Cameron County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Senator Simon Cameron. The county is located in the Central section of the state.

County Courthouse
Cameron County Courthouse 20 E. Fifth Street Emporium, PA 15834 Phone: 814-486-2315 Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts: Phone: 814-486-3349 or 814-486-3355,E-mail: [mailto:PROTHO@CAMERONCOUNTYPA.COM protho@cameroncountypa.com] Recorder of Deeds/Register of Wills/ & Clerk of Orphan's Court  Phone: 814-486-3349 or 814-486-3355 Cameron County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records 1860-1905, marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1860

Boundary Changes

 * Formed from Clinton, Elk, McKean and Potter Counties 29 March 1860.
 * County seat: Emporium

Changes per Pennsylvania Line:
 * Before 1795: Future Cameron County was part of Northumberland County.
 * 13 April 1795: Lycoming County (including future Cameron County) was created from Northumberland County.
 * 26 March 1804: When McKean and Potter Counties were formed from Lycoming County, parts of future Cameron County were included in each, while about a third of today's Cameron remained in Lycoming County.
 * 21 January 1839: When Clinton County was formed from Lycoming and Centre Counties, what is today's Cameron County was split between McKean, Potter, and Clinton Counties.
 * 18 April 1843: A small part of Cameron County was included in Elk County when it was created.

For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed at the MapofUS.org website.

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:

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at Painted Hills Genealogy Society

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources
 * ca.1700-ca.1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images (incomplete)ySearch] — index and images
 * Pennsylvania Genealogy

Census Records
Federal Census
 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1620-1991 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

County-wide Database - Multi-denominational List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1708-1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry $
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1798-1828  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Alphabet index then by numbered entry
 * 1900-1923  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county)
 * 1952-1957   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Land and Property Records
Land records in Cameron County began in 1860. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Emporium, Pennsylvania.

Land Indexes and Records


 * 1860 -1902 Deed books, 1860-1889; Deed Indexes, 1860-1902. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Local Histories

 * History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Selections. 1890. Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps
 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II
 * 1933-1947  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1795-1931  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1862-1906 Naturalization Dockets  - 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 $

Newspapers
Newspapers of Cameron County

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.
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive
 * Pennsylvania Newspapers

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Cameron County.

Obituaries
Online Obituary Abstracts Online Obituary Abstracts
 * 1947-2021  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1977-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Index and Records


 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1854-1972 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1854-1976 Cameron County Probate Records at FamilySearch
 * 1862-1976 (*); Register's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

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.

Birth

 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1941-1976  at FamilySerch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1512-1989  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
 * 1677 -1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1682-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1709-1940  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * Pre-1810  Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1885-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1947-2021  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1720-1999 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1856-1971  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary, Cameron County Courthouse.

Archives
National Archives at Philadelphia 14700 Townsend Road Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Phone: 215-305-2044 Fax: 215-305-2052 Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Brookville Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * State College Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Williamsport Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Cameron County Historical Society - an affiliate library.

Libraries
The Barbara Moscato Brown Library 27 West 4th Street P.O. Box 430 Emporium, PA 15834-0430 Phone: 814-486-8011 Email: [mailto:brocampl@zitomedia.net brocampl@zitomedia.net] Website

Societies
Cameron County Historical Society P.O. Box 433 Emporium, PA 15834 Email: [mailto:Info@thelittlemuseum.org Info@thelittlemuseum.org] Website

Websites

 * Cameron County PA Genealogy
 * Linkpendium - Cameron County
 * USGenWeb project
 * – 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.