Access Schoharie County Death Records

Schoharie County death records are kept by the town clerks where the death took place. The county seat is the Village of Schoharie. The Schoharie County Clerk at 284 Main Street does not maintain birth or death records. That is a town clerk function. This page covers every source for death records in Schoharie County, from local clerks to the state health department and genealogy archives.

Where to Find Schoharie County Death Records

The Schoharie County Clerk is at 284 Main Street, Room 118, P.O. Box 549, Schoharie, NY 12157. Phone: (518) 295-8316. Fax: (518) 295-8338. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. County Clerk Indica Jaycox runs the office. The Clerk has divorce records, court records, land records from 1795, and naturalization records. Recorded documents including deeds, mortgages, judgments, liens, business certificates, and wills can be searched online.

But death records are not there. Birth, death, and marriage records are held by the town clerks where the event took place. Schoharie County has 16 towns: Blenheim, Broome, Carlisle, Cobleskill, Conesville, Esperance, Fulton, Gilboa, Jefferson, Middleburgh, Richmondville, Schoharie, Seward, Sharon, Summit, and Wright. Villages include Cobleskill, Esperance, Middleburgh, Richmondville, Schoharie, and Sharon Springs.

Contact the specific town clerk where the death happened to request a certified copy. Fees are typically $10 per copy. You need valid ID and proof of your relationship to the deceased or a documented legal claim.

The screenshot below shows the state page used for ordering Schoharie County death records.

The NYS DOH page above is where you can order a death certificate by mail or online for any death in Schoharie County from 1881 forward.

Ordering Through the State

The New York State Department of Health has Schoharie County death records from 1881 to the present. Mail orders cost $30 per copy. Online and phone orders through VitalChek cost $45 plus a processing fee. Send mail requests to the Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Include your completed form, a copy of your ID, and payment.

The spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased can request copies. Others need a documented lawful right or claim. The state is dealing with big delays, so the local town clerk is usually faster if you know where the death took place. Phone: (855) 322-1022 for questions about state orders.

Death records are not public for the first 50 years. After that, anyone can request copies for genealogy without proving a family tie. Direct line descendants can skip the 50 year waiting period with proof of the relationship.

Schoharie County Surrogate's Court

The Schoharie County Surrogate's Court is at the Schoharie County Courthouse, 290 Main Street, P.O. Box 669, Schoharie, NY 12147. Phone: (518) 453-6986. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Chief Clerk Lauren L. Clemenzi serves the Surrogate's Court, Family Court, and Supreme and County Courts.

The Surrogate's Court handles wills, probate, estates, and guardianships. Some court records can be accessed through the WebSurrogate system online. Estate files often include the date of death and names of heirs. For researchers, these records can fill in gaps when a death certificate is not available or does not have the detail you need.

The Supreme and County Courts are also at the courthouse. Phone: (518) 453-6998. Email: schohariesupremeandcounty@nycourts.gov. These courts handle civil and criminal cases, not vital records, but court filings may reference death records in estate and wrongful death cases.

Schoharie County Death Records for Genealogy

The Schoharie County Historian is at P.O. Box 394, Warnerville, NY 12187. Phone: (518) 234-7241. The historian can help you find local resources for death related research including cemetery records and obituary collections.

The Schoharie County Historical Society runs the Old Stone Fort Museum at 145 Fort Road, Schoharie, NY 12157. Phone: (518) 295-7192. Email: office@schohariehistory.net. The museum has genealogy resources and local history collections that may contain death related information like obituaries and church records.

The New York State Death Index on FamilySearch covers Schoharie County deaths from 1880 to 1956. It is free to search online. The New York State Archives in Albany has death record indexes on microfiche from 1880 to 1943 that you can search in person for free. Reclaim The Records has made several New York vital records indexes available for free on the Internet Archive.

The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society publishes county guides that cover vital records sources in Schoharie County. FamilySearch also has probate and court records for the county that can help with genealogy research.

Cemetery records are another way to find death dates in Schoharie County. Many rural cemeteries go back to the late 1700s. Church burial registers, sexton records, and tombstone inscriptions can all fill in gaps when official death records are not on file. Local genealogy groups have transcribed some of these, and you can find them at the Historical Society or through online databases.

Schoharie County Death Records Fees

• Town or village clerk: typically $10 per certified copy
• NYS DOH by mail: $30 per copy
• NYS DOH online or phone: $45 plus vendor processing fee
• Genealogy copies from NYS DOH: starting at $22

The town clerk is the cheapest and fastest way to get a death certificate. The state charges more but can help when you do not know which town to contact. Make checks payable to "NYS Department of Health" for state orders. Do not send cash.

Nearby Counties

If the death happened near a county line, check these neighboring counties: