New York State Secretary of State Registers of Notices of Discovery of Gold and Silver Mines and Other Minerals
Statement on Language
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Overview of the Records
Repository
- New York State Archives
222 Madison Avenue
Albany, NY 12230
Summary
- This series consists of volumes depicting the ownership of various gold and silver mines discovered throughout New York State. The abstracts and later statements record discoverer's name, exact location of mine (such as county, tract and lot number), and date of statement. Many volumes have indexes.
Title
- Registers of notices of discovery of gold and silver mines and other minerals
Quantity
- 4.3 cubic feet; 23 volumes; 2 microfilm rolls 35mm
Inclusive Dates
Series Number
- A0449
Creator
Arrangement
Chronological.
Administrative History
The register was generated pursuant to Chapter 18 of the Laws of 1789, which authorized persons who discovered gold or silver mines within New York State, or who worked the same, to give notice in writing to the Secretary of State describing the nature and location of the mine.
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of twenty-two bound volumes depicting the ownership of various gold and silver mines discovered throughout New York State. The first twenty pages of volume one is an "Abstract of the Description of Gold and Silver Mines Recorded in the Deed Books in the Secretary's Office." It provides the abstract number, discoverer's name, name of county, tract and lot number in which the mine was located, the date recorded and the book and page number in which the record was recorded. These particular entries date from 1791 to 1838 with the last few undated entries appearing to have been added at a much later date.
The remaining entries in volume one and in the other 21 volumes are copies of sworn statements notifying the secretary of state's office of the discovery and location of gold and silver mines. These too provide an exact location of the mine, date of the statement, person's name and signature of the state official attesting to the veracity of the entry.
Alternate Formats Available
Microfilmed in part in 1973 at the Department of State by the Genealogical Society of Utah, microfilm reels 947116 (item 3) (volume 23, index) and 947117 (items 1-2) (volumes 1-2, 1791-1880). Cataloged as "Register of Gold and Silver Mines, 1791-1880." GSU microfilm has been digitized by FamilySearch. Images can be viewed online at FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries (including the New York State Archives and New York State Library).
Related Material
A0453Series A0453, New York State Secretary of State Record of Deeds, contains notices of discoveries of gold, silver and other minerals during the years 1791-1838, which are abstracted in this series
A0376Series A0376, New York State Secretary of State Public Notices of Discovery of Mines and Minerals in New York, contains related records.
Other Finding Aids
Many, but not all, of the volumes have their own index in the front. Volume #23 indexes volumes 1-10 only (1791-1898) and notices recorded in deed books, series A0453.
Volume list is available at the repository.
Access Restrictions
Microfilm is not available for duplication or inter-library loan.