Forest County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania Forest County

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Jefferson County 11 April 1848.
 * County Seat: Tionesta
 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in Warren (north) • Elk (east) • Venango (west) • McKean (northeast)  •  Clarion (south)  •  Jefferson (southeast)

Named for the vast forests in the area.

Boundary Changes

 * 31 October 1866: part taken from Venango County to enlarge Forest 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.

Court Records
Forest County Courthouse 526 Elm Street Tionesta, PA 17353 Phone: 814-755-3526 Fax: 814-755-8837

Open 9:00 am until 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Land and Property
Land records in Forest County began in 1784. These records are filed with the Prothonotary/Recorder of Deeds office in Tionesta, 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:

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1857–1933 Deed Books, 1857-1886; Indexes to Deeds, 1857-1933
 * 1852–1904 Sheriffs' Deed Book

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 Forest 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 1881 Map of Forest Co. Pennsylvania Compiled from Records &amp; Official Surveys by S.D. Irwin, published by J.L. Smith. 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
Forest County Courthouse 526 Elm Street, Box 3 Tionesta, PA 16353

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Birth
Birth records for Forest County began in 1893. The Forest County Clerk of Orphans' Courtmaintains birth records through 1905. Individuals are allowed to search these records. To obtain a copy of birth record in the 1893–1905 time period contact the Forest County Courthouse.

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


 * Register of Births, 1893-1907 – 

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 PO Box 1528 New Castle, PA 16103

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

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

Marriage
Forest County marriages are maintained by the Clerk of Orphans' Court. Forest County began recording marriages in 1885. To obtain a marriage record you may go to or mail the Clerk of Orphans' Court.

A free online index with images to some Forest 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 Licenses, 1885-1928 (Forest County, Pennsylvania)

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

Death
Forest County began recording deaths in 1893. Records from 1893 – 1905 are available at the County Courthouse in Tionesta. You may request a death record from the Clerk of Orphans' Court.

These county death records were microfilmed by FamilySearch.


 * Register of Deaths, 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.