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Lancaster County History and Information |
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Created on May 10, 1729 from part of Chester County and named for Lancashire, England. Lancaster, the county seat, also named for its English counterpart, was laid out in 1730. It was chartered as a borough on May 1, 1742 and as a city on March 10, 1818.
The area was rapidly settled after 1709 by a mix of peoples: Swiss Mennonites, Huguenots, Scotch-Irish, English, Welsh, and Rhineland Germans. This was the first new county since the original three of 1682. Its rich limestone soil meant farming had to prosper. Coupled with the charitable humanitarianism of its religious values there developed a tradition that the poor could find opportunity here—“the buttermilk way.” Before 1776, Lancaster was the largest inland city in Britain’s American colonies. The decade 1800–1810 was stagnant, but then new enterprises began: gristmills, limeburning, and iron. A turnpike linked Lancaster to Philadelphia in 1800, and the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad opened in 1834. The Conestoga Slackwater Canal facilitated trade with Baltimore. In the late nineteenth century there was a manufacturing take off including: cigars, cotton and silk cloth, beer, stoves, watches and clocks, and farm tools. The county ceasedmanufacturing iron. In this century, Armstrong Cork, R.C.A., Raybestos, Sperry-Rand, and Kerr Glass Company prospered, and some of the garments industry continues. Always Pennsylvania’s most prolific agricultural county, two-thirds of Lancaster County is farmland; animal products make up over 90 percent of farm cash receipts. Only the high prices paid for Chester County’s mushrooms compete with the cash returns from Lancaster’s harvests.
The Christiana Riots against slavery in 1851. Lancaster was the home of Congressman Thaddeus Stevens who led the movement for justice for African Americans.
Lancaster County is bounded to the north by Lebanon County, to the northeast by Berks County, and to the east by Chester County (the southeastern boundary with Chester County is formed by Octoraro Creek). To the south are Cecil and Harford Counties, Maryland (across the Mason-Dixon line).[51] To the west is York County (the boundary is the western shore of the Susquehanna River). To the northwest is Dauphin County (the boundary is formed by Conewago Creek).
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 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs, Townships, and Census-designated places.
The following Cities, boroughs and townships can be found in Lancaster County:
- City and boroughs: Lancaster is the only incorporated city in Lancaster County, but there are 18 boroughs: Adamstown, Akron, Christiana, Columbia, Denver, East Petersburg, Elizabethtown, Ephrata, Lititz, Manheim, Marietta, Millersville, Mount Joy, Mountville, New Holland, Quarryville, Strasburg, and Terre Hill.
- Townships: There are 41 townships in Lancaster County: Bart, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Clay, Colerain, Conestoga, Conoy, Drumore, Earl, East Cocalico, East Donegal, East Drumore, East Earl, East Hempfield, East Lampeter, Eden, Elizabeth, Ephrata, Fulton, Lancaster, Leacock, Little Britain, Manheim, Manor, Martic, Mount Joy, Paradise, Penn, Pequea, Providence, Rapho, Sadsbury, Salisbury, Strasburg, Upper Leacock, Warwick, West Cocalico, West Donegal, West Earl, West Hempfield, and West Lampeter
The Official County website is http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania History Books at Amazon.com
- Pennsylvania Archives (Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents from The Pennsylvania State Archives. 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.
- Lancaster County Municipalities Incorporation Dates
- 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.
THIS IS A FREE DATABASE
- Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
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See Also Pennsylvania Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records
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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.
Some early court records have been transferred to the Lancaster County Historical Society |
Lancaster County Register of Wills/ Orphan's Court Clerk has Marriage Records from 1729 and Probate Records from 1729 and is located at Register of Wills, 50 N. Duke St., P.O. Box 83480, Lancaster, PA 17608-3480; (717) 299-8242, email: Jay Toms - tomsj@co.lancaster.pa.us .
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.
Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds has Land Records from 1729 and is located at 50 N. Duke St.
P. O. Box 83480;
Lancaster, PA 17608-3480; Office: 717.299.8238,
Fax: 717.299.8393.
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, are also recorded here. All document, except Military Service Discharges, are public record and are readily available.
Lancaster County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1729 and is located at Office of Prothonotary, 50 N. Duke St, P.O. Box 83480, Lancaster, Pa. 17608-3480; Phone (717) 299-8282, Fax (717) 293-7210, email: wengerr@co.lancaster.pa.us .
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 Lancaster County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster 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.
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Court Books at Amazon.com
- Pennsylvania Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
- Office of Records and Archives Services, 50 N. Duke St, P.O. Box 83480; Lancaster, Pa. 17608-3480; (717)299-8319, EMAIL
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See Also Vital Records in Pennsylvania
Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!
Birth & Death Certificates prior to 1906: Pennsylvania birth & death records prior to 1906 can be accessed through the Lancaster County courthouse. The Division of Vital Records does not keep this information. Please write or call to 50 North Duke Street,
P.O. Box 83480,
Lancaster, PA 17603;
(717) 299-8319. Courthouse has Birth records from 1893 - 1907 county &
1881-1906 city, Death Records from 1894 - 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:
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 Lancaster courthouse (If they were issued there).
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
Order On-Line: To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek
Processing Time: 4-6 weeks when ordered by mail or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
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See Also Research In Census Records
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Census Records by clicking the link below:
- Lancaster 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.
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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 Lancaster County Maps. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Maps by clicking the link below:
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See Also Military Records in Pennsylvania
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 Lancaster County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster 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.
- 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 (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.
- 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.
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Military Books at Amazon.com
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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 Lancaster County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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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 Lancaster County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
- Office of Records and Archives Services, 50 N. Duke St, P.O. Box 83480; Lancaster, Pa. 17608-3480; (717)299-8319, EMAIL
- Lancaster Co Historical Society,
230 N. President Ave.,
Lancaster, PA 17603; Phone: (717) 392-4633,
Fax: (717) 293-2739, EMAIL
- 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.
- Local Pennsylvania Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
- 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
- Pennsylvania Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
- Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Pennsylvania
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Click Here to Search Pennsylvania Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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 Lancaster County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Lancaster 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 Lancaster County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
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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 Lancaster County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
- 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: [ Lancaster 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.
- Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
- Pennsylvania Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Family Books at Amazon.com
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