Wayne County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania  Wayne County

Historical Facts


The county is named after Revolutionary War General "Mad" Anthony Wayne (1745-1796).

Parent County
21 March 1798: Wayne County was created 1798 from Northampton County.

Boundary Changes
26 March 1814: Pike County set off.

Neighboring Counties
Lackawanna | Monroe | Pike | Susquehanna | New York counties: Broome | Delaware | Sullivan

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

Hollisterville Cemetery, Salem BillionGraves

Church Records
Many denominations dot the landscape of Berks County. Visiting the church your ancestor attended is recommended; however, many times, due to distance, that is not possible. The Historical Society of Berks County has an on-line index of more then 1.2 millions names, gleaned from the records of more than 300 local churches. It is not a complete index but still worth your time if you are looking for baptism, marriage, and burial records. The index is searchable in numerous ways, but searching by last name or church name is probably most popular. The index lists the name of the record, volume and page number where the individual record can be found. The volume and page number refer to books located at the historical society. To view the actual record, use the printable on-line form that can be mailed to obtain a copy of the record or visit the society. There is a fee for acquiring the record by mail.

Assembly of God Church 1920's

Baptist arrived in the area in 1795

Catholic - Irish Catholic families; many were Delaware and Hudson Canal Co. employes

German Catholic Church organized 1853

Episcopalians 1832

Jehovah's Witnesses 1943

Methodist Episcopal 1825 first; by 1900 the Methodist outnumbered the other denominations

Presbyterian Church in Hnesdale was organized in 1829

Potestant Episcopal

Lutheran - German Evangelical Luthern 1845

Russian Othodox

Seventh Day Adventists 1933

Temple Beth Israel - synagogue 1849. land donated by Delaware and Hudson Canal Co.Sherith-Israel Synagogue Russian and Polish Jews

Land and Property
Land records in Wayne County began in 1798. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds in Honesdale, 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


 * 1795-1941 Deeds, 1796 to 1866; Indexes, 1795 to 1941
 * 1798–1941 Mortgages, 1798-1834; Index, 1798-1941

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 Wayne County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


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

Maps
Ancestor Tracks has a CD of the First Landowners of PA: Warrantees of Wayne &amp; Pike Counties, Map &amp; Index by Jason Torrey, 1814 ($). The CD contains first landowner names and tracts, the warrant register index for Northampton County (the source for both Pike and Wayne Counties), and the warrant registers for both counties.

Courthouse
Wayne County Courthouse 925 Court Street Honesdale PA 18431 Phone: 570-253-5970 Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Taxation

 * 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Vital Records
In Wayne county, the Prothonotary's office has vital records for genealogical researchers. Visit the webpage for further information:

Prothonotary Wayne County Court House Second Floor Annex 925 Court Street Honesdale, PA 18431 Phone: 570-253-5970 Ext. 4030 Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Birth

 * 1824–1930 – – free index. Not complete for all years.

In Wayne county, the Prothonotary's office has:


 * 1893–1906 Birth records (see above for address)

Marriage

 * 1841–1976 – – free index. Not complete for all years.

In Wayne county, the Prothonotary's office has:


 * 1885–present - Marriage records (see above for address)

Divorce
Divorce records are handled by the office of the Prothonotary. While no on-line indexes or records are available, records may be obtained by visiting or writing to the Prothonotary at:

Wayne County Court House Second Floor Annex 925 Court Street Honesdale, PA 18431 Phone: 570-253-5970 Ext. 4030 Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Death

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

In Wayne county, the Prothonotary's office has:


 * 1893–1906 Death records (see above for address)

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.