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This two-disc Family Archive CD contains images of the pages of sixteen volumes of New York family histories. Naming as many as 350,000 individuals in histories and biographies that cover the entire state of New York, this massive family history collection is accessed by means of a single electronic index. There is probably no more expedient way of reaching into the very heart of New York genealogy because, as collective genealogy goes, this CD compilation is at the very top of the league. Following are the books included in the collection:

Genealogical and Family History of Central New York, by William R. Cutter. 3 vols.
Covers 750 families that were firmly established in central New York by the end of the 19th century. Each essay, or genealogical sketch, traces the family backward to the earliest known ancestor and forward to the then living subject of the essay, which also includes biographical sketches and an enumeration of collateral lines.

Families of Western New York by William R. Cutter.
As with the work above, Families of Western New York traces each family forward from the earliest known ancestor to the principal subject of the essay. The genealogy is followed by a detailed biography of the principal subject and includes photos, illustrations, and an enumeration of collateral family members.

Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Family History of New York, by William S. Pelletreau. 4 vols.
Prepared by one of the great authorities on New York families, this four-volume work contains hundreds of genealogical essays pertaining to early New York City families. While the principal focus of the work is on families of early New York, there are chapters on the settlement of New Amsterdam, the English conquest of New York, early schools and institutions, and historical sketches of a number of the oldest churches of New York.

Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley, by Cuyler Reynolds. 3 vols.
This is a massive work devoted to distinguished families of the southern portion of New York State. In the tradition of William Richard Cutter, Cuyler Reynolds here traces each family line forward from the earliest known ancestor to the principal subject of the essay, naming approximately 40,000 people in over 500 genealogical sketches.

Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, by Cuyler Reynolds. 4 vols.
In this mammoth four-volume work Mr. Reynolds traces approximately 600 families of the Hudson-Mohawk Valley region, examining each family according to a methodology both he and William Cutter were famous for. In addition to family histories, the author here includes a history of the region during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

Genealogical Notes of New York and New England Families, by Sebastion V. Talcott.
Originally published in 1883, this work refers to approximately 20,000 individuals in an extensive series of family histories and source records. Giving dates of vital events, families are traced from the original immigrant ancestor to selected members of the family living in the last quarter of the 19th century. Source records include Bible records, records of burials in New York from 1727 to 1757, and an index of intermarriages of New York and New England families.

System Requirements: You must have a CD-ROM drive, and in order to read the CD you must use either the Family Archive Viewer (version 4.0 or higher), which is available as a free download at http://www.genealogical.com/content/dlfav6.html, or Family Tree Maker for Windows, version 4.0 or higher (Family Tree Maker software can be ordered from www.FamilyTreeMaker.com).

To access information on our Family Archive CDs using the Family Archive Viewer:

1. Install the Family Archive Viewer CD or download it from http://www.genealogy.com/dlfav6.html.
2. Start the Viewer if it is not already running
3. Insert the CD you wish to view into the CD-ROM drive. If you have 2 or more CD-ROM drives, the CD must be placed in the first one.
4. The CD should open automatically, but users of later versions of the Family Archive Viewer must click the CD/magnifying glass icon in the top toolbar (above the template in some versions) to read the CD.
5. When the screen entitled “About this Family Archive�? appears, click OK where prompted.

To access information on our Family Archive CDs using Family Tree Maker:

1. Start your Family Tree Maker and open a Family File. (If the program is already running, skip to Step 2.)
2. Insert the CD in your computer's CD-ROM drive. (If you have 2 or more CD-ROM drives, the CD must be placed in the first one.)
3. From the View menu, select Family Finder, or select the Family Finder icon from the toolbar.
4. For FTM 2005, FTM 2006, or Version 16 or later: From the View menu, select Data CD, then View CD.

To search the CD for names, select the Search Expert button in the top right of your screen, then select "Search this archive for someone NOT from your Family File." You can also search for names by using the Index.

Note: If a window opens that contains a list of files on the CD, simply close it.