ERIE COUNTY, NY HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

History of the Genesee Country (Western New York) Comprising the Counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates by Lockwood R. Doty (1925) – 662 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.09.17.1916.AR

Centennial History of Erie County, New York by Crisfield Johnson, (1876) – 524 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.09.30.2048.AR

History of Kenmore. Erie County, New York by Parkhurst, Frederick S, (1926) – 112 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.10.31.1248.AR

Erie County, New York: A Genealogical Overview

Located on the shores of Lake Erie in Western New York, Erie County is a major economic and cultural center, dominated by the city of Buffalo. Its history is inextricably linked to the Erie Canal, which transformed it into a national transportation and industrial powerhouse. It has been a gateway for westward expansion and a destination for waves of immigrants. For genealogists, its records document a diverse population and a dynamic history of growth and change.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Erie County was created from a very large neighboring county as the Niagara Frontier’s population soared.

  • 1821: County Formed: Erie County was established on April 2, 1821.
  • Parent Entity: It was formed from Niagara County.
  • Subsequent Formations: None.
  • Name Origin: Named for Lake Erie, which in turn was named for the Erie people, a Native American tribe that lived in the area before being displaced by the Haudenosaunee.
  • County Seat History: Buffalo has been the county seat since the county’s formation.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The area was the territory of the Seneca Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
  • Holland Land Purchase: The entire county was part of the Holland Land Purchase. Joseph Ellicott laid out the village of New Amsterdam (which became Buffalo) in 1804. Settlement by pioneers from New England and Pennsylvania began in the early 1800s.
  • War of 1812: Buffalo and the surrounding area were a central theater of the war. The village of Buffalo was burned to the ground by British forces in December 1813.
  • Key Historical Events:
    • Erie Canal: The completion of the canal in 1825, with its western terminus at Buffalo, was the single most important event in the county’s history. It sparked explosive growth, making Buffalo a major port and center for grain milling and commerce.
    • Industrial Powerhouse: Fueled by hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls, Buffalo became a leader in steel production, automobile manufacturing, and other heavy industries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
    • Immigration Gateway: Buffalo’s industrial jobs attracted massive numbers of immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Poland, Italy, and many other nations, creating diverse ethnic neighborhoods.
    • Presidential History: Millard Fillmore lived in and represented the area. William McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo during the Pan-American Exposition of 1901, leading to Theodore Roosevelt’s inauguration there.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

  • County Courthouse: The Erie County Clerk’s Office is located in Buffalo, NY.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth, Marriage, and Death Records: Statewide registration began in 1880. Buffalo city records are available from earlier dates.
  • Essential Records and Archives:
    • Buffalo & Erie County Public Library: The Grosvenor Room is the library’s special collection of genealogy and local history and is one of the premier genealogical research centers in the state.
    • Buffalo History Museum: Maintains extensive archives, including manuscripts, photographs, and records related to the region’s history.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Western New York Genealogical Society: A large and active society based in the region.
    • Many local historical societies exist in the towns and villages outside of Buffalo.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Niagara County (north)
    • Wyoming County (east)
    • Genesee County (east)
    • Cattaraugus County (south)
    • Chautauqua County (southwest)
    • Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada (west, across the Niagara River)

Please share any resources you have and will do lookups or links to resources you are aware of. Thanks