Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy
United States Pennsylvania
Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania genealogy and family history research page. Guide to genealogy, history, and 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.
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania | |||||||
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![]() Location in the state of Pennsylvania | |||||||
![]() Location of Pennsylvania in the U.S. | |||||||
Facts | |||||||
Founded | October 14, 1728 | ||||||
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County Seat | Lancaster | ||||||
Courthouse | |||||||
Address | Lancaster County Courthouse Register of Wills 50 N. Duke St. P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 Lancaster County Website | ||||||
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Contents
- 1 Historical Facts
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Cemeteries
- 2.4 Census
- 2.5 Church Records
- 2.6 Court Records
- 2.7 Directories
- 2.8 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.9 Ethnic Groups
- 2.10 Gazetteers
- 2.11 Genealogy
- 2.12 History
- 2.13 Land and Property
- 2.14 Maps
- 2.15 Migration
- 2.16 Military
- 2.17 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.18 Newspapers
- 2.19 Occupations
- 2.20 Periodicals
- 2.21 Poorhouse, Almshouse
- 2.22 Probate Records
- 2.23 Repositories
- 3 Taxation
- 4 Vital Records
- 5 Web Sites
- 6 Places
- 7 References
Historical Facts
Beginning dates for major county records | |||||
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- Parent Counties: Formed from Chester County 14 October 1728. [1]
- County Seat: Lancaster
- Neighboring Counties: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy residents may also have records in [2]Berks (north) • Chester (east) • Harford County, Pennsylvania (southwest) • York (west) • Cecil County, Maryland (south) • Dauphin and Lebanon (northwest)
Many Scotch-Irish immigrants settled in Lancaster County in the early eighteenth century. The area was predominantly a German place of settlement.[3]
Boundary Changes
- 14 October 1749: York County set off.
- 14 October 1751: Berks County set off.
- 27 January 1750: Cumberland County set off.
- 21 March 1772: Northumberland County set off.
- 16 October 1813: Lebanon County set off.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.
Online Grave Transcripts | Published Grave Transcripts | County Cemetery Directories |
Family History Library | Findagrave.com | |
WorldCat | Names in Stone | |
Billion Graves | ||
Epodunk | ||
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See Pennsylvania Cemeteries for more information. |
Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site has several listings for Lancaster County cemetery records.
Cemeteries of Lancaster County in Adamstown & Akron Boroughs and Bart, Brecknock, & Caernarvon Townships. Lists of cemeteries, some with lists of burials
Cemeteries in Lancaster County at Find A Grave
The Family History Library has a number of cemetery records in books and on films. They would be available either in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City or in one of its affiliate Family History Centers.
Individual cemeteries:
- Camp Hill Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
- Chiques Church of the Brethren Cemetery, Rapho at BillionGraves
- Concordia Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
- Creswell Cemetery, Conestoga at BillionGraves
- Crossroads Brethren in Christ Church Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
- Donegal Presbyterian Church Cemetery, East Donegal Township in BillionGraves
- Eberle Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
- East Petersburg Mennonite Cemetery, East Petersburg at BillionGraves
- Green Mount Cemetery, Highville at BillionGraves
- Habecker Mennonite Cemetery, Manor Township at BillionGraves
- [http://www.billiongraves.com/pages/cemetery/cemetery.php?cemetery_id=160021 Hernley Memorial Cemetery, Manheim (Rapho Twp.) at BillionGraves
- Kauffman Mennonite Church Cemetery in Penn, PA at BillionGraves
- Kinderhook Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
- Laurel Hill Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
- Marietta Cemetery, Marietta at BillionGraves
- Maytown Reformed UCC Church Cemetery, Mayton at BillionGraves
- Millport Mennonite Church Cemetery, Millport at BillionGraves
- Mount Bethel Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
- Mt. Joy Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
- Mountville Cemetery, Mountville at BillionGraves
- Mountville Church of the Brethren Cemetery, Mountville at BillionGraves
- Saint Peters Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
- Silver Springs Cemetery in West Hempfield PA at BillionGraves
- Trinity Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
- Washington Boro Cemetery in Washington Boro PA at BillionGraves
Census
For tips on accessing Lancaster 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.
Church Records
Finding Church Records at Other Repositories
Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lancaster 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 the church records of:
- Columbia: Presbyterian Church; United Church of Christ
- Eden: Mount Hope United Methodist Church
- Ephrata: Bethany United Church of Christ
- Lancaster: First Presbyterian Church; Salem United Church of Christ; St. John's Episcopal Church
- Leacock: Christ Episcopal Church
- Lititz: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Maytown: St. John's Lutheran Church
- Millersville: St. Paul Lutheran Church
- Mohnton: Swamp Lutheran Church
- Reamstown: Salem Lutheran Church
- Rohrerstown: Trinity Lutheran Church
- Rothsville: Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Contains the church records of:
- 1729-1881 – Pennsylvania Church Records - Adams, Berks, and Lancaster Counties, 1729-1881 at Ancestry.com – $; details on 180,000 church-goers from 50 churches; incomplete.
- 1723-1800 - Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Lancaster County, 1723-1800. 2 vols. Washington, D.C.: Humphrey Publications, 1997. FHL Book 974.815 K2h.
- Contains records from the following churches: Sadsbury Monthly Meeting, Sadsbury Township; Little Britain Monthly Meeting, Little Britain Township; St. James' Protestant Episcopal Church, Lancaster; Muddy Creek Lutheran Church, East Cocalico Township; Emanuel Lutheran Church, Elizabeth Township, also called Old Warwick Lutheran Church; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster; Moravian Church, Lancaster; First Reformed Church, Lancaster; Trinity Lutheran Church, New Holland; St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Lancaster; Zion Lutheran Church, Manheim; Muddy Creek Reformed Church, East Cocalico Township; Bangor Protestant Episcopal Church, Caenarfon [sic] Township; Bergstrasse Lutheran Church, Ephrata Township; Records of Rev. John Waldschmidt; Records of Rev. John Cuthbertson; Records of Rev. Traugott Frederick Illing; Christ Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown; St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Strasburg; Swamp Reformed Church, West Cocalico Township; Zion Reformed Church, Elizabeth Township, also known as Reyer's Reformed Church; Blasser Reformed Church, West Donegal Township; White Oak Lutheran and Reformed churches, Penn Township; Zeltenreich/Seltenreich Reformed Church, Earl Township; Maytown Reformed Church, East Donegal Township; St. Paul's Reformed Church, Manheim; Pequea Reformed, Strasburg Township; Maytown Lutheran Church, East Donegal Township; Cocalico Reformed Church, Ephrata; Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, Jr.; Moravian Church, Lititz.
- Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site has several listings of online Lancaster County church records.
- Church and Religious Records of Lancaster County, courtesy USGenWeb.org
Catholic
- 1787-1804 - St. Mary's Catholic Church, Lancaster, PA Marriages, Baptisms, Burials 1787-1804 at PAGenWeb - free.
Church of the Brethren
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Blue Ridge District of the Eastern States Mission comprised church members living in southeastern Pennsylvania. District headquarters were in Lancaster, with branches located in Bucks, Fulton, Lancaster, and York counties.
- Record of Members, [1929]-1944, FHL film 1979
Ephrata Community
- 1728-1853 - Sachse, Julius F. "The Registers of the Ephrata Community," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Burials 1728-1853: Vol. 14 (1890):297-312, Burials 1730s-1813: 387-402. For free online access, see WeRelate. Also available on the Church of the Brethren Network website.
Episcopalian
St. James's Church, Lancaster
Registers begin in 1755.[4]
- 1755-1759 - Private Marriage Register of Rev. Thomas Barton, in York County, Pennsylvania in "Private Church Registers to 1800, York County, Pennsylvania" at Ancestry ($).
St. John's Church, Pequea
Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster.[4]
St. Thomas's Church, Caernarvon
Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster.[4]
Bangor Church, Caernarvon
Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster. An old trunk was discovered at Bangor Church with "sundry account-books and ancient title-deeds."[4]
Lutheran
- Weiser, Frederick Sheely. Parochial Registers for Lutheran Congregations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1729-1960: A Guide to Genealogical Resources in the Parish Records of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, As Well As to Translations and Copies in Print in Public Institutions. Lancaster, Pa.: unknown, 1961. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
Evangelical Lutheran
Rev. John Casper Stoever's Records, 1730-1779:
- Book: Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, Baptismal and Marriage, 1730-1779. (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Pub.,1896). Digital version: Internet Archive.
- Transcripts:
- - Rev. John Casper Stoever’s Baptisms in Alphabetical Order
- - Marriage Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever with all 1,429 marriages compiled by Mildred Smith, (Lancaster County Genealogy Project).
Methodist
- 1884-1913 - The Church of the Mount Hope Methodist-Episcopal Church, Quarryville Charge, Record of Marriages at PAGenWeb - free.
Presbyterian
The first Scotch-Irish settlement in Lancaster County was made at Chickies Creek in 1714. Donegal Presbyterian Church was built there shortly thereafter. Pequea Presbyterian Church, constructed at another early Scotch-Irish settlement, was built in 1724.[3]
Paxtang Church and Derry Church were both organized in 1729.[3]
- 1741-1810 - Marriage Record of Paxtang and Derry Churches, 1741-1810 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. 8, Part 10) at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.
The Hanover Presbyterian Church was built in 1736 in a Scotch-Irish settlement. This ground later fell within the bounds of Dauphin County and still later Lebanon County after those counties split off.[3]
Quaker
- 1800s-1900s - Pennsylvania Quaker Records: Warrington, York County, Little Brittain, Lancaster County, Centre, Centre County, West Branch, Clearfield County, Dunnings Creek, Bedford County. n.p. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive - free.
Reformed
- 1774-1819 - Transcript of baptismal record of the Reformed Church of Maytown, Lancaster County, 1765 (1774)-1819. Typescript held at the Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
Court Records
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy court records are housed at the Lancaster 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.
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. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy 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.[5]
Clerk of the Courts
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.[6] For the Lancaster 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 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Prothonotary office information.
Katherine Wood-Jacobs – Prothonotary
Mailing Address:
County of Lancaster
Office of Prothonotary
50 N. Duke St
P.O. Box 83480
Lancaster, Pa. 17608-3480
Phone (717) 299-8282
Fax (717) 293-7210
email: kwoodjacobs@co.lancaster.pa.us
Orphan's Court (see Vital Records)
Finding Court Records at Other Repositories
Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lancaster 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).
Directories
Emigration and Immigration
For information about emigration into Pennsylvania, see the Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration page.
Ethnic Groups
Germans
Huguenots
Shirk, Willis L., Jr. "Assimilating into the Amerian Milieu: French Huguenots in Eighteenth Century Lancaster County", Lancaster Historical Society Journal, 95:3, 74.
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Published Histories
- Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site has several online histories of Lancaster County.
Some of the Lancaster County histories available in the Family History Library:
- History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men. Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885 (Has been microfilmed on #547037 or on #1000559 Item 3)
- History of Lancaster County : to which is prefixed a brief sketch of the early history of Pennsylvania. Rupp, Israel Daniel, 1803-1878 (Has been microfilmed on #1036814 Item 3)
- An authentic history of Lancaster County, in the state of Pennsylvania. Mombert, J. I. (Jacob Isidor) , 1829-1913 (This book has been digitized.)
- 1875 Historical Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Everts & Stewart (Has been microfilmed on #982071 Item 13)
Land and Property
Land records in Lancaster County began in 1728. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Lancaster, 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
- 1729–present The Recorder of Deeds has placed all county land records on-line which can be viewed for free. Land Records from 1981 to present can be viewed and searched; you do not have to be a registered user, just login as Guest. Land Records from 1729 to 1981 can be viewed but not searched so have the Page number and the Land Record number (Book and Volume for older records).
Land Records on Microfilm
- 1729–1894 Deeds, 1729-1867; Index, 1729-1894 FHL film 21439 (first of 111 films)
- 1729–1940 Mortgage records, 1812-1821; mortgagor index, 1729-1940. FHL films 941084–941093
Maps
- MacInnes, Sharon Cook and Angus MacInnes. Early Landowners of Pennsylvania : Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County, PA. Apollo, Pennsylvania : Closson Press, 2008. FHL book 974.815 E7ms
- Gilbert, Geri. The Warrant Maps of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Including an Every-name Index.Morgantown, Pennsylvania : Masthof Press, 2005. FHL Q book 974.815 R2g
Note that the "Maps" section below also includes maps related to land ownership.
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 Lancaster County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
- Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)
Maps
- Ancestor Tracks has posted free, downloadable images from the Bridgens' Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by H.F. Bridgens published by D.S. Bare in 1864. This atlas shows major landowners and geographic sites at the date of publishing. 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 Tracks.
- An Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County and a Companion Scans of Township Warrantee Maps plus Current Road Overlay CD ($) are also available from Ancestor Tracks. They show precise outlines in metes and bounds of each original tract and all surrounding tracts in the township, giving the names of the warrantee and patentee; dates of the warrant, survey, and patent; and the patent and survey book and page of the recorded patent.
- Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site contains several maps of Lancaster County both old and modern.
- Online map site and things to do in Lancaster county PA
Migration
Military
French and Indian War
In 1756, Colonel Armstrong recruited many Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County. They attacked and destroyed the Indian village at Kittanning (present-day Armstrong County).[3]
Colonel Henry Bouquet led a group of Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County to rescue Fort Pitt. They decisively defeated the Indians at the Battle of Bushy Run.[3]
Reverend John Elder, pastor of Derry and Paxtang churches, recruited Scotch-Irish rangers from his congregation in Lancaster County. Known as the Paxton Rangers or Paxton Boys, they provided security for white settlements between the Blue Mountains and the Susquehanna River. They are remembered for playing a prominent role in Pontiac's War.[3]
Revolutionary War
Local men served in the Lancaster 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.
Lancaster County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment,[7] the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment,[7] and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.[8]
Civil War
Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War lists Lancaster County Pennsylvania Soldiers in the Civil War - Civil War Books, Rosters, Medal of Honor Recipients, and Soldier Biographies.
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.
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1740-1773 – Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry.com - ($), incomplete for all counties
- 1740-1773 – Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry.com - ($), incomplete for all counties
- 1795-1952 – Pennsylvania, Eastern District Naturalization Indexes, 1795-1952 on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1248, browsesable images of card index
- 1795-1952 – Pennsylvania, Eastern District Naturalization Indexes, 1795-1952 on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1248, browsesable images of card index
- 1795-1931 – Pennsylvania, Eastern District Petitions for Naturalization, 1795-1931 on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1522, browsesable images of petitions, no index, use index listed above
- 1795-1931 – Pennsylvania, Eastern District Petitions for Naturalization, 1795-1931 on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1522, browsesable images of petitions, no index, use index listed above
- 1795-1930 – Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522, incomplete for all counties
- 1795-1930 – Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 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
- 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
Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm
- 1743 Extract aus der Registratur der Supreem Court zu Philadelphia FHL Collection
- 1743 Extract aus der Registratur der Supreem Court zu Philadelphia FHL Collection
Finding Naturalization Indexes at Other Repositories
Additional naturalization indexes can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lancaster 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
Lancaster 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 Lancaster County
- Pennsylvania Newspapers
- Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
Online Newspapers
- Chronicling America Lancaster Daily Intelligencer 1863-1928 Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
- Pennsylvania Historic Newspapers
- Lancaster Intelligencer 1833-1852
- Marietta Register 1883-1890
- Mariettian 1858-1860
- Marietta Advocate and Farmers' and Mechanic's Intelligencer 1833-1835
- Marietta Pioneer 9/1827-9/1828
- Pioneer (Marietta) 9/26/1828-1/8/1830
The Lancaster County Digitization Project is a consortium of institutions interested in digitizing the county's newspaper and manuscript collections. Several Lancaster county newspapers are provided in digital format through this and other collaborative efforts.
- Lancaster Examiner and Hearld (1834-72) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
- The Columbia Spy (1830-89) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
- The Intelligencer Journal (1848-71) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
- The New Holland Clarion (1873-1950) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
- The Lancaster Farmer (1869-84) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
Online Newspaper Abstracts
- PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Lancaster County.
- Selected Newspaper Articles from Lancaster Intelligencer1881 - 1897; Terre Hill Times 1910-1911; Quarryville Sun, 1918. Courtesy USGenWeb Archives
Newspaper Collections
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- Father Abraham 6/12/1868-4/29/1870; 10/25/1872-12/13/1872
- Lancaster Intelligencer 12/28/1847-12/27/1871
Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts
- Hawbaker, Gary T., Runaways, Rascals and Rogues:Missing Spouses, Servants and Slaves (Hershey, Pennsylvania:G.T. Habaker, c1987) At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL book 974.815 B38h Lancaster Journal, 1794-1810.
- Der Volksfreund, Lancaster (Pennsylvanien) (SLC, Utah, 1961) FHL film 262665 item 2
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
- PA-Roots Obituaries for Lancaster County.
- Mennonite and Amish Obituaries
- Lancaster County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives
- Archived Intelligencer Obituaries
- Current Lancaster Intelligencer Obituaries
- Marshall College Obituaries 19th Century
Occupations
Indentured Servants
- List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.
Periodicals
Poorhouse, Almshouse
Probate Records
Probate matters in Lancaster 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
- 1729-1850 - Fulton, Eleanore Jane. An Index to the Will Books and Intestate Records of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania 1729-1850: with an Historical Sketch and Classified Bibliography. Lancaster, Pa.: Fulton and Mylin, 1936. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
Online Probate Records
- Lancaster County has an Online Index for their Probate Files and can be viewed for free.
- 1721–1819 Will Abstracts 1721-1819 and index located on PAGenWeb –Index is located at the top of the page. Scroll to the will abstracts.
- 1729-1947 – Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994 at FamilySearch.org - free. Includes Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Will Index (1729-1947), Wills Abstract Index (1721-1820), Will Books A-2R (1730-1908), Letter of Administration Index (1730-1830), and Orphan's Court Record Index (1742-1755).
- Wills, Administrations and Estate Papers located on PAGenWeb- also includes year will was probated and residence of deceased
- Lancaster County has an Online Index for their Probate Files and can be viewed for free.
Original Probate Records on Microfilm
- 1730-1830 Index to Letters of Administration FHL film 383286 item 1
- 1730-1908 Wills FHL film 383290 (first of 31 films) - Index included: 1729-1947
- 1730-1830 Index to Letters of Administration FHL film 383286 item 1
Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts
Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy probate wills 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).
Repositories
Archives
- Lancaster County Archives
150 North Queen Street, Suite 10,
Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: (717) 299-8319
FAX: (717) 735-9606
Email: archives@co.lancaster.pa.us
The archives has historic records, such as wills and deeds from the beginning of the county in 1729.
- Lancaster County Archives
- 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.
- Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society (ERHS) and United Church of Christ Archives (UCC)
Philip Schaff Library
Lancaster Theological Seminary
555 W. James Street
Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: (717) 290-8734
This site has church records and family histories that used to be at the Franklin and Marshall College Library.
- Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society (ERHS) and United Church of Christ Archives (UCC)
- Franklin and Marshall College Library
Archives and Special Collections
450 College Ave
PO Box 3003
Lancaster, PA 17604
Phone: (717) 291-4223
Has some genealogical data about College faculty, students and administrators only. All church records and family histories were moved to the Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1967 (see above).
- Franklin and Marshall College Library
- LancasterHistory.org
Lancaster County's Historical Society and President James Buchanan's Wheatland
230 North President Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: (717)392-4633
Fax: (717) 293-2739
Email: Information|Research Assistant
The archive has county records, manuscripts, newspapers, and more. Check the online finding aids, library catalog, Discovery Tool, and online newspapers and city directories.
- LancasterHistory.org
- Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society - Archives
2215 Millstream Rd
Lancaster, PA 17602-1499
Phone:(717) 393-9745
Fax: (717) 393-8751
E-mail: lmhs@lmhs.org
This is the official depository for records of the Atlantic Coast and Lancaster Conferences of the Mennonite Church. In addition, it has many records of other organizations affiliated with them.It also has helps for genealogists.
- Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society - Archives
- Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
300 Gap Road
P. O. Box 15
Strasburg, PA 17579
Phone: (717) 687-8628
The Library has thousands of historic books and magazines about railroads. The Archives has a large collection of photographs, maps, and manuscripts. Try their catalogs to see specific information.
- Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Courthouse
- Register of Wills
50 N. Duke St.
P.O. Box 83480
Lancaster, PA 17608-3480
email: Mary Ann Gerber - MGerber@co.lancaster.pa.us
The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court Office provides a variety of services to the public such as the probate of decedent estates, issuance of marriage licenses, collection of inheritance taxes and maintenance of records pertaining to adoptions, guardianships and estates.
- Office of the Clerk of Courts
County of Lancaster
50 North Duke Street
P.O. Box 83480
Lancaster, PA 17608-3480
Phone: (717) 299-8275
Fax: (717) 295-3686
Email: ClerkofCourts@co.lancaster.pa.us
The Clerk of Courts maintains criminal records for the courts and the 519,000 plus citizens of Lancaster County. Many of the records are scanned.
- Recorder of Deeds
150 N. Queen St.
P.O. Box 1478
Lancaster, PA 17608-1478
Telephone: : 717.299.8238
Fax: 717.299.8393
An online sight allows users to search records from 1729-1981 which requires you to sign in.
- Office of Prothonotary
County of Lancaster
50 North Duke Street
P.O. Box 83480
Lancaster PA 17608-3480
Phone: 717-299-8282
Fax: 717-293-7210
Email: kwoodjacobs@co.lancaster.pa.us
Family History Centers
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 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy is the Lancaster Pennsylvania Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.
Libraries
- Lancaster County Library
Location Address:
125 North Duke St
Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone Number: (717) 394-2651
Mailing Address:
125 North Duke St
Lancaster, PA 17602
The Lancaster Public Library is part of the Lancaster Public Library System that serves 16 libraries. They have shared online catalog which has a sizable genealogy and biography collection.
Online Catalog
- Winters Heritage House Museum
Seibert Library
Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 14, 41-47 East High Street
Elizabethtown PA 17022
Phone: (717) 367-4672
Email: winters-hh@embarqmail.com
Fax: (717) 367-9991
The library has historical and family records, maps, photographs, etc. Call ahead to make an appointment with a research librarian. The museum has three original log structures dating from 1750-1847, and a brick house dating to 1877.
Museums
- Amish Farm and House
GPS/MapQuest Address:
The Amish Farm and House
2395 Lincoln Highway East (Covered Bridge Drive)
Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone: 717-394-6185
Fax: 717-394-4857
info@amishfarmandhouse.com
Tours explain Amish life and customs.
- Bethel Harambee Historical Services
Hopkins Study Center
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
450-512 East Strawberry
Lancaster PA 17602-4449
Phone: (717) 393-8379
Has historical documents relating to African American history.
- Ephrata Cloister
632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
Phone: 717-733-6600
Email: ra-ephratacloister@pa.gov
The cloister has a small research library that is open weekdays by appointment only. Limited genealogical materials are available. "The staff is unable to answer genealogical queries, but can provide some advice on available sources." For an appointment, call the Curator.
- LancasterHistory.org
Lancaster County's Historical Society and President James Buchanan's Wheatland
230 North President Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: (717) 392-4633
Fax: (717) 293-2739
Email: Information|Research Assistant
This historical center has a library and archives with many records of genealogical value. Their collection contains over 15,000 volumes, as well as maps, family files, subject information files, photographs, oral histories, microfilm, and CDs. A reference collection consisting of indexes, genealogical and historical journals, and books is available for browsing. All other books are housed in closed stacks and must be requested at the reference desk.
Lancaster city and county directories 1847-1922 and directories for several other Lancaster cities have been digitized and are available online.
- Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
300 Gap Road
P. O. Box 15
Strasburg, PA 17579
Phone: 717-687-8628
Has good information about U.S. Railroads, including a timeline.The museum also has a library and archives.
Societies
There are two very helpful societies in Lancaster County:
- Lancaster County Historical Society
230 N President Ave
Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: 717-392-4633
The society has a research library, with an Online Search.
The Family History Library has some of the journals they have published on microfilm.
- Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society
2215 Millstream Rd
Lancaster, PA 17602-1499
Phone: 717-393-9745
The society has an online catalog.
- Come join our Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Group at Facebook
Taxation
- Pre-1729 - Eshelman, H. Frank. Assessment Lists and Other Manuscript Documents of Lancaster County Prior to 1729. Digitized by Internet Archive - free.[9]
- 1750-1758, 1771-1772 - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Assessment Lists 1750, 1751, 1753, 1755, 1758, 1771, 1772 at PAGenWeb - free.
- 1751, 1756-1758 - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Tax Lists 1751, 1756, 1757, 1758: With Additional Tax Lists and Index at FamilySearch Books Online - free.
- 1771-1773, 1779, 1782 - Proprietary and State Tax Lists of the County of Lancaster: For the Years 1771, 1772, 1773, 1779 and 1782. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 17). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.
- 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).
The Salt Lake City Family History Library has microfilmed many Lancaster County taxation records, and they are available in Salt Lake City and can be accessed in its satellite Family History Centers.
Vital Records
For birth, marriage and death records prior to 1906 contact:
Lancaster County Archives
150 North Queen Street, Suite 10
Lancaster PA 17603
Phone: 717-299-8319
Fax: 717-735-9606
archives@colancaster.pa.us
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.
Birth
The following records are available at the Lancaster County Archives :
- 1852-1855 Birth Registrations, online index
- 1870-1906 Delayed birth certificates, online index
- 1881-1906 Birth Registrations (Lancaster City), online index
- 1894-1907 Birth Registrations, online index
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
Online Resources:
- 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.
- 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
Old birth records for Lancaster County from 1881 through 1906 are kept by the Register of Wills.
Birth and Death
Birth/Death records from 1907 to the present are kept by the Pennsylvania Department of Vital Records at New Castle, PA
The Lancaster County Register of Wills maintains a 24-hour telephone information line (717-295-2001) which gives specific details about how to access these birth/death records.
Marriage
Pennsylvania marriages are located at the county level. Contact the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy clerk's office for these records.
The following records are available at the Lancaster County Archives :
- 1852-1855 Marriage Registrations
- 1885-2004 Marriage License Applications
Online Resources:
- 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
- 1725-1976 - Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
- 1730-1779 – 1,429 Marriage Records (1730-1779) of Rev. John Casper Stoever Pennsylvania/Maryland, at USGenWeb - Lists date of marriage as well as names and residences of bride and groom.
- 1767-1913 - Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years.
- Marriage Licenses are recorded continuously from 1885 and an index are available on-line.
- Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
- 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
- 1885-1950 - Pennsylvania County Marriage, 1885-1950 Extracted marriage records – free. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
- Beginning 1948 The Register of Wills keeps a marriage index beginning 1948 with an online index.
Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building. Records may be obtained by visiting or writing.
- 1851-1997 Divorce Records, online index (select Index Book Search)
- 1851-1997 Divorce Records, online index (select Index Book Search)
Death
The following records are available at the Lancaster County Archives :
- 1852-1855 Death Registrations, online index
- 1894-1907 Death Registrations
- 1874-1978 Death Affidavits
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 $3.00 to:
Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Public Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
- 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania, Deaths, 1852-1854 ] Index with images. Ancestry ($)
Finding Vital Records at Other Repositories
Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lancaster 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).
Web Sites
- The Lancaster County PA GenWeb Project, has numerous maps, church records, local histories, family histories, and other genealogical and historical information for Lancaster county.
- FamilyHart Online Database This is an online family database containing over 719,000 records, mostly of Pennsylvania Dutch Extraction. Many of the families are from Lancaster County. This database adds 1,000 names per week which is updated online every quarter. It is the most comprehensive family database online for Pennsylvania Dutch families.
- Pennsylvania Dutch Family History, Genealogy, Culture and Life This site contains links to everything Pennsylvania Dutch with a large concentration in Lancaster County.
Places
Populated Places
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), [FHL book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adams County, Pennsylvania" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_County,_Pennsylvania (accessed 17 July 2012).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 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. Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "way" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 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.
- ↑ 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)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 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, "9th Pennsylvania Regiment," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_Pennsylvania_Regiment, accessed 31 May 2012.
- ↑ Our thanks to FamilyHart at PAGenWeb for this link.