BuffaloResearch.com--has
links to old maps, online books, architecture, businesses, fiction,
pictures, and more, all things Buffalo
The
Buffalonian--full-text articles about a variety of major and minor
events from Buffalo's past, along with a photo gallery, forum, upcoming
events, and more
History
of Neighborhoods in Buffalo--they're all here: Black Rock,
Riverside, Grant/Amherst, Cold Springs, Fruit Belt, Allentown, Lovejoy,
and more.
Buffalo
in the 1840s--some sketches from UB
Today, the alumni
magazine of the University of Buffalo
City
of
Buffalo in 1860--copied from French's Gazetteer.
Provides descriptions of topography, history, schools, charities,
associations & societies, churches, commerce & trade,
manufacturers, etc.
TonaRoots--a
webpage to aid genealogical research in the Tonawandas area of New York
State
Erie
County Cities & Towns in 1860, as described in French's
Gazetteer, a reference book that is so reliable that librarians
still consult it today
New
York
Town Histories--the Erie County section has the full text of town
histories from Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on
Erie County, by Truman White (1898).
Erie
County Off-Line Sources--lists books and microforms of
interest to those researching ancestors in Erie County. The Buffalo
& Erie County
Public Library and the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society
probably own all of these titles.
All
links with
searchable names have been moved to Vital Records.
The links below give other kinds of information, such as maps, contact
names & addresses, histories etc.
Buffalo Funeral
Homes currently in business, brought to you by
Preplannet, inc. There are about 75 funeral directors listed here, some
with links.
Cemetery
Maps of Buffalo--actually, maps of Pine Hill in
Cheektowaga,
Mount Olivet in Kenmore, and Forest Lawn in Buffalo. Brought to you by
the Schwert Family website.
Buffalo
(and area) Cemeteries in 1879--William Hodge's list,
transcribed by Kathy Kopp. A good list of cemeteries known to have
existed in the city of Buffalo up to 1879.
Buffalo's
Cemeteries--a historical article from 1884, reprinted at
Buffalonian.com
Cemetery
List--a mega-list of cemeteries and their addresses in New York
state, compiled by the Department of State, which oversees cemeteries
in New York. It is not complete but it is long enough to print out at
about 55 pages. The addresses are for mail or business rather than the
physical cemetery location, which increases the chance that a request
for a record might actually get delivered and seen by someone.
The
good news
for those who can afford to subscribe is that Ancestry.com has digitized U.S.
census images from 1790 to 1930.
Free census links with personal names are now available at my Vital Records page. For a lengthier
discussion
of
local censuses, see the FAQ page.
Erie
County Censuses--A list of existing Federal and State censuses,
1790-1925. Only tiny portions of local censuses are online for
free because, understandably, few volunteers are eager transcribe
millions of names from miles of microfilm.
Erie
County, New York Federal Census Index--a list of existing census
microfilms that are waiting to be adopted and transcribed by people
just
like you. Until the names are online, though, use this site to figure
out
what wards, towns, and enumerations districts are on each roll of Erie
County census film.
Erie
County, NY Federal & State Censuses--a list of censuses,
1850-1925, giving the ward numbers, NARA film numbers, and LDS film
numbers for existing microfilms. No personal names at this site.
New York
State Censuses--Chris Andrle shows what questions were
asked
by NY State, 1825-1925. The oldest surviving NY State census for Erie
County is 1855.
Burned-Over
District--a good article about four of the best-known
figures associated with the religious passions that swept over
Western New York after the opening of the Erie Canal
Church
Records on Microfilm at the Buffalo & Erie County Public
Library. This list was put online by a volunteer, not the Library
itself, and is incomplete and outdated.
Buffalo's Faith
Elevators--current pictures from First Presbyterian
on Symphony Circle, St. Adalbert's, Delaware Ave. Methodist Episcopal,
St.
Louis, St. Stanislaus, and others.
Afro-Americans
in
New York Life
and History--a scholarly journal that is published twice a year by
the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier and
contains a lot of local content
Buffalo
Chinese Communities--History of an underdocumented ethnic group,
care of the New York State Archives
Genesee
Area Genealogical Society--serving people from Genesee,
Wyoming, Ontario, Erie and Livingston counties as well as many others
from around the country
San Fele Association of
Western NY--a significant number of Italian-Americans
in the Buffalo area can trace their heritage to the village of San Fele
in the
province of Potenza in Italy. This site has a name list of about 200
surnames
which might have a San Fele connection.
Virtual Rolodex
for Buffalo Researchers--an alphabetical list of over 100 local
genealogical societies, historical organizations, and town historians without
websites
Erie Lackawanna Historical
& Technical Society--dedicated to disseminating the history and
information of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, the
Erie Railroad, the Erie Lackawanna Railway and their constituent and
affiliated lines
Tonawanda
& Kenmore Historical Society is starting to scan
pictures and other items from their collection, with a search engine.
Just click on Search. Don't be put off by their location; I
found
a nice selection of 19th century Buffalo images when I searched on
Buffalo.
Virtual Rolodex for Buffalo
Researchers--an
alphabetical list of over 100 local genealogical societies, historical
organizations, and town historians without websites
Hospitals
in Erie County--a list of known medical facilities in Erie County,
past and present. I doubt that hospitals are required to keep patient
medical records for very long and I am certain that there are privacy
restrictions.
Erie
County Off-Line Sources--lists specific books and microforms of
interest to those researching ancestors in Erie County. The Buffalo
& Erie
County Public Library and the Buffalo & Erie County Historical
Society probably own most of these titles.
Town
of
Amherst Archives--is starting to put some town
records online. At present are minutes from town board minutes, 1974 to
present
Niagara
Falls
(NY) Public Library--included here because
out-of-towners often think that Niagara Falls is in Buffalo, when
it is actually a separate city with its own library, 25 miles away in
another county (Niagara).
WNYLibraries.org--a
new
database in which you can simultaneously search about two dozen
regional library catalogs
Member
Library Catalogs & Web Pages brought to you by the
Western NY
Library Resources Council. A huge list of public, academic, museum,
corporate, hospital, etc., libraries
Military
records of those who served in America's wars are not
stored in the city where they enlisted or fought. They are in the National Archives, whose job
it is to house the records of the US federal government, because only
the Federal Government can declare a war and draft people.
Armed
Forces News--a free monthly newspaper distributed in Western New
York
Western New York
Forts--a list arranged by city with an alphabetical index of every
fort listed
War of 1812 Bulletin
Board--since significant battles were fought on the Niagara
Frontier,
this bulletin board seems like a good place to post queries for those
who fought in this war.
War of 1812 Forum--from
Genforum. Another place to post queries
about ancestors or battles
New York
State Military Museum & Veterans Research Center--The
mission of the museum and research center is to preserve, interpret and
disseminate the story, history and records of New York State’s military
forces and veterans. Has some unit histories online.
Military
Burials by State--has a roster of men buried at Fort
Porter
and Fort Niagara. Scroll down and click on New York to see scans of the
lists.
New
York State Military Museum & Veterans Research Center--The
mission of the museum and research center is to preserve, interpret and
disseminate the story, history and records of New York State’s military
forces and veterans. Has some unit histories online.
Buffalo Folklore Etc.--has
advice on collecting family stories and properly protecting
family papers.
Buffalo Police Then
and Now--includes a small number of vintage
newspaper clippings, names of officers killed in the line of duty,
pictures of vehicles and badges, and more.
Courier-Express
Archives--the sorely missed Buffalo newspaper is not online,
but
its archives are held in the Buffalo State College Archives. Here's a
description of what they have.
Built in Buffalo: How
to Research Local Architecture--a website based
on an article I wrote for Business
First of Buffalo about how
to
research your house, office building, or place of worship, including
its original builder, owner, and/or occupants.
US Railroad Retirement
Board, Buffalo District Office--Buffalo was the nation's second
largest rail center and railroads were our largest industry at one
time.
The US Railroad Retirement Board was founded in 1936 and may have
pension
records for those employed by the railroads on or after that date.
Frequently
Asked Questions about
doing Buffalo-area genealogical research from a
distance--if what you've seen so far doesn't answer your question, give
my FAQ file a try.
Local
Links 
are highly recommended ] 
