City Directories - New York and New Jersey

[Vivian]

Can anyone share with me the best place to locate city directories for New York and New Jersey (from the 1900's - 1970's)? I'm still searching for death certificates for my great grandparents, Domenico and Caterina Tesio (I believe that Caterina died about 1945 in New York and Domenico died in New York around 1953 or 1954). I'll be in New York for a week in May and hope to visit their gravesites. Any New York research tips would also be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[peggymckee]

Any New York research tips would also be appreciated.

My tip: Always make clear whether you are talking about NY City or NY State (i.e. in New York State but not in New York City). It can make a world of difference since records are in a different place for each, with different rules. Also for NYC, if you know the borough, Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, or Brooklyn, that's often helpful.

Good luck, Peg

[PeterTimber]

Dear Vivian go to www.italgen.org/databaselist.stm for all NYC and naturalization and vital records. =Peter=

[PeterTimber]

Dear Vivian go to www.italgen.org/databaselist.stm for all NYC and naturalization and vital records. =Peter=

[PeterTimber]

sorry for the typo. it is www.italiangen.org/databaselist.stm. =Peter=

[PeterTimber]

If this does not work then go to www.italiangen.org/linksnew.stm. =peter=

[Poipuo4]

http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/lhg/research.html

Check out this online guide to the NY Public Library. I have researched at the Main Branch on 5th Ave. There is a treasure trove of info., including historical city directories on microfilm.

[Poipuo4]

In connection with the great links that Peter gave you to http://www.italiangen.org/ here is the website for NYC's municipal archives for older death certificates, etc...

http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/vi ... home.shtml

[PeterTimber]

Dear poipuo ...your my hero!...=Peter=

[Poipuo4]

[Vivian]

Peg, Peter and Poipuo - Thank you for your wonderful help and suggestion. **Tesio (NYC- Manhattan)** I've used the italiangen.org site in the past and it has been very helpful but I still can't find their dates of death. I need their death certificates to help find their gravesite. Currently I'm searching to confirm that they were still living in Manhattan in the 1940's and 1950's and think a city directory might help me with that.

Thank you all. Vivian

[warriorrabbit]

I went to NYC for Thanksgiving and went to the NYPL and Municipal Archives. One thing I can tell you is that the librarians are *extremely* helpful, and the civil servants at the Municipal Archives are the antithesis of helpful. Okay, there's a sign there that says they won't help with actual research, but they won't really even help at all. With anything. I mean...my God, they really all seem like they absolutely hate their jobs and everyone who walks through the door.

Having done my research in advance, the certificate #s I pulled off italiangen.org were not only all correct (yay to those volunteers who put that together) but also really cut down on my time at the archives. Unfortunately, with my family in tow, I couldn't sit down and try to find the people that I needed to find who weren't indexed online. (You might try misspellings, etc. -- that is how I found a few of mine who at first glance didn't appear to be included.)

Though I did find some city directories and some useful info, for me the critical years of Brooklyn were nonexistent. Apparently there were no directories published for Brooklyn between 1915-1929. (I even asked a librarian.) So even though they say they have city directories through 1933, continuously, they really mean for Manhattan. FYI just in case you needed Brooklyn for those years.

Really, the librarians were soooo helpful.

[Vivian]

Warriorrabbit - thank you so very much for your message. Since you've already experienced what I'm planning, you're input is very useful. I'll report on my experience when I return and thank you for your reply. Vivian

[geatano_leonardo]

warrior rabbit -
As for the Lamanna part of your search - while some are out in CA, some remained in the N.E mainly in MA, PA & NJ with some in Brooklyn. The last names are now different and many because these were he Lamanna (LaManna) women and their names changed. Which you know by now since I replied to what were old posts.