Jefferson County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States  Pennsylvania  Jefferson County

Historical Facts


Named for Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States.

Wikipedia

Parent County
26 March 1804: Jefferson County was created from Lycoming County.

Boundary Changes

 * 18 April 1843: Elk County was set off from Jefferson including parts from Clearfield and McKean Counties as well as the future Cameron County.
 * 11 April 1848: Set off Forest County with parts from Jefferson and Venango counties.

Neighboring Counties
Armstrong | Clarion | Clearfield | Elk | Forest | Indiana

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

LDS Cemetery Records US Vol. 1 page 92 - Sugar Hill

County-wide Database - Multi-denominational

 * 1708-1985 - Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry.com – $; 7,542,774 entries. This database is incomplete for all counties.

Methodist
The Methodist Episcopal Church in Jefferson County, Jefferson County Genealogy Project

Presbyterian
Jefferson County Presbyterian Church, Jefferson County Genealogy Project

Prothonotary
Jefferson County Courthouse 200 Main Street Brookville, PA 15825

Telephone: 814-849-1606

Orphan's Court (see Vital Records)
Register of Deeds/Register of Wills Clerk of Orphans' Court Jefferson County Courthouse 200 Main Street Brookville, PA 15825

Telephone: (814) 849-1610 Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. / Monday thru Friday

Land and Property
Land records in Jefferson County began in 1818. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Brookville, Pennsylvania.

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, and maps. Property records include liens as well as livestock brands and estray records.

The following are examples of available resources:

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1818–1910 Deed Books, 1818-1887; Indexes, 1818-1910.

Additional Resources

See Pennsylvania Land and Property for more information about using land records, especially about original land warrants, surveys, and patents filed at the state land office.

Additional resources can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Jefferson County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
 * (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)

Courthouse
Register of Deeds/Register of Wills Clerk of Orphans' Court Jefferson County Courthouse 200 Main Street Brookville, PA 15825

Note: The county does NOT have website for the county courthouse or services (as of 7 January 2009.)

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Brookville Pennsylvania Family History Center

Birth
Birth records for Jefferson County began in 1893. The Jefferson County Clerk of Orphans' Court maintains birth records upto 1906. To obtain a copy of birth record in the 1893–1906 time period contact the Jefferson County Courthouse.

The birth records for Jefferson County were microfilmed by FamilySearch. These microfilms may be ordered into a local FamilySearch Center or authorized public library for a small fee.


 * Record of Births, 1893-1906 – 

Beginning in 1906 Pennsylvania birth records are available through the Department of of Health. Birth records become public after 105 years. A statewide index is available. Once an individual is located in the index a certificate can be obtained by writing to:

Division of Vital Records ATTN: Public Records PO Box 1528 New Castle, PA 16103

The cost for an non-certified birth certificate is $3.00.

Some Jefferson County births can be found online in Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950.

Marriage
Jefferson County marriages are maintained at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Jefferson County began recording marriages in 1885 although some registrations took place from 1852–1855. Marriage licenses from 1885 are available at the Clerk of Orphans' Court in Brookville.

A free online index with images to some Jefferson County marriages can be found in the FamilySearch Records Collection, Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885 – 1950. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. These records have been microfilmed.


 * Registration of Marriages, 1852-1855 –
 * Marriage License Dockets, 1885-1916 (Jefferson County, Pennsylvania) –

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building.

Death

 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.

Web Sites

 * Jefferson County Genealogy Project - free access to Biographies, Cemetery Records, Census Records, County History and lots of other great free resources.
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.