Adams County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Adams County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
It is named after the second President of the United States, John Adams. On 1–3 July 1863, Gettysburg and its vicinity was the site of the pivotal battle of the American Civil War, and as a result is a center for Civil War tourism. It is located in the Northwest corner of the state.

County Courthouse
Adams County Courthouse 111 Baltimore St. Gettysburg, PA 17325-2312 Phone: 717-334-6781 County of Adams Prothonotary 717-337-9834 County of Adams Clerk of Courts &amp; Orphans' Court 717-337-9806 Adams County Website

Clerk Court has birth and death records 1852-1855 and 1893-1905 and marriage records 1852-1855 and from 1856. Prothonotary Office has divorce and court records from 1800 County Recorder has property and land records from 1800

Accounts, Adoptions, and Guardian records are filed in the Orphans' Court. The court maintains records from 1800 to the present.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * 1700-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images (incomplete)
 * Adams Co. Historical Society The place to start; gives alternate names
 * Pennsylvania Genealogy LDS Genealogy
 * PA-Roots Adams County
 * FamilyHart's Harry Senft York and Adams County Cemetery Pictures. Thousands of headstone photographs in 320+ cemeteries in York and Adams counties.

Census Records
Federal Census
 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

state census
 * 18901890 Germany Township at Adams County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives
 * 18901890 Littlestown Township at Adams County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Church Records

 * 1620-1991 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Perhaps the earliest religious denomination to be established in the county was the Church of the Brethren or the Dunkards who came around 1840. The Church of England or Episcopal congregations if the English were formed soon after. They kept few records. The Dutch Reformed church came around 1865. German Lutherans came to the county around 1780-1800. Other groups to come included Methodists, Irish Catholics, and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. Not all the early churches to settle in the county stayed active to the present day.

The Adams County Historical Society Archives of the Historical Society contain:
 * A church and cemetery file.
 * A collection of Parish Register Transcripts: Many from old Lutheran and German Reformed congregations, and some from Presbyterian, Methodist, and Roman Catholic churches situated in the greater south-central and southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland areas.
 * Baptisms, marriages, etc. in over 300 Lutheran &amp; many non-Lutheran Churches in Adams County and area.

The Adams County Historical Society website includes a detailed list of Adams County Clergymen covering the entire period of the county's history (1800-present). Clergymen's names, churches served, and dates served are included in this online resource.

Historical Sketches

County-wide Database (Multi-denominational)
 * Church Histories of Christ's Church (Union Twp.); Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church (Fairfield) and Saint Aloysius Church of Littlestown. Found at Adams County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives


 * 1708-1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry $


 * Contains church records of:
 * Abbottstown: St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church; St. John's Lutheran Church
 * Arendtsville: Zion United Church of Christ
 * Barlow: Mount Joy Lutheran Church
 * Bendersville: Bethlehem Lutheran Church
 * Biglerville: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church; Trinity United Church of Christ
 * Butler: Benders Church
 * Conewago: Sacred Heart Basilica
 * East Berlin: Trinity Lutheran Church
 * Fairfield: St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church; Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Franklin: Lutheran Church
 * Gettysburg: Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church; St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Latimore: Chestnut Grove Evangelical Lutheran Church; Lower Bermudian Lutheran and Reformed Union Church
 * Littlestown: Christ United Church of Christ; St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * McSherrystown: St. Paul Lutheran Church
 * Mount Joy: Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church; Marks German Reformed Evangelical Lutheran Congregations
 * Mount Pleasant: St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church; United Brethren in Christ
 * Straban: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Uriah: United Methodist Church
 * York Springs: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church; United Brethren in Christ


 * 1729-1881 Pennsylvania Church Records - Adams, Berks, and Lancaster Counties, 1729-1881 at Ancestry $
 * Early 1800s - Present An alphabetical list of Adams County Clergymen: Their names, their churches, and their years of service.
 * History of Saint Aloysius Church of Littlestown, Pennsylvania (1893) - full-text online

Catholic Conewago Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Conewago Township


 * 1790-1815 Conewago Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Conewago Township, Baptism Index 1790-1815 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1791-1835 Conewago Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Conewago Township, Marriage Index 1791-1835 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Dutch Reformed Conewago Dutch Reformed Church, Straban Township


 * 1769-1793 Conewago Dutch Reformed Church, Straban Township Baptism Index 1769-1793 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Lutheran and Dutch Reformed Church, Arendtsville


 * 1770-1874 Lutheran and Dutch Reformed Church, Arendtsville, Baptism Index 1770-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Episcopal Christ's Episcopal Church, York Springs


 * 1760-1763, 1784-1836, 1851-1876 Christ's Episcopal Church, York Springs, Baptism Index 1760-1763, 1784-1836, 1851-1876 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Lutheran
 * 1785-1874 Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1785-1874: Lutheran and Reformed Congregations at Ancestry ($).

Christ Lutheran Church, Gettysburg


 * 1837-1875 Christ Lutheran Church, Gettysburg, Baptism Index 1837-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1847-1880 Christ Lutheran Church, Gettysburg, Marriage Index 1847-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, York Springs


 * 1840-1875 Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, York Springs, Baptism Index 1840-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1842-1880 Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, York Springs, Baptism Index 1842-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Lower Bermudian Lutheran and Reformed Union Congregation


 * 1745-1864 Lower Bermudian Lutheran and Reformed Union Congregation, Baptism Index 1745-1864 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1758-1772 Lower Bermudian Lutheran and Reformed Union Congregation, Marriage Index 1758-1772 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Lutheran and Dutch Reformed Church, Arendtsville


 * 1770-1874 Lutheran and Dutch Reformed Church, Arendtsville, Baptism Index 1770-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Mark's Lutheran Reformed Church, Mount Joy Township


 * 1835-1873 Mark's Lutheran Reformed Church, Mount Joy Township, Baptism Index 1835-1873 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

St. Mark German Reformed and Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Gettysburg


 * 1836-1873 St. Mark German Reformed and Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Gettysburg, Baptism Index 1814-1821 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gettysburg


 * 1819-1875 St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gettysburg, Baptism Index 1819-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1830-1879 St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gettysburg, Marriage Index 1830-1879 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

St. John Lutheran Church, Abbottstown


 * 1850-1877 St. John Lutheran Church, Abbottstown, Baptism Index 1850-1877 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1850-1877 St. John Lutheran Church, Abbottstown, Baptism Index 1850-1877 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Upper Bermudian Church, Huntington Township


 * 1791-1874 Upper Bermudian Church, Huntington Township, Baptism Index 1791-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Methodist The Methodist Episcopal Church, Gettysburg


 * 1854-1875 The Methodist Episcopal Church, Gettysburg, Baptism Index 1854-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1854-1885 The Methodist Episcopal Church, Gettysburg, Marriage Index 1854-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Presbyterian
 * Burial Record of Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church at Ancestry ($).

Rock Creek Congregation, Gettysburg


 * 1814-1821 Rock Creek Congregation, Gettysburg, Baptism Index 1814-1821 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1774-1815, 1828-1840 Rock Creek Congregation, Gettysburg, Marriage Index 1774-1815 and 1828-1840 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Reformed
 * 1785-1874 Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1785-1874: Lutheran and Reformed Congregations at Ancestry ($).

Benders Reformed Church, Butler Township


 * 1780-1852 Benders Reformed Church, Butler Township, Baptism Index 1768-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Bermudian Reformed Church, Latimore Township


 * 1745-1864 Bermudian Reformed Church, Latimore Township, Baptism Index 1745-1864 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1758-1772 Bermudian Reformed Church, Latimore Township, Baptism Index 1758-1772 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Emanuel Reformed Church, Abbottstown


 * 1768-1875 Emanuel Reformed Church, Abbottstown, Baptism Index 1768-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch  Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche.

German Reformed Congregation, New Oxford


 * 1822-1846 German Reformed Congregation, New Oxford, Baptism Index 1822-1846 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, Fairfield


 * 1854-1875 St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, Fairfield, Baptism Index 1854-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Trinity Reformed Church, Gettysburg

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1835-1875 Trinity Reformed Church, Gettysburg, Baptism Index 1835-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1800-1959 Adams County Court Records, Vol. 1. By Daughters of the American Revolution, Gettysburg Chapter and Historical Society of York County. Adams County, Pennsylvania : Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1906. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Directories

 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1798-1828  at FamilySearch -  How to Use this Collection; Alphabet index then by numbered entry
 * 1900-1923  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county)
 * 1952-1957   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

The Scotch-Irish made settlements at the "Marsh Creek Settlement" and the "Great Conewago Settlement" about 1740 in what was a predominantly German area.

Land and Property Records
Land records in Adams County began in 1800. These records are filed with the Register of Wills/Recorder of Deeds office in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Records


 * 1800–1936 Adams County offers online access to indexes and images. Fees apply. Refer to the website for current availability and fees.
 * Rev. Neal Hively has done extensive land record compilations and land mapping of York and Adams counties. Information concerning his work can be found online.
 * 1800-1934 Deeds, 1800-1851; Index 1800-1937.  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Local Histories

 * History and Directory of the Boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, PA. 1880. Gettysburg [Pa.] : J.E. Wible. Online at: Internet Archive.
 * The History and Topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry Counties (Pennsylvania). 1846. By I. Daniel Rupp. Lancaster, Pa. : Gilbert Hills. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); . Index: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. 1886. By Warren & Beers. Chicago, Illinois : Warner, Beers & Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Adams County USGenWeb Project
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted downloadable images from the 1858 Map of Adams Co., Pennsylvania by G. M. Hopkins. 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 to commercially. We hereby give permission to use them strictly for personal use; please attribute to Ancestor Tracks.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Military Records of Adams County at Adams County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives Includes Civil War lists of drafted men and exemptions, draft registrants from 1917, 1940, 1942, and Army enlistees for World War II.
 * Adams County USGenWeb Project

Revolutionary War Men from what is now Adams County (then York County) served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment.

Civil War
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War Battle The following Civil War battle was fought in Adams County:
 * July 1-3, 1863 - Gettysburg.
 * Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.
 * Pennsylvania. General Assembly. House of Representatives. Select Committee relative to the Soldiers' National Cemetery. Revised report of the select committee relative to the Soldiers' National Cemetery together with the accompanying documents as reported to the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.' (Washington [District of Columbia] Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service, 1988),.
 * Pennsylvania. Surveyor General's Office. List of soldiers, (prisoners of war), belonging to Pennsylvania regiments, who died at the military prison, at Andersonville, Georgia : from February 26, 1864, to March 24, 1865.' (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992.), FS film 6083894(*).

World War II
 * 1933-1947  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1795-1931  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1802-1906 Naturalization and Declaration of Intention Papers  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1901-1930 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 $

Newspapers
Newspapers of Adams County

Online Newspapers

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


 * Adams County News Nov 28, 1908-25 August 1917. Also on Ancestry ($)
 * Chronicling America
 * Gettysburg Compiler January 1, 1869-December 26, 1953
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive
 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * The Adams Centinel Nov 19, 1800 - Mar 19, 1883
 * The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pa.) 1805-1813
 * The Gettysburg Gazette January 21, 1803 - August 19, 1803
 * The Gettysburg Times January 1, 1909 - April 30, 2009
 * The Republican Compiler September 16, 1818 - July 16, 1888
 * The Sprig of Liberty Jan 27, 1804 - Jan 23, 1807

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles
 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles Adams County.

Newspaper Excerpts and Abstracts


 * Stover, Robert, Abstracts From the Republican Compiler, Adams County, Pennsylvania 1831-1851 (Gettysburg, PA:R. Stover, c1976) ;
 * Sullivan, Raymond (compiler), A collection of newspaper clippings of vital records from the Evening Sun, Gazette and Daily, Adams Co., York Co., Pennsylvania, Carroll Co., Maryland, 1968-1969; Sykesville Times Caroll County Times, Carroll Co., Maryland, 1967-1968, 1967-1969 (SLC, Utah:1969) Includes "Evening Sun," (Gazette and Daily) " "Carroll Co. Times," Sykesville Times," (Gazette and Daily) and "Evening Sun."

Obituaries

 * 1947-2010 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1947-2021  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1977-2910  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Online Obituary Abstracts
 * USGenWeb Archives Adams County Obituaries
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Adams County.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1800-1853 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1800-1864 An Index to the Wills and Administration Bonds of Adams County, Pennsylvania, Books, A-G, 1800-1864. By Young, Henry James. Adams County, Pennsylvania : Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1940. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at:
 * 1800-1864 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1849-1976 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1864-1937 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * Adams County USGenWeb Project. This site has the Returns of Taxables of the County of York for the Years 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, and 1783 online. Adams County was a part of York County during these years.

Birth

 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1941-1876 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1512-1989  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at Findmypast$
 * 1677–1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1682-1976 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1940  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855, 1885-1931 Adams County Marriage Books 2-3, 5-11, 13-15 Index 1852-1855 and 1885-1931 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1885-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Marriage Records alphabetically arranged at Adams County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch —  How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1856-1871  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1964 Pennsylvania Death Index, 1906-1964 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.

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

FamilySearch Centers

 * Chambersburg Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Fairview Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Gettysburg Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * York Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Franklin County Library System - Coyle Free Library - an affiliate library.
 * York County History Center - Pennsylvania - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Adams County Library System 140 Baltimore Street Gettysburg, PA 17325 Phone: 717-34-5716 Fax: 717-334-7992 Website

Museums
Appalachian Trail Museum Society 1120 Pine Grove Road Gardners, PA 17342 Phone: 812-936-3366 Website

Societies
Adams County Historical Society P.O. Box 4325 111 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325 Phone: 717-334-4723 Website Facebook Includes Battle of Gettysburg Research Center Lutheran Historical Society of the Mid-Atlantic c/o United Lutheran Seminary 61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325 Email: [mailto:info@lutheranhistoricalsociety.com info@lutheranhistoricalsociety.com] Website

Websites

 * Adams County USGenWeb Project
 * Adams County Government Web Site
 * Linkpendium - Adams County
 * Adams County PA Genealogy
 * FamilyHart Online Database. Large collection of York and Adams County family genealogies.
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.