Saturday, November 16, 2024

Ask AI: "Please Help Me Find All Useful Genealogy Resources Relevant To Albany and Saratoga Counties, New York Between the Years 1760 and 1800"

The Artificial Intelligence tools (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Meta, CoPilot and Claude) can provide much useful and nearly instant information about subjects in a concise format, especially when they have been pre-trained on a large volume of information about the subjects.

I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with information about genealogical resources for a specific locality in a specific time frame.  I chose Ballston, which was in Albany County, New York, until Saratoga County was formed in 1791.  So records and information I want about my ancestor, 5th great-grandfather  George Wakeman (1740-1815), who lived in or near Ballston in the 1770s into the 1790s may be in both counties.

Ballston is blue-dotted at the top of the present-day map image (from Randy Majors Map site), and is about 30 miles north of downtown Albany, New York and about 13 miles northeast of Schenectady. 

1)  My first Prompt was:  "You are an experienced genealogist and historian.  Please help me find all useful genealogy resources relevant to Albany and Saratoga Counties, New York between the years 1760 and 1800."

ChatGPT4 provided this response:

Here are some key resources and strategies for researching genealogy in Albany and Saratoga counties, New York, between 1760 and 1800:

1. Church and Religious Records

  • Dutch Reformed Churches: Albany and surrounding areas had a significant Dutch population. The records from Dutch Reformed Churches often contain baptism, marriage, and burial records. The Reformed Dutch Church of Albany is one of the oldest, with records going back to the early 18th century.
  • Other Denominations: Albany also had Anglican/Episcopal, Lutheran, and later Methodist churches. Each denomination may have kept records. Check repositories like the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B) and Albany Institute of History and Art for specific church archives.

2. Land Records

  • New York Land Office Records: Land grants, patents, and other transactions from this period are valuable for identifying early settlers. The New York State Archives has collections, including colonial patents and deeds that span 1643-1846.
  • Manorial Records: Much of Albany County land was part of the Rensselaerswyck manor, owned by the Van Rensselaer family. Rensselaerswyck Manor Papers (available at the New York State Library) may contain lease records, tenant lists, and petitions.
  • Maps and Surveys: Historical maps from the New York Public Library Digital Collections and the Library of Congress can provide context on land ownership and settlements.

3. Tax Records

  • Tax records can help identify heads of households in the pre-census period. Albany County, covering a large area in this period, has early tax records that may list residents. The New York State Archives holds these tax assessment rolls, often arranged by region and year.

4. Military Records

  • Colonial and Revolutionary War Records: Many Albany and Saratoga residents were involved in the Revolutionary War. The New York State Archives and National Archives hold muster rolls, pension applications, and bounty land warrants. Saratoga was a notable battleground, so records specific to regiments from this area may provide insights.
  • DAR and SAR Records: The Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution have extensive lineage applications that might help connect families from this area.

5. Census and Census Substitutes

  • 1790 U.S. Federal Census: Albany County was divided after the Revolutionary War, but early census data can still identify family heads. This data is accessible through platforms like Ancestry and FamilySearch.
  • New York State Census: Although state censuses started later, tax lists, militia rolls, and other records serve as census substitutes.

6. Court Records

  • Albany County Court Records: Court proceedings, including probate and civil cases, often mention family relationships. Check the Albany County Clerk's Office and New York State Archives for colonial court records from the 18th century.

7. Probate and Wills

  • Albany Surrogate’s Court: Wills, estates, and guardianship records from this period can provide family connections. The court records from 1787 onward are at the Albany County Surrogate's Court, while earlier probate records may be at the New York State Archives or FamilySearch.

8. Newspapers and Periodicals

  • Albany Gazette and Albany Register: These early newspapers sometimes published obituaries, estate sales, and legal notices. The New York State Library and Chronicling America have digital archives for many New York newspapers.

9. Historical Societies and Libraries

  • Albany Institute of History & Art and Saratoga County Historical Society: Both maintain collections of family papers, maps, and manuscripts from the colonial period. They often have vertical files on early Albany and Saratoga families.
  • New York State Library and Archives: Located in Albany, this institution has a vast collection of manuscripts, genealogy publications, and colonial records.

10. Local and Regional Histories

  • Books like “The History of Saratoga County” by Nathaniel Sylvester (1878) and “History of the County of Albany” by Joel Munsell often contain lists of early settlers, notable events, and family names. These can be found through HathiTrust, Google Books, or local libraries.

11. Online Genealogy Databases

  • FamilySearch Catalog: Search specifically for “Albany County” or “Saratoga County” records, filtering by the relevant time period. FamilySearch has many probate, church, and land records digitized or available on microfilm.
  • New York Genealogical and Biographical Society and American Ancestors (by the New England Historic Genealogical Society) both offer online databases with unique collections for early New York families.

Let me know if you'd like more details on any of these resources or help with locating a specific type of record!

2)  My additional prompt:  "Are there records for the town of Ballston or Ballstown in the 1760-1800 period?"

The ChatGPT4 response was:
Yes, there are records for Ballston (historically known as "Ballstown") for the period between 1760 and 1800. Here are several key resources to explore for early records from this area:

1. Land and Property Records

  • Ballston Patent Records: Ballston was part of the Kayaderosseras Patent, one of the largest land grants in colonial New York, issued in 1708. This patent covered a wide area, including parts of what later became Saratoga County. The New York State Archives holds records on land grants, surveys, and transactions involving this patent.
  • Saratoga County Land Records: Though Saratoga County wasn’t formed until 1791 (from Albany County), land records created afterward often refer to transactions that took place in the late 18th century. The Saratoga County Clerk’s Office has these records.

2. Tax Records and Assessments

  • Albany County Tax Records (pre-1791): Before 1791, Ballston was part of Albany County. Early tax lists, dating back to the 1770s and 1780s, include heads of households and properties in Ballston. These records can be found in the New York State Archives and Albany County Archives.
  • Saratoga County Tax Lists (post-1791): After Saratoga County was formed, tax lists for Ballston began to be kept separately, documenting residents and landholders.

3. Military Records and Revolutionary War Rolls

  • Many Ballston residents were involved in the Revolutionary War. Look for muster rolls, pension files, and service records for local militias. The New York State Archives and National Archives both hold Revolutionary War records.
  • The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library also has applications and lineages that include information on Ballston-area soldiers.

4. Church Records

  • Presbyterian Church of Ballston: Organized in the 1780s, this was one of the earliest churches in the area. The church maintained baptism, marriage, and membership records that might include early Ballston settlers. Some of these records may be available at the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B) or local repositories.
  • Dutch Reformed Church of Schenectady: Many early Ballston residents were originally members of nearby churches in Schenectady before churches were formally established in Ballston. Records from the Schenectady Dutch Reformed Church may provide clues to family connections.

5. Court Records

  • Before Saratoga County’s creation, legal cases involving Ballston residents were handled in Albany County courts. The Albany County Clerk’s Office holds colonial-era court records that may mention individuals from Ballston.
  • Saratoga County Court Records: Post-1791 records for probate, civil cases, and other court documents are held by the Saratoga County Surrogate's Court.

6. Census Records and Census Substitutes

  • Federal Census of 1790: The 1790 census covers Ballston, as it was part of Albany County. This census is available through FamilySearch, Ancestry, and HeritageQuest.
  • New York Tax Lists and Militia Rolls: These can serve as substitutes for the census for the earlier part of the period. They can be found at the New York State Archives and in historical publications.

7. Probate and Wills

  • Wills and probate records before 1791 are likely to be found in Albany County’s records. After Saratoga County’s establishment, probate records would be filed in Saratoga County Surrogate’s Court. These records may include wills, estate inventories, and guardianships.

8. Local Histories and Genealogical Publications

  • “History of Saratoga County, New York” by Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester (1878): This book provides insights into early Ballston settlers, land grants, and local families.
  • Genealogical Periodicals: Publications like The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record often publish transcriptions and abstracts from early records. The NYG&B Society has an extensive collection available to its members.

9. Maps and Surveys

  • Early maps of the Kayaderosseras Patent and the Ballston area can provide insights into land ownership and settlement patterns. The New York Public Library Digital Collections and the Library of Congress have historical maps that may show the original divisions of land within Ballston.

If you need assistance with accessing specific records or require more information on any of these resources, please let me know!

3)  I asked the same questions on Perplexity, and received similar answers.  I recommend doing several AI tools because they may have been trained on different reference materials.

Perplexity also provides links and summary information from the Internet.  In this case, their answers were informed by:

While all of those may not directly apply to Ballston and the time frame of interest, they are very useful resources for anyone researching in this locality.

4)  Is this information complete and accurate?  We always have to confirm information that has been summarized, analyzed and presented by the AI Tools, and they may not be complete or accurate.  This information looks pretty good to me, and appears to be derived from resources that experienced genealogists know to use for a locality search.

I likethat it refers readers to off-line resources (local, county, state archives and libraries) and online resources (especially the FamilySearch Research Wiki and Books, USGenWeb pages, Wikipedia, Internet Archive and Google for Locality Books, etc.). 

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See all of my Artificial Intelligence-related posts at https://www.geneamusings.com/p/artificial-intelligence-posts.html.

Copyright (c) 2024, Randall J. Seaver


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