Delaware County History and Information

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Delaware County Pennsylvania Map
VEIW FULL SIZED D.O.T. COUNTY MAP

Created on September 6, 1789, from part of Chester County, and named for the Delaware River, which in turn had been named for Lord de la Warr, governor of Virginia. Media, its county seat since 1850, was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1850, and named for its central location in the county. Chester, its original county seat, was the county seat of Chester County before 1788, and the temporary capital of Pennsylvania, 1681–1682, before Philadelphia was laid out. The county adopted a home rule charter in May 1975.

Delaware includes the first permanent European settlement, the Swedes on Tinicum Island in 1643. The center of the Battle of Brandywine in 1777 was in Delaware. Phenomenal population growth occurred steadily after 1800, until a fall off began in 1980. Its many fast streams made it a milling center for lumber, grains, paper, tobacco, and textiles, and it was located on main roads south and west from Philadelphia. Shipbuilding flourished, beginning in the colonial period, and oil refineries arose in the early twentieth century. Industrial jobs brought in a large immigrant population and from 1885 to 1915 middle class families from Philadelphia relocated here. Once a strong dairy and mushroom farm area, agriculture is now almost gone. Farms occupy only 7 percent of the land. There were Underground Railroad stations in Chester Borough, Upper Darby, and Newtown Square, and Martin Luther King Jr. was educated at Crozier Baptist Seminary. Colleges and universities include Swarthmore, Haverford, Villanova, Cheyney State, and Widener.

Counties that are adjacent to Delaware County are Montgomery County (north), Philadelphia County (east), Gloucester County, New Jersey (southeast), New Castle County, Delaware (southwest), Chester 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 Delaware County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs, Townships, and Census-designated places. The following Cities, boroughs and townships can be found in Delaware County:

  • Cities that reside in Delaware County are Chester
  • Boroughs that reside in Delaware County are Aldan, Brookhaven, Chester Heights, Clifton Heights, Collingdale, Colwyn, Darby, East Lansdowne, Eddystone, Folcroft, Folsom, Glenolden, Lansdowne, Marcus Hook, Media, Millbourne, Morton, Norwood, Parkside, Prospect Park, Ridley Park, Rose Valley, Rutledge, Sharon Hill, Swarthmore, Trainer, Upland, Yeadon
  • Townships that reside in Delaware County are Aston, Bethel, Chadds Ford, Chester, Concord, Darby, Edgmont, Haverford, Lower Chichester, Marple, Middletown, Nether Providence, Newtown, Radnor, Ridley, Springfield, Thornbury, Tinicum, Upper Chichester, Upper Darby, Upper Providence Township

The Official County website is http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/

  • Delaware County, Pennsylvania History Books at Amazon.com
  • Pennsylvania Archivesicon (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
  • Delaware County Municipalities Incorporation Dates
  • History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
  • 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.

Delaware County Court Records

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

Search Pennsylvania Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! 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.

Delaware County Register of Wills/ Orphan's Court Clerk has Marriage Records from 1789 and Probate Records from 1789 and is located at 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063; 610-891-4000.

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.

Delaware County Recorder of Deeds has Land Records from 1789 and is located at Government Center, Room 107, 201 W. Front Street, Media, PA 19063; Phone:610-891-4152 .

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.

Delaware County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1789 and is located at Delaware County Courthouse, 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063, 610-891-4550.

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 Delaware County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Delaware County Court Records by clicking the link below:

Delaware 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 Delaware County courthouse. The Division of Vital Records does not keep this information. Please write or call to Delaware County Archives 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063 Birth and Death Records:; (610) 891-5620 Marriage Records: ; (610) 891-4403 Divorce Records:; (610) 891-4370. Courthouse has Birth records from 1893-1906, Death Records from 1893-1906

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:


  • 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 Delaware 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.

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 Delaware County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Delaware 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 FREEicon - 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.
  • Delaware 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.

Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Delaware County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Delaware 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.

Delaware 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 Delaware County Maps. Email us with websites containing Delaware County Maps by clicking the link below:

Delaware 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 Delaware County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Delaware County Military Records by clicking the link below:

Delaware 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 Delaware County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Delaware County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

Delaware 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 Delaware County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Delaware County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Delaware County Archives, 340 North Middletown Road Builidng 19, Lima, PA 19063; Phone: 610-891-5620, Fax: (610) 891-5991, Email: archives@co.delaware.pa.us
    Mailing Address: 201 West Front Street, Media PA 19063
  • Delaware County Historical Society, Room 208, Malin Road Center, Delaware County Community College, 85 North Malin Road, Broomall, PA 19008-1928; (610) 359-1148
  • The Pennsylvania Archives Onlineicon
    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

Delaware 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 Delaware County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Delaware 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 Delaware County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Delaware County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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 Delaware County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Delaware County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

Extended History

 

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