Montour County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Montour 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.

Montour County Pennsylvania Historical Facts
Parent Counties: Formed from Columbia County 3 May 1850.

County Seat: Danville

Neighboring Counties: Montour County residents may also have records in:


 * Lycoming
 * Northumberland
 * Columbia

Named for Elizabeth Catherine Montour, better known as Madame Montour, a prominent Indian leader during the colonial era. It is the smallest county in the state of Pennsylvania.

Description
The county was named Andrew Montour. It's county seat is Danville and was founded May 3, 1850. It is located in the Mid-Central area of the state.

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.

Biographies

 * History of Montour County from "The History of Colubmia and Montour Counties" Battle, 1887 Includes "Some of the Early Families" and "Montour County Bios" Courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Additional Cemetery Resources


 * PA-Roots
 * Names in Stone
 * Ancestry($)

Church Records
The Montour County Genealogical Society has various records for churches throughout the Montour County area. However, the society has not put the records on-line and to view the records one must go to the society. The society will do limited lookups in the records. See their website for details.

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:
 * Bloomsburg: Trinity Reformed Church (United Church of Christ)
 * Danville: Beaver Library; Lutheran Church; Presbyterian Church; Reformed Church; Shiloh United Church of Christ
 * Hemlock: Hemlock Township Union Church
 * Mooresburg: Presbyterian Church

Baptist


In 1842, the First Baptist Church of Danville was organized. The Immanuel Baptist Church was created from members of the First Baptist Church in 1892, but the church was dissolved by the members in 1908.

Evangelical
The first pastor was appointed for the Evangelical Church in 1867, although previous pastors did perform services before that time. This congregation was eventually called the Emanuel Evangelical Church and their first church building was dedicated in 1871.

Lutheran
The first sign of the Lutheran denomination in Montour County was in 1820 with the creation of what is now known as the Pine Street Lutheran Church. Before then, they would go to the Lutheran Church in Mahoning Township, Northumberland County. In 1845, a church was built and the congregation was known as Evangelical Lutheran Church of Danville (now called St. John's Lutheran Church). But the congregation eventually outgrew the building and the Pine Street Lutheran Church was built in 1859.

The Trinity Lutheran Church was created in 1859 from members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (eventually called the Pine Street Lutheran Church) that did not agree with the location of the new church building agreed upon by the majority of the congregation.

Methodist Episcopal
The St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church was the second religious organization established in Danville in about 1791, although a permanent church building was not erected until 1839.

The Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1868 from members of the St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church who lived in the north side of town.

Presbyterian
The Mahoning Presbyterian Church, later changed to the Grove Presbyterian Church, was the first religious organization in Danville in about 1778.

Protestant Episcopal
The Protestant Episcopal congregation (now known as Christ's Church) was officially established in 1829, sharing a church building with the Lutheran congregation. Difficulties with the Lutheran Congregation eventually lead to them leaving the church building in 1836 and was left exclusively to the Protestant Episcopal Church.

Reformed
The Shiloh Reformed Church in Danville was formally created in 1893, when it split from a larger congregation of the Reformed Church that began in 1856 and covered Danville, Catawissa, St. James (Mahoning) and Mausdale.

Roman Catholic
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church began as a mission in 1847. It's first building was on the corner of Center and Ferry streets and later moved to its current lot in 1869.

Because of the large influx of German Catholics by 1859, a congregation was created and called the St. Hubert's German Catholic Church. Previously, German Catholics attended St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

Synagogue
The B'nai Zion Synagogue was built in 1871. Previously, the congregation met in their schoolhouse built in 1853.

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. Montour County shares its judicial district with Columbia County. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.

Prothonotary

 * 1850–1907 Common Pleas Docket, vol. 1–2

Orphan's Court

 * 1851–1865 Orphans Court Docket, vol. 1–2

History

 * History of Montour County from "The History of Colubmia and Montour Counties" Battle, 1887 courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Land and Property
Land records in Montour County began in 1850. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in Danville, 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:

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1850-1958 Deeds, 1850-1866; Deed Index, 1850-1958.

Additional Resources

Note that the "Maps" section below also 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 Montour County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
 * (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search.)

Maps

 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images fromthe atlas of Columbia and Montour Counties of Pennsylvania from Recent &amp; Actual Surveys &amp; Records Under the Superintendence of G.H. Walker &amp; C.F. Jewett published by F.W. Beers &amp; Co in 1876. This atlas located in the Library of Congress 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.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records available for Montour County, Pennsylvania include the following:

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1901-1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930; and 1901-1906 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1622, Middle District court was created in 1901, for earlier dates try the Eastern and Western District court records
 * 1901-1930 Middle District, US Circuit and District Courts: Naturalization petitions, 1906-1930 located in U.S. Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1795-1972 (World Archives Project) database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1622, Middle District court was created in 1901, for earlier dates try the Eastern and Western District court records

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm


 * 1850-1907 Common Pleas Docket

Newspapers
Newspapers of Montour County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

Online Newspapers

To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Montour County, Pennsylvania.

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

Online Obituary Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Montour County, Pennsylvania.

Probate Records
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 - 1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry.com — index and images $


 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch.org

Montour County Only:


 * 1850–1912 Montour County Probate Records
 * 1850-Present Montour County Index of Wills 1850 to the Present. Free index found on the Mountor County, Pennsylvania website. Index includes name, book, and page number.

Original Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1850–1912 Wills

Repositories

 * List of Pennsylvania Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Archives

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

Courthouse
Montour County Courthouse 29 Mill Street Danville, PA 17821 Phone: 570-271-3010

County courthouse has:


 * 1893-1905: Birth and Death records
 * 1885 to present: Marriage license
 * 1883-1905: Delayed birth registration
 * 1850-1904: Naturalization Records

Office of the Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts/Clerk of Orphans'Court Montour County Court House 29 Mill Street Danville, PA 17821 Phone: 570-271-3010

Libraries

 * Thomas Beaver Free Library 205 Ferry Street Danville, PA 17821 Phone: 570-275-4180.
 * The Montour County Genealogical Society keep their genealogical records at the library.
 * The Montour County Genealogical Society collection includes but is not limited to the following records:
 * Obituary files
 * Family histories
 * Church records
 * County histories
 * Newsletters form various Pennsylvania genealogical societies
 * Surname files

Societies

 * Montour County Genealogical Society 205 Ferry Street Danville PA 17821 Phone: 570-275-6177 Genealogy Room: Thomas Beaver Free Library, 2nd Floor Check website for usage fees.
 * The collection includes records for Columbia, Montour and Northumberland Counties. Research requests may be submitted in writing using a printable form which includes the fee schedule.


 * Montour County Historical Society P.O. Box 8 1 Mill Street Danville, PA 17821
 * Located in the Montgomery House Museum, corner of Bloom and Mill Streets A small library contains local and county histories, industrial record books, business and law ledgers, military references, photographs, tax records, and maps. Currently open by appointment. Check website for information and phone numbers.

Vital Records
See also How to order Pennsylvania Vital Records

Birth

 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.

Marriage

 * 1677-1950  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) 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 – ($) Index with images.
 * 1885-1950  Extracted marriage records – free. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
 * Marriage records of Columbia and Montour Counties at Ancestry.com - ($); book transcription.
 * 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

 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
 * 1893-1905 Montour County Death Index 1893-1905 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batches  and.
 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch — index and images

Montour County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

 * Montour County, PA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * USGenWeb
 * Montour County PA Genealogy