Pennsylvania was founded as a place of refuge and religious freedom for many diverse groups from Great Britain and Europe. Important religious groups in colonial Pennsylvania were the Society of Friends (Quakers), the German Lutheran, German Reformed, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, and Catholic churches, and the German Pietist groups, including the Brethren (Dunkard), Mennonites, and Moravians. Before 1900 the major religious groups in Pennsylvania were the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic churches.

A detailed Historical Records Survey inventory of church records available at the State Library of Pennsylvania is Inventory of Church Archives in Pennsylvania, Historical Records Survey (on 72 FHL films beginning with 1014729; computer number 184578). It lists many Pennsylvania churches existing in the 1930s. It is arranged by county and can help you identify the church your ancestors attended.

The Family History Library has extensive collections of church records for the Lutheran, Presbyterian, Reformed (United Church of Christ), and Society of Friends denominations. Many transcripts of local church records have been published.

The Family History Library also has histories of the Church of the Brethren, the Society of Friends, and the Baptist, Schwenkfelder, Evangelical Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Moravian, and Catholic churches in Pennsylvania.

Two of the largest groups were the German Lutheran and Reformed churches. For excellent information on the various congregations and their histories and records, see Charles H. Glatfelter, Pastors and Peoples, 2 vols. (Breingsville, Pa.: Pennsylvania German Society, 1980 and 1981 as vols. 13 and 15 of The Publications of the Pennsylvania German Society; FHL books 974.8 B4pgp vol. 13, 15; computer number 60901).

Many denominations have deposited their records in central repositories. You can write to the following addresses for more information.

Baptist

The Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary
City Avenue at Lancaster Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: 610-642-9692

Episcopal

Diocese of Pennsylvania
The History Committee
240 S. 4th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Telephone: 215-627-0615
Fax: 215-627-7550

This diocese has records for churches that are now closed for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties only. Churches that are not closed should be contacted for their records. The appropriate diocese holds the records for other counties.

Lutheran

A. R. Wentz Library
Lutheran Theological Seminary
66 W. Confederate Ave.
Gettysburg, PA 17325-1795
Telephone: 717-334-6286
Fax: 717-334-3469

The A. R. Wentz Library records are not available to the general public, but the Family History Library has filmed many of their church records.

Northeast Regional Archives of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia
Krauth Memorial Library
7301 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19119
Telephone: 215-248-6383
Fax: 215-248-4577

The archives has the records for the local congregations that have disbanded in the eastern third of Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, New England, and upstate New York. Those congregations still active will have all their records or will know where their older records are located.

A helpful source is Frederick S. Weiser, Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Records, 4 vols. (FHL book 974.8 K2L; films 824350-52; computer number 173549). This includes records from Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Lebanon, Northumberland, Snyder, and York counties.

Presbyterian

Presbyterian Historical Society
425 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Telephone: 215-627-1852
Fax: 215-627-0509

The society and the Family History Library have:

Miscellaneous Biographical Collection. (On 69 FHL films beginning with 506383; computer number 325991.) This is a very large collection of biographies, national in scope.

Inventory of the Church Archives of Pennsylvania Presbyterian Churches. Works Progress Administration, compiled from 1936-1940. (On 24 FHL films beginning with 899326; computer number 326178.)

Reformed

Archives of the Evangelical and Reformed Church
Philip Schaff Library
Evangelical and Reformed Historical Library
555 W. James Street
Lancaster, PA 17603
Telephone: 717-290-8711
Fax: 717-393-4254

A guide to the records in this library is Florence M. Bricker, comp. and ed., Church and Pastoral Records in the Archives of the United Church of Christ and the Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society, Lancaster, Pa. (Lancaster, Pa.: The Society, 1982; FHL book 974.815/LI K23e; computer number 311782).

Roman Catholic

Archives of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
100 E. Wynnewood Road
Wynnewood, PA 19096
Telephone: 610-667-2125
Fax: 610-664-7913

For a listing of many vital records, see Albert H. Ledoux. Catholic Vital Records of Central Pennsylvania, 4 vols. (Altoona, Pa.: A. H. Ledoux, 1993-1996; FHL book 974.8 K2le; computer number 703505).

Society of Friends (Quakers)

For Hicksite records:
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
500 College Ave.
Swarthmore, PA 19081
Telephone: 610-328-8496
Fax: 610-328-7329

For Orthodox records:
Quaker Collection
Haverford College
James P. Magill Library
Haverford, PA 19041
Telephone: 215-896-1175
Fax: 215-896-1224

A card index to Quaker records is William Wade Hinshaw, The William Wade Hinshaw Index to Quaker Meeting Records in the Friends Library in Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania (on 73 FHL films beginning with 2146; computer number 98325).

For help in finding Quaker records, see:

Inventory of Church Archives, Society of Friends in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Pa.: Historical Records Survey, 1941. (FHL book 974.8 A3i; films 982060 item 1, 844541 item 2; computer number 251344.)

Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. 6 Vols. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, 1936-1950. (Vols. 2 and 4 list Pennsylvania records; FHL book 973 D2he; vol. 2 is on films 432600-1, vol. 4 is on films 432603-4 and fiche 6051377; computer number 246279.)

See also The William Wade Hinshaw Index to Pennsylvania Quaker Meeting Records. 8 vols. (Kokomo, IN.: Selby Publishing & Printing, 1990; FHL book 974.8 K2w; computer number 245265).

An important resource for Eastern Pennsylvania is Jack Eckert, Guide to the Records of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Philadelphia, Pa.: Haverford College, Records Committee of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Swarthmore College, 1989; FHL book 974.8 K23e; computer number 601026). It also contains a bibliography, a glossary, and the record location for the other yearly meetings throughout the United States and Canada. The yearly meeting includes the monthly and quarterly meeting records, etc., under its jurisdiction.

Many sources are also listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under PENNSYLVANIA - CHURCH HISTORY.

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