The Barris Collection includes a number of volumes created by Lois and Norwood Barris that aid in genealogical research.  These volumes are the Genealogical Information Reported in the Evening Observer, Dunkirk N.Y.   Lois and Norwood were founding members of the Chautauqua County Genealogical Society, and together they published over 50 volumes of research books.   To do this they examined old newspapers on microfilm and print, census records, and tax rolls and indexed them to create the books and CD’s pertaining to Chautauqua County’s history and genealogy. They indexed and mapped the cemeteries and created records of those interred in them.  Their volunteer efforts that made archival records so accessible resulted in the Chautauqua County Clerk being the first county government official to be recognized by the National Genealogical Society.

In 2015 the Dunkirk Historical Society named their research room “The Lois and Norwood Barris Research Library.” Dunkirk’s Mayor A.J. Dolce presented Lois (Norwood passed away in 2011) with a citation noting their lifelong contributions to the Dunkirk community. Lois has given permission to the County Historian’s office to post her digital files on their site, and the link below gives the DHM’s website access to them.

The Dunkirk Historical Museum possesses most of the physical Barris Books that pertain to the city of Dunkirk and may be used to research genealogical information in the museum.

See the previous tab in the menu for further information on the specific books available at the museum.

 

 

Barris Genealogy Indexes:  https://chqgov.com/county-historian/lois-and-norwood-barris