Monroe County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania  Monroe County

Guide to Monroe 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.

Monroe County Pennsylvania Historical Facts



 * Parent Counties: Formed from Pike and Northampton Counties 1 April 1836.


 * County Seat: Stroudsburg


 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in:


 * Wayne (north)
 * Carbon (west)
 * Pike (northeast)
 * Northampton (south)
 * Luzerne
 * Lackawanna(northwest)
 * Warren County, New Jersey (east)
 * Sussex County, New Jersey (northeast)

Named for James Monroe, the 5th President of United States.

Boundary Changes
13 March 1843: Carbon County created.

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.

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

Church Records
The Monroe County Historical Association has various records for churches throughout the Monroe County area. However, the society has not put the records on-line and to view the records one must go to the society.

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:
 * Brodheadsville: Zion United Church Lutheran Broadheadsville
 * Clifford: East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church
 * East Stroudsburg: Middle Smithfield Presbyterian Church
 * Paradise Valley: Keokee United Methodist Church
 * Stroudsburg: Christ Episcopal Church; St. John's Lutheran Church; Stroudsburg United Methodist Church
 * Tannersville: United Church of Christ


 * 1741-1825 - Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Carbon County, 1795-1825; Monroe County, 1741-1825; Schuylkill County, 1755-1825. Washington, D.C.: PA Genealogy Books, 2006..
 * Contains church records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Smithfield Township; Lutheran and Reformed Congregations in Hamilton Township; Lutheran and Reformed Congregations in Lower Smithfield Township; Stroudsburg Monthly Meeting; and Lutheran and Reformed Congregations at Gilbert in Chestnuthill Township.

Dutch Reformed
The first church in Monroe County was a Dutch Reformed Church, organized in 1737 and called the Old Log Church. It was located in Smithfield. The Smithfield Church was one of the four Dutch Reformed churches built in about 1741 in the area. The other 3 churches were all built on the other side of the Delaware River in Minisink Valley area (Northwestern New Jersey).


 * 1741-1814 - Canfield, Amos. "Records of the Reformed Dutch Church at Smithfield, Pennsylvania," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record,
 * Church Officials 1745-1814, Membership Lists 1745-1788, Marriage Banns 1742-1786, Baptisms 1741-1749: Vol. 57, No. 1 (Jan. 1926):63-74; :*Baptisms 1749-1807: Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr. 1926):142-152. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.

Lutheran
Hamilton Church


 * Miscellaneous Hamilton Church Records on at PAGenWeb – free, incomplete

Salem Reformed and Lutheran Church, Chestnut Hill Township


 * Baptism Records of Salem Reformed and Lutheran Church on at PAGenWeb – free, located in Chestnut Hill Township

Salem Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Church, Gilbert


 * 1807-1866 - Salem Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Church, Gilbert, Baptism Index 1807-1866 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Methodist
The Delaware Water Gap Methodist Church (also called Dutotsburg) began in 1800.

Presbyterian[[Image:Feboldstonechurch-2.jpg|thumb|right]]
The Smithfield Stone Church was erected in 1752 and later became known as the Presbyterian Church in 1853 (Image courtesy of the Monroe County Historical Association). The church welcomed all Protestant denominations. The Church of the Mountain was organized in Delaware Water Gap in 1854.


 * 1832-1853 - "The Smithfield, Pa., Presbyterian Church," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, List of Births, Baptisms 1842-1853, Marriages 1842-1853, Membership Lists 1832-1843: Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr. 1926):153-160. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.

Reformed

 * Baptism Records of Salem Reformed and Lutheran Church on at PAGenWeb – free, located in Chestnut Hill Township

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. 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.

Land and Property
Land records in Monroe County began in 1836. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Stroudsburg, 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


 * 1958–present Images (since 1958) and an index (since 1979) are available on-line using the Landex system. There is a fee to view the images.

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 Monroe 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
Click the image to view an enlarged version


 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images from the Map of the Counties of Munroe and Carbon, Pennsylvania from the Surveys under the Direction of H.F. Walling (New York, 1860). This wall map located in the Library of Congress shows major landowner 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.

Migration
The migration routes used by early European settlers to and from included:


 * Lehigh and Lackawanna Paths 1766 from Unadilla, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Catskill Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Minsi Path from Kingston, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Ulster and Delaware Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Delaware River.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records available for Monroe 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

Newspapers
Newspapers of Monroe County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

Microfilms of the following newspapers can be found in the Kemp Library located on the campus of the East Stroudsburg University. This library is located at 200 Prospect Ave, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 18301 Phone nunber 570-422-3465. Microfilm copies can be made for a minimal fee. See also Kemp Library at East Stroudsburg University

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.


 * 1853-1911 The Jeffersonian (Stroudsburg, PA at Chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.

Online Newspaper Abstracts


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

Probate Records

 * Monroe County Wills Filed at Easton, North Hampton County, Pennsylvania. This is brief extract of information contained in about 60 wills found on the Monroe County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb site.

Online Probate Indexes


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


 * 1683 - 1994 at FamilySearch — images

Repositories

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

Archives
The Monroe County Archives was established in 2005 and is located at One Quaker Plaza, Room 207, Stroudsburg, PA., 18360. The archivist, B.J. (Bette Jo) Bachman, advised that you make an appointment prior to doing research by calling: 570-517-3189. Requests are accepted by mail with an enclosed fee of $5.00 per name, plus a small fee for copies of documents found. The fee must be submitted in the form of a money order payable to the Monroe County Archives. Below is a brief listing of the holdings at the archives :



Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse 610 Monroe Street Stroudsburg, PA 18360 Phone: (570) 517-3009 Directions to Courthouse

Clerk of Court/Orphan's Court Phone: 570-517-3386

Office of the Prothonotary Phone: 570–517-3370

Libraries
Eastern Monroe Public Library, or the Hughes Library is located at 1002 North Ninth Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. This library has a Local History Room on the second floor. Visit Eastern Monroe Public Library for more information.

A partial listing of their holdings include:


 * The History of Monroe County and the surrounding areas
 * Some Family History Books.
 * Pennsylvania Civil War Conscientous Objectors Database
 * Access to Ancestory.com and Heritage Quest

All family history books located in the Monroe County Historical Association library are searchable on the public library computers

Western Pocono Community Library is located at 200 Pilgrim Way, Broadheadsville, PA. Phone 570-992-7934.This library has a limited number of family genealogies.They do have microfilm of the records of the Salem Union Church located in Gilbert, Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, for the years 1806-1924. These microfilms are also found in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. To access these films FamilySearch online or through your local family history library.

The Easton Public Library is located at 515 Church Street, Easton, Pa 18042-3597. This library has a dedicated family history research room called The Marx Room. In the Marx Room you will find over 15,000 items of interest to local researchers looking for ancestors who lived in Northampton County prior to the formation of Monroe County in 1836. Click here to learn more about the Easton Public Library Marx Room

The collection includes but is not limited to the following records:


 * Family History Books
 * Periodicals
 * Local Newspapers from 1799 - current
 * Obituary Indexes
 * 175 Volumes of Northampton County Church and Cemetery Records
 * Northampton Court Records, Extracts
 * DAR publications
 * Vertical Family Files

Museums
Cresco Station Museum Barrett Township Historical Society PO Box 358 Mountainhome, PA 18342 Phone: (570) 595-6157 Email: stationmuseum@verizon.net

The purpose is to promote the history of Barrett Township. The museum has an archives that collects information as well as scans records and returns them to the original owner. Contact the archivist for more information: leeanne@uplink.net.

Societies
The Monroe County Historical Association is housed in the Jacob Stroud Manson at 900 Main Street, Stroudsburg, Pa. 18360. Phone 570 421-7703. Curator: Mrs. Amy Lesher. A reading fee of $5.00 a day is charged for non-members to use the Walters Library. Research requests accepted by mail only. Monroe County Historical Association

A partial listing of the holdings in the Elizabeth D Walters Library are as follows:


 * Many Local Family Histories,
 * U S Census Records
 * Some Newspapers from 1840 - 1999
 * Vertical Files by Surname and Subject
 * Obituary Collections
 * Monroe County Church Records
 * Monroe County Death Records from Sep 1893 - Oct 1905
 * Monroe County Cemetery Lists
 * Monroe County Funeral Home Records
 * County and State Histories
 * City Directories and Phonebooks
 * Maps

Barrett Township Historical Society Cresco Station Museum P.O. Box 358 Mountainhome, PA 18342 Phone: 570-595-6157 Email: stationmuseum@verizon.net

Coolbaugh Township Historical Association Wills Mansion 5550 Memorial Dr., Rt. 611 Tobyhanna, PA 18466 Phone: 570-894-4207

Eldred Township Historical Society P.O. Box 600 490 Kunkletown Rd Kunkletown, PA 18058 Phone: 610-381-4252

Historical Association of Tobyhanna Township P.O. Box 2084 Pocono Pines, PA 18350 Phone: 570-972-6812

Paradise Township Historical Society P.O. Box 94 Henryville PA 18332 Phone: 570-629-2727

Pocono Jackson Historical Society P.O. Box 572 Tannersville, PA 18372

Polk/Chestnuthill Township Historical Society P.O. Box 243, Route 715 S Brodheadsville, PA 18322 Phone: 570-992-7247 Email: info@chestnuthilltwp-pa.gov

Genealogical Research Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. (GRSNP) 110 Main Street Peckville, PA 18452 Phone: 570-383-7661 FAX: 570-383-7466 E-mail: info@grsnp.org


 * Hours: Monday through Thursday 9:00–2:00 and Wednesday night 6:00 pm–900 pm and Saturday by appointment
 * A simple search of a dated name or event $20 - Detailed searches are at the rate of $40 an hour. Postage and photocopies up to $1 are included.

The GRSNP serves northeastern counties:


 * Lackawanna
 * Luzerne
 * Monroe
 * Pike
 * Susquehanna
 * Wayne
 * Wyoming

There resources include the research center and library, newsletters, and database queries.

Taxation

 * 1775-1847 - Tax Lists for Monroe County, PA at PAGenWeb - free.

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 – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
 * 1725-1976 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic database of information. The entries are primarily from the International Genealogical Index (IGI) along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as: Family Records, Church Records, Civil Registration. It may also include indexes generated by the internet indexing project sponsored by the LDS Church.
 * Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) 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.
 * 1860-1865 Marriage Abstracts from Monroe Democrat, courtesy USGenWeb Archives.
 * 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.

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.

Monroe County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

 * Monroe County, PA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Monroe County PA Genealogy