mystery... my Gt.Grandad was born in NY 1874 but I cannot find him or his family

[NZvixx]

This is an old posting of mine but I am still no further with it and would REALLY love some help !!

I got the marriage cert for James & Mary but it is very little help as doesn't give his parents info (it also says Mary was born in US which I know is incorrect as I've got all her English records etc!)

I'm totally baffled how to get any further with this. I'm in New Zealand so am finding it a little difficult to look into his New York birth any further ( I am pretty sure that cert cannot be for him but I keep thinking .. it IS for the same birthdate he gives in his own documents later)

Can anyone advise what I should do next? This is not that far back, only my gt.grandfather, surely I can get past this hiccup?! Another side of my family tree I've traced goes back to 1728 !

[shellyesq]

Were any witnesses listed on the marriage certificate? 

Do you know if he was definitely born in New York City or just in New York state in general?  Unfortunately, statewide registration of vital records wasn't required in New York state until 1881, so his birth record would be held on the local level, if it exists.

[NZvixx]

There's one witness Florence Price and a signature of Minishter but I'm struggling to read it to be honest! How can I load a picture up?
On the 1918 US WWI draft registration card that James Thomas Rogers filled in he inserted his home address as Philadelphia, Pa (although he had physically lived in UK since 1897)and for where born he put: New York, NY, USA - so I'm guessing that means New York city born.

[shellyesq]

You can't load pictures on the US Lookup Requests board, but I can move the thread to the main US board so you can do so.

You're right on New York, NY - it generally refers to Manhattan, a borough of New York City. 

[NZvixx]

marriage cert...

[shellyesq]

I think the Reverend is Rev. M.H. Van Horn, M.E.C.?  Or maybe W.H. Van Horn?

[NZvixx]

What is my next step?
 How can I trace my American gt. grandfather if his parents aren't named on his marriage cert and I haven't got a birth cert?

[NZvixx]

Can anyone help me how to proceed with this? I feel like I'm at a real brick wall   

[shellyesq]

I guess you could try recontacting the Municipal Archives & make sure he's the only one that fits.  There's a volunteer on www.raogk.org who does research there, so maybe it would help to have someone who's looking for the right thing for you. 

Since it has the father's name as James on the marriage certificate, maybe we can see if there's anyone who is a likely match on the census.  Since he didn't know where his parents were born or his mother's maiden name, maybe he was raised by someone else or his parent(s) died young?