Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania  Northumberland County 

Historical Facts
Named for the County of Northumberland in England.

Parent Counties
21 March 1772: Northumberland County was created 21 March 1772 from Lancaster, Berks, Cumberland, Bedford, and Northampton Counties.

Boundary Changes

 * Several times the county was divided over the years:
 * 25 September 1786: Luzerne
 * 19 September 1789: Mifflin
 * 13 April 1795: Lycoming
 * 13 February 1800: Centre
 * 26 March 1804: Clearfield
 * 22 March 1813: Columbia and Union

Neighboring Counties
Columbia | Dauphin | Juniata | Lycoming | Montour | Perry | Schuylkill | Snyder | Union

Cemeteries
Holy Cross Cemetery, Mount Carmel BillionGraves

Land and Property
Due to the lack of vital records for Pennsylvania, land records are an important tool in early Pennsylvania research. Land records will list the seller and purchaser of the property and may hide clues to family connections. Land records for Northumberland County are available from the recorder's office for 1772 to the present.


 * Images are available on-line from 1903 to the present using the Landex system. There is a fee to view the images.
 * Deeds, 1770-1866; Index, 1772-1914

Maps
Ancestor Trackshas posted free downloadable images from the Map of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by G.M. Hopkins, published by J.A.J. Cummings in 1858. This wall map 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.

Revolutionary War
Northumberland County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Nazareth Pennsylvania Family History Center
 * Sunbury Pennsylvania Family History Center (Northumberland)

Societies
The Northumberland County Historical Society 1150 North Front St. Sunbury, PA 17801-1126 Phone/Fax: (570) 286-4083

Taxation

 * 1778-1787 - Proprietary, Supply, and State Tax Lists of the Counties of Northampton and Northumberland: For the Years 1772 to 1787. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 19). Digital version at Google Books - free.


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

Birth

 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
 * "Birthday Book" of Clara Reichley on PAGenWeb - free, information varies, appears to be from a birthday book kept by a local resident living in Northumberland, NOT COMPLETE

Marriage

 * 1725-1976 - - free index. Not complete for all years.
 * Northumberland County Marriage Index Female Surname on PAGenWeb – free, alphabetical order
 * Northumberland County Marriage Index Male Surname on PAGenWeb – free, alphabetical order

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: Office of the Prothonotary 201 Market St Sunbury, Pa 17801 Phone: 570-988-4151

Death

 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
 * "Birthday Book" of Clara Reichley on PAGenWeb - free, information varies, appears to be from a birthday book kept by a local resident living in Northumberland, NOT COMPLETE
 * Names of persons killed in the mines of Northumberland County on PAGenWeb – free, covers various years

Web Sites

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