Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for the Schuylkill River. It is located in the Mideastern central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Schuylkill County Courthouse 401 North Second Street Pottsville, PA 17901 Phone: 570-622-5570  Fax: 570-628-1210 Schuylkill County Register Of Wills/Orphans' Court Phone: 570-628-1382 Schuylkill County Prothonotary Phone:570-628-1270 Clerk of Courts Phone: 570-628-1140 or 570-628-1133 Recorder of Deeds Phone: 570-628-1480 Schuylkill County Websites


 * Copies of documents including birth, marriages, deaths, divorces, land, and probate records can be obtained by using: Pennsylvania Public Record.

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:

Biographies

 * Everyname Index to Munsell's, 1881:History of Schuylkill Co. courtesy USGenWeb

Cemeteries

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

Additional Cemetery Resources
 * PA-Roots
 * Names in Stone
 * Ancestry($)

Church Records


The Schuylkill County Genealogical Society has various records for churches throughout the Schuylkill County area. However, the society has not put the records on-line and to view the records one must go to the society. The society will do research for a fee. For more details see their website.
 * 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:
 * Ashland: Christ's United Lutheran Church; North Parish Episcopal Church; St. John's Episcopal Church
 * Delano: Delano Episcopal Mission
 * New Philadelphia: United Methodist Church
 * Orwigsburg: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Pine Grove: Jacobs Evangelical Lutheran Church; Pine Grove Methodist Episcopal Church; Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church; St. Peter's Lutheran Church; Suedberg Church of God; United Church of Christ - St. Peter's Parish
 * Port Carbon: First United Methodist Church; Grace United Methodist Church
 * Pottsville: First Baptist Church; First United Church of Christ; Trinity Episcopal Church; Trinity Lutheran Church
 * Reinerton: St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Schuylkill: First United Church of Christ; Grace Evangelical Congregational Church; St. James Episcopal Church; St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Schuylkill Haven: Christ Lutheran Church; St. John's United Church of Christ
 * Shenandoah: All Saints Episcopal Church
 * Summit Station: St. Paul's United Church of Christ
 * Tamaqua: Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church; Calvary Episcopal Church; First Presbyterian Church of Summit Hill; First United Presbyterian Church; Salem and Coaldale United Methodist Church; St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church; Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Tower: St. Paul's Lutheran Church
 * Valley View: United Methodist Church
 * Washington: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church


 * Marriages and Marriage Evidence in Pennsylvania German Churches at PAGenWeb – Free, covers Lutheran and Reformed churches


 * 1755-1825 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 Zion Lutheran Church aka "Old Red Church," Orwigsburg, West Brunswick Township; "Hetzel's" Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township; St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church aka "Summer Hill" Church, Mannheim Township; St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg, Wayne Township; St. Jacob's Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township; St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church aka "White Church," Ringtown, Union Township; St. Peter's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Pine Grove, Pine Grove Township; St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Tamaqua, Rahn Township; Frieden's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Norwegian, Branch Township; Frieden's Lutheran and Reformed Church, near New Ringgold, West Brunswick Township; and Zion Reformed Church, West Brunswick Township.


 * Schuylkill County Church and Religious Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * Contains church records of:
 * Emmanuel Reformed Church of Nuremberg
 * First Evangelical and Reformed Church
 * Pennsylvania German Churches
 * Jerusalem Church
 * Gilberton Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Lewistown Evangelical
 * Llewellyn, PA Methodist Church
 * Salem (Hertzel's) Union Congregation, Pine Grove
 * St. George Lithuanian R.C. Church, Shenandoah
 * St. Canicus' Mahanoy City Church
 * St. Jacob's, Pine Grove
 * St. John's United Church of Christ, Orwigsburg
 * St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
 * St. Kyrans R.C. Church, Heckersville
 * St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Klingerstown
 * St. Vincent de Paul's Church, Minersville, PA
 * Zion Church of Lewistown Baptism Records
 * Zion Red Church and Vicinity
 * Zion Lutheran and Reformed Church

Baptist In 1840, the "First English Baptist Church of Minersville" was organized.

Catholic
 * 1845-1860 Marriage, Baptism and Death Records from St. John the Baptist Catholic Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, marriages, and burials

Congregational The First Congregational Church was established by the Welsh in the area in 1836.

Episcopal St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal church was organized in 1845 and their building erected in 1849.

Evangelical

Salem Evangelical Congregational Church, Mahanoy City


 * 1872-1875 Salem Evangelical Congregational Church, Mahanoy City, Baptism Index 1872-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..
 * 1872-1885 Salem Evangelical Congregational Church, Mahanoy City, Marriage Index 1872-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

Lutheran The German Lutherans were the first in the county although the exact date of their organization is unknown. The German Evangelical Lutheran Zion's Congregation had their first church built in 1849. Before it was built, they had met in the schoolhouse. The first English Lutheran Church was organized in 1851.

Christ Lutheran Church, Rush Township


 * Christ Lutheran Church at PAGenWeb – Free, burials, located in Rush Township
 * Some Confirmations and Baptisms of Christ Lutheran Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Rush Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

St. Jacob's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Grove


 * Saint Jacob's Evangelical Lutheran Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Pine Grove

St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg


 * 1796-1864 St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg, Baptism Index 1796-1864 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Klingerstown


 * 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, marriages, located in Klingerstown
 * 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran &amp; Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, burials and funerals, located in Klingerstown
 * St. Michael's Lutheran &amp; Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Klingerstown

St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown


 * 1810-1875 St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown, Baptism Index 1810-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento


 * 1839-1875 St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento, Baptism Index 1839-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Salem or Hetzel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township


 * 1783-1816 Salem or Hetzel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township, Baptism Index 1783-1816 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

Summer Hill St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wayne Township


 * 1806-1867 Summer Hill St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wayne Township, Baptism Index 1806-1867 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

Zion Red Church, Brunswick Township


 * 1755-1800 Zion Red Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, Brunswick Township, then Berks, now Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Methodist The Methodist Episcopal church began meeting in Minersville starting in 1834.

Reformed In 1840, Emmanuel's Church was organized and met in the union church with the Lutherans.


 * Some Church Records of Emmanuel Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Nuremberg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg


 * 1796-1864 St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg, Baptism Index 1796-1864 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

St. John's Reformed Church, Orwigsburg


 * 1833-1868 St. John's Reformed Church, Orwigsburg, Baptism Index 1833-1868 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..
 * 1835-1880 St. John's Reformed Church, Orwigsburg, Marriage Index 1835-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Klingerstown


 * 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, marriages, located in Klingerstown
 * 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran &amp; Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, burials and funerals, located in Klingerstown
 * St. Michael's Lutheran &amp; Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Klingerstown

St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown


 * 1810-1875 St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown, Baptism Index 1810-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free..

St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento


 * 1839-1875 St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento, Baptism Index 1839-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Zion Red Church, Brunswick Township


 * 1755-1800 Zion Red Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, Brunswick Township, then Berks, now Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

United Church of Christ
 * 1831-1920 Index to St. John's United Church of Christ at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Orwigsburg, index
 * 1831-1920 St. John's United Church of Christ at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Orwigsburg
 * St. John's United Church of Christ at PAGenWeb – Free, burials, located in Orwigsburg

Land and Property Records
Land records in Schuylkill County began in 1811. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

Land Indexes and Records
 * 1811-1915 Deed Books 1811-1902; Indexes to Deeds 1811-1915.
 * Warrants and Patents:Bucks and Schuylkill Counties courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Local Histories
Published Histories
 * Schuylkill County Area History courtesy USGenWeb Archives


 * Munsell,W.W. History of Schuylkill County, 1881 including a pdf version.
 * A History of Gordon PA from 1788-1952
 * A History of Mahonoy Township
 * The History of Pottsville to 1906
 * Day, Sherman, History of Schuylkill County pages 601-614
 * Dives, Pomeroy and Stewart, 1911 History of the County of Schuylkill
 * Several indexes of books from the Pottsville Public Library.
 * Mining reports

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps
 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images from the County Atlas of Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, from Recent and Actual Surveys and Records by F.W. Beers and A.B. Cochran (New York, 1875). This atlas 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.

Military Records

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1811-1907 Naturalization Petition Records  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; index included: 1811-1906
 * 1820s-1940s Select Schuylkill County Naturalization Records at PAGenWeb
 * 1871-1878 Petitions of Naturalizations from Clerk of Courts  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; index included: 1871-1878
 * 1872-1876 Declarations of Intention from Clerk of Courts  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1896-1927 Miscellaneous Naturalization Records  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 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 $
 * 1906-1944 Declarations of Intention  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1906-1946 Naturalization Petition and Record  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; index included: 1906-1990

Newspapers
Newspapers of Schuylkill County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

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.


 * The Evening Herald (Shenandoah, PA) at Chronicling America. 1891-1966

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
 * Schuylkill County Newspapers courtesy USGenWeb Archives including:
 * Christian Advocate
 * Die Stimme des Volks, 1832-1839
 * The Evening Courier, Tamaqua
 * Miner's Journal
 * Pottsville Republican, January 1st for 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920-1923, 1926, 1927, 1939-1945 and more.
 * Shenandoah Evening Herald, various dates in 1944, 1945, 1948
 * The Splinters, Saint Clair, April 24, 1897
 * Tri-Weekly Record, Mahanoy City

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts
 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch


 * Compiled by Cheryl Fidler Schneck, Abstracts of Miscellaneous Notices Published in "The Press Herald" Newspaper of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, beginning January 3, 1879 [to 1885]

Obituaries
Online Obituary Abstracts


 * 1914-2007 - at FamilySearch
 * OA-Roots Obituaries for Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
 * Schuylkill County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Obituary Extracts and Abstracts


 * A scrapbook by Schuyler C. Brossman, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, war veterans' graves a list of veterans of the western part of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (SLC, Utah, 1992)
 * Brossman, Schuyler C. Veterans of Western Berks County, Pennsylvania (SLC, Utah) Record of newspaper clippings and more arranged by name of veteran, principally from Tulpehocken and Bethel Townships in Berks County with some records from Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties.
 * Hughes, Jeremiah, Obituaries, 1880-1917 (SLC, Utah, 1981))
 * Death Notices in the Christliche Botschafter, New Berlin, 1836-1848 (SLC, Utah, 1981)
 * Collected and compiled by Phillip A. Rice; Schuylkill Roots Researchers, Index to the Obituaries as Found in the Pottsville Republican and Various Other Periodicals of the Region covers Schuylkill as Well as Adjoining Counties (Apollo, Pennsylvania:Closson Press, c 1992-1993)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
 * 1811-1917 Shuylkill County Probate Records at FamilySearch
 * 1811-1885 Estate files (index 1811 -1891) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1811-1897 Letters of Administration - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1811-1915 Index to guardians appointments - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1811-1917 Wills (index 1811 -1994) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1811-1928 Indexes to some estate records Includes Administration Bonds, Letters Testamentary, Account of Administrators and Executors, Distribution Docket. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1812-1916 Orphans Court dockets (index 1811 -1935) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1857-1922 Orphans court minute books - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1874-1915 Affidavits of administrators - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1880-1936 Index to Inventory and Widows Appraisements - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1888-1951 Index to General Dockets for v. 1-24 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

School Records

 * Schuylkill County Education and School Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Birth

 * 1726-1930  index. Not complete for all years. This collection is an index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1893-1897 Selected Schuylkill County Births courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * 1900-1905 Schuylkill County Birth Index 1900-1905 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Marriage

 * 1626-2016 - Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
 * 1677-1950  at FamilySearch
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1725-1976  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 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 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.
 * 1885-present Marriage Record Index available at Schuylkill County Courthouse website.
 * Some Schuylkill Marriages courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * Marriage License Search

Death

 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1893-1901 Selected Schuylkill County Death Registrations courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * 1893-1906 Schuylkill County Death Index 1893-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

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


 * Schuylkill County Archives Schuylkill County Courthouse 401 N 2nd Street Pottsville,PA 17801-2528 Phone: 570-628-1145 Email: [mailto:archives@co.schuylkill.pa.us archives@co.schuylkill.pa.us] website
 * The Schuylkill County Archives is a central depository for all county government records. These include records from the Clerk of the Courts, Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, and Register of Wills. Most records are open to the public. The oldest records predate the creation of the county in 1811. Early records have been microfilmed with the originals in storage at the archives. Records of interest to genealogists and family historians include: Birth and death records; Marriage dockets 1885–May 1969; Naturalization indexes and records 1828 -1; Wills books 1811 -1; Estate files 1811 -1; County land records; Deed books; Mortgage books.

Family History Centers

 * Harrisburg/Hershey Pennsylvania Family History Center

Libraries

 * Pottsville Free Public Library 215 W. Market St. Pottsville, PA 17901 Phone: 570-622-8880 Email: [mailto:potpublib@pottsvillelibrary.org potpublib@pottsvillelibrary.org] Website
 * The Library has a genealogy collection that includes:Newspapers - Evening Herald, 1891 to 1980; County histories; City directories; Census records; Genealogy books; and family files.The Library offers a limited search service for obituaries and specific pages of specific books. No in-depth research is provided.


 * Tamaqua Public Library 30 South Railroad Street Tamaqua, PA 18252 Phone: 570-668-4660 Email: [mailto:tamaquapubliclibrary@hotmail.com tamaquapubliclibrary@hotmail.com] Website
 * The Library is currently building their genealogical collection. Some resources include:Newspapers,Church records,Cemeteries, and Yearbooks.

Societies

 * Schuykill County Historical Society 305 North Centre St Pottsville, PA 17801 Phone: 570-622-7540 Email: [mailto:sch.hist@comcast.net sch.hist@comcast.net] Facebook twitter Website
 * The Society also has a library with an extensive collection available for researchers. It also has research service for a fee. The collection includes
 * Church histories and religious records (131 Volumes)
 * Pottsville City Directories (100 Volumes)
 * Genealogy books (305 Volumes)
 * Mine Inspector Reports, Anthracite Coal Mining, Mining Operations (276 Volumes)
 * Railroads (42 Volumes)
 * County History Books (96 Volumes)
 * Schuylkill County Census (1790 - 1930)
 * Estate Records
 * Marriage Records
 * Death Register
 * Orphans Court Records
 * Petitions of Naturalization


 * Pinegrove Historical Society 205 North Tulpehocken Street Pine Grove, PA 17963 Phone: 570-345-0157 Email: [mailto:pinegrovehistoricalsociety@comcast.net pinegrovehistoricalsociety@comcast.net] Website
 * This Society has a library with a genealogical collection. Visit website for library usage (free for members, small fee for non-members) or research fees.

Websites

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

Research Guides

 * Woodroofe, Helen Hutchison. "A Genealogist's Guide to Pennsylvania Records," The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 34, No. 3 (1986):241-250. For free online access, see WeRelate.