specifically associated with this town.
Query & Message Boards
Rootsweb.com has Some Query boards where you can post a query for others to view. Or join the Westchester mailing list and correspond with other Westchester researchers.
Return to Westchester County's Town Index page.
Return to the main page for Westchester County at NYGenWeb.
Return to the NYGenWeb web site.
© 1996-2008 Cathy Horn. All rights reserved.
This web site was designed by and has been exclusively maintained since November 1996 by Cathy Horn.