Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County Digital Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection
The collection consists of births and christenings, deaths and burials, marriages,.and miscellaneous records (such as donations, minutes, and church directories), which cover the time period 1809 to 2006 from the following churches in Schuylkill County:
 * Barnesville - Delano United Church Of Christ Charge (Barnesville, Pennsylvania)
 * Tremont Area Methodist Charge (Hegins, Pennsylvania)
 * St. Peter's United Church Of Christ (Tremont, Pennsylvania)
 * Christ Lutheran Church (Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania)
 * St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Tremont, Pennsylvania)
 * Aurand Memorial United Methodist Church (Ringtown, Pennsylvania)
 * St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Ringtown, Pennsylvania)

The records are arranged by township, record type, and then date. Most church congregations begin keeping records as soon as they are organized. The records may list names of members, monies donated, church ordinances and communions, and vital events in the member’s lives. In some cases church records are the only record of an individual’s birth, marriage, or death.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
Church records include the following genealogical information:
 * Event dates and places
 * Names of parents, children, other family members, and witnesses
 * Ages
 * Places of residence

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * At least one other piece of information

Search the Index
Search by name by visiting the Collection Page.
 * 1) Fill in the search boxes on the Collection Page with the information you have
 * 2) Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page.
 * 1) Select County
 * 2) Select Locality

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the information to find other records such as birth, christening, marriage, census, land and death records
 * Use the information to find additional family members
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well
 * Search the indexes and records of Pennsylvania, United States Genealogy
 * Search in the Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries
 * Search in the FamilySearch Library Catalog

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Pennsylvania.
 * Pennsylvania Guided Research
 * Pennsylvania Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information.