Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy
Guide to Chester County, Pennsylvania ancestry, family history and genealogy in courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.
Chester County, Pennsylvania | |||||||
Map | |||||||
![]() Location in the state of Pennsylvania | |||||||
![]() Location of Pennsylvania in the U.S. | |||||||
Facts | |||||||
Founded | March 10, 1682 | ||||||
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County Seat | West Chester | ||||||
Courthouse | |||||||
Address | Chester County 2 North High Street PO Box 2748 West Chester, PA 19380-0991 Chester County Website | ||||||
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Contents
- 1 Chester County Pennsylvania Historical Facts
- 2 Description
- 3 Chester County Pennsylvania Genealogy Resources
- 3.1 Bible Records
- 3.2 Biographies
- 3.3 Cemeteries
- 3.4 Census
- 3.5 Church Records
- 3.6 Court Records
- 3.7 Emigration and Immigration
- 3.8 Ethnic Groups
- 3.9 Gazetteers
- 3.10 Genealogy
- 3.11 History
- 3.12 Land and Property
- 3.13 Maps
- 3.14 Migration
- 3.15 Military
- 3.16 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 3.17 Newspapers
- 3.18 Occupations
- 3.19 Officials
- 3.20 Periodicals
- 3.21 Poorhouse, Almshouse
- 3.22 Probate Records
- 3.23 Repositories
- 3.24 Slavery and Bondage
- 3.25 Taxation
- 3.26 Vital Records
- 4 Genealogy Societies and Libraries
- 5 Chester County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites
- 6 Chester County Pennsylvania Places
- 7 Chester County Pennsylvania Genealogy References
Chester County Pennsylvania Historical Facts
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Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1852 | 1852 | 1852 | 1681 | 1716 | 1714 | 1790 |
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Parent Counties: Created from Colonial Lands 10 March 1682.[2]
County Seat: West Chester
Neighboring Counties: Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy residents may also have records in:[3]
Many Scots-Irish immigrants settled in Chester County in the early eighteenth century.[4]
Description
The county was named for Chester, England. It's county seat is West Chester. It was organized November 1682. It is located in the Southeast section of the state.[5]
Boundary Changes
14 October 1728: West part set off to form Lancaster County. [2]
26 September 1789: Southeast part set off to form Delaware County. [2]
- Chester County Archives: Township and Borough Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Records Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Chester County Pennsylvania Genealogy Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Biographies by Surname at Chester County Archives Index, part of USGenWeb Archives.
Cemeteries
Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
Findagrave.com | Family History Library | Findagrave.com |
PAGenWeb | WorldCat | BillionGraves |
PAGenWeb Archives | Linkpendium | |
Tombstone Photos | PAGravestones | |
PA-Roots | Epodunk | |
BillionGraves (name) | Interment | |
PA Cemeteries | ||
See Pennsylvania Cemeteries for more information. |
Additional Cemetery Resources
- Pennsylvania Genealogy
- Names in Stone
- Access Genealogy
- Ancestry($)
- Lloyd, Howard Williams. "Inscriptions on Gravestones in St. Peter's Episcopal Church-yard, Great Valley, East Whiteland, Chester County, Pa.," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 15 (1891):440-448. For free online access, see WeRelate.
- "Great Valley Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Paoli, Chester County, Pennsylvania," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 34, No. 3 (1986):230-238. For free online access, see WeRelate.
- The Mennonite Heritage Center
565 Yoder Road
Harleysville PA 19438-1020
215-256-3020[[Image:]]215-256-3020
library@mhep.org
Hours: Tuesday thru Friday, 10am–5pm, Saturday, 10am–2pm
The Cemetery Database at the Mennonite Heritage Center includes 86,000 burial records from 125 local cemeteries. Records cover cemeteries in the counties of Berks, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Westmoreland. The database provides transcriptions from Mennonite, Brethren, Lutheran, Reformed, Union, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, community, and private cemeteries. Search the list of cemeteries and the alphabetical surname lists in Adobe PDF format.
Visit the Mennonite Heritage Center to search the cemetery database by various criteria. The transcriptions are available for further research at the MHC library.
Census
For tips on accessing Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Federal (or United States) census records online, see: Pennsylvania Census.
There are no county or state census records available for Pennsylvania. County and city tax records can be used as a substitute when census records are not available.
- 1842 Originals
- 1857 Originals and Index
Chester County Archives:
- Septennial Census Returns, 1793-1856
Church Records
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. In Pennsylvania, church records are often used as a substitute for birth, marriage, and death information. For general information about Pennsylvania denominations, view the Pennsylvania Church Records wiki page.
Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Church Records in online catalogs like:
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
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.
- Contains church records of:
- Chester Springs: St. Matthew's United Church of Christ; St. Peter's Pikeland United Church of Christ
- Coatesville: Friendship United Methodist Church; Presbyterian Church; The Presbyterian Church of Coatesville
- Compass: St. John's Episcopal Church
- Downingtown: Central Presbyterian Church; Messiah Lutheran Church; St. James Church; St. James Episcopal Church; St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church; United Methodist Church
- East Coventry: Coventry Mennonite Cemetery
- Elk Ridge: Elk Ridge Methodist Episcopal Church
- Kerford: Oak Grove Cemetery
- Landenberg: United Methodist Church
- New London: New London Methodist Episcopal Church; Protestant Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist; St. John's Episcopal Church
- Oxford: Oxford Circuit Methodist Episcopal Church; St. Andrew's Church
- Paoli: Salem Methodist Episcopal Church
- Parkesburg: First United Presbyterian Church of Parkesburg
- Philadelphia: Norris Square Methodist Episcopal Church
- Phoenixville: St. Peter's Chapel; St. Peter's Episcopal Church; United Church of Christ - Hungarian Reformed
- Salem: Salem Methodist Episcopal Church
- Spring City: Vincent Mennonite Cemetery
- West Bradford: Marshallton United Methodist Church
- West Chester: Church of the Holy Trinity; Oakland Cemetery; St. Agnes' Roman Catholic Cemetery
- West Marlborough: St. James Church
- West Nantmeal: Goodwill United Methodist Church
- West Vincent: St. Matthew's United Church of Christ
- West Whiteland: Grove United Methodist Church
- 1682-1800 - Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Chester County, 1682-1800. Washington, D.C.: Humphrey Publications, 1994. FHL Book 974.813 K2h.
- Contains Quaker monthly meeting records from Kennett, Bradford, Goshen, Nottingham, New Garden, Sadsbury, Uwchlan, Londongrove, Birmingham, and Fallowfield. Includes baptisms from Zion's Lutheran Church in Pikeland Township; East Vincent Reformed Church in Vincent Township; Brownbacks German Reformed Church in Coventry Township; Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church; Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church; and records of Rev. John Casper Stoever.
- Church Histories, Members and Images at The USGenWeb Archives Includes births, baptisms, marriage, funerals, deaths and burials.
- Chester County Churches at PAGenWeb - free. Information and records about Baptists, Christians, Dunkers, Episcopalians, German Reformed, Lutherans, Mennonites, Methodists, Prebysterians, Roman Catholics, and some active churches in the area.
Brethren
Episcopalian
The earliest of the Episcopal churches is St. John's Pequra Episcopal church in Compassville.[6]
St. John's Church, New London
Early registers are lost. Surviving records begin in 1824.[7]
Trinity Church, Oxford
Early registers are lost.[7] For a history, see:
- Fisher, George Harrison. "Trinity Church, Oxford, Philadelphia," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 27 (1903):279-295. For free online access, see WeRelate.
Lutheran
Zion's or Old Organ Lutheran Church, East Pikeland Township
- 1760-1875 - Zion's or Old Organ Lutheran Church, East Pikeland Township, Baptism Index 1760-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C535491.
Presbyterian
Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church
- 1869-1887 - Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1869-1887 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C530891.</ref>
- 1869-1887 - Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1869-1887 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch M530891.
Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church aka New Londonderry Presbyterian Church
- 1781-1872 - Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1781-1872 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batches C524351 and C524352.</ref>
- 1790-1793, 1823-1829 - Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1790-1793 and 1823-1829 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batches M524351 and M524352.
Fairview Presbyterian Church, Glenmoore
- 1840-1866 - Fairview Presbyterian Church, Glenmoore, Baptism Index 1840-1866 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C524421.</ref>
- 1845-1877 - Fairview Presbyterian Church, Glenmoore, Marriage Index 1845-1877 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch M524421.
Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church
- 1761-1781 - Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1761-1781 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C524391.</ref>
- 1761-1773 - Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1761-1773 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch M524391.
Kennett Square Presbyterian Church
- 1862-1884 - Kennett Square Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1862-1884 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C524571.</ref>
- 1862-1884 - Kennett Square Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1862-1884 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch M524571.
Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, Atglen
- 1852-1875 - Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, Atglen, Baptism Index 1852-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C523931.[8]
- 1862-1885 - Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, Atglen, Marriage Index 1862-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch M523931.
Quaker
Quakers did exist in the Chester County area prior to the arrival of William Penn. William Edmundson, minister of the Society of Friends, met with Robert Wade in about 1675 and held a meeting. The first official meeting did not occur until 1681 at the home of Mr. Wade. This meeting, held at Mr. Wade's house would eventually become the Chester Monthly Meeting. Meetings were first held in members homes but as the congregation grew separate meeting houses were built. The earliest meetings in what is now Chester County were: Goshen, Uwchlan, Caln, Kennett, Birmingham, Nottingham, West Nottingham, New Garden, London Grove Bradford and Valley.[9]
Early Quaker monthly meetings (with years established):
- Concord Monthly Meeting (1684) also known as Chichester Monthly Meeting. Hinshaw published the early records: FHL Book 974.8 K2w.[10]
Reformed
Reformed Church, East Vincent
- 1784-1798, 1821-1833 - Reformed Church, East Vincent, Marriage Index 1784-1798 and 1821-1833 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch M516641.
Vincent Reformed Church, East Vincent Township
- 1733-1880 - Vincent Reformed Church, East Vincent Township, Baptism Index 1733-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C536741.</ref>
- 1784-1880 - Vincent Reformed Church, East Vincent Township, Marriage Index 1784-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch M536741.
Court Records
Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy court records are housed at the Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Courthouse. For many counties copies of court records may be found at the Pennsylvania State Archives and in the FamilySearch collection. Note that within these collections some films may contain the same records, but have different titles. Other titles are not duplicates. See Finding Court Records at other repositories within this section for links to the online catalogs for these two collections. Films at the Pennsylvania State Archives are not available for inter-library loan. If court records are available FamilySearch films may be available at a local Family History Center. Call ahead for availability.
- 1681-1761 Dorothy B. Lapp, Records of the courts of Chester County, Pennsylvania (Danboro, Pennsylvania : Richard T. and Mildred C. Williams, 1972) FHL Fiche 6044956 (15 fiche); Book 974.813 P29L. Transcripts with each volume indexed.
Court of Common Pleas
The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of Pennsylvania. Major civil and criminal cases are heard in these courts. Judges also decide cases involving adoption, divorce, child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, estates, guardianships, charitable organizations and many other matters. The Common Pleas courts are organized into 60 judicial districts. Chester County has its own judicial district. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.[11]
Clerk of the Court
The Clerk of Courts prepares and maintains the records for the Criminal Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk signs and affixes the Seal of the Courts to all writs and processes, administers oaths and affirmations, and assumes custody of the seal and records of the Courts. The Clerk certifies and distributes orders of the Court. The Clerk also certifies and prepares bills of costs for the defendants and utilizes the computerized financial management system to disburse fines, costs and restitution.[12] For the Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Clerk of Courts address see the Courthouse section on this page.
Prothonotary
The office of the Prothonotary is the custodian of all civil matters in the county. This includes naturalization, immigration, equity actions, judgements, federal and local tax liens, city liens, family court, arbitrations, license suspension appeals, appeals to higher court, commercial code filings, applications for passports and divorce proceedings. See the Courthouse section on this page for the Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Prothonotary office information.
Orphans' Court
See Vital Records
The Orphans' Court is responsible for a wide range of matters. The name of the Court is derived from the more general definition of "orphan," that being a person or thing that is without protective affiliation or sponsorship. This would include those not capable of handling their own affairs, minors, incapacitated persons, decedents estates, nonprofit corporations and trusts. It is the role of the Court to ensure that the best interests of the person or entity are not compromised.
It is believed the name of this court was borrowed from the Court of Orphans of the city of London, England which had the care and guardianship of children of deceased citizens, in their minority.[13]
For Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Orphans' Court contact information see the Courthouse section on this page.
Chester County Archive Online Indexes
- Orphan's Court
- Affidavits, Depositions, Interrogatories, 1781-1834
- Assigned Estates, 1821-1942
- Equity Cases, 1844-1940
- Inquisitions and Executions, 1700-1800
- Insolvent Debtor's Petitions, 1724-1850
- Letters of Attorney, 1774-1845
- Gaol (Jail) Keepers' Docket, 1804-1857
- Languishing Prisoner Petitions, 1718-1790
- Oyer & Terminer, 1802-1910
- Prison Discharges, 1843-1872
- Quarter Sessions Indictments, 1681-1870
Chester County Court Abstracts Online
Finding Court Records at Other Repositories
Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Court Records in online catalogs like:
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Emigration and Immigration
For information about emigration into Pennsylvania, see the Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration page.
- 1680s-early 1700s - "Some Early Arrivals: Settlers in Chester County, Pa.," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Mar. 1911):281-304. For online access, see WeRelate; the Family History Library also has this series in its collection: FHL Book 974.8 B2p.
- Immigration Records of Chester County at Chester County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives including Early Chester Arrivals; index of names 1681-1687
Ethnic Groups
Germans
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Hunting prepared a map and a list of those who settled in Darby Township up through 1760:
- Hunting, Morgan. "The Names of the Early Settlers of Darby Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 25 (1900):182-186. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
Published Histories
Land and Property
Land records in Chester County began in 1688. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in West Chester, 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:
Online Land Records
- 1733-1858 - Warrantees of Land, Chester County PA, 1733-1858 at PAGenWeb - free.
- 1960–present Chester County offers online access to records since 1960. Fees may apply. View the website for current records availability and fees.
- 1688–1875 The Chester County Archives offers the following free online indexes:
Land Records on Microfilm
- 1688–1922 Deeds 1688-1903; Index, 1688-1922. FHL film 20874 (first of 165 films)
- 1628–1920 Mortgage Records, 1774-1852; Mortgage Index, 1628-1920. FHL films 556709–558025
- 1775–1905 Sheriff's Deeds. FHL films 558033–558037
Additional Resources
Note that the "Maps" section below includes maps related to land ownership.
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 Chester County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search.)
Maps
- Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
- Ancestor Tracks has posted free, downloadable images from the Breou's Official Series of Farm Maps, Chester County published by W.H. Kirk, 1883 courtesy of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society. 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 commercially. We hereby give permission to use them strictly for personal use; please attribute to Ancestor Tacks.
- Chester County Archives - Atlases and Maps
Migration
Military
Revolutionary War
Local men served in the Chester County Militia. A guide at the Pennsylvania State Archives website identifies townships where specific companies recruited soldiers, see Revolutionary War Militia Battalions and Companies, Arranged by County.
Chester County men also served in the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment,[14] the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment,[15] and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.[16]
War of 1812
Civil War
Chester County Archives
- Board of Relief Records (Civil War), 1861-1865
- Civil War Bounty Records, 1862-1865
- Civil War Equalization Bounty & Pension Records, 1863-1868
- Veterans' Burials, 1885-1979
- World War 1 Servicemen Records (County War Aid Association), 1917-1921
- Chester County Historical Society (West Chester, Pennsylvania). Genealogical manuscripts up to 1968. (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1968) FHL Film 563394 Item 2
Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records can contain information about immigration and nativity. Prior to 1906, it is rare to find the town of origin in naturalization records. See Pennsylvania Naturalization for more information about the types of records and availability.
Naturalizations granted at the county level were kept by the office of the Prothonotary. Naturalizations could also be granted on the Federal Court level.
Naturalization records available for Chester County, Pennsylvania include the following:
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1795-1952 – Pennsylvania, Eastern District Naturalization Indexes, 1795-1952 on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1248, browsesable images of card index
- 1795-1931 – Pennsylvania, Eastern District Petitions for Naturalization, 1795-1931 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1795-1930 – Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522, incomplete for all counties
- 1795-1930 - Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522
- 1802-1929 – Chester County Naturalization Records Index 1798-1935 on Offical Website of Chester County, Pennsylvania - free
Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm
- 1798-1906 Naturalization Records FHL film 1465853 (first of 5 films)
- 1777-1785 Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity FHL film 566521
Finding Naturalization Indexes at Other Repositories
Additional naturalization indexes can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy naturalization in online catalogs like:
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Abstracts in FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Newspapers
Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
To access newspapers, contact public libraries, historical/genealogical societies, college or university libraries, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published.
For information on state-wide newspapers see Pennsylvania Newspapers
Newspapers of Chester County
- Pennsylvania Newspapers
- Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
- Chester County Historical Society - largest extant collection of newspapers
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 Chester County.
- USGenWeb Newspapers
- Newspaper Articles of Chester County at Chester County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives. Includes birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, estate notices, family reunions, military related information, sale notices and other news.
Newspaper Excerpts and Abstracts
- The Pennsylvania Genealogical Catalogue' (Malvern, Pennsylvania:Accessible Archives, c1993) FHL CD-Rom no. 6 Abstracts of newspaper articles from Chester County.
- Record of Marriages from American Republican, 1815-1845 (SLC, Utah, 1947) FHL film 20993 item 4
- Maxwell, Russelle Lane, Aunt Carrie's Scrapbook : a collection of newspaper articles covering Chester Co., PA from 1874 to 1910, births, marriages, deaths, and misc.--indexed (Pueblo, Colorado:R.L. Maxwell, c2000) FHL CD-Rom no. 866
Obituaries
Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died. However, sometimes an obituary is found in the location from which he or she originated. To find an obituary, see the information under the Newspaper heading
Sometimes the fastest way of finding obituaries is to call or email the local public library in the area where the person died. If the library does not have newspapers, a librarian often will know where they are kept. If a death date is known, and the newspapers are at the library, someone on staff will usually make a search for a small fee, or will indicate someone who will do the search. |
Online Obituary Abstracts
- USGenWeb Newspapers
- PA-Roots Obituaries for Chester County.
- Chester County Obituaries at Chester County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb archives.
Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts
- Compiled and arranged by Michael J. Osiol, Pottstown Area Necrology (S.I.:M.J. Osiol, 19--?) FHL 1352477
Occupations
Indentured Servants
- List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.
Officials
- 1697-1710 - Lists of constables 1697-1710 at PAGenWeb - free.
Periodicals
Poorhouse, Almshouse
- Board of Relief Records (Civil War), 1861-1865
- Poor School Children Records, 1810-1841
- Poorhouse Records, 1800-1910
- Poorhouse Bound Apprentices, 1801-1825
Probate Records
Probate matters in Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy are handled by the Orphans' Court and start when the county was created. To obtain original probate records, contact the Orphan's Court in the County Courthouse.
In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates of decedents, incompetents, and minors; appointment and control of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills involving probate matters; inheritance tax appeals and various petitions and motions.
Online Probate Indexes
- 1683 - 1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1683 - 1994 Pennsylvania Probate Records 1683-1994 at FamilySearch — images
- 1713-1825 - Chester County, Pennsylvania Wills on Ancestry ($). Includes abstracts of the wills. The original records are at the Chester County Archives and Records Service, 117 West Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380. See also the FamilySearch Catalog for FHL films 20844-20849.
- 1713-1850 - Index to Chester County, Pennsylvania wills and intestate recordson Ancestry ($) Taken from Anderson, Bart. Index to Chester County, Pennsylvania wills and intestate records, 1713-1850. Danboro, Pa.: R.T. and M.C. Williams, "The Pennsylvania traveler", 1970.
Online Probate Records
Original probate records for some Pennsylvania counties are available free online as digital images at FamilySearch.org. The dates vary significantly for each county and not all counties are listed. Some counties may only have probate indexes. This Pennsylvania collection of images may be browsed through the links listed below:
Complete Collection:
- 1683-1994-Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994 at FamilySearch.org
Chester County Only:
- 1700-1924 Chester County Probate Records at FamilySearch.org
Online Probate Abstracts
- Chester County Wills/Estate Records (by surname) at Chester County, Pennsvylvania PAGenWeb Archives.
Original Probate Records on Microfilm
- 1716-1810 Decedants' Estate Papers FHL film 1429174 (first of 19 films) - Index included: 1716-1880
- 1713-1810 Estate Papers FHL film 1429155 (first of 55 films) - Index included 1713-1850
- 1717-1820 Minors' Estate Papers FHL film 1429185 (first of 11 films) - Index included 1717-1880
- 1850-1947 Records of the Orphans Court FHL film 550721 (first of 42 films) - Index included 1882-1968
- 1850-1924 Records of Wills FHL film 551519 (first of 14 films)
- 1713-1854 Wills FHL film 20839 (first of 15 films) - Index included 1713-1923
Repositories
Archives
Chester County Archives
601 Westtown Road, Suite 080
West Chester, PA 19380-0990
Phone: 610.344.6760
Email: ccarchives@cc.org
The Chester County Archives was established in 1982 and holds almost 3,000 volumes and nearly two thousand cubic feet of original records. The Chester County Archives is run by the Chester County Historical Society and the County of Chester.
The Chester County Archives holds birth and death records (1852-1855, 1893-1906), marriage records (1852-1855, 1885-1930), wills and administrations (1714-1923), deed books (1688-1982), tax records (1715-1939), and more. The Chester County Archives has published online indexes to birth, marriage and death records, civil court records, land records, military records, naturalization records, probate records, tax records, and more.
The Pennsylvania Archives collection contains county archive records that can be searched onsite. Currently the Archives' staff cannot provide research or make copies of these records. Their collections include Almshouse Registers; Tax records; Birth, Death and Marriage Indexes and Records; Midwife records; African American records; Wills; Deeds; Naturalizations; Coroner's inquests; and Orphan's Court dockets. A list of the Archive's county holdings are on Microfilm or Manuscript form.
National Archives at Philadelphia
14700 Townsend Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096
Phone: (215) 305-2044
Fax: (215) 305-2052
Courthouse
Chester County Courthouse
313 West Market St
P.O. Box 2748
West Chester, PA 19380-0991
Phone: 610-344-6000
The Archives (see above) holds birth and death records, marriages records, early deeds, wills and administrations, and more.
Recorder of Deeds
313 W Market Street, Suite 3302
P.B.Box 2748
West Chester, PA 193801-0991
Phone: 610-344-6330
Older deeds can be found in the County Archives.
Prothonotary
201 W. Market Street
Suite 1425
P.O. Box 2746
West Chester, PA 19380-0989
Phone: 610-344-6300
Register of Wills/Orphans' Court
201 W Market Street
Suite 2200
West Chester, PA 19380-0989
Phone: 610.344.6335
Family History Centers
Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center. Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources for family history research.
The main FHC for Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy is the Valley Forge Pennsylvania Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.
Libraries
The Mennonite Heritage Center - Historical Library and Archives
565 Yoder Road
Harleysville, PA 19438-1020
Phone: 215-256-3020
- The Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania support the John L. Ruth Historical Library and Museum at the Mennonite Heritage Center. Located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania the records and resources of this treasure also cover the counties of Bucks, Chester, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, and Philadelphia. The website provides a comprehensive overview of library resources, online cemetery database, manuscript collections, photo collections, archival collections, and more.
Museums
Societies
Chester County Historical Society
The History Center
225 N High Street
West Chester, PA 19380-2658
Phone 610.692.4800
- The History Center includes a museum, library, photo archives, and museum shop. The Chester County Historical Society also jointly administers the County Archives (see above). Check website for membership costs.
The Historical Society also jointly administers the County Archives (see above).
- Chester County Library System's Database Access
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania
- Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area
- Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College (Quaker)
- Presbyterian Historical Society
- Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society - also for Amish genealogy.
- Lutheran Historical Society of the Mid-Atlantic
- United Methodist Church Archives
Slavery and Bondage
Taxation
- 1677-1890 - Tax and Landowner Lists, Petitions, etc at PAGenWeb - free.
- 1765-1769, 1771 - Proprietary Tax Lists of the County of Chester: For the Years 1765, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1771. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 11). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.
- 1774, 1779-1781, 1785 - Proprietary and Other Tax Lists of the County of Chester: For the Years 1774, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1785. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 12). Digital version at Ancestry ($); FamilySearch Books Online - free.
- 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).
- Provincial Tax Minutes, 1756-1778
- Tax Discounts, 1785-1865
- Tax Indexes, 18th Century Tax Records
- Tax Indexes, 19th Century Tax Records
Vital Records
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. While the records for that time period are available, there were few events recorded. County marriage records were kept in earnest in 1885. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905. Abstracts and copies of vital records are available for some counties, but most are incomplete. For the most complete set of records, always contact the County Orphans' Court.
See also How to order Pennsylvania Vital Records
Birth
Early births 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. See the heading Court Records on this page for contact information.
Indexes for Pennsylvania birth records are available through the Department of of Health for 1906 and 1907. Once an individual is located in the index a non certified Birth certificate can be obtained by writing and sending $3.00 to:
Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Public Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
- 1726-1930 - Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950 - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
- 1768-1874 - Chester County Birth Index 1768-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[17]
- 1852-1855, 1893-1907 - Births - Delayed Birth Records (Chester County Archives)
- 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
Marriage
Pennsylvania marriages are located at the county level. Contact the Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy clerk's office for these records.
- 1626-2016 - Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1677-1950 - Pennsylvania Civil Marriages, 1677-1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1690-1890 - Marriage Contracts, Separations and Certificates, (Chester County Archives)
- 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
- 1725-1976 - Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
- 1768-1874 - Chester County Marriage Index 1768-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[18]
- Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
- 1793-1813 - Harlan, Geo. Passmore. "Marriages by Moses Marshall, Esq., Marshalton, Pa.," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jun. 1908):190-196. For free online access, see WeRelate; the Family History Library also has this series in its collection: FHL Book 974.8 B2p.
- 1795-1832 - "Marriages by John Graves, Esquire, West Chester, Pa.," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Mar. 1909):101-113. For free online access, see WeRelate; the Family History Library also has this series in its collection: FHL Book 974.8 B2p.
- 1852-1855, 1885-1930 - Marriages, (Chester County Archives)
- 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
- 1885-1950 - Pennsylvania County Marriage, 1885-1950 Extracted marriage records – free. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
- Chester County Marriages (by groom surname) at Chester County PAGenWeb archives.
- 1947-2010 - Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 at FamilySearch — index and images
Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building.
Death
Early deaths 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. See the heading Court Records on this page for contact information.
Indexes for Pennsylvania death records are available through the Department of Health for 1906 through 1962. Once an individual is located in the index a non certified death certificate can be obtained obtained by writing and sending $3.00 to:
Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Public Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
- 1720-1957 - Coroners' Records, (Chester County Archives)
- 1768-1907 - Chester County Death Index 1768-1907 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[19]
- 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
- 1852-1855, 1893-1906 - Death Records, (Chester County Archives)
- 1875-1893 - Proof of Death Registers, (Chester County Archives)
- 1885-1979 - Veterans' Burials, (Chester County Archives)
- 1893-1907 - Chester County (Pennsylvania) Register of Deaths, Alphabetized listing of thousands of names including last name, first name, race, gender, age, marital status, place of birth, date and place of death, cause, volume and page number.
- 1947-2010 - Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 at FamilySearch — index and images
Finding Vital Records at Other Repositories
Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Vital Records in online catalogs like:
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Genealogy Societies and Libraries
Chester County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites
Chester County Pennsylvania Places
Populated Places
City
- Coatesville
Boroughs
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Chester County Pennsylvania Genealogy References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Chester County, Pennsylvania. Page 588-593 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 579-581.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), [FHL book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Chester County, Pennsylvania" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_County,_Pennsylvania (accessed 17 July 2012).
- ↑ Wayland F. Dunaway, The Scotch-Irish of Colonial Pennsylvania (Chapel Hill, N.C.: The University of North Carolina Press, 1944), 50. Free digital version at PA's Past: Digital Bookshelf at Penn State.
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_County,_Pennsylvania accessed 2/1/2017
- ↑ W.W. Thomson "Chester County and Its People" (Chicago and New York: The Union History Company, 1898), 832. WorldCat 14691246; FHL book 974.813 H2t
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Philip Syng Physick Conner,"Registers of the Anglican Church in Pennsylvania prior to 1800," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 12 (1888):341-349. For free online access, see WeRelate.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/2/23/Igipennsylvaniac.pdf.
- ↑ W.W. Thomson, "Chester County and Its People" (Chicago and New York: The Union History Company, 1898), 740-745, WorldCat 14691246; FHL book 974.813 H2t
- ↑ William Wade Hinshaw and Phyllis J. Selby, The William Wade Hinshaw Index to Pennsylvania Quaker Meeting Records (Kokomo, Ind.: Selby Publishing and Printing, 1990). Vol. 1. FHL Book 974.8 K2w
- ↑ The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ accessed 10 July 2012.
- ↑ Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Clerk of Courts in http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ClerksOfCourts.htm (accessed 25 Aug 2012)
- ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/orphans/ accessed 10 July 2012
- ↑ John B.B. Trussell and Charles C. Dallas, The Pennsylvania Line; Regimental Organization and Operations, 1776-1783 (Harrisburg, Pa.: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1977). Digital version at Family History Archive.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "6th Pennsylvania Regiment," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Pennsylvania_Regiment, accessed 31 May 2012.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "9th Pennsylvania Regiment," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_Pennsylvania_Regiment, accessed 31 May 2012.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/2/23/Igipennsylvaniac.pdf.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/2/23/Igipennsylvaniac.pdf.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/2/23/Igipennsylvaniac.pdf.