Elk County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania Elk County

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Jefferson, McKean and Clearfield Counties 18 April 1843.
 * County Seat: Ridgway
 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in McKean (north) • Forest (west) • Clearfield (south) • Cameron (east) • Warren (northwest)  • Jefferson (southwest)

Named for the elk that historically inhabited the area.

Boundary Changes
29 March 1860: Part taken along with parts from neighboring counties to create Cameron County.

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

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.

Catholic

 * "100 years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943," Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 1. . Chronology, map, county-by-county information.

Land and Property
Land records in Elk County began in 1844. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in Ridgway, 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


 * 1972–present Elk County offers online access to records. Fees apply.

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1844–1910 Deed books, 1844-1887; Deed Index, 1844-1910

Additional Resources

Note that the "Maps" section below 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 Elk County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
 * (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)

Maps
Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images from the 1855 Map of Elk County. 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.

Courthouse
Elk County Courthouse 250 Main Street, P.O. Box 448 Ridgway, PA 15853

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Societies
Rich in history contains a number of societies dealing with the history of the area.


 * Elk County Historical Society P.O. Box 361 Ridgway, PA 15853 (814) 776-1032


 * Elk County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 142 Johnsonburg, PA 15845

Birth
Some birth records exist for the 1852–1853 time period for Elk County. Only a small percentage of births were recorded in this time period. These records are available at:


 * 1852-1854- Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images
 * Birth Records, 1852-1853–
 * Elk County Courthouse 240 Main Street PO Box 237 Ridgway, PA 15853

Birth records for Elk County began in 1893. The Elk County Clerk of the Orphans Court maintains the birth records from 1893–1906. To obtain a copy of birth record in the 1893–1906 time period you may contact:

Clerk of Orphan's Court Elk County Courthouse 240 Main Street PO Box 314 Ridgway, PA 15853

The birth records for Elk County were microfilmed by FamilySearch. These microfilms may be ordered into a local FamilySearch Center or authorized public library for a small fee.


 * Birth Records, 1893-1907 –

An alphabetical listing of 1893–1906 births from Elk County was published by Charles Howard Starr. The book is available at the Family History Library.


 * Births, 1893-1906 : Elk County, Pennsylvania –

Beginning in 1906 Pennsylvania birth records are available through the Department of of Health. Birth records become public after 105 years. A statewide index is available. Once an individual is located in the index a certificate can be obtained by writing to:

Division of Vital Records ATTN: Public Records P.O. Box 1528 New Castle, PA 16103

The cost for an non-certified birth certificate is $3.00.

Some Elk County births can be found online in Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950.

Marriage
Elk County marriages are maintained by the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The county began recording marriages in October 1885. A few marriage records were created by the county in the 1853–1854 time period. To obtain a marriage record you may go to or contact the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at:

Elk County Courthouse 240 Main Street PO Box 314 Ridgway, PA 15853

A free online index with images to some Elk County marriages can be found in the FamilySearch Records Collection, Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885 – 1950. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. These records have been microfilmed.


 * Marriage Records, 1853-1854 –
 * Marriage License Docket, 1885-1916 –

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the main courthouse building:

Elk County Courthouse 240 Main Street PO Box 237 Ridgway, PA 15853 (814) 776-5344 Email: sschneider@countyofelkpa.com

Death
Elk County began recording deaths in 1893 although some were recorded from 1853–1854. These records as well as records from 1893–1906 are available at the County Courthouse in Ridgway. You may request a death record from the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The address is:

Elk County Courthouse 240 Main Street PO Box 314 Ridgway, PA 15853

These county death records were microfilmed by FamilySearch.

Death Records, 1893–1907 –

Pennsylvania death certificates become public records after 50 years. An annual index is released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Records less than 50 years old are kept by the Division of Vital Records and are not public certificates. Only certain people can request a non-public death certificate. To order a non-public representative you must be:


 * Legal representative of decedent's estate
 * Immediate family member
 * Extended family member who indicates a direct relationship to the decedent
 * Power of Attorney (Please note that a Power of Attorney document is no longer valid upon the death of the individual)

See the Pennsylvania Department of Health website to obtain a copy of a non-public death certificate. The cost is $9.

The cost for a non-certified public death certificate is $3.00. Indexes for Pennsylvania public death records are available online through the Department of Health for 1906 through 1961. Once an individual is located in the index a certificate can be obtained by writing to:

Division of Vital Records ATTN: Public Records PO Box 1528 New Castle, PA 16103

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Encyclopedia listing for Elk County, Pennsylvaniafrom Wikipedia
 * Encyclopedia listing for Elk County, Pennsylvaniafrom Wikipedia

Populated Places

 * Benezette Township
 * Benzinger Township
 * Fox Township
 * Highland Township
 * Horton Township
 * Jay Township
 * Jones Township
 * Millstone Township
 * Ridgway Township
 * Spring Creek Township