Perry County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Perry 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 Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. It is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Perry County Courthouse P.O. Box 325 2 East Main St. New Bloomfield, PA 17068 Phone: 717-582-2131 Fax: 717-582-5167 Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts/Orphans’ Court/Register of Wills/Recorder Phone: 717-582-2131 Perry County Website County Clerk has birth records 1893-1918, marriage records from 1870, and land records from 1820 Register of Wills has probate records
 * Copies of documents including birth, marriages, deaths, divorces, land, and probate records can be obtained by using: Pennsylvania Public Records.

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:

Cemeteries

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

Additional Cemetery Resources
 * ca.1700-ca.1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * PA-Roots
 * Names in Stone
 * Ancestry($)
 * Pennsylvania Cemeteries is useful as it gives the locations of the cemeteries in Pennsylvania that one can then go and search if needed.
 * Ancestry's Red Book: Large collections of cemetery records are located at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and at many local libraries and historical societies. The Pennsylvania State Library maintains the state’s Daughters of the American Revolution cemetery collection (see page 7). Various compilations of cemetery inscriptions have been published, such as those for the western counties by Closson Press and Mechling Books.

Church Records
Ancestry's Red Book is the digitized version that has links to multiple societies and churches for more information on what is contained or how to contact them to get 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 $


 * Contains the church records of:
 * Duncannon: Asbury United Methodist Church; Otterbein United Methodist Church
 * Marysville: Bethany United Methodist Church
 * Newport: Newport United Methodist Parish Charge


 * Perry County Archives Church Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

United Brethren
 * 1856-1917 Church records [Perry Circuit of the United Brethren in Christ] covers Classes attached to Perry Circuit are listed in the catalog entry;

Lutheran St. Michael's Lutheran Church was in Pfoutz Valley and was organized between 1770 and 1773. The Lebanon Lutheran Church was also an early church in the area in 1790 sharing a church with the Loysville Reformed Church. Mt. Zion Lutheran Church organized in about 1809, met in the old Union Church with St. Peter's Reformed Church.


 * 1774-1870 St. Michael Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pfouts Valley, Baptism Index 1774-1870 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1875-1884 St. Michael Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pfouts Valley, Baptism Index 1875-1884 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1846-1847 Marriages performed by John William Heim, Perry County, Pennsylvania - original at the Wentz Library of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania;
 * 1901-1947 Church records (Newport Evangelical Charge) – Newport Charge included the following churches: Calvary at Newport, Ebenezer at Milford now Wila, Mt. Zion at Elliottsburg, Stony Point in Southwest Madison Township, St. Mary's in Liverpool and Messiah or Hunter's Valley in Spring Township;
 * Classified index to Churches between the mountains: a history of the Lutheran congregations in Perry County, Pennsylvania by Rev. D. H. Focht – A book that is more about history, but it may lead to where one needs to look;

Methodist
 * 1893-1930 Church records, 1893-1930 (Newport Methodist) which covers Newport, Millerstown, and Donnally Mills. In 1906 Newport was its own charge.

Presbyterian The Centre Presbyterian Church was one of the first churches in the area being organized in 1766. Dick's Gap Church and Blain Presbyterian Church or the Upper Church of Blain were both organized in 1767.


 * 1778-1793 Center Presbyterian Church, Shermans Valley, Marriage Index 1778-1793 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * Pastor's register of baptisms, communicants, burials - Transcribed from a register in possession of Mrs. F. A. Blair, Blairs Mills, Pa;

Reformed Loysville Reformed Church shared their church with the Lebanon Lutheran Church. St. Peter's Reformed Church was organized in about 1809 and met with Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in the Old Union Church. List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Guardianship

 * 1820-1869 Orphans court dockets

Land and Property Records
Land records in Perry County began in 1820. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1820-present Images are available online using the Landex system. There is a fee to view the images.
 * 1820-1950 Deed Book, 1820-1866; Indexes, 1820-1950 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Local Histories

 * 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, Google Books, Ancestry ($); . Index: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * History of Perry County in Pennsylvania from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time. 1873. By Silas Wright. Lancaster, Pa. : Wylie and Griest. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of [...] the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 2 volumes. 1886. By Franklin Ellis, Alfred Matthews. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Everts, Peck & Richards. Online at: Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; . Volume 2 contains histories for Perry, Union, and Snyder counties.
 * History of Perry County, Pennsylvania. 1922. By Harry Harrison Hain. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania : Hain-Moore Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Google Books;.
 * A History of the Juniata Valley. 3 volumes. 1936. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania : National Historical Association, Inc. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps
 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images from the 1877 Atlas of Perry, Juniata &amp; Mifflin Counties under the Direction of Beach Nichols, published by Pomeroy, Whitman &amp; Co. 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.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records
War of 1812
 * War of 1812 rolls, Perry (then Cumberland) County courtesy USGenWeb.com

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Civil War Regimental Rolls courtesy USGenWeb.com

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 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 $

Newspapers
Newspapers of Perry County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
 * PAGenWeb Perry County Newspapers Newspapers published in Perry County, Pennsylvania through the years.

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.

Online Newspaper Abstracts
 * at FamilySearch
 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Perry County, Pennsylvania.
 * Perry County Archives Newspaper Articles courtesy USGenWeb Archives including:
 * 1862-1922 Newspaper articles pertaining to Blain Borough
 * 1894 and 1918 Misc news from The News

Obituaries
Online Obituary Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Perry County, Pennsylvania.
 * Perry County Archives Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts


 * Historically Informative Obituaries'
 * Contributed by Deborah S. White, a descendant of the deceased, A Perry County Obituary, Perry County Democrat

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
 * 1820-1911 Perry County Probate Records - at FamilySearch
 * 1820-1911 Wills - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1820-1835 Index to Will Book A

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

 * 1767 Early Assessments of Toboyne and Tyrone Townships at PAGenWeb
 * 1785-1883 Perry County, Pennsylvania Tax Records at PAGenWeb

Birth

 * 1852-1854 Perry County Birth Index 1852-1854 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $

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 Perry County Marriage Index 1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1885-1950  Extracted marriage records. 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.
 * 1885-1887 and 1890-1991 Some Perry County, PA Marriages, courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch — index, some images
 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1852-1919 Perry County Death Index 1852-1919 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855 Some Perry County, PA Death Records, courtesy USGenWeb Archives'''

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

Family History Centers

 * Carlisle Pennsylvania Family History Center

Libraries

 * The Perry Historians Library aka The Harry W. Lenig Library P.O. Box 73 763 Dix Hill Rd. Newport, PA 17074-0073 Visit Website The Library collection includes Surname File, Church Records, Newspapers, Cemetery Records, Mortuary Records, Court Records, Census schedules.


 * The Perry County Public Libraries system has 4 libraries. 23 E. McClure Street New Bloomfield, PA 17068. Phone: 717-582-7426 Website

Societies

 * Historical Society of Perry County PA P.O. Box 81 Newport, PA 17074-0081 Phone: 717-567-9011 Email: [mailto:hsofpc@gmail.com hsofpc@gmail.com] Facebook Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb
 * Perry 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.