Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Cumberland County, Pennsylvania ancestry, family history and genealogy in 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.

Cumberland County Pennsylvania Historical Facts
Parent Counties: Formed from Lancaster County 27 January 1750.

County Seat: Carlisle

Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in:


 * Perry
 * Franklin
 * Adams
 * Dauphin
 * York

The Scotch-Irish settled heavily in the Cumberland Valley. It is estimated that they made up 90% of the population in the eighteenth century.

Description
The county was located in the South Central section of the state.

Boundary Changes

 * 10 March 1682: Chester County was created from the Colonial lands, including the whole part of future Cumberland County.
 * 14 October 1728: Lancaster County was set off from Chester County, including the future Cumberland County.
 * 9 March 1771: Bedford County was created from Cumberland County. By this time, Cumberland County included all what is now of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Franklin, plus parts of Centre, Union, Snyder counties as well as the current county.
 * 9 September 1784: Franklin County was set off, no part of it was taken for any future counties.
 * 19 September 1789: Mifflin County was created from Cumberland and Northumberland counties, including the parts for future Centre and Juniata Counties.
 * 22 March 1820: Perry County was created from Cumberland County.

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

Records Loss
The courthouse in Carlisle burned down in 1845, but record loss was minimal. No lost record sets have been identified.

African Americans
There are several record groups at the Cumberland County Archives which deal with African Americans. Some notable ones are:


 * Slave & Slaveowners Register (click on the Holdings link on this page for access to available online records)
 * Slave returns
 * Slave Papers - Miscellaneous (includes a few manumission and Freeman's pass records as well)

Bible Records

 * Cumberland County Bible Records at Cumberland County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * Cumberland County Biographies at Cumberland County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives including Beer's History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania surname list with page links.

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * LDS Genealogy

Census

 * 1814 - Septennial Census 1814 at Cumberland County, PA Archives website - Free. Scanned images.

Church Records



 * Cumberland County Historical Society, holdings include local area church records. The society also maintains an internal database of over 900 church and cemetery records. Research Services will perform a search of their records for a fee.

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 church records of:
 * Jonathan Worrall, J.P./Misc. Marriae Licenses, 1890-1915
 * Big Spring: United Brethren in Christ
 * Boiling Springs: Boiling Springs Methodist Episcopal Church; Otterbein United Methodist Church; St. John's Lutheran Church; United Brethren in Christ
 * Bridgeton: First United Methodist Church
 * Carlisle: Allison United Methodist Church; First Presbyterian Church; First United Methodist Church; German Reformed Church; Grace United Methodist Church; Historical Society Carlisle Marriages and Deaths; Second Presbyterian Church; St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church; United Brethren in Christ
 * Chambersburg: United Brethren in Christ
 * Maurice River: Cumberland Circuit Methodist Episcopal Church; Harmony Circuit Methodist Episcopal Church; Port Elizabeth Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Mechanicsburg: Silver Spring Presbyterian Church; Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church; United Methodist Church
 * Millville: First Presbyterian Church on Maurice River
 * Mount Holly Springs: Wesley United Methodist Church
 * New Cumberland: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church; United Brethren in Christ
 * New Kingstown: Trinity United Methodist Church
 * Newville: Big Spring Presbyterian Church
 * Philadelphia: Cohansey Baptist Church
 * Shippensburg: German Reformed Church; Grace United Church of Christ; Memorial Lutheran Church; Middle Spring Presbyterian Church; Presbyterian Church; United Methodist Church
 * Walnut Bottom: Trinity United Methodist Church


 * 1737-1898 - Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Church Records at Ancestry ($). Big Spring Presbyterian Church (Newville, Pa.), Bobenmayer Church (Upper Frankford, Pa.), First Evangelical Lutheran Church (Carlisle, Pa.), Meeting-House Springs, Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, Poplar Evangelical Lutheran Church (Shiremanstown, Pa.), German Reformed Church (Shippenstown, Pa.), St. James Episcopal Church, St. Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran Church (New Kingston, Pa.), First Presbyterian Church (Carlisle, Pa.), Trindle Spring Lutheran Church, Ziegler's Church (Mifflin Twp., Pa.) and other miscellaneous church records.

Catholic
St. Patrick's, located in Carlisle, was constructed in 1807. Prior to it's construction the area was used as a supply station for the Jesuits.


 * "100 years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943". Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, 17:1. FamilySearch Library book 974.8 B2wg. Contains chronolgy, map, county-by-county information.

Episcopalian
Attempts to establish a congregation date from as early as 1753 with a permanent structure being built about 1825.

St. John's Church, Carlisle

Registers begin in 1793.

Lutheran
Lutherans began to establish their denomination in the county about the mid 1700s. However, major strides in the growth of the denomination did not occur in Cumberland County, until the mid 1800s.

First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Carlisle


 * 1787-1875 - First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Carlisle, Baptism Index 1787-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1790-1792, 1816-1880 - First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Carlisle, Marriage Index 1790-1792 and 1816-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shiremanstown


 * 1787-1871 - St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shiremanstown, Baptism Index 1787-1871 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1790, 1872-1880 - St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shiremanstown, Marriage Index 1790, 1872-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. Stephen Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Kingstown


 * 1775-1852 - St. Stephen Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Kingstown, Baptism Index 1775-1852 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Trindle Spring Evangelical Lutheran Church


 * 1803-1874 - Trindle Spring Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shiremanstown, Baptism Index 1803-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lemoyne


 * 1896-1936 - Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lemoyne, Pa. Parish Register 1896-1936 at Ancestry ($).

Presbyterian
Silvers' Spring Presbyterian Church, near the present site of Mechanicsburg, was organized in 1734. Meeting House Spring Presbyterian Church was organized in Middleton Township (present site of Carlisle) in 1734. Big Spring Presbyterian Church was organized in what is now the town of Newville by 1737. Falling Spring Presbyterian Church was organized, at a Scotch-Irish settlement in what is now Franklin County (formerly Lancaster and then Cumberland counties), in 1738. Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, in Southampton Township, was organized by the 1740s. Upper West Conococheague Presbyterian Church was organized at what is now the town of Mercersburg in 1738. Another Presbyterian church at the "Conococheague Settlement" (present-day Greencastle) was organized by 1738.

First Presbyterian Church


 * 1785-1812 - Marriage Record of the First Presbyterian Church, at Carlisle, 1785-1812 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. 8, Part 4) at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.

Silver Spring Presbyterian Church


 * 1814-1830 - Silver Spring Presbyterian Church Marriages, 1814-30, Silver Spring Twp., Cumberland County, Pennsylvania at PAGenWeb - free.

Court Records
Thousands of commissioners orders from the 1820s and 1830s have been indexed and digitized at the Cumberland County, PA Archives website.

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. Cumberland 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.


 * 1769-1905 Appearance dockets; Adsecturm index, 1750-1894 . Consult listings in both individual volumes and Adsectum index for all parties concerned.

Clerk of the Court
The Cumberland County Archives holdings website has many record groups from this office, many of which are digitized and available online.

Prothonotary
The Cumberland County Archives holdings website has many record groups from this office, many of which are digitized and available online.

Orphans' Court
The Cumberland County Archives holdings website has many record groups from this office, many of which are digitized and available online.

Quarter Sessions

 * 1750-1785 - Greene, Diane E. Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Quarter Session Dockets 1750-1785. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2001. Digital version at Ancestry ($);.

Emigration and Immigration
The Cumberland County Archives holdings website has many record groups related to naturalizations, many of which are digitized and available online.

Published Histories
History of Cumberland and Adams Counties Pennsylvania: Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc. (1886) Chicago: Warner Beers &amp; Co. Digitized and free online at Internet Archive.

Land and Property
Land records in Cumberland County began in 1750. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Carlisle, 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


 * 1766-1769 - Land Warrants West Side Applications 1766-1769 at Cumberland County, PA Archives website - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1824-1872 - Treasurer's Deeds Unseated Lands 1824-1872 at Cumberland County, PA Archives website - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1973–present - Cumberland County offers free online access to indexes. Fees apply to view images since 1993. Check the website for current information on availability and fees.

Many records related to land and property can be found at the Cumberland County Archives throughout their record collections, many of which are available online.

Online Land Record Abstracts


 * Cumberland County Land Records at Cumberland County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives including a surname list of Cumberland County warrantees of land 1750-1874.

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1750–1954 Deeds and Miscellaneous Records, 1750-1866; Indexes, 1750-1954.
 * 1738–1890 Land Drafts and Warrants.
 * 1777–1956 Mortgages, 1777-1826; Indexes, 1777-1956.

Additional Resources Click the image to view an enlarged version

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 Cumberland County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


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

Maps

 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)


 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free, downloadable images from the 1872 Atlas of Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, from Actual Surveys by and under the Direction of F.W. Beers. 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.

French and Indian War
In 1756, Colonel Armstrong recruited many Scotch-Irish men from Cumberland 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 Cumberland 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 Cumberland 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
Cumberland County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.


 * 1779-1781 - Cumberland County Militia Accounts 1779-1781 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.


 * 1786-1804 - Revolutionary War Pension Applications Series 1, 1786-1804 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and description.


 * 1820-1834 - Revolutionary War Pension Applications Series 2, 1820-1834 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.

Later Records
Various military records, including Civil War Board of Relief (1861-1862), Military Bounty Correspondence (1862), Military Enrollment (1870-1874), Military Exonerations (1846-1865), Military Fund (1845-1873), Military Papers Miscellaneous (1840-1923), and Militia Rolls (1849-1861) have been digitized at the Cumberland County, PA Archives website - Free.

Naturalization and Citizenship
The Cumberland County Archives holdings website (see Naturalizations on page 5) has many record groups related to naturalizations, some of which are digitized and available online.

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm Naturalization records available for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania include the following:

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1820-1906 – Index to Declarations and Petitions in the Western District of Pennsylvania, US Circuit and District Courts located in US Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 database on Ancestry.com - ($), National Archives publication M1208
 * 1820-1930 – Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537, incomplete for all counties
 * 1820-1930 - Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537.


 * 1798-1905 Naturalization Records

Newspapers
Newspapers of Cumberland County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America, US Newspaper Directory

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Cumberland County.

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 Cumberland County.
 * The Sentinel Online Obituaries are archived from 1997 to the present. To find a name, use the advanced search tab.
 * Cumberland County Obituaries at Cumberland, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Occupations

 * 1750-1881 - Tavern License Petitions 1750-1881 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and many scanned images.
 * 1758-1874 - Hawkers and Peddlers License Applications 1758-1874 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1857-1885 - Liquor License Receipts 1857-1885 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1917-1946 - Commissions Volunteer Police Officers at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and some scanned images.
 * Cumberland County Iron Furnaces and Iron Works at PAGenWeb - free.

Indentured Servants

 * 1760-1850 - Indentured Servant and Apprentice Matters at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and some scanned images.

Officials
Cumberland County has preserved records of local men who served in various government capacities during the 1700s and 1800s, including assessors, attorneys, auditors, clerks of court, commissioners, constables, coroners, election officials, judges, juries, justices of the peace, lumber inspectors, notaries, policemen, poorhouse directors, prothonotaries, recorders of deeds, registrars of wills, sheriffs, surveyors, and treasurers. The records have been indexed and digitized at the Cumberland County, PA Archives website - Free.

Constables helped maintain law and order in the community. Many can be identified:


 * 1789-1927 - Constables' Returns 1789-1927 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Identifies locals who served as constables by name and township.
 * 1791-1884 - Appointments and Petitions for Appointments 1791-1884 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Includes many different types of local government officials.
 * 1793-1888 - Constables Oaths of Office 1793-1888 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free.
 * 1805-1870 - Constable Bonds 1805-1870 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Identifies locals who served as constables by name and township.

If your ancestors served as a tax collector, you may be able to identify him in these collections:


 * 1842-1894 - Tax Collector Bonds 1842-1894 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free.
 * 1890-1908 - Tax Collector Oaths 1890-1908 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free.

Poorhouse, Almshouse

 * Poorhouse Records Collections at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.


 * 1812-1948 - Orders, 1812-1948 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1823 - Directors' Statements Work Papers 1823 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1859-1915 - Admissions and Commitments 1859-1915 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1868 - Poorhouse Vouchers at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1870-1912 - Poorhouse Indentures and Apprenticeships Children at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1880-1882, 1899 - Out-Door Relief Reports at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1886-1919 - Correspondence Miscellaneous 1886-1919 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1902-1953 - Burial Permits, Poorhouse, 1902-1953 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1921-1934 - Anatomical Board Unclaimed Bodies 1921-1934 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1930-1937 - Anatomical Board Unfit Bodies 1930-1937 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.

Prisons

 * 1775-1778 - Jail Keepers' Account Books 1775-1778 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1776-1852 - Prison Kalendars 1776-1852 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images. Identify prisoners and crimes.
 * 1873-1887 - Prison Discharges Eastern Penitentiary at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images. Identifies criminal and type of crime.
 * 1886-1896 - Prison Discharges 1886-1896 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index. Identifies prisoner and type of discharge.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records

Original probate records for some Pennsylvania counties are available free online as digital images at FamilySearch.org. The dates vary significantly for each county and not all counties are listed. Some counties may only have probate indexes. This Pennsylvania collection of images may be browsed through the links listed below:

Complete Collection:


 * 1683-1994- at FamilySearch.org

Cumberland County Only:


 * 1750-1937-Cumberland County Probate Records

Online Probate Indexes


 * 1683 - 1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Online Probate Abstracts


 * Cumberland County Wills and Estate Records at Cumberland County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives including will abstracts 1750-1776, with index.

Original Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1846-1874 Register's Court Docket
 * 1750-1908 Wills - Index included: 1750-1937

Local Archives
Cumberland County Archives 1 Courthouse Square Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: 717-240-7886 Hours: Monday 10-3 OR by appointment (Mon-Fri)

Cumberland County is one of many jurisdictions which increasingly digitizes its archival collections. As such, they have an online platform with many types of records, many quite obscure, which can be viewed by the public. This platform can be reached directly here.

The Cumberland County Archives Department holdings are organized into record collections. All their archival holdings, digital or otherwise, are summarized and listed in this online platform, so this can be a good resource to help plan a research trip. Collections with digital content have a camera icon next to them. The contents available online are likely to increase over time, so it makes sense to check back with them regularly.

Selected Highlights of available digital content at the archives includes (by record group):

Clerk Of Courts Record Group


 * Appointments and Petitions 1791-1956
 * Bastardy Bonds 1788-1908
 * Coroner Inquests 1769-1919
 * Election Returns (Municipal) 1792-1949
 * Elections - Polling Place Changes 1845-1941
 * Grand Jury Reports - Series #1 1788-1888
 * Hawkers And Peddlers License Applications 1758-1899
 * Indentured Servant & Apprentice Matters 1774-1818
 * Indictments 1750-1889
 * Marriage Bonds c. 1761-1786
 * Oyer & Terminer Case Papers 1798-1969
 * Poorhouse Directors Statements 1814-1922
 * Prison Discharges - Eastern State Penitentiary 1873-1887
 * Quarter Sessions Miscellaneous Documents Series #1 1778-1924
 * Retailer Classifications 1823-1846
 * Road & Bridge Papers - Civil Divisions 1750-1949
 * Slave & Slaveowners Register 1779-1841
 * Slave Matters - Miscellaneous 1801-1838
 * Slave Returns 1780-1841
 * Tavern License Petitions 1750-1881
 * Tavern Licenses Unpaid 1813-1837
 * Tax Collector Oaths 1890-1908
 * Trial Lists - Criminal Court 1789-1939
 * Voter Oaths 1874-1893

Commissioners Record Group

Orphan's Court Record Group
 * Appointments & Resignations 1817-1952
 * Board Of Relief - Civil War 1861-1863
 * Collateral Inheritance Valuations 1827-1849
 * Contracts & Agreements 1805-1904
 * Correspondence - Miscellaneous 1790-194
 * Eastern State Penitentiary Accounts 1807-1873
 * Military Papers - Miscellaneous 1840-1923
 * Militia Rolls 1849-1861
 * Orders 1784-1947
 * Soldiers Burial Applications 1894-1906
 * Tax Assessors Duplicates 1781-1852
 * Tax Assessors' Returns - Taverns 1832-1859
 * Tax Rates Books 1736-1930

Poorhouse Record Group
 * Marriage Returns 1852-1855
 * Pension Applications - Revolutionary War Series #1 1779-1804
 * Pension Applications - Revolutionary War Series #2 1820-1838

Prothonotary Record Group
 * Indentures & Apprenticeships - Children 1870-1912
 * Orders 1812-1948
 * Poorhouse records

Treasurer Record Group
 * Civil Case Papers 1761-1965
 * Insolvent Debtor Petitions Series #1 1750-1764
 * Insolvent Debtor Petitions Series #2 1765-1799
 * Insolvent Debtor Petitions Series #3 1799-1860
 * Mechanics Liens 1836-1993
 * Naturalization Petitions 1798-1942
 * Oaths Of Office - numerous categories 1785-


 * Miscellaneous Accounts - Revolutionary War 1779-1781
 * Miscellaneous Documents - Land Sales 1769-1839
 * Tax Collectors Accounts - Delinquent Taxes 1788-1861

In its physical holdings, the Archives holds deeds (1831-1908), mortgages (1839-1924), births, marriages, and deaths (1852-1855), letters of administration (1887-1937) and much more.

Other/Regional Archives

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

Courthouse
(See also Local Archives above)


 * Cumberland County Courthouse 1 Courthouse Square Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: 717-240-6100 Toll Free: 1-888-697-0371


 * Recorder of Deeds Phone: 717-240-6370


 * Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court County Courthouse, Room 102 Phone: 717-240-6345


 * Prothonotary Office 1 Courthouse Sq. Suite 100 Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: 717–240–6195

Many records stored at the courthouse are now available for free online (see Local Archives above).

Societies

 * Cumberland County Historical Society 21 North Pitt Street P.O. Box 626 Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: 717-249-7610

The Cumberland County Historical Society was founded in 1874 and maintains The Gardner Library, a Museum, and works with the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau to maintain and staff the county Visitors Center.

The Gardner Library holds historical records, a collection of manuscripts and rare books, census records, tax lists, newspapers and periodicals, and surname files.

Schools

 * 1899 - Return of Children Between the Ages of Six and Twenty-One years, residing within the District of South Middleton Township, Upper, 1899 at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Scanned images. Identifies children's names, exact birth dates, genders, nationalities, residences, school districts, and parents.
 * 1900 - Return of Children Between the Ages of Six and Twenty-One Years, Residing within the District of South Middleton Township, Lower, 1900 at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Scanned images. Identifies children's names, exact birth dates, genders, nationalities, residences, school districts, and parents.

Slavery and Bondage

 * 1780-1841 - Slave and Slaveholder Register at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1780-1841 - Slave Returns 1780-1841 at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1801-1838 - Slave Matters Miscellaneous 1801-1838 at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Index and scanned images.

Taxation

 * 1736-1853 - Probably the most comprehensive tax-related records available for Cumberland County are not strictly classified as tax records at all. These records are in fact the Tax Rates Books, which are records of the Cumberland County Commissioner's Office (now housed in the Cumberland County Archives). They serve as a precursor to County Assessor Records, but they are very easily overlooked when hunting for records. These records, which appear comprehensive and consistently available annually, are online at the Cumberland County Archives in their online archival platform under the Commissioners Record Group. Click HOLDINGS to access to records starting about 1736 intermittently but available annually beginning about 1767 onwards.


 * 1778-1782, 1785 - State and Supply Transcripts of the County of Cumberland: For the Years 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1785. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 20). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.
 * 1779-1850 - Tax Appeals 1779-1850 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1781-1852 - Cumberland County Tax Assessors' Duplicates 1781-1852 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images arranged by year and township.
 * 1781-1789, 1824, 1829, 1845 - Tax Collector Accounts Delinquent Taxes at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1781-1782, 1790-1791, 1826-1828 - Tax Collectors Settlements at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1783, 1806, 1815 - Delinquent Taxes Unseated Lands at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).
 * 1841-1898 - Cumberland County Tax Collectors' Exonerations 1841-1898 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images arranged by year and township. Explicity state when taxpayers moved from the area or died.
 * 1867 - Tax Exonerations Tax Payers at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1870-1875 - Tax Collectors Exonerations Vouchers at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1920-1922 - Estate Tax Reports 1920-1922 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.

Vital Records
See also How to order Pennsylvania Vital Records

Birth

 * 1788-1908 - Bastardy Bonds 1788-1908 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.

Marriage

 * 1626-2016 - Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1677-1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
 * 1725-1976 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
 * 1761-1786 - Marriage Bonds 1761-1786 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and some scanned images.
 * 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
 * 1885-1950 - Extracted marriage records – free. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
 * 1947-2010 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building. The Cumberland County, PA Archives, includes a list of divorces in the county between 1810 and 1967.

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Archives (Historical Records) 1 Courthouse Square Carlisle, PA 17013

Death

 * 1785-1914 - Coroner's Inquests at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index.
 * 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
 * 1917-1921 - Statement of Deaths in Cumberland County 1917-1921 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1921-1934 - Anatomical Board Unclaimed Bodies 1921-1934 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1930-1937 - Anatomical Board Unfit Bodies 1930-1937 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1947-2010 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Voter Registration

 * 1874-1893 - Voter Oaths at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Identifies individuals by name, naturalization status, and often township of residence.

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * List of Pennsylvania Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Cumberland County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

 * Cumberland County, PA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Cumberland County PA Genealogy