Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania Lancaster County

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania genealogy and family history research page. Guide to genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Chester County 14 October 1728.
 * County Seat: Lancaster
 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in Berks (north) • Chester (east) • Harford County, Pennsylvania (southwest) • York (west)  •  Cecil County, Maryland (south) •  Dauphin and Lebanon (northwest)

Many Scotch-Irish immigrants settled in Lancaster County in the early eighteenth century. The area was predominantly a German place of settlement.

Wikipedia

Boundary Changes

 * 14 October 1749: York County set off.
 * 14 October 1751: Berks County set off.
 * 27 January 1750: Cumberland County set off.
 * 21 March 1772: Northumberland County set off.
 * 16 October 1813: Lebanon County set off.

Biographies

 * Some Biographies of Lancaster County courtesy USGenWeb.org

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

Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site has several listings for Lancaster County cemetery records.

Cemeteries of Lancaster County in Adamstown &amp; Akron Boroughs and Bart, Brecknock, &amp; Caernarvon Townships. Lists of cemeteries, some with lists of burials

Cemeteries in Lancaster County at Find A Grave

The has a number of cemetery records in books and on films. They would be available either in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City or in one of its affiliate Family History Centers.

Individual cemeteries:


 * Camp Hill Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
 * Chiques Church of the Brethren Cemetery, Rapho at BillionGraves
 * Concordia Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
 * Creswell Cemetery, Conestoga at BillionGraves
 * Crossroads Brethren in Christ Church Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
 * Donegal Presbyterian Church Cemetery, East Donegal Township in BillionGraves
 * Eberle Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
 * East Petersburg Mennonite Cemetery, East Petersburg at BillionGraves
 * Green Mount Cemetery, Highville at BillionGraves
 * Habecker Mennonite Cemetery, Manor Township at BillionGraves
 * [http://www.billiongraves.com/pages/cemetery/cemetery.php?cemetery_id=160021 Hernley Memorial Cemetery, Manheim (Rapho Twp.) at BillionGraves
 * Kauffman Mennonite Church Cemetery in Penn, PA at BillionGraves
 * Kinderhook Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
 * Laurel Hill Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
 * Marietta Cemetery, Marietta at BillionGraves
 * Maytown Reformed UCC Church Cemetery, Mayton at BillionGraves
 * Millport Mennonite Church Cemetery, Millport at BillionGraves
 * Mount Bethel Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
 * Mt. Joy Cemetery, Mt. Joy at BillionGraves
 * Mountville Cemetery, Mountville at BillionGraves
 * Mountville Church of the Brethren Cemetery, Mountville at BillionGraves
 * Saint Peters Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
 * Silver Springs Cemetery in West Hempfield PA at BillionGraves
 * Trinity Cemetery in Columbia PA at BillionGraves
 * Washington Boro Cemetery in Washington Boro PA at BillionGraves

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.


 * Contains the church records of:
 * Columbia: Presbyterian Church; United Church of Christ
 * Eden: Mount Hope United Methodist Church
 * Ephrata: Bethany United Church of Christ
 * Lancaster: First Presbyterian Church; Salem United Church of Christ; St. John's Episcopal Church
 * Leacock: Christ Episcopal Church
 * Lititz: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Maytown: St. John's Lutheran Church
 * Millersville: St. Paul Lutheran Church
 * Mohnton: Swamp Lutheran Church
 * Reamstown: Salem Lutheran Church
 * Rohrerstown: Trinity Lutheran Church
 * Rothsville: Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church


 * 1729-1881 – Pennsylvania Church Records - Adams, Berks, and Lancaster Counties, 1729-1881 at Ancestry.com – $; details on 180,000 church-goers from 50 churches; incomplete.


 * 1723-1800 - Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Lancaster County, 1723-1800. 2 vols. Washington, D.C.: Humphrey Publications, 1997..


 * Contains records from the following churches: Sadsbury Monthly Meeting, Sadsbury Township; Little Britain Monthly Meeting, Little Britain Township; St. James' Protestant Episcopal Church, Lancaster; Muddy Creek Lutheran Church, East Cocalico Township; Emanuel Lutheran Church, Elizabeth Township, also called Old Warwick Lutheran Church; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster; Moravian Church, Lancaster; First Reformed Church, Lancaster; Trinity Lutheran Church, New Holland; St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Lancaster; Zion Lutheran Church, Manheim; Muddy Creek Reformed Church, East Cocalico Township; Bangor Protestant Episcopal Church, Caenarfon [sic] Township; Bergstrasse Lutheran Church, Ephrata Township; Records of Rev. John Waldschmidt; Records of Rev. John Cuthbertson; Records of Rev. Traugott Frederick Illing; Christ Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown; St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Strasburg; Swamp Reformed Church, West Cocalico Township; Zion Reformed Church, Elizabeth Township, also known as Reyer's Reformed Church; Blasser Reformed Church, West Donegal Township; White Oak Lutheran and Reformed churches, Penn Township; Zeltenreich/Seltenreich Reformed Church, Earl Township; Maytown Reformed Church, East Donegal Township; St. Paul's Reformed Church, Manheim; Pequea Reformed, Strasburg Township; Maytown Lutheran Church, East Donegal Township; Cocalico Reformed Church, Ephrata; Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, Jr.; Moravian Church, Lititz.


 * Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site has several listings of online Lancaster County church records.
 * Church and Religious Records of Lancaster County, courtesy USGenWeb.org

Catholic

 * 1787-1804 - St. Mary's Catholic Church, Lancaster, PA Marriages, Baptisms, Burials 1787-1804 at PAGenWeb - free.

Church of the Brethren

 * Church of the Brethren Network includes Conestoga Congregation Baptisms 1739-1747 and Conestoga Congregation Baptisms 1748-1769.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Blue Ridge District of the Eastern States Mission comprised church members living in southeastern Pennsylvania. District headquarters were in Lancaster, with branches located in Bucks, Fulton, Lancaster, and York counties.


 * Record of Members, [1929]-1944,

Ephrata Community

 * 1728-1853 - Sachse, Julius F. "The Registers of the Ephrata Community," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Burials 1728-1853: Vol. 14 (1890):297-312, Burials 1730s-1813: 387-402. For free online access, see WeRelate. Also available on the Church of the Brethren Network website.

Episcopalian
St. James's Church, Lancaster

Registers begin in 1755.


 * 1755-1759 - Private Marriage Register of Rev. Thomas Barton, in York County, Pennsylvania in "Private Church Registers to 1800, York County, Pennsylvania" at Ancestry ($).

St. John's Church, Pequea

Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster.

St. Thomas's Church, Caernarvon

Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster.

Bangor Church, Caernarvon

Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster. An old trunk was discovered at Bangor Church with "sundry account-books and ancient title-deeds."

Lutheran

 * Weiser, Frederick Sheely. Parochial Registers for Lutheran Congregations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1729-1960: A Guide to Genealogical Resources in the Parish Records of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, As Well As to Translations and Copies in Print in Public Institutions. Lancaster, Pa.: unknown, 1961. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Evangelical Lutheran

Rev. John Casper Stoever's Records, 1730-1779:


 * Book: Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, Baptismal and Marriage, 1730-1779. (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Pub.,1896). Digital version: Internet Archive.


 * Transcripts:
 * - Rev. John Casper Stoever’s Baptisms in Alphabetical Order
 * - Marriage Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever with all 1,429 marriages compiled by Mildred Smith, (Lancaster County Genealogy Project).

Methodist

 * 1884-1913 - The Church of the Mount Hope Methodist-Episcopal Church, Quarryville Charge, Record of Marriages at PAGenWeb - free.

Presbyterian
The first Scotch-Irish settlement in Lancaster County was made at Chickies Creek in 1714. Donegal Presbyterian Church was built there shortly thereafter. Pequea Presbyterian Church, constructed at another early Scotch-Irish settlement, was built in 1724.

Paxtang Church and Derry Church were both organized in 1729.


 * 1741-1810 - Marriage Record of Paxtang and Derry Churches, 1741-1810 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. 8, Part 10) at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.

The Hanover Presbyterian Church was built in 1736 in a Scotch-Irish settlement. This ground later fell within the bounds of Dauphin County and still later Lebanon County after those counties split off.

Quaker

 * 1800s-1900s - Pennsylvania Quaker Records: Warrington, York County, Little Brittain, Lancaster County, Centre, Centre County, West Branch, Clearfield County, Dunnings Creek, Bedford County. n.p. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive - free.

Reformed

 * 1774-1819 - Transcript of baptismal record of the Reformed Church of Maytown, Lancaster County, 1765 (1774)-1819. Typescript held at the Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Court of Common Pleas
The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of Pennsylvania. Major civil and criminal cases are heard in these courts. Judges also decide cases involving adoption, divorce, child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, estates, guardianships, charitable organizations and many other matters. The Common Pleas courts are organized into 60 judicial districts. County has its own judicial district. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.

Directories

 * Lancaster City and County Directories, 1843-1914

Huguenots
Shirk, Willis L., Jr. "Assimilating into the Amerian Milieu: French Huguenots in Eighteenth Century Lancaster County", Lancaster Historical Society Journal, 95:3, 74.

Published Histories

 * Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site has several online histories of Lancaster County.

Some of the Lancaster County histories available in the :


 * History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men. Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885 (Has been microfilmed on #547037 or on #1000559 Item 3)
 * History of Lancaster County : to which is prefixed a brief sketch of the early history of Pennsylvania. Rupp, Israel Daniel, 1803-1878 (Has been microfilmed on #1036814 Item 3)
 * An authentic history of Lancaster County, in the state of Pennsylvania. Mombert, J. I. (Jacob Isidor), 1829-1913 (This book has been digitized.)
 * 1875 Historical Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Everts &amp; Stewart (Has been microfilmed on #982071 Item 13)

Land and Property
Land records in Lancaster County began in 1728. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Lancaster, 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


 * 1729–present The Recorder of Deeds has placed all county land records on-line which can be viewed for free. Land Records from 1981 to present can be viewed and searched; you do not have to be a registered user, just login as Guest. Land Records from 1729 to 1981 can be viewed but not searched so have the Page number and the Land Record number (Book and Volume for older records).

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1729–1894 Deeds, 1729-1867; Index, 1729-1894
 * 1729–1940 Mortgage records, 1812-1821; mortgagor index, 1729-1940.

Maps


 * MacInnes, Sharon Cook and Angus MacInnes. Early Landowners of Pennsylvania : Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County, PA. Apollo, Pennsylvania : Closson Press, 2008.
 * Gilbert, Geri. The Warrant Maps of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Including an Every-name Index.Morgantown, Pennsylvania : Masthof Press, 2005.

Note that the "Maps" section below also includes maps related to land ownership.

Additional Resources

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 Lancaster 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
Click the image to view an enlarged version


 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free, downloadable images from the Bridgens' Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by H.F. Bridgens published by D.S. Bare in 1864. This atlas 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.
 * An Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County and a Companion Scans of Township Warrantee Maps plus Current Road Overlay CD ($) are also available from Ancestor Tracks. They show precise outlines in metes and bounds of each original tract and all surrounding tracts in the township, giving the names of the warrantee and patentee; dates of the warrant, survey, and patent; and the patent and survey book and page of the recorded patent.
 * Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site contains several maps of Lancaster County both old and modern.
 * Online map site and things to do in Lancaster county PA

French and Indian War
In 1756, Colonel Armstrong recruited many Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County. They attacked and destroyed the Indian village at Kittanning (present-day Armstrong County).

Colonel Henry Bouquet led a group of Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County to rescue Fort Pitt. They decisively defeated the Indians at the Battle of Bushy Run.

Reverend John Elder, pastor of Derry and Paxtang churches, recruited Scotch-Irish rangers from his congregation in Lancaster County. Known as the Paxton Rangers or Paxton Boys, they provided security for white settlements between the Blue Mountains and the Susquehanna River. They are remembered for playing a prominent role in Pontiac's War.

Revolutionary War
Lancaster County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Civil War
Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War lists Lancaster County Pennsylvania Soldiers in the Civil War - Civil War Books, Rosters, Medal of Honor Recipients, and Soldier Biographies.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1740-1773 – Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry.com - ($), incomplete for all counties


 * 1795-1952 – on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1248, browsesable images of card index


 * 1795-1931 – on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1522, browsesable images of petitions, no index, use index listed above


 * 1795-1930 – Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522, incomplete for all counties


 * 1795-1930 - Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm


 * 1743 Extract aus der Registratur der Supreem Court zu Philadelphia

Newspapers
Newspapers of Lancaster County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

Online Newspapers


 * Chronicling America Lancaster Daily Intelligencer 1863-1928 Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
 * Pennsylvania Historic Newspapers
 * Lancaster Intelligencer 1833-1852
 * Marietta Register 1883-1890
 * Mariettian 1858-1860
 * Marietta Advocate and Farmers' and Mechanic's Intelligencer 1833-1835
 * Marietta Pioneer 9/1827-9/1828
 * Pioneer (Marietta) 9/26/1828-1/8/1830

The Lancaster County Digitization Project is a consortium of institutions interested in digitizing the county's newspaper and manuscript collections. Several Lancaster county newspapers are provided in digital format through this and other collaborative efforts.


 * Lancaster Examiner and Hearld (1834-72) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The Columbia Spy (1830-89) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The Intelligencer Journal (1848-71) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The New Holland Clarion (1873-1950) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The Lancaster Farmer (1869-84) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Lancaster County.
 * Selected Newspaper Articles from Lancaster Intelligencer1881 - 1897; Terre Hill Times 1910-1911; Quarryville Sun, 1918. Courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Newspaper Collections


 * Pennsylvania Civil War Era Newspaper Collection
 * Father Abraham 6/12/1868-4/29/1870; 10/25/1872-12/13/1872
 * Lancaster Intelligencer 12/28/1847-12/27/1871

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts


 * Hawbaker, Gary T., Runaways, Rascals and Rogues:Missing Spouses, Servants and Slaves (Hershey, Pennsylvania:G.T. Habaker, c1987) ; Lancaster Journal, 1794-1810.


 * Der Volksfreund, Lancaster (Pennsylvanien) (SLC, Utah, 1961)

Obituaries
Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died. However, sometimes an obituary is found in the location from which he or she originated. To find an obituary, see the information under the Newspaper heading

Online Obituary Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Lancaster County.
 * Mennonite and Amish Obituaries
 * Lancaster County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * Archived Intelligencer Obituaries
 * Current Lancaster Intelligencer Obituaries
 * Marshall College Obituaries 19th Century

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes


 * 1729-1850 - Fulton, Eleanore Jane. An Index to the Will Books and Intestate Records of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania 1729-1850: with an Historical Sketch and Classified Bibliography. Lancaster, Pa.: Fulton and Mylin, 1936. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Online Probate Records


 * Lancaster County has an Online Index for their Probate Files and can be viewed for free.
 * 1721–1819 Will Abstracts 1721-1819 and index located on PAGenWeb –Index is located at the top of the page. Scroll to the will abstracts.
 * 1729-1947 – at FamilySearch.org - free. Includes  Will Index (1729-1947), Wills Abstract Index (1721-1820), Will Books A-2R (1730-1908), Letter of Administration Index (1730-1830), and Orphan's Court Record Index (1742-1755).
 * Wills, Administrations and Estate Papers located on PAGenWeb- also includes year will was probated and residence of deceased

Original Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1730-1830 Index to Letters of Administration
 * 1730-1908 Wills - Index included: 1729-1947

Archives

 * Lancaster County Archives 150 North Queen Street, Suite 10, Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: (717) 299-8319 FAX: (717) 735-9606 Email: archives@co.lancaster.pa.us The archives has historic records, such as wills and deeds from the beginning of the county in 1729.




 * Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society (ERHS) and United Church of Christ Archives (UCC) Philip Schaff Library Lancaster Theological Seminary 555 W. James Street Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: (717) 290-8734 This site has church records and family histories that used to be at the Franklin and Marshall College Library.


 * Franklin and Marshall College Library Archives and Special Collections 450 College Ave PO Box 3003 Lancaster, PA 17604 Phone: (717) 291-4223 Has some genealogical data about College faculty, students and administrators only. All church records and family histories were moved to the Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1967 (see above).


 * LancasterHistory.org Lancaster County's Historical Society and President James Buchanan's Wheatland 230 North President Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: (717)392-4633 Fax: (717) 293-2739 Email: Information|Research Assistant The archive has county records, manuscripts, newspapers, and more. Check the online finding aids, library catalog, Discovery Tool, and online newspapers and city directories.


 * Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society - Archives 2215 Millstream Rd Lancaster, PA 17602-1499 Phone:(717) 393-9745 Fax: (717) 393-8751 E-mail: lmhs@lmhs.org This is the official depository for records of the Atlantic Coast and Lancaster Conferences of the Mennonite Church. In addition, it has many records of other organizations affiliated with them.It also has helps for genealogists.


 * Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania 300 Gap Road P. O. Box 15 Strasburg, PA 17579 Phone: (717) 687-8628 The Library has thousands of historic books and magazines about railroads. The Archives has a large collection of photographs, maps, and manuscripts. Try their catalogs to see specific information.

Courthouse
Lancaster County Courthouse


 * Register of Wills 50 N. Duke St. P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 email: Mary Ann Gerber - MGerber@co.lancaster.pa.us The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court Office provides a variety of services to the public such as the probate of decedent estates, issuance of marriage licenses, collection of inheritance taxes and maintenance of records pertaining to adoptions, guardianships and estates.


 * Office of the Clerk of Courts County of Lancaster 50 North Duke Street P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 Phone: (717) 299-8275 Fax: (717) 295-3686 Email: ClerkofCourts@co.lancaster.pa.us The Clerk of Courts maintains criminal records for the courts and the 519,000 plus citizens of Lancaster County. Many of the records are scanned.


 * Recorder of Deeds 150 N. Queen St. P.O. Box 1478 Lancaster, PA 17608-1478 Telephone: : 717.299.8238 Fax: 717.299.8393 An online sight allows users to search records from 1729-1981 which requires you to sign in.


 * Office of Prothonotary County of Lancaster 50 North Duke Street P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster PA 17608-3480 Phone: 717-299-8282 Fax: 717-293-7210 Email: kwoodjacobs@co.lancaster.pa.us

Libraries

 * Lancaster County Library Location Address:   125 North Duke St Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone Number: (717) 394-2651 Mailing Address:    125 North Duke St Lancaster, PA 17602

The Lancaster Public Library is part of the Lancaster Public Library System that serves 16 libraries. They have shared online catalog which has a sizable genealogy and biography collection. Online Catalog


 * Winters Heritage House Museum Seibert Library Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 14, 41-47 East High Street Elizabethtown PA 17022 Phone: (717) 367-4672 Email: winters-hh@embarqmail.com Fax: (717) 367-9991 The library has historical and family records, maps, photographs, etc. Call ahead to make an appointment with a research librarian. The museum has three original log structures dating from 1750-1847, and a brick house dating to 1877.

Museums

 * Amish Farm and House GPS/MapQuest Address: The Amish Farm and House 2395 Lincoln Highway East (Covered Bridge Drive) Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone: 717-394-6185 Fax: 717-394-4857 info@amishfarmandhouse.com Tours explain Amish life and customs.


 * Bethel Harambee Historical Services Hopkins Study Center Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church 450-512 East Strawberry Lancaster PA 17602-4449 Phone: (717) 393-8379 Has historical documents relating to African American history.


 * Ephrata Cloister 632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522 Phone: 717-733-6600 Email: ra-ephratacloister@pa.gov The cloister has a small research library that is open weekdays by appointment only. Limited genealogical materials are available. "The staff is unable to answer genealogical queries, but can provide some advice on available sources." For an appointment, call the Curator.


 * LancasterHistory.org Lancaster County's Historical Society and President James Buchanan's Wheatland 230 North President Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: (717) 392-4633 Fax: (717) 293-2739 Email: Information|Research Assistant This historical center has a library and archives with many records of genealogical value. Their collection contains over 15,000 volumes, as well as maps, family files, subject information files, photographs, oral histories, microfilm, and CDs. A reference collection consisting of indexes, genealogical and historical journals, and books is available for browsing. All other books are housed in closed stacks and must be requested at the reference desk.

Lancaster city and county directories 1847-1922 and directories for several other Lancaster cities have been digitized and are available online.


 * Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania 300 Gap Road P. O. Box 15 Strasburg, PA 17579 Phone: 717-687-8628 Has good information about U.S. Railroads, including a timeline.The museum also has a library and archives.

Societies
There are two very helpful societies in Lancaster County:


 * Lancaster County Historical Society 230 N President Ave Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: 717-392-4633

The society has a research library, with an Online Search. The Family History Library has some of the journals they have published on microfilm.


 * Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society 2215 Millstream Rd Lancaster, PA 17602-1499 Phone: 717-393-9745

The society has an online catalog.


 * Come join our Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Group at Facebook

Taxation

 * Pre-1729 - Eshelman, H. Frank. Assessment Lists and Other Manuscript Documents of Lancaster County Prior to 1729. Digitized by Internet Archive - free.


 * 1750-1758, 1771-1772 - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Assessment Lists 1750, 1751, 1753, 1755, 1758, 1771, 1772 at PAGenWeb - free.


 * 1751, 1756-1758 - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Tax Lists 1751, 1756, 1757, 1758: With Additional Tax Lists and Index at - free.


 * 1771-1773, 1779, 1782 - Proprietary and State Tax Lists of the County of Lancaster: For the Years 1771, 1772, 1773, 1779 and 1782. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 17). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.


 * 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

The Salt Lake City has microfilmed many Lancaster County taxation records, and they are available in Salt Lake City and can be accessed in its satellite Family History Centers.

Vital Records
For birth, marriage and death records prior to 1906 contact:

Lancaster County Archives 150 North Queen Street, Suite 10 Lancaster PA 17603 Phone: 717-299-8319 Fax: 717-735-9606 [mailto:archives@colancaster.pa.us archives@colancaster.pa.us]

Birth
The following records are available at the Lancaster County Archives:


 * 1852-1855 Birth Registrations, online index
 * 1870-1906 Delayed birth certificates, online index
 * 1881-1906 Birth Registrations (Lancaster City), online index
 * 1894-1907 Birth Registrations, online index

Online Resources:


 * 1726-1930 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic 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.com – $ Index with images.

Old birth records for Lancaster County from 1881 through 1906 are kept by the Register of Wills.

Birth and Death
Birth/Death records from 1907 to the present are kept by the Pennsylvania Department of Vital Records at New Castle, PA

The Lancaster County Register of Wills maintains a 24-hour telephone information line (717-295-2001) which gives specific details about how to access these birth/death records.

Marriage
The following records are available at the Lancaster County Archives:


 * 1852-1855 Marriage Registrations
 * 1885-2004 Marriage License Applications

Online Resources:


 * 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
 * 1725-1976 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1730-1779 – 1,429 Marriage Records (1730-1779) of Rev. John Casper Stoever Pennsylvania/Maryland, at USGenWeb - Lists date of marriage as well as names and residences of bride and groom.
 * 1767-1913 - - free index. Not complete for all years.
 * Marriage Licenses are recorded continuously from 1885 and an index are available on-line.
 * Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
 * 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
 * 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.
 * Beginning 1948 The Register of Wills keeps a marriage index beginning 1948 with an online index.

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building. Records may be obtained by visiting or writing.


 * 1851-1997 Divorce Records, online index (select Index Book Search)

Death
The following records are available at the Lancaster County Archives:


 * 1852-1855 Death Registrations, online index
 * 1894-1907 Death Registrations
 * 1874-1978 Death Affidavits


 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania, Deaths, 1852-1854 ] Index with images. Ancestry ($)

Web Sites

 * The Lancaster County PA GenWeb Project, has numerous maps, church records, local histories, family histories, and other genealogical and historical information for Lancaster county.




 * FamilyHart Online Database This is an online family database containing over 719,000 records, mostly of Pennsylvania Dutch Extraction. Many of the families are from Lancaster County. This database adds 1,000 names per week which is updated online every quarter. It is the most comprehensive family database online for Pennsylvania Dutch families.


 * Pennsylvania Dutch Family History, Genealogy, Culture and Life This site contains links to everything Pennsylvania Dutch with a large concentration in Lancaster County.