Kings County Historic Records Microfilm Collection
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Abstract
Microfilm reels showing a variety of government records, maps and histories concerning Kings County, New York from 1645-1961.
Historical Note
Kings County was settled by Europeans beginning in 1636 with a series of land grants provided by the Dutch West India Company. In 1638 the Company purchased a large tract of land in the area of present day Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint; beginning a series of land transfers that would turn the Eastern shoreline, then nearly the whole of Kings County to European control by the late 1640s.
As land grants continued to be doled out, small settlements including Midwout and New Amersfoort began to emerge under the general governance of the Director of New Amsterdam. This changed in 1645 when a group living in the English settlement of Gravesend petitioned Director Willem Kieft for a town charter. The Dutch West India Company quickly implemented a policy granting town charters to Breuckelen (1646), Flatlands/New Amersfoort (1647), Flatbush/Midwout (1652), New Utrecht (1657) and Bushwick/Boswick (1661). With the exception of Gravesend, the towns' people were responsible for nominating a town magistrate, who was then approved and supervised by Director Peter Stuyvesant (appointed 1647).
In 1664 the English gained control of New Amsterdam, renaming the area New York. On November 29, 1683 the six original towns were established as Kings County, serving as an administrative arm of New York colony. The first acts of county government consisted of various courts and a county clerk to maintain records. Beginning in the early 1700s a Board of Supervisors was established by delegates from each town, who would meet to discuss county issues and appoint various commissioners including County Road Commissioners responsible for various highways across Kings County. In addition to County government, each town was responsible for electing officials to oversee local matters such as the development of new roads and rules governing common woodlands. New offices were created as needed.
The population of Kings County grew rapidly from 1800-1830, especially in the towns of Brooklyn and Bushwick. In 1816 a small area in the town of Brooklyn extending from the East River to today's Borough Hall was chartered as the village of Brooklyn. Residents of the town of Bushwick followed in 1827 with the creation of the village of Williamsburgh. These villages elected trustees responsible for overseeing the growth and daily concerns of the villages, including the paving of roads and construction of new housing.
In 1833 the village and town of Brooklyn sent an appeal to the New York State Legislature for a city charter, which after several delays was granted in 1834. The remaining towns were slowly annexed to the city of Brooklyn beginning with Bushwick in 1854 and followed by the village of Williamsburgh, which existed briefly as the city of Williamsburg before annexation in 1855. Williamsburg was followed by New Lots (1886), Flatbush (1894), Gravesend (1894), New Utrecht (1894) and Flatlands (1896). The city of Brooklyn was consolidated into greater New York on January 1, 1898.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by reel number. Records are listed under each reel in order of appearance.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of 62 microfilm reels showing a variety of documents concerning Kings County, New York from the mid-17th century to the late 19th century. The earliest records include town meeting minutes, births of enslaved persons, health records, deeds and court records for the towns of Bushwick, Gravesend, Flatbush, Flatlands and New Utrecht. Records for the village of Williamsburgh begin in 1832. A few records appear in Dutch with an English translation on the opposite page. Some records are typed and handwritten copies made in the 1920s and 1940s.
Records beginning circa 1830 show the towns' transition from rural farmland to smaller, gridded lots. Maps overlay new lots with boundary lines and conveyance dates of original farms. Detailed street papers and sewer plans appear with short histories of many County roads including Kings Highway.
Several reels also contain thesis and term papers for students attending the James A. Kelly Institute for Historical Studies at St. Francis College in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The papers cover a broad range of topics including education, law enforcement and manufacturing in Brooklyn. Profiles of prominent citizens and histories of cultural institutions are also covered.
Subjects
Access
Open to users without restriction.
Use
While many items in the Brooklyn Collection are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Existence and Location of Originals
Most (but not all) of the original documents are housed at the New York City Municipal Archives: Old Town Records, Collection MSS0004 - RG 096. Old Town records.
Provenance
This collection was acquired from the James A. Kelly Institute for Historical Studies at St. Francis College, most likely after the Institute's 1988 closure.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Due to preservation concerns, these reels are kept in cold storage and must be brought up to room temperature before use. Researchers must use gloves when handling the microfilm.
Existence and Location of Copies
Other microfilm copies are housed and and available digitally online at the New York City Municipal Archives: Microfilm of Kings County Old Town records circa 1640 to 1895. Accession ACC-1988-122. RG 096. Old Town records. An index of the microfilm is available at the NYC Municipal Archives.
About this Guide
Processing Information
These records were processed by archivist Sarah Quick in 2018. In 2024, archivist Alice Griffin tested the microfilm for vinegar syndrome and all of the reels were moved into cold storage.
