Pennsylvania Church Records

United States   Pennsylvania    Church Records



Pennsylvania was founded as a place of refuge and religious freedom for many diverse groups from Great Britain and Europe. Important religious groups in colonial Pennsylvania were the Society of Friends (Quakers), the German Lutheran, German Reformed, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, and Catholic churches, and the German Pietist groups, including the Brethren (Dunkard), Mennonites, and Moravians. Before 1900 the major religious groups in Pennsylvania were theLutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic churches.

Because the keeping of vital records began late in the history of Pennsylvania, church records play a major roll in family history research. It is important that the researcher know the religious affiliation of their ancestor and be able to identify the church or churches their ancestor attended. County histories can help identfy extinct and extant churches in the locality where the ancestor lived.

Ministers assigned to a particular church may have "rode the circuit' to outlying areas to perform various ordinances for their parishoners. Records for itinerant (circuit riders) ministers may be recorded in their personal records or the records of the church where they are assigned. County histories may help to identify pastors who served in particular counties and what churches they were assigned too.

If the records can only be viewed at the church, make an appointment with the minister or secretary to examine the records. Remember, the records are the property of the church. There may be instances when the minister or a representive will not allow you to view the record but will look at the record for you.

A detailed Historical Records Survey inventory of church records available at the State Library of Pennsylvania is Inventory of Church Archives in Pennsylvania, also available in the. To check for a copy nearest you, use WorldCat. It lists many Pennsylvania churches existing in the 1930s. It is arranged by county and can help you identify extant churches for that time period.

The Family History Library has extensive collections of church records for the Lutheran, Presbyterian, Reformed (United Church of Christ), and Society of Friends denominations. Many transcripts of local church records have been published.

The Family History Library also has histories of the Church of the Brethren, the Society of Friends, and the Baptist, Schwenkfelder, Evangelical Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Moravian, and Catholic churches in Pennsylvania.

Two of the largest groups were the German Lutheran and Reformed churches. For excellent information on the various congregations and their histories and records, see Charles H. Glatfelter, Pastors and Peoples, 2 vols. (Breingsville, PA: Pennsylvania German Society, 1980 and 1981) as vols. 13 and 15 of The Publications of the Pennsylvania German Society in the. To check for a copy nearest you, search WorldCat.

Many denominations have deposited their records in central repositories. You can write to the following addresses for more information. Additional copies of church records may be located at the county historical or genealogical societies. Records at local societies may be more accessible.

Baptist
The Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary 6 Lancaster Ave Wynnewood, PA 19096-34 Telephone: (610) 896-5000

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Pennsylvania Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the Family History Library Catalog. Or by refering to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507). These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.

Episcopal
Diocese of Pennsylvania The History Committee 240 S. 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 Telephone: (215) 627-6434 Fax: (215) 627-7550

This diocese has records for churches that are now closed for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties only. Churches that are not closed should be contacted for their records. The appropriate diocese holds the records for other counties.

Only a small percentage of Colonial Pennsylvania's population belonged to the Church of England. Of 26 Episcopalian churches established in Pennsylvania before 1800, 12 have surviving parish registers covering that period.

Lutheran
A. R. Wentz Library Lutheran Theological Seminary 61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325 Telephone: (717) 334-6286 Email: [mailto:info@ltsg.edu info@ltsg.edu]

The A. R. Wentz Library records are not available to the general public, but the Family History Library has filmed many of their church records.

Krauth Memorial Library Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia Seminary Ridge Gettysburg PA 17325 Phone: (717) 334-6286, ext 2131

Tri-Synod Archives Thiel College 75 College Avenue Greenville PA 16125 Phone: (724) 589-2131

The archives has the records for the local congregations that have disbanded in the eastern third of Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, New England, and upstate New York. Those congregations still active will have their records or will know where their older records are located.

A helpful source is Frederick S. Weiser, Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Records, 4 vols. included in the. This includes records from Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Lebanon, Northumberland, Snyder, and York counties.

Genealoger.comhas a bibliography of Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Records and Histories

For an index to birth (baptism) information for Colonial Pennsylvania Lutherans, see:


 * Humphrey, John T. Birth Index; Southeastern Pennsylvania, 1680-1800. n.p.: Brøderbund, 1998. CD-ROM no. 9 pt. 196.

For a history of colonial German Lutheran churches, read:


 * Dubbs, Joseph Henry. "The Founding of the German Churches of Pennsylvania," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 17 (1893):241-262. For free online access, see WeRelate.

Moravian Church
The Moravian Archives 41 West Locust Street Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018 United States of America Phone: (610) 866-3255 Fax: (610) 866-9210

For information concerning missions to the American Indians visit Moravian Missions Among American Indians. For a map and list of missions visit Early Moravian Missions in Eastern Pennsylvania and Surrounding Areas 1740-1773.

Mission records are also available in the. The records are indexed in the Book 970.1 F642i.

Presbyterian
Presbyterian Historical Society 425 Lombard Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 Telephone: (215) 627-1852 Fax: (215) 627-0509

The society and the have "Miscellaneous Biographical Collection". This collection contains information from the 1600s up to 1960s. It includes obituaries, funeral discourses, memorial sermons, newspaper clippings, records of ministerial service, published genealogies, histories, golden anniversary of work in the ministry, church newsletters with biographical information, ordination service bulletins, installation service bulletins, biographical sketches and photographs. The collection is national in scope.

Inventory of the Church Archives of Pennsylvania Presbyterian Churches. Works Progress Administration, compiled from 1936-1940 and is available in the. Also try Candace Belfield's book Inventory of the church archives of Pennsylvania : Presbyterian churches. 

Reformed
Archives of the Evangelical and Reformed Church Philip Schaff Library Evangelical and Reformed Historical Library 555 W. James Street Lancaster, PA 17603 Telephone: (717) 290-8734

A guide to the records in the above named archive is, Florence M. Bricker, comp. and ed., Church and Pastoral Records in the Archives of the United Church of Christ and the Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society, Lancaster, PA Lancaster, PA: The Society, 1982; and is available in the. To locate the book nearest you, search WorldCat.

Roman Catholic
The beginning of the Catholic faith in Pennsylvania can be dated back to French explorers who visited the area in the seventeenth century. The first Catholic church was a chapel built in Fort Duquesne in 1754. In 1808, the Diocese of Philadelphia was organized. It covered the entire state. It was split in 1843 when the Diocese of Pittsburgh was erected to oversee Western Pennsylvania. Other dioceses were erected at later dates.

At present there are eight dioceses in Pennsylvania:

Diocese of Allentown P.O. Box F Allentown, PA 18105-1538

The diocese consists of the counties of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill.

Diocese of Altoona 927 S. Logan Boulevard hollidaysburg, PA 16648 Phone: (814) 695-5579

The diocese consists of the counties of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset.

Diocese of Erie St. Mark Catholic Center 429 East Grandview Blvd. Erie, PA 16504

The diocese coonsists of the of counties of Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Mercer, McKean, Potter, Venango and Warren.

Diocese of Greensburg 723 East Pittsburgh St. Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: (724) 837-0901

The diocese consists of the counties of Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland.

Diocese of Harrisburg 4800 Union Deposit Road Harrisburg, PA 17111 Phone: (717) 657-4804

The diocese of Harrisburg consists of the counties of Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia 222 North 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1299 Phone: (215) 587-3600


 * Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Reseach Center 100 E. Wynnewood Wynnewood, PA 19096 Telephone: (610) 667-3394

The diocese (erected 1808) consists of the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia.

Diocese of Pittsburgh 111 Blvd. of the Allies Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: (412) 456-3000

The diocese (erected 1843) consists of the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence and Washington.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh originally included Catholic churches throughout Western Pennsylvania, including: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.

For a centennial history, see:


 * "100 Years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943," Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Summer 1990):9-33. . Chronology, map, county-by-county information.

Diocese of Scranton 300 Wyoming Avenue Scranton, PA 18593 Phone: (570) 207-2238

The diocese consists of the counties of Bradford, Clinton, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, Wyoming.

For a listing of many vital records, see Albert H. Ledoux. Catholic Vital Records of Central Pennsylvania, 4 vols. (Altoona, PA: A. H. Ledoux, 1993-1996; see . Also check WorldCat for a copy of the book nearest you.

Society of Friends (Quakers)
For Hicksite records:

Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Swarthmore College 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081 Telephone: (610) 328-8496 Email: friends@swarthmore.edu

For Orthodox records:

Quaker Collection Haverford College James P. Magill Library 370 Lancaster Avenue Haverford, PA 19041-1392 Telephone: (610) 896-1000

A card index to Quaker records is William Wade Hinshaw, The William Wade Hinshaw Index to Quaker Meeting Records in the Friends Library in Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania can be found in the.

For help in finding Quaker records, see:


 * Inventory of Church Archives, Society of Friends in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA: Historical Records Survey, 1941, can be searched in the.
 * Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. 6 Vols. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, 1936-1950. Volume II covers Pennsylvania Monthly Meetings. ; digital version at Ancestry ($). To locate copies nearest you, use WorldCat.
 * The William Wade Hinshaw Index to Pennsylvania Quaker Meeting Records. 8 vols. (Kokomo, Indiana: Selby Publishing &amp; Printing, 1990; available in the . To locate copies nearest you, use WorldCat.

An important resource for Eastern Pennsylvania is Jack Eckert, Guide to the Records of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (Philadelphia, PA: Haverford College, Records Committee of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Swarthmore College, 1989; available in the . It also contains a bibliography, a glossary, and the record location for the other yearly meetings throughout the United States and Canada. The yearly meeting includes the monthly and quarterly meeting records, etc., under its jurisdiction. To locate a copy of the book nearest you, use WorldCat.

Many sources are also listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under PENNSYLVANIA - CHURCH HISTORY.

A few church records have been indexed for most Pennsylvania Counties in the I Dream of Genealogy website. They are indexed by County, Township and then Church.

For a history of Welsh Quakers in Pennsylvania, read:


 * Levick, James J. "The Early Welsh Quakers and Their Emigration to Pennsylvania," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 17 (1893):385-413. For free online access, see WeRelate.