Pennsylvania, Obituary and Marriage Collection - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Pennsylvania

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What is in the Collection?
This collection includes records from 1947 to 2010. This collection of Newspaper clippings was collected by the Old Buncombe County, North Carolina Genealogical Society. The records are announcements of:
 * Births
 * Baptisms
 * Engagements
 * Marriages
 * Anniversaries
 * Obituaries
 * Retirements

What Can this Collection Tell Me?
The obituaries are from Berks, Lebanon and Lehigh County newspapers. The publication data is given for each article. They usually contain:


 * Name of the deceased
 * Age
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Names of parents, spouse or other relatives
 * Name of newspaper, date and place of publication

Wedding and anniversary announcements often contain


 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Residences
 * Marriage date and place
 * Names of parents and other relatives
 * Name of newspaper, date and place of publication

Birth and baptism announcements often contain


 * Name
 * Gender
 * Names of parents
 * Birthplace
 * Residence
 * Mother's maiden name
 * Baptism sponsors

Search the Index
Search by Name by visiting the Collection Page then:
 * 1) Fill in the search boxes with the information you know.
 * 2) Click Search. This will provide possible a list of matches.
 * 3) The obituaries are arranged in alphabetized groups, except for the largest A-Z surname group, which is an index to an unidentified book, with names and page numbers only (no dates). Compare the information in the lists to what you already know to determine if you found the correct person.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page then: Compare the information on the image to what you already know to determine if it is the correct person.
 * 1) Select the "Record Type"
 * 2) Select the "Year and Surname Range"

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article [[FamilySearch Search Tips and

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the article for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.
 * Information in these records may be brief so it is easy to confuse individuals.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been in the same locality or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * The name of the undertaker, mortuary or officiator could lead you to church, funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection citation:

Image citation: