Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Northumberland 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.

Northumberland County Pennsylvania Historical Facts
Parent Counties: Formed from Lancaster, Berks, Bedford, Cumberland, and Northampton Counties 21 March 1772.

County Seat: Sunbury

Neighboring Counties: Northumberland County residents may also have records in


 * Montour
 * Lycoming
 * Dauphin
 * Snyder
 * Juniata
 * Columbia
 * Schuylkill
 * Perry
 * Union

Named for the County of Northumberland in England.

Description
The county was named for Northumberland. It's county seat is Sunbury and was founded March 21, 1772. It is located in the Central area of the state.

Boundary Changes
Several times the county was divided over the years:


 * 25 September 1786: Luzerne
 * 19 September 1789: Mifflin
 * 13 April 1795: Lycoming
 * 13 February 1800: Centre
 * 26 March 1804: Clearfield
 * 22 March 1813: Columbia and Union

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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Bible Records

 * Northumberland Bible Records courtesy of USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * Biographies taken from Genealogical and Biographical Annals of Northumberland County, Floyd 1911. Courtesy USGenWeb Archives

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

Additional Cemetery Resources


 * PA-Roots
 * Names in Stone

Church Records


The Northumberland County Historical Society has various records for churches throughout the Northumberland County area. However, the society has not put the records online and to view the records one must go to the society. The society will do limited lookups in the records. See their website for details.

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:
 * Danville: Danville Methodist Episcopal Church; Emmanuel Evangelical Congregational Church
 * Fairview: United Methodist Church
 * Milton: Bethany United Methodist Church; Christ United Church of Christ; United Methodist Church
 * Northumberland: Christ United Methodist Church; St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church; United Methodist Church
 * Potts Grove: Presbyterian Church
 * Ralpho: German Reformed Church; St. Peter's Lutheran Church
 * Rebuck: Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Congregations; Lutheran Church
 * Stone Valley: Zion Lutheran Church
 * Sunbury: Boehm's Reformed Church (United Church of Christ); First Presbyterian Church; Mountain Presbyterian Church; St. Luke's Lutheran Church; St. Matthew's Episcopal Church (Francisville, Pa.); Zion Lutheran Church
 * Turbotville: Trinity United Church of Christ; Zion Lutheran Church
 * Watsontown: First Presbyterian Church


 * Northumberland County Church Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Hemlock


 * 1803-1843 Hemlock Baptism Index 1803-1843 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Baptists
There were many Baptist churches established in Northumberland County, including the Milton Baptist Church organized with 9 members in 1826.

Lutheran
There were many Lutheran churches in the county. One of the earliest Lutheran churches built was the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sunbury in 1791. In Milton, the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church gathered in a union church with the Reformed Church in 1807 although they met before that date. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northumberland was dedicated in 1818 although they also met together before that date.

David's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Jordan Township


 * 1829-1875 David's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Jordan Township Baptism Index 1829-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Follmer's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Turbot Township


 * 1801-1876 Follmer's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Turbot Township, Baptism Index 1801-1876 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1877-1880 Follmer's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Turbot Township, Marriage Index 1877-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Himmel Lutheran and Reformed Church, Washington Township


 * 1774-1846 Himmel Lutheran and Reformed Church, Washington Township, Baptism Index 1774-1846 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Lutheran Church, Stone Valley


 * 1774-1793, 1806 Lutheran Church, Stone Valley, Baptism Index 1774-1793 and 1806 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. Elias Union Church


 * Lutheran baptisms St. Elias Union Church courtesy USGenWeb Archives

St. James or St. Jacob's Howarter Lutheran and Reformed Church, Upper Mahanoy Township


 * 1803-1869 St. James or St. Jacob's Howarter Lutheran and Reformed Church, Upper Mahanoy Township, Baptism Index 1803-1869 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. John's Lutheran Church


 * 1874-1925 St. John's Lutheran, Northumberland baptisms, marriages and deaths courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Schwaben Creek Lutheran Church, Washington Township


 * 1774-1846 Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1774-1846: Schwaben Creek at Ancestry.com – ($), located in Washington Township, also called Himmel Lutheran and Reformed Church, includes baptism, marriages, and burials

Stone Valley Lutheran and Reformed Congregations, Lower Mahanoy Township


 * 1777-1854 Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1777-1854: Stone Valley Lutheran and Reformed Congregations at Ancestry.com – ($), located in Lower Mahanoy Township, includes baptism, marriages, and burials

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Milton


 * 1819-1875 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Milton, Baptism Index 1819-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1845-1850, 1872-1880 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Milton, Marriage Index 1845-1850 and 1872-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sunbury Township


 * 1851-1892 Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1851-1892: Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church at Ancestry.com – ($), located in Sunbury Township, includes baptism, marriages, and burials

Presbyterian
In Northumberland, the Presbyterians first record of gathering was written in a journal in 1775, although it was 1787 before they were officially organized.

Reformed
The first Reformed Church in Sunbury was organized in 1784 and met in the same church building as the Presbyterians until 1841 when they built their own church. It is believed the Reformed Church was the first religion to practice in Milton. However, they didn't have an official building until 1807 when they began meeting in a union church with the Lutherans. The Associate Reformed Church in Milton was organized in 1818 by members originally associated with the Presbyterian church.


 * 1774-1846 Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1774-1846: Schwaben Creek at Ancestry.com – ($), located in Washington Township, also called Himmel Lutheran and Reformed Church, includes baptism, marriages, and burials
 * 1777-1854 Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1777-1854: Stone Valley Lutheran and Reformed Congregations at Ancestry.com – ($), located in Lower Mahanoy Township, includes baptism, marriages, and burials

Roman Catholics
In Milton, St. Joseph's Catholic Church was created just after 1783. More Catholic churches were organized as more immigrants moved to the county, including St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church organized by Polish immigrants in 1861.

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. Northumberland 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.

Orphans' Court

 * 1752–1868 Orphans Court Docket (index 1772–193-)

Land and Property
Land records in Northumberland County began in 1772. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in Sunbury, 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


 * 1903–present Images are available online using the Landex system. There is a fee to view the images.

Online Land Abstracts


 * 1785 and 1816 Land Lotto courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1770-1914 Deeds, 1770-1866; Index, 1772-1914.  Deeds earlier than 1770 were created in the applicable parent county.
 * 1772–1974 Mortgages, 1793-1838; Index, 1772-1974.

Additional Resources

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

Click the image to view an enlarged version 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 Northumberland 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 Trackshas posted free downloadable images from the Map of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by G.M. Hopkins, published by J.A.J. Cummings in 1858. 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.

Revolutionary War
Northumberland County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records available for Northumberland County, Pennsylvania include the following:

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1740-1773 Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry.com - ($), incomplete for all counties
 * 1901-1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930; and 1901-1906 on Fold3.com - ($), 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.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1622, Middle District court was created in 1901, for earlier dates try the Eastern and Western District court records

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm


 * 1802-1906 Naturalization Papers and Index  – index included 1854–1913

Newspapers
Newspapers of Northumberland County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

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.


 * 1848-1879 Sunbury American (Sunbury, PA) through Chronicling America.

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.
 * Northumberland Archives Newspapers courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * Northumberland Democrat, Aug 18, 1904 and Aug 29, 1907
 * Mount Carmel ledger, 4th quarter 1892, 1893, 1894
 * Shamokin Newspaper Abstracts 1862-1893
 * Shamokin Herald June 15, 1893 and June 23, 1893
 * Sunbury American, April 1860, April 1861, March 1862
 * Sunbury Gazette, various dates in 1853

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 Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.
 * Northumberland Archives Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Prison Records

 * 1842-1909 Eastern State Pen

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:


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


 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch.org

Northumberland County Only:


 * 1772-1907 Northumberland County Probate Records
 * 1772-1813 Fisher, Charles A. Wills and Administrations of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Including Wills and Administrations of Union, Mifflin and Indiana Counties. 1950. Digital version at  - free. Abstracts and index.

Online Probate Abstracts


 * Northumberland Archives - Wills courtesy
 * 1772-1859 Will Index
 * 1772-1813 Index to Letters of Administration
 * Will abstracts, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Original Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1772–1907 Wills (index 1792–1930)
 * 1772–1813 Wills and administrations of Northumberland County, (index 1752–1882)
 * 1773–1833 Indexes to mortgages, wills and administrations, and miscellaneous records (index 1752–1882)

Repositories

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

Archives

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

Courthouse

 * Northumberland County Courthouse 201 Market Street Sunbury, PA 17801 Phone: 570-988-4148


 * Copies of documents including birth, marriages, deaths, divorces, land, and probate records can be obtained by using: Pennsylvania Public Record. Click on the link for the record you wish to request.


 * Clerk of Courts Phone: 570-988-4148


 * Orphans' Court Phone: 570-988-4143


 * Office of the Prothonotary 201 Market St Sunbury, PA17801 Phone: 570-988-4151

Family History Centers

 * Nazareth Pennsylvania Family History Center
 * Sunbury Pennsylvania Family History Center

Libraries

 * Mount Carmel Area Public Library 30 South Oak Street Mount Carmel, PA 17851 Phone: 570-339-0703 Email: [mailto:mountcarmelpubliclibrary@verizon.net mountcarmelpubliclibrary@verizon.net]


 * The Mount Carmel Area Public Library collection includes:


 * MCA Obituary Indexes from 1860 to 1963
 * Microfilm collection of Newspapers
 * Local histories
 * Coal mining histories
 * High school year book collection


 * The library also provides an obituary look up service with an obituary index located at the bottom of the webpage.

Museums

 * Muncy Historical Society and Museum of History 40 North Main Street P.O. Box 11 Muncy, PA 17756 Phone: 570-546-5917
 * Museum has a library and contains a genealogical collection. Visit website for hours, usage fees and fees for research service by mail Their collection includes:


 * Now and Then Magazine published by the Muncy Historical Society, 1868 to present
 * Cemetery records
 * Marriage records
 * Death records
 * Local Revolutionary War veteran pension declarations
 * Published family genealogies
 * County histories

Societies

 * The Northumberland County Historical Society 1150 North Front St. Sunbury, PA 17801-1126 Phone/Fax: 570-286-4083


 * Montour County Genealogical Society, MCGS 205 Ferry Street Danville, PA 17821 Phone: 570-275-6177 Genealogy Room: Thomas Beaver Free Library, 2nd Floor Visit website for hours and usage fees (no charge for members).
 * The collection includes records for Columbia, Montour and Northumberland Counties. Research requests may be submitted in writing using a printable form which includes the fee schedule

School Records

 * Northumberland Archives Education Data courtesy USGenWeb Archives including:
 * Mt. Carmel High School Grads 1887-1892 and 1936
 * Shamokin High School 1877-1958
 * Trevorton High School Graduation 1913

Taxation

 * 1778-1787 Proprietary, Supply, and State Tax Lists of the Counties of Northampton and Northumberland: For the Years 1772 to 1787. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 19). Digital versions at Don's List - free; Google Books - free.


 * 1778-1787 Northampton County (What is Now Columbia County), Pennsylvania Tax Lists at PAGenWeb - free.


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

Vital Records
See also How to order Pennsylvania Vital Records

Birth

 * 1852-1853 Sunbury Birth Index 1852-1853 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
 * "Birthday Book" of Clara Reichley on PAGenWeb - free, information varies, appears to be from a birthday book kept by a local resident living in Northumberland, NOT COMPLETE
 * Abstracts of some vital records, mostly births courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Marriage

 * 1677-1950  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
 * 1725-1976  - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic database of information. The entries are primarily from the International Genealogical Index (IGI) along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as: Family Records, Church Records, Civil Registration. It may also include indexes generated by the internet indexing project sponsored by the LDS Church.
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) 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 Sunbury Marriage Index 1852-1854 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 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.
 * Northumberland County Marriage Index Female Surname on PAGenWeb – free, alphabetical order
 * Northumberland County Marriage Index Male Surname on PAGenWeb – free, alphabetical order

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

Death

 * 1852-1855 Northumberland County Death Index 1852-1855 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
 * 1893-1902 Northumberland County Death Index 1893-1902 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * "Birthday Book" of Clara Reichley on PAGenWeb - free, information varies, appears to be from a birthday book kept by a local resident living in Northumberland, INCOMPLETE
 * Names of persons killed in the mines of Northumberland County on PAGenWeb – free, covers various years

Northumberland County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

 * Northumberland County, PA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * USGenWeb
 * Northumberland County PA Genealogy