New York State Historical Records Survey Inventory of County Records

Alphabetic by county, then arranged by county office.

This series consists primarily of inventory forms completed by Historical Records Survey workers for each series of records surveyed in upstate county offices.

The initial survey of county records was undertaken in 1936-1937 and forms were prepared for each series at that time. In preparation for publishing county inventories the forms were reviewed, information rechecked in the field, and new forms prepared in 1938-1941. The review process included "condensing" the information on survey forms into entries for the published inventories. Those entries are often attached to survey forms.

The files for each county contain all or some of the following: progress sheet listing survey, review, and editorial stages completed for each county office; correspondence relating to the transmittal of survey forms; handwritten survey forms prepared by field workers; typewritten copies of above forms, often with attached sheets listing questions or problems that arose during review of the forms (often in multiple copies); and historical sketches of county offices.

Five different forms were used to record information on series: 1) Volumes Form (12 HR); 2) Unbound Records Form (13 HR); 3) Volumes and Unbound Records Form (12-13 HR); 4) Maps and Photographs Form (15 HR); and 5) Buildings Forms (10 HR) (occasionally present).

Separate forms for volumes and unbound records were used during the initial survey in 1936-1937; in 1938 these forms were combined. These forms provide the following information about a single series of records: creating agency and subdivision; title; dates and quantity; dates of gaps; sizes of storage containers, bundles, or volumes; description of contents; indexing and arrangement; physical condition; and location (buildings and rooms).

The maps and photographs form provides similar information, although it contains additional information on authorship, publication, and format of the records.

The buildings form provides information on the size, construction, and storage conditions of rooms or vaults used for records storage. Some include floor plans or diagrams.

The survey of county records reached different stages of completion in different counties. Inventories for six counties were published: Albany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, and Ulster. The following county offices were included in the survey: board of supervisors; courts (civil and criminal); county clerk; surrogate; children's court; commissioner of jurors; sheriff; district attorney; county attorney; probation officer; county treasurer; comptroller; auditor; purchasing agent; commissioner of public welfare; tuberculosis hospital; county nurse; county laboratory; county veterinarian; highway department; board of elections; sealer of weights and measures; alcoholic beverage control board; farm bureau; home bureau; and 4-H club.

Container list.

These records were deposited by the Historical Records Survey in the State Library in 1942. Subsequently, they were transferred to the State Archives as boxes 1-30, 43, 46 of old collection #550E, accession number -372.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.