Town Clerk

Left to Right: Hope Vespia (Town Clerk) and Linda A. Lyons

The Office of the Town Clerk is the keeper of all records for the Town of Rye. Our records go back to the original settlers arriving in the territory of Rye in 1660. Early records contain documentation of land purchased from the Indian Tribes by the first settlers. Due to the Towns proximity to waters of the Long Island Sound, many settlers were attracted to this area. There are many volumes of recorded activities and transactions recorded on the minute books of the Town. In 1720, George, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, granted the Royal Patent for the Township of Rye. Being under English control, it was named after its counterpart, Rye, England.

In 1788 the State of New York created the Towns and by an act, the Town of Rye was incorporated on March 7th, 1788 and is still in existence to this day. The Town has a record center, in which all records are stored in special archival wrap and boxes. The Clerk’s office is currently working on a project which will create an up to date on line repository of all archival records. The position of the Town Clerk is the oldest recorded title in the Town’s documents.

The Clerk’s Office is the “doorway to local government”. Marriage licenses, hunting licenses and fishing licenses are issued from the Town Clerk's Office.  Dog licenses are issued to Rye Brook residents.  The Town Clerk is also the registrar of Vital Statistics for the Town of Rye and the Village of Rye Brook.  The Town's inventory of vital records (birth, marriage and death) go back to 1847.  Records for births or deaths that occurred in the Village of Port Chester may be obtained in the Village Clerk's Office. 

Important Forms:

Affidavit for Correction of Marriage Record

Application to Town/City Clerk for Copy of Marriage Record

Application for Correction of Certificate of Death

Application to Town/City Clerk for Copy of Marriage Record

Freedom of Information Request

General Information and Application For Genealogical Services

FAQ's