Chester County History and Information

One of the three original counties formed by William Penn in November 1682. It did not become an inland county until 1789. Its name derives from Cheshire (i.e., Chester-shire), England, from which many of its early settlers came. West Chester, the county seat since 1788, was incorporated as a borough on March 28, 1799. It was named for Chester, the older county seat (now in Delaware County), which in turn derived its name from the shire town of Cheshire.

Quakers were very influential in the early period, and an older Swedish population that pre-dated William Penn’s charter was absorbed. Chester shares with Montgomery County the Valley Forge encampment and with Delaware County the Brandywine Battlefield. Iron works began before the Revolution, followed by production of paper, textiles, and bricks. Accessibility increased with the Lancaster Pike (1795), Schuylkill Navigation Canal (1825), and Columbia Railroad (1840s). In the 1890s the county became a residential location for commuting Philadelphia workers. Chester was an early producer of a valuable mushroom crop, and has long excelled in fruit growing, dairying, livestock breeding, and raising flowers. Thirty percent of the land is farmed. The Pierre du Pont Arboretum and Gardens arose in the nineteenth century. The institute that became Lincoln University was founded in 1854 to educate African Americans, and there were Underground Railroad stations at West Chester, Phoenixville, Oxford, and Kennett Square.

Counties that are adjacent to Chester County are Berks County (north), Montgomery County (northeast), Delaware County (east), New Castle County, Delaware (southeast), Cecil County, Maryland (south), Lancaster County (west)

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. See the County Maps & Atlases section below for Map of Chester County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs, Townships, and Census-designated places. The following Cities, boroughs and townships can be found in Chester County:

• Cities that reside in Chester County are Coatesville
• Boroughs that reside in Chester County are Atglen, Avondale, Downingtown, Elverson, Honey Brook, Kennett Square, Malvern, Modena, Oxford, Parkesburg, Phoenixville, South Coatesville, Spring City, West Chester, West Grove
• Townships that reside in Chester County are Birmingham, Caln, Charlestown, East Bradford, East Brandywine, East Caln, East Coventry, East Fallowfield, East Goshen, East Marlborough, East Nantmeal, East Nottingham, East Pikeland, East Vincent, East Whiteland, Easttown, Elk, Franklin, Highland, Honey Brook, Kennett, London Britain, London Grove, Londonderry, Lower Oxford, New Garden, New London, Newlin, North Coventry, Penn, Pennsbury, Pocopson, Sadsbury, Schuylkill, South Coventry, Thornbury, Tredyffrin, Upper Oxford, Upper Uwchlan, Uwchlan, Valley, Wallace, Warwick, West Bradford, West Brandywine, West Caln, West Fallowfield, West Goshen, West Marlborough, West Nantmeal, West Nottingham, West Pikeland, West Sadsbury, West Vincent, West Whiteland, Westtown, Willistown Township
  

The Official County website is http://www.chesco.org/

• Chester County, Pennsylvania History Books at Amazon.com
• Pennsylvania Archives (Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents from The Pennsylvania State Archives which published 10 series of historical records in 135 volumes, covering the initial colonial settlement through the Civil War. More than 100,000 pages from 1664–1880. If you're interested in Pennsylvania history and want information relating to historical events, facts about ancestors, or original documents to support a research paper, the Pennsylvania Archives is an important publication to explore. THIS IS A FREE DATABASE
• Chester County Municipalities Incorporation Dates
• Search Historical Newspapers from Pennsylvania (1719 - 1997) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

Chester County Court Records

See Also Pennsylvania Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Chester County Register of Wills/ Orphan's Court Clerk has Marriage Records from 1714 and Probate Records from 1714 and is located at 2 North High Street, Suite 109, P.O. Box 2748, West Chester, PA 19380-0991; 610.344.6335 [press 0], Email: rwills@chesco.org.

The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan's Court is an elected official who serves as a dual officeholder and whose primary function is to determine whether the document offered for probate should be received as the last will of the decedent. When disputes arise at the time of probate, the Register, as a quasi-judicial officer, is empowered to hold hearings, take testimony, review evidence and render decisions on how the administration of the estate shall proceed. Register of Wills from 1714 to 1923 are located at the Chester Co Archives and Records Service, contact info below...

Chester County Recorder of Deeds has Land Records from 1688 and is located at 121 N. Walnut St., Suite 100, P.O. Box 2748, West Chester, PA 19380-0991; Phone: 610-344-6330, Fax: 610-344-6408, EMAIL.

The Recorder of Deeds is responsible for recording documents related to property. Documents recorded in the office consist of, but are not limited to, deeds, mortgages, releases, easements (rights-of-way), subdivisions, restrictions, notaries, public and elected county officers. Other documents, such as Military Service Discharges, foreign birth certificates, as well as obscure documents like cattle brands, arealso recorded here. All document, except Military Service Discharges, are public record and are readily available.

Chester County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1714 and is located at 2 N. High Street, Suite 130, P.O. Box 2748, West Chester, PA 19380-0991; 610-344-6300 .

The prothonotary has been the clerk of court of common pleas since 1707. Court records here include divorces, naturalizations, peddlers' licenses, registration of attorneys, oaths of county officers, equity, sheriff's sales, juror lists, some tax records, and some civil court records. Other court records are with the clerk of courts.

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Chester County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930(The National Archives): These are Naturalization Records of the US Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. They include petitions for naturalization, 1795-1930; and declarations of intent, 1793-1818, and 1825-1836. There are some years missing from this publication within those time periods.
• Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930 (The National Archives): These petitions are arranged by court then by year. Within each year, they are listed by the date of the record and then by petitioner's name. Typing a name in the search box directly below this title may bring the best results. Additional years prior to 1906 are also included in these naturalization records for Pennsylvania's middle district.
• Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania (The National Archives): These files contain declarations of intent and petitions for naturalization for the Western District of Pennsylvania, arranged by date, October 1820 through September 26, 1906. They also include records of the US Circuit Court, July 1910-1911, listed by petition number, from 1 to 1,616; and records of the US District Court, October 1, 1906 through January 27, 1931, listed by petition number, from 1 to 91,300.
• Pennsylvania Marriages to 1790
• Pennsylvania Marriages to 1810
• Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-73
• Philadelphia, 1789-1880 Naturalization Records
• Early Pennsylvania Land Records
• Chester County, Pennsylvania Court Books at Amazon.com
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
• Chester County Archives, 601 Westtown Road, Suite 080, West Chester, PA 19380-0990; Phone: 610-344-6760, Email: ccarchives@chesco.org

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Chester County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Pennsylvania

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Birth & Death Certificates before 1906: Pennsylvania birth & death records prior to 1906 can be accessed through the Chester County courthouse. The Division of Vital Records does not keep this information. Please write or call to 2 North High St., Suite 109, West Chester, PA 19380; (610 344-6335. Courthouse has Birth records from 1852-1855, 1893-1907, Death Records from 1852-1855, 1893-1907

Vital Records, State Dept of Health, P.O. Box 1528, 101 South Mercer Street, New Castle, PA 16101; (724) 656-3100, Fax: (724) 652-8951, Please allow up to approximately 4-6 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

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• Birth & Death Certificates: Birth records maintained by Pennsylvania Vital Records since Jan 1906 through the present.
• Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage & Divorce records are not available from the Division of Vital Records. They are usually obtained from the Chester County Courthouse (If they were issued there).
• Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

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Cost: Include $10.00 fee per copy, $17.00 (by fax) for Birth records and Include $9.00 fee per copy, $16.00 (by fax) for Death Records. Please do not send cash. Make check or money order payable to “Vital Records." Please do not send cash in the mail.

Order In Person:You may apply in person at one of our six public offices in Erie, Harrisburg, New Castle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Scranton

Order By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Vital Records " along with the necessary information to the following address:Vital Records, State Dept of Health, P.O. Box 1528, 101 South Mercer Street, New Castle, PA 16101. Birth Certificate by Mail Order Form , Death Certificate by Mail Order Form. Allow 4-6 weeks when ordering by mail.

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Chester County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Pennsylvania newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Chester County, Pennsylvania Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.

Chester County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Pennsylvania

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Chester County, Pennsylvania are 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. There are three indexes for the 1800 census and two for 1810. The 1850 census also has two indexes, one arranged by county. For the 1910 Miracode, Philadelphia County is indexed apart from the rest of the commonwealth. After it was filmed by the National Archives, the 1880 census was sent to the University of Pittsburgh. The state copies of the 1840–70 censuses are no longer extant, but a few county copies are known to exist. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Chester County, Pennsylvania areIndustry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890.

There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

State Schedules: Pennsylvania took no state censuses, but an enumeration of taxpayers compiled every seven years from 1779 through 1863 is commonly called the Septennial Census. These records have only survived in small numbers and are available at the state archives.

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Chester County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Chester County, Pennsylvania Census Books at Amazon.com
• Pennsylvania Census, 1772-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1772 Tax List (Northampton County); 1790 Federal Census Index; 1800 Federal Census Index; 1810 Federal Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1842 Chester County Census Index; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1857 Chester County Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Naval Veterans Schedule; Early Census Records.
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

Chester County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Pennsylvania Antique Maps & Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Pennsylvania and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Pennsylvania showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Pennsylvania showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Maps. Email us with websites containing Chester County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Map of Chester County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
• Chester County, Pennsylvania Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Chester County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Pennsylvania

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design. A list of Wars fought on American.

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Chester County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Pennsylvania (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Pennsylvania (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 from the State of Pennsylvania (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from the State of Pennsylvania (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War from the State of Pennsylvania (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 from the State of Pennsylvania.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files from the State of Pennsylvania (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• List of Pennsylvania Units in the Revolutionary War
• List of Pennsylvania Units in the Civil War
• Pennsylvania Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Pennsylvania Pensioners, 1835: This database identifies thousands of Pennsylvania soldiers who were covered under various pension acts in the early 1800s.
• Pennsylvania Volunteers in the War of 1812: Compiled from the Pennsylvania Archives collection, this database is a listing of soldiers who volunteered to fight the British during the War of 1812.
• Chester County, Pennsylvania Military Books at Amazon.com
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

Chester County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Late eighteenth-century tax records for various counties, 1765–1791, were published in Pennsylvania Archives, 3d series, vols. 11–32.

Among the few surviving 1798 U.S. Direct Tax lists are those for Pennsylvania. They were microfilmed by the National Archives and are available at the Mid-Atlantic Region in Philadelphia and at the Pennsylvania State Archives. Indexes have been published for Washington and Lancaster counties.

Tax records are typically found in the county tax assessment offices but may also be in the county commissioners' office or with the prothonotary. The state archives has microfilms for some of these records (1715–1930s). Some assessment records have found their way into manuscript collections of county historical societies and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania as well as at the Philadelphia City Archives.

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Chester County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Chester County, Pennsylvania Tax Books at Amazon.com

Chester County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Pennsylvania Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Chester County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Chester County Historical Society, 225 North High Street, West Chester 19380.
• Chester Co Archives and Records Service, 117 West Gray Str., West Chester, PA 19380
• The Pennsylvania Archives Online
  As one of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania played an important part in our nation's early history. Many significant records were created and kept by Pennsylvania, as Philadelphia was both the site of the Continental Congress and the largest port of the time. Many of those early documents, and others through the 1800s, were transcribed into the published Pennsylvania Archives. These volumes should not be confused with the repository in Harrisburg where official colonial and state records are kept. The images here are pages from the 138-volume, 10-series set of the well-known collection of early government records transcribed and printed by the Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania Archives has been relied upon by scholars, genealogists, and historians for valuable historical information for over a century. The only online availability of virtually all of the Pennsylvania Archives is here, with free access, on Footnote.com.
• Bureau of Archives and History, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
  William Penn Memorial Museum and Archives Building
  3rd Avenue and Forster Street, P.O. Box 1026, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1026
  Referred to as the Pennsylvania State Archives
• State Library of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Avenue and Walnut Street, P.O. Box 1601, Harrisburg, PA 17105-1601
• Historical Society Of Pennsylvania. 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Phone: 215-732-6200, Fax: 215-732-2680
• Genealogical Society Of Pennsylvania
  215 S. Broad St., 7th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5325; Phone: (215) 545-0391, Fax: (215) 545-0936; EMAIL
• Directory of Pennsylvania Genealogical, Historical and Preservation Societies
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
• Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Chester County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Pennsylvania

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Chester County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Chester County Tombstone Transcription Project.

The Historical Records Survey produced an inventory of the church archives in Pennsylvania, but it was never published. Arranged by county, the inventory is located in the state archives. A good number of church records have been published individually and in periodicals such as The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. Many copies exist in manuscript at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Library (DAR collection), and in other libraries. A good portion of the published material concerns German churches and Quaker meetings.

Large collections of cemetery records are located at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, and at many local libraries and historical societies. The Pennsylvania State Library maintains the state's DAR cemetery collection. Several funeral director records for Philadelphia are in the Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania State Department of Military Affairs has records of veterans' graves and burials. The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania is currently in the process of microfilming cemetery records throughout the commonwealth.

Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Chester County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Pennsylvania obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Pennsylvania newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Pennsylvania.
• Chester County, Pennsylvania Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Chester County, Pennsylvania Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Chester County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Chester County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Pennsylvania Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Pennsylvania Researcher!
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data : For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Chester County ] [ Pennsylvania ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The Pennsylvania Family Group Sheet Project
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
• Chester County, Pennsylvania Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

 

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