Ancestral Roots
We take pride in helping you learn about your heritage.
Send your genealogy questions and information to us via email at info@cchsmcclurg.org or call us at (716) 326-2977 to make an appointment with someone who can assist you.
Available Genealogies
Click below to download an index of genealogies available at the McClurg Museum. The index is alphabetical by family name.
Chautauqua County Family Bibles
Family bibles are often a source for valuable genealogical information since they documented the lineage of early county families. Use the button below to download an alphabetical index of scanned family bibles or scroll down to download PDF scans of specific family bibles.
Chautauqua Genealogical Society
The CGS identifies, records, and makes available genealogical records relating to Chautauqua County and publishes available records in various forms.
Fenton History Center Genealogy Support Group
The Fenton Genealogy Support Group assists experienced and amateur researchers by acting as an educational resource to its members.
Additional Genealogy Resources
The subscription-based service Ancestry.com is considered one of the most versatile and trusted genealogy sites for family historians.
Records from several cemeteries in Chautauqua County can be accessed here. Records maintained by churches primarily in Cherry Creek, Dunkirk, Forestville, Fredonia, and Laona can be found here.
Lois and Norwood Barris published more than 50 books pertaining to Chautauqua County genealogy. They extracted genealogical information from thousands of pages of local newspapers, census records, tax rolls, and church and cemetery records. These publications, and extractions of additonal miscellaneous records, are compiled here.
Family Search, a free website that offers genealogical records, education, and software, is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Records are available from Pioneer Cemetery, formerly known as "The Fredonia Cemetery" or "The Old Burying Grounds." The cemetery, reputedly begun in 1808, is located on East Main Street in the village of Fredonia. The first surviving index and a map of known interments were compiled by village engineer E. A. Wilder in 1908-09. His database was enhanced by Jack Blodgett's reading in the 1970s, and by Douglas Shepard's reading in 2006.
The USGenWeb Project provides free online genealogical research resources.
Introducing children and youth to genealogy is a rewarding experience for all involved. Resources on how to get started on a family history project can be found at AAA State of Play.