Armstrong County, Pennsylvania Genealogy
Guide to Armstrong County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
It is named for John Armstrong, who represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress and served as a major general during the Revolutionary War. It is located in the west-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Armstrong County Courthouse
450 Market St.
Kittanning, PA 16201
Phone: (724) 543-2500
Orphan's Court, (724) 548-3220
Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts , (724) 548-3252
Armstrong County Courthouse
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania Record Dates[edit | edit source]
County Register and Recorder has birth, death and burial records 1893-1905, marriage records from 1895, and probate and land records from 1805[3]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1893 | 1895 | 1893 | 1805 | 1805 | 1805 | 1790 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Boroughs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
| Historic communities | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Additional Cemetery Resources
|
- ca.1700-ca.1950 - Pennsylvania Cemetery Records, ca. 1700-ca. 1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
- Pennsylvania Genealogy LDS Genealogy
- Names in Stone
- Ancestry($)
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1800 | 2,399 | — |
| 1810 | 6,143 | 156.1% |
| 1820 | 10,324 | 68.1% |
| 1830 | 17,701 | 71.5% |
| 1840 | 28,365 | 60.2% |
| 1850 | 29,560 | 4.2% |
| 1860 | 35,797 | 21.1% |
| 1870 | 43,382 | 21.2% |
| 1880 | 47,641 | 9.8% |
| 1890 | 46,747 | −1.9% |
| 1900 | 52,551 | 12.4% |
| 1910 | 67,880 | 29.2% |
| 1920 | 75,568 | 11.3% |
| 1930 | 79,298 | 4.9% |
| 1940 | 81,087 | 2.3% |
| 1950 | 80,842 | −0.3% |
| 1960 | 79,524 | −1.6% |
| 1970 | 75,590 | −4.9% |
| 1980 | 77,768 | 2.9% |
| 1990 | 73,478 | −5.5% |
| 2000 | 72,392 | −1.5% |
| 2010 | 68,941 | −4.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. For members, they may contain: age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage date and maiden name; death/burial date. For general information about Pennsylvania denominations, see Pennsylvania Church Records.
County-wide Database
Multi-denominational
- 1708 - 1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry $
- Contains church records of:
- Apollo: Apollo United Methodist Church
- Chicora: St. Paul's United Church of Christ
- Elderton: Elderton United Presbyterian Church
- Gilpin: Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Kiskiminetas: Boiling Springs Presbyterian Church
- Kittanning: St. Paul's Episcopal Church
- Leechburg: Greystone United Presbyterian Church
- Manorville: Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Redbank: St. Mary's Episcopal Church
- Armstrong County Church Records is sponsored by the Armstrong County Genealogical Project. There are records of a few churches represented in this website, and the information varies greatly from a history of the church to lists of members or baptisms.
Catholic
- "100 years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943". Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, 17:1. FamilySearch Library book 974.8 B2wg. Contains chronolgy, map, county-by-county information.
Lutheran
- 1838 - 1883 Baptismal records for Forks-Zion Lutheran Church with additional information on individuals listed.
- 1840 - 1889 Church Book of the Reformed and Lutheran Churches: Plum Creek Township, Armstrong Co., PA at USGenWeb. The books from which these records were taken were in the old Church at Gastown, Pennsylvania. The records are not consistent from minister to minister.
Presbyterian
In 1802 two Presbyterian churches were organizes about eight miles apart on the west side of the Allegheny River in Buffalo Township. From those two churches sprang all the Presbyterian churches in the county. [9]
Calvin United Presbyterian Church, Apollo
- 1863 - 1880 Calvin United Presbyterian Church, Apollo, Baptism Index 1863-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C541001
First Presbyterian Church, Apollo
- 1848 - 1885 First Presbyterian Church, Apollo, Baptism Index 1848-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C530211
- 1858 - 1904 First Presbyterian Church, Apollo, Marriage Index 1858-1904 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M530211
First Presbyterian Church, Kittanning
- 1830 - 1875 First Presbyterian Church, Kittanning, Baptism Index 1830-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C524591
- 1842 - 1880 First Presbyterian Church, Kittanning, Marriage Index 1842-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M524591
Presbyterian Church, Brady's Bend
- 1851 - 1859 Presbyterian Church, Brady's Bend, Baptism Index 1851-1859 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C516171
- 1856 - 1866 Presbyterian Church, Brady's Bend, Baptism Index 1856-1866 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M516171
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
For information about records kept in the Orphan's court, Prothonotary Court, Court of Common Pleas, and other courts in counties of Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Court Records Wiki page.
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
For online resources, passenger lists, and specific groups coming to Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration.
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
For groups that came, see People section of the Pennsylvania Emigration page.
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
The Orphan's Court ensures the best interests of those not capable of handling their own affairs: minors, incapacitated persons, decedents' estates, and more.[10]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a specific location and reveal family relationships. Records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, maps and more. For more information, see Pennsylvania Land and Property.
Land records in Armstrong County began in 1805. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
Online Land Records
- 1805–present Armstrong County offers online access to indexes and images. Fees apply.
- 1805 – 1941 Deeds, 1805-1891; Index, 1805-1941. FHL film 857226 (first of 52 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
Maps
- 1793 – 1906 Land Surveys. FHL film 861241
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Armstrong County, Pennsylvania; her People, Past and Present. 2 volumes. 1914. Chicago, Illinois : J.H. Beers & Co. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Vol. 1 - Internet Archive, Vol. 2 - Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong Counties, Pennsylvania. 1891. Ed. by Samuel T. Wiley. Philadelphia [J.M. Gresham & co.] Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. 1883. By Robert Walter Smith. Waterman, Watkins & Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Maps
- Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
- Ancestor Tracks has posted Map of Armstrong Co., Pennsylvania which was published in 1861 and is referred to in histories of the county as "Pomeroy's Map." While the physical maps are in the public domain, the images we have taken of the maps belong to us and are not to be used to commercially. We hereby give permission to use them strictly for personal use; please attribute to Ancestor Tracks.
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
Men living in what is now Armstrong County (then Westmoreland County) served in the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment.[11]
Civil War
- 1861-1865 - Pennsylvania, Register of Military Volunteers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Naturalization records can contain information about immigration and nativity. Prior to 1906, it is rare to find the town of origin in naturalization records. For more information, see Pennsylvania Naturalization
Naturalization Records available for Armstrong County, Pennsylvania include the following:
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1807 - 1906 Naturalization Docket FHL film 1318161 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1820 - 1906 Index to Declarations and Petitions in the Western District of Pennsylvania, US Circuit and District Courts located in US Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 database on Ancestry $
- 1820 - 1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Fold3.com($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537, incomplete for all counties
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Newspapers may contain obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings. Newspapers are often found in local or university libraries, historical or genealogical societies, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published. See Pennsylvania Newspapers for more information.
Newspapers of Armstrong County
- Pennsylvania Newspapers
- Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
Online Newspapers
To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.
Online Newspaper Abstracts
- PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Armstrong County.
- USGenWeb Armstrong County Newspaper Extracts
- 1947 - 2010 Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 at FamilySearch
Newspaper Excerpts and Abstracts
- Shirley, Carmella Corcetti (collected and arranged), Marriages and anniversaries: taken from the Leader Times newspapers, 1922-1962-1997-1998-1999-200 the Vandergrift News, 1997-1998-1999-2001 (Chicora, Pennsylvania:Mechling Bookbindery, c2002) FHL book 974.88 V2sc
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died or where family members lived. Local libraries or societies may have indexes or other sources.
Online Obituary Abstracts
- PAGenWeb Armstrong County Obituaries
- PA-Roots Obituaries for Armstrong County.
- Armstrong County Obituaries at Armstrong County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives
Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts
- Shirley, Carmella Corcetti, Obituary Abstracts from Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Newspapers (Butler, Pennsylvania, Mechling Bookbindery, c1997,c2002) FHL book 974.888 V48s v. 1,2
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate matters in Armstrong County are handled by the Orphans' Court and start when the county was created.
In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates; appointments of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills; inheritance tax appeals, and various petitions and motions.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1683 - 1994 Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994 at FamilySearch
- 1683 - 1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $ - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1683 - 1994 Pennsylvania Probate Records 1683-1994 at FamilySearch - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1805 - 1918 Will Books FHL film 1317300 (first of 5 films)-Index included: 1797-1961 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1805 - 1881 Probate Records FHL film 861252-861254-index included: 1805-1935 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- Armstrong County Wills and Estate Records at Armstrong County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives - Includes Will Book Index, Books 1- 3 and many abstracts of wills and estate records.
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records are handled by the County Orphans' Court. Between the years 1852-1855 Pennsylvania made a failed attempt to record birth, marriage and death events at the county level. County marriage records were kept in earnest in 1885. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905. For the most complete set of records, contact the County Orphans' Court.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Early births 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For more information, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.
- 1726 - 1930 Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950 index. Not complete for all years. This collection is an index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
- 1852 - 1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
- 1897 - 1971 Armstrong County Birth Index, Volumes 5-23, 1897-1971 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Pennsylvania marriages were created by county officials. Contact Armstrong County Courthouse
- 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
- 1677 - 1950 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 Pennsylvania Civil Marriages, 1677-1950 at FamilySearch
- 1700 - 1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
- Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
- 1725 - 1976 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
- 1852 - 1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
- 1885 - 1950 Pennsylvania County Marriage, 1885-1950 Extracted marriage records – This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
- Armstrong Marriages - PAGenWeb.
Death[edit | edit source]
Early deaths 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For indexes and records, 1906 and later, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.
- 1720-1999 Pennsylvania Deaths and Burials, 1720-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1850-1880 Pennsylvania Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary located at the county courthouse.
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Armstrong County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
National Archives at Philadelphia
14700 Townsend Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096
Phone: (215) 305-2044
Fax:(215) 305-2052
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Armstrong County. For state-wide library facilities, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
- The Armstrong County Library system do not appear to have a central library. There are currently six libraries in the system:Apollo, Ford City, Freeport, Kittanning, Leechburg, and Worthington Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Armstrong County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Pennsylvania Societies.
- Armstrong County Historical Museum and Genealogical Society
300 N Mckean St
Kittaning, PA 16201-1373
Phone: (724) 548-5707
The Society has collected historical and genealogical records including family and church histories. - Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Armstrong County Genealogy Project
- Armstrong County PAGenWeb
- Armstrong County USGenWeb Archives
- Linkpendium - Armstrong County
- Armstrong County Old Photos
- Armstrong County PA Genealogy
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_County,_Pennsylvania accessed 2/1/2017
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002)Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, p.588
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Armstrong County, Pennsylvania," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_County,_Pennsylvania#Communities, accessed 12 January 2020.
- ↑ Robert Walter Smith, History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania (Tucson, Arizona: W.C. Cox, 1974), p. 38. FHL film 1000541 item 1; A digital version of this work is available at FamilySearch.
- ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at Common Pleas accessed 10 July 2012
- ↑ Harold Frederic, William C. Frederick III with William J. McMaster Sr., Path of Blood: The Untold Story of the Kittanning PA. Regiment in the American Revolution (Kittanning, Pa.: W.C. Frederick, 1998). FHL Book 974.8 M2ff
