Find Sullivan County Death Records

Sullivan County death records are held by the town clerks in each of the county's municipalities. The county seat is Monticello, in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. Sullivan County was created in 1809 from Ulster County, and death records here date back to 1880 when New York State began requiring vital records registration. If you need a death certificate for someone who died in Sullivan County, you will need to contact the clerk in the town or village where the death took place. The County Clerk's Office does not hold birth or death records directly.

Sullivan County Death Records at the Clerk's Office

The Sullivan County Clerk's Office is at 100 North Street, PO Box 5012, Monticello, NY 12701. Call (845) 807-0411 for general questions. The clerk handles land records from 1809, court records, naturalization records, and marriage records from 1908 to 1935. The clerk does not keep death records, though. Those stay with the town clerks.

One thing to know about Sullivan County is that a fire in 1909 destroyed will volumes 1 through 7. Most of the original files survived, but if you are looking for very early will records, some volumes are gone. This matters for researchers tracing death-related estate information from the 1800s.

The New York State Department of Health has death record information for Sullivan County as well. The screenshot below shows a state-level resource page that can help you start your search.

This state portal handles death record requests for all New York counties outside of New York City, including Sullivan County.

Town Clerks in Sullivan County

Death records in Sullivan County are filed with the clerk of the town or village where the death happened. Each town has its own clerk who acts as the local registrar. The fees are the same across the county: $10 per certified copy of a death certificate, $10 for birth certificates, $10 for marriage certificates, and $40 for marriage licenses. Genealogy copies cost $22.

The Town of Thompson is one of the larger municipalities. The town clerk is Marilee J. Calhoun, and you can reach her at 845-794-2500 ext. 302. The deputy town clerk is Kelly M. Murran at ext. 300. The Town of Fallsburg also issues death certificates at the same $10 rate. Both towns accept FOIL requests at $0.25 per standard page.

You need a valid photo ID to get a death certificate. That can be a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. If you do not have a photo ID, bring two documents that show your name and address, like a utility bill and a recent government letter. Only certain people can get a death certificate: the spouse, parent, child, or sibling. Others must show a lawful right or claim.

Sullivan County Death Records and Surrogate's Court

The Sullivan County Surrogate's Court is at 100 North Street, Monticello, NY 12701. Call (845) 807-0690. This court has probate records from 1811 to the present. When someone dies and has a will, it goes through this court for probate. The court also handles cases where someone dies without a will.

Probate records can be very useful for death records research. A probate petition from 1830 or later will list the date of death, the names of heirs, and their relationships to the person who died. You can also find letters of administration, orders, decrees, and performance bonds. Property inventories show up in older cases, though they get rare after about 1900.

The WebSurrogate system lets you search Sullivan County court filings online for free. You can look up cases by name or file number. Not every document is there, but it gives you a good start before visiting the court in person.

State Death Records for Sullivan County

The New York State Department of Health keeps copies of Sullivan County death records from 1880 forward. Mail orders cost $30 per copy. Send your request to the Vital Records Certification Unit at P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Online orders run $45 plus a vendor fee. Call (855) 322-1022 for help.

Processing times at the state level are very slow right now. Expect at least eight months for a response. If you can, go through the local town clerk instead. They can usually fill your request in a matter of days.

For genealogy work, the state has death records available after 50 years. You pay $22 for a search that covers three years. You must show proof of your relationship to the person and proof that the person is deceased. Direct-line descendants can sometimes get records before the 50-year mark with the right documentation.

Sullivan County Historical Society and Archives

The Sullivan County Historical Society and Museum is at 265 Main Street, PO Box 247, Hurleyville, NY 12747. Call 845-434-8044 or email info@scnyhistory.org. They have a collection of local history materials that can help with death records research, including obituaries, cemetery records, and family files.

The Association of Public Historians of New York State has contact information for municipal historians across Sullivan County. These local historians are not set up to do genealogy research for you, but they can point you to the right sources. Some of them keep their own collections of transcribed records and local history.

For regional resources, the Bard College Archives and Special Collections in the Hudson Valley area has local history materials that may cover parts of Sullivan County. FamilySearch and Ancestry.com both have Sullivan County death record collections you can search online.

Free Online Sullivan County Death Records

The New York State Death Index covers 1880 to 1956 and is completely free. This database from Reclaim The Records lets you search by name and find which town and county a death was recorded in. It is one of the best starting points for Sullivan County death records research.

FamilySearch has free collections covering New York deaths and burials from 1795 to 1952, plus church and civil death records from 1824 to 1962. The New York State Archives has death record indexes on microfiche from 1880 to 1943 that you can view in person at the Cultural Education Center in Albany.

Sullivan County death records from before 1880 are harder to find. Your best bet is church records, cemetery inscriptions, and family Bible entries. The Sullivan County Historical Society may have some of these on file.

Nearby Counties

If the death you are looking for happened near the Sullivan County border, try checking these neighboring counties as well.