This is a consolidated edition of a scarce and very important periodical. Originally titled Early Settlers of Western New York, then, after its scope was broadened, Early Settlers of New York State, its nine volumes were issued in monthly, bimonthly, and finally quarterly installments. Edited by New York genealogist Janet Foley, its purpose was to collect, publish, and preserve church records, tombstone inscriptions, and family records--first from western New York, then from all of New York State. By the time they had suspended publication, Mrs. Foley, with assistance from her husband, had compiled reams of Bible records, marriages, obituaries, and the other primary genealogical sources referred to above.

In 1993, in order to make Janet Foley's efforts more widely known to the current generation of genealogists, Genealogical Publishing Company, on the advice of esteemed genealogist Roger Joslyn, sought out the various issues of the periodical, assembled a complete run, and reprinted the entire work under the title Early Settlers of New York State--Their Ancestors and Descendants, consolidating the original nine volumes into two and adding an introduction by Mr. Joslyn. In addition, at the back of each of the consolidated volumes, GPC added a complete name index. The two indexes combined comprise a total of 425 three-column pages and list approximately 120,000 names! One would have to look far and wide to find that many names in another New York State publication, especially one whose contents range over the following counties: Albany, Allegany, Binghamton (City), Buffalo (City), Chautauqua, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Genessee, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Monroe, Niagra, Ontario, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Seneca, Schenectady, Schuyler, Washington, Wayne, Wolcott, Wyoming, and Yates.

Early Settlers of New York State--Their Ancestors and Descendants has been out of print since 1995, which is why Clearfield Company is delighted to bring it back into print at this time.