McKean County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to McKean County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The county was named Thomas McKean. It is located in the north-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
McKean County Courthouse 500 W. Main Street Smethport, PA 16749 Phone: 814-887-3323 Fax: 814-887-2712 Email: [mailto:jlbly@mckeancountypa.org jlbly@mckeancountypa.org] Register of Wills & Orphan's Court: Phone: 814-887-3260 Recorder of Deeds: Phone: 814-887-3250 Prothonotary & Clerk of Courts: Phone - 814-887-3270 McKean County Website Register of Wills has probate records Recorder of Deeds has land records from 1806

Populated Places
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:

Biographies

 * Index to the Biographical Sketches of McKean County, courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources
 * ca.1700-ca.1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images (incomplete)
 * Names in Stone
 * Painted Hills Genealogical Society

Census Records
Federal Census
 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1620-1991  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

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 $

Some lists of early church members may be found in the Beers' history of McKean County When congregations were too far distant for early county settlers, they would sometimes form a Union Church Society or a Union Sunday School. These groups met as Christian congregations, without being officially recognized by any one sect.

Baptist Baptists began meeting in McKean County in 1840. The Regular Baptist Church of Bradford was organized in 1852. Additional congregations were in Turtle Point, Annin Township, Smethport, Port Allegany, Norwich (1820-21), and Kane Township. Baptists and Methodists shared the Union Church in Eldred.

Catholic St. Bernard's was the first Catholic congregation established in Bradford. This happened in 1877. Additional churches were St. Mary's in Newell Creek, Eldred, St. Elizabeth's in Smethport, St. Gabriel's in Port Allegany, and Kane township.

Congregational Many town had Congregational congregations. The ministers came from New England towns. Addition congregations were in Port Allegany, and Duke Centre. Methodist Church was organized in the spring of 1880 in Bradford.

Lutheran Mount Jewett had a Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church established in 1888. An additional congregation was in Port Allegany. Three Swedish Lutheran congregations were founded in Kane Township between 1876-1885. Methodist Church was organized in the spring of 1880 in Bradford.

Methodist Methodist Church of Tunuanguant was organized in 1848. The First Methodist Church of Bradford congregation was established in 1878. An African Methodist Church was organized in the spring of 1880 in Bradford. Kendall township established a Methodist congregation in 1881. Additional congregations were in Annin Creek, Smethport, Port Allegany, Liberty Township, Otto Township, Duke Centre, and Kane Township. Baptists and Methodists shared the Union Church in Eldred.

Presbyterian The First Presbyterian Church of Bradford was organized in June, 1879. A second congregation was established in Kendall township in 1885. Additional congregations were in Mount Jewett, Port Allegany,and Kane Township.

Protestant Espiscopal The Protestant Episcopal church (St. Luke's) was formed in Smethport as early as 1842. Addition congregations were in Port Allegany and Otto Township. List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Prothonotary The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts is located under Departments at the McKean County website.The Court no longer accepts passport applications. Passports must be processed at the local post office.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1798-1828  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Alphabet index then by numbered entry
 * 1900-1923  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county)
 * 1952-1957   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Guardianship
Orphans Court McKean County Courthouse Register Clerk of Orphans' Court 500 Main Street Smethport, PA 16749 Phone: 814-887-3263

Land and Property Records
Land records in McKean County began in 1804. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Smethport, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1806-1972 Deed books, 1806-1886; Indexes, 1806-1972.  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1806-1900 Deeds, 1806-1868; Deed Index 1806-1900  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1811-1972 Mortgage Index. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1973–present Images are available online using the Landex system. There is a fee to view the images.

Local Histories

 * History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Selections. 1890. Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($);.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps
 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free and downloadable images from the 1856 Map of McKean County and the map of McKean Co. Pennsylvania Compiled and Published by D.G. Beers &amp; Co., 1871. These wall maps in the Library of Congress show major landowners and geographic sites at the dates 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.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes for European settlers to and from McKean County included:


 * Catskill Turnpike, trail 1760s; turnpike 1804, from Catskill to Bath, New York with extensions to Buffalo, New York, or Erie County, Pennsylvania
 * Forbidden Path, 1767 from Athens, Pennsylvania to Salamanca, New York

Military Records

 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II
 * 1933-1947  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1795-1931  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization records for McKean County, Pennsylvania include the following: Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 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
 * 1820-1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry $
 * 1842-1906 Alien dockets, 1842-1906.  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Newspapers
Newspapers of McKean County

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.


 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory.
 * Newspaper Archives of Green Free Library
 * Newspaper Archives of Smethport
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive
 * Pennsylvania Newspapers

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for McKean County, Pennsylvania.
 * McKean County Archives Newspaper Articles, 1874-1931 courtesy USGenWeb Archives Includes births, marriages and deaths
 * 1897-1931 Selected births from McKean County Newspapers, 1897-1931  courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Obituaries

 * 1947-2021  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1977-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Obituary Abstracts
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for McKean County, Pennsylvania.
 * McKean County PA Genealogy Obituaries
 * McKean County Obituaries, courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county)
 * 1827-1969 McKean County Probate Records - at FamilySearch
 * 1827-1917 Register's Dockets  - Index included: 1827-1969

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014  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

 * 1800s McKean County Tax Payers of the 1800's at

Birth

 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1883-1906 McKean County Birth Index 1883-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1893-1906 Smethport Birth Index 1893-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1941-1976  at FamilySerch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1512-1989  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
 * 1677-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1682-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1709-1940  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * Pre-1810  Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1885 McKean County Marriage Index 1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1885-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1856-1971  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1881-1905 Bradford Death Index 1881-1905 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1893-1906 Smethport Death Index 1893-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.

Archives

 * The National Archives at Philadelphia 14700 Townsend Road Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Phone: 215-305-2044 Fax: 215-305-2052 Website

Family History Centers

 * Cameron County Historical Society The Cameron County Historical Society is an affiliate of the Family History Library

Libraries

 * Bradford Area Public Library 67 West Washington Street Bradford, PA 16701-1234 Phone: 814-362-6527 Email: [mailto:bapublib@atlanticbb.net bapublib@atlanticbb.net] Website The library will do limited research for a fee. Their collection includes cemetery listings, city directories, local histories, and civil war volunteers listings.
 * Hanley Library, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford 300 Campus Drive Bradford, PA 16701 Phone: 814- 362-7610 Website The Hanley library holds the McKean County Genealogical Society collection. This collection includes local and regional histories, cemetery records, and family genealogies.

Museums

 * Eldred WW II Museum &amp; Learning Center 201 Main Street PO Box 273 Eldred, PA 16731 Phone: 814-225-2220

Societies

 * Painted Hills Genealogy Society Mary E. Bryant: Founder and President E-mail: [mailto:paint@paintedhills.org paint@paintedhills.org] Website This Society covers the Painted Hills Area of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania, particularly the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Steuben in New York and the Pennsylvania counties of McKean and Potter.
 * Bradford Landmark Society 45 East Corydon Street Bradford, PA 16701 Phone: 814–362-3906 Email: [mailto:info@bradfordlandmark.org info@bradfordlandmark.org] Website This Society covers the city of Bradford, McKean County. Online information includes obituary and cemetery indexes and a Civil War Veterans' index. The society will do research within their collection of city birth and death records 1881-1905, city directories, church and school records. Articles concerning historic buildings and people of Bradford City are posted on the society website under the heading "Time Capsule Index".

Websites

 * McKean County PAGenWeb
 * USGenWeb
 * McKean County PA Genealogy
 * – 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.