Allegany County Marriage Records

Allegany County marriage records are available from the County Clerk's office in Belmont and from town clerks across the county's many rural municipalities. The county clerk holds marriage records from 1908 through April 1935 only. For any marriage license issued after that date, you must contact the town or city clerk where the couple purchased the license. Allegany County sits in the western part of New York, and its small towns each manage their own vital records independently.

Allegany County Clerk and Marriage Records

The Allegany County Clerk is at 7 Court Street in Belmont, NY 14813. You can call them at (585) 268-9270. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. This is where you go for marriage records from 1908 through April 1935. The county also has court records going back to 1806, which can be useful for genealogy research that involves marriage-related legal proceedings.

For marriage records after April 1935, the county clerk cannot help you. New York changed its system at that point. The state stopped routing marriage records through county clerks and made local town clerks the sole keepers of these records. That means if a couple got their license in Wellsville, you contact the Wellsville town clerk. If they got it in Cuba, you call the Cuba town clerk. Each municipality keeps its own records.

Allegany County also has a collection of state census books. These cover the years 1850, 1855, 1860, 1865, 1870, 1875, 1880, 1892, 1905, 1915, and 1925. A certified copy from these census records costs $5. While census records do not contain marriage certificates, they often list marital status and can help confirm whether a marriage took place during a certain time period. Researchers use these alongside marriage records to build a fuller picture.

How to Request Allegany County Marriage Records

If you need a marriage record from Allegany County, the first step is figuring out when and where the marriage took place. For records between 1908 and April 1935, contact the Allegany County Clerk at (585) 268-9270. They can search by name and provide certified copies. The fee is $10 per copy from the county clerk.

For records after 1935, you need to know which town issued the license. Allegany County has over 20 municipalities, so this can take some detective work. If you have no idea where the license was issued, the New York State Department of Health can do a statewide search. Their mail-in fee is $30, and online orders cost $45 plus processing. Mail requests go to the Vital Records Certification Unit at P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Expect 8 to 10 weeks for processing.

You can also try the New York State Archives for marriage indexes. These go back to 1881 and cover the entire state outside New York City. Indexes older than 50 years are open to the public. The archives are in Albany, which is a long drive from Allegany County, but you can request searches by mail as well.

Getting a Marriage License in Allegany County

Any town clerk in Allegany County can issue a marriage license. The fee is $40 statewide. Both people must show up in person with valid photo ID and proof of age. Under Domestic Relations Law Section 15, there is a mandatory 24-hour waiting period after the license is issued. The license then remains valid for 60 days.

If either person was married before, you need to bring proof that the previous marriage ended. That means a certified divorce decree or a death certificate for the former spouse. The clerk will ask about prior marriages on the application form. New York requires both parties to be at least 18. There are no blood test requirements in the state.

The license is valid anywhere in New York. You do not have to get married in Allegany County just because you bought the license there. Couples sometimes get their license at a nearby town clerk and then hold the ceremony at a different location. The officiant must return the signed marriage certificate to the clerk who issued the license within five days of the ceremony.

Towns and Municipalities in Allegany County

Allegany County has a large number of small towns spread across its rural landscape. Each town clerk handles marriage licenses and keeps records for their jurisdiction. The towns include Alma, Alfred, Allen, Almond, Angelica, Belfast, Birdsall, Bolivar, Burns, Caneadea, Centerville, Cuba, Friendship, Genesee, Granger, Grove, Hume, Independence, New Hudson, Rushford, Scio, Ward, Wellsville, and West Almond.

Wellsville is the largest community in the county. Its town clerk handles more marriage licenses than most other Allegany County towns. Cuba and Alfred are also somewhat larger. Most other towns are quite small, and their clerks may keep limited office hours. Always call ahead before visiting a rural town clerk in Allegany County. Some only have set hours a few days per week.

Allegany County Marriage Records for Genealogy

Genealogists searching Allegany County have several options. The county clerk's 1908 to 1935 records are a good starting point. The census books on file at the clerk's office add context. Court records going back to 1806 sometimes mention marriages in connection with property or estate cases. For church records, local historical societies in Allegany County can point you in the right direction.

The NY.gov marriage page has general information about the process statewide. For historical research, the state archives and the state library in Albany are the most complete resources. The library has microfiche copies of marriage indexes that you can browse in person at their genealogy desk. Online, FamilySearch.org has some digitized New York marriage records, though coverage varies by county and time period.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Allegany County. Each has its own clerk handling marriage records.