About Pennsylvania Land Records
The Land Records Office, formerly the Bureau of Land Records (see
below), came into operation in 1682, keeping records about state boundaries,
land granted by William Penn and the Commonwealth, and land still owned
by Pennsylvania. Of greatest value are the warrants, surveys, and patents,
including warrantee maps.
Some of the earliest records of Pennsylvania grants are indexed in
Warrants and Surveys of the Province of Pennsylvania including the
Three Lower Counties 1759, compiled by Allen Weinberg and Thomas E.
Slattery (1965; reprint; Knightstown, Ind.: The Bookmark, 1975). The "Lower
Counties" were those which are now the state of Delaware. Warrantees
of land for several counties for 1682–1898 are listed in Pennsylvania
Archives, 3rd series, vols. 2, 3, and 24–26. This series is indexed
in vols. 27–30. See also William H. Egle, Early Pennsylvania
Land Records: Minutes of the Board of Property of the Province of Pennsylvania,
1687–1732 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1976), reprinted
from the Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd series, vol. 19.
The southwest corner of Pennsylvania was contested with Virginia,
and many records for this area are to be found at the Virginia State
Archives (Richmond) and at the University of West Virginia (Morgantown).
For further research refer to:
"Virginia Claims to Land in Pennsylvania." In Pennsylvania
Archives, 3rd series, vol. 3, pages 483–574.
Crumrine, Boyd. Virginia Court Records in Southwestern Pennsylvania...
1775–1780. 1902–05. Reprint with index. Baltimore: Genealogical
Publishing Co., 1974.
Bell, Dr. Raymond Martin. In the National Genealogical Society Quarterly
14 (1957) and The Virginia Genealogist 7 (1963) and 11 (1967).
Settlers from Connecticut came to the Upper Delaware and Wyoming valleys
claimed by that colony from about 1753 to 1782. The records of the
Delaware Company have not survived, but see The Susquehanna Company
Papers by Julian P. Boyd and Robert J. Taylor, 11 vols. (Wilkes Barre.
Pa.: Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, and Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 1930–71); William Henry Egle, Documents Relating
to the Connecticut Settlement in the Wyoming Valley (of Pennsylvania)
(1890; reprint; Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1990); and Donna Bingham
Munger, "Following Connecticut Ancestors to Pennsylvania: Susquehanna
Company Settlers," New England Historical and Genealogical Register
139 (1985): 112–25. Other material is at the Connecticut State
Library and the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society in Wilkes-Barre.
Tax-free land in the western part of the state, called the "Donation
Lands," was offered to Revolutionary War soldiers of the Pennsylvania
Line of the Continental Army. Also in this section of Pennsylvania
were "Depreciation Lands," sold at reduced prices to Revolutionary
War veterans or available to them instead of payment if they redeemed
their depreciation certificates. The claims to these lands were published
with maps in vols. 3 and 7 of Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd series. A
helpful discussion of both of these land groups by John E. Winner appeared
in Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 8 (1925): 1–11. See
also "The Depreciation and Donation Lands," compiled by Nell
Y. Herchenroether, in Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Quarterly 7
(1981): 127–33
Most research in Pennsylvania land records will begin in the deeds
and mortgages found with the recorder of deeds (who in smaller counties
is also the register of wills). Here will also be found the seller
and buyer (grantor and grantee) indexes, most often arranged by the
somewhat cumbersome Russell system.
In Pennsylvania, deeds and mortgages are more often than not indexed
separately. Chattel mortgages are also found with the recorder of deeds.
Most county deeds recorded to about 1850 and corresponding indexes
are available on microfilm at the Pennsylvania State Archives and the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Some unrecorded deeds may be found
in courthouses, and many have found their way from private hands into
archives, historical societies, and libraries. In earlier times many
clerks were careful to copy German signatures into the deed books.
This practice is of particular value because in the text of the deed
the name was usually anglicized.
Research on Pennsylvania land is incomplete without consulting Donna
Bingham Munger, Pennsylvania Land Records: A History and Guide for
Research (Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources, 1991).
Pennsylvania BLM Office:
Eastern States Office
Bureau of Land Management
7450 Boston Blvd.
Springfield, VA 22153
Tel: (703) 440-1600
FAX: (703) 440-1599
Pennsylvania State Historical
Society:
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 545-0391; (215) 732-6201
Pennsylvania County Courthouses:
Adams County
Adams County Clerk
111 Baltimore St.
Gettysburg, PA 17325-2312
Telephone: (717) 334-6781
Allegheny County
Allegheny County Clerk
414 Grant St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Telephone: (412) 350-4188
Armstrong County
Armstrong County Clerk
500 E. Market St.
Kittanning, PA 16201
Telephone: (724) 543-2500
Beaver County
Beaver County Clerk
810 3rd St.
Beaver, PA 15009
Telephone: (724) 728-5700
Bedford County
Bedford County Court House
203 S. Juliana St
Bedford, PA 15522-1714
Telephone: (814) 623-4833
Berks County
Berks County Clerk
633 Court St.
Reading, PA 19601
Telephone: (215) 478-6100
Blair County
Blair County Clerk
423 Allegheny St.
Holidaysburg, PA 16648-2022
Telephone: (814) 695-5541
Bradford County
Bradford County Clerk
301 Main St.
Towanda, PA 18848-1824
Telephone: (570) 265-1727
Bucks County
Bucks County Clerk
55 East Court St.
Doylestown, PA 18901
Telephone: (215) 348-6271
Butler County
Butler County Clerk
124 West Diamond St
Butler, PA 16001
Telephone: (724) 285-4731
Cambria County
Cambria Register of Wills
200 South Center Street
P.O. Box 298
Ebensburg, PA 15931
Telephone: (814) 472-5440 Ext 243
(800) 540-2525
Cameron County
Cameron County Clerk
20 East 5th Street
Emporium, PA 15834
Telephone: (814) 486-2315
Carbon County
Carbon County Clerk
P.O. Box 129
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Telephone: (570) 325-9124
Centre County
Centre County Register of Wills
Willowbank Building
Bellefonte, PA 16823
Telephone: (814) 355-6724
Chester County
Chester County Archives
601 Westtown Road, Suite 080
P.O. Box 2747
West Chester, PA 19380-0990
Telephone: (610) 344-6760
Clarion County
Clarion County Clerk
Main St.
Clarion, PA 16214
Telephone: (814) 226-4000
Clearfield County
Clearfield County Clerk
2 Market Street
Clearfield, PA 16830-2404
Telephone: (814) 765-2641
Clinton County
Clinton County Clerk
County Courthouse
Lock Haven, PA 17745
Telephone: (717) 893-4000
Columbia County
Columbia County Clerk
35 West Main Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1702
Telephone: (570) 389-5600
Crawford County
Crawford County Clerk
903 Diamond Park
Meadville, PA 16335-2677
Telephone: (814) 336-1151
Cumberland County
Cumberland County Clerk
Hanover Street
Carlisle, PA 17013
Telephone: (717) 249-1133
Dauphin County
Dauphin County Clerk
Front & Market, Room 103
Harrisburg, PA 17101-2012
Telephone: (717) 255-3480
Delaware County
Delaware County Clerk
201 W. Front St.
Media, PA 19063-2708
Telephone: (610) 891-4000
Elk County
Elk County Clerk
P.O. Box 314
Ridgway, PA 15853
Telephone: (814) 776-1161
Erie County
Erie County Clerk
140 West Sixth Street
Erie, PA 16501-1011
Telephone: (814) 451-6000
Fayette County
Fayette County Clerk
61 E. Main St.
Uniontown, PA 15401-3514
Telephone: (724) 430-1206
Forest County
Forest County Clerk
P.O. Box 423
Tionesta, PA 16353
Telephone: (814) 755-3537
Franklin County
Franklin County Clerk
157 Lincoln Way E
Chambersburg, PA 17201-2211
Telephone: (717) 264-4125
Fulton County
Fulton County Clerk
201 N. 2nd St.
McConnellsburg, PA 17233
Telephone: (717) 485-4212
Greene County
Greene County Courthouse
93 E. High St.
Waynesburg, PA 15370
Telephone: (724) 852-5281
Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County Clerk
223 Penn St.
Huntingdon, PA 16652
Telephone: (814) 643-3091
Indiana County
Indiana County Courthouse
825 Philadelphia St.
Indiana, PA 15701-3934
Telephone: (724) 465-3860
Jefferson County
Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
155 Jefferson Place
Brookville, PA 15825-1236
Telephone: (814) 849-1610
Juniata County
Juniata County Clerk
P.O. Box 68
Mifflintown, PA 17059-0068
Telephone: (717) 436-8991
Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County Courthouse
200 N. Washington Ave.
Scranton, PA 18503
Telephone: (570) 963-6723
Lancaster County
Lancaster County Office of Records and Archives Services
50 North Duke Street
P.O. Box 3480
Lancaster, PA 17603
Telephone: (717) 299-8319
Lawrence County
Lawrence Vital Records
101 S. Mercer St.
P.O. BOX 1528
New Castle, PA 16101
Telephone: (717) 772-3480
Lebanon County
Lebanon County Clerk
400 S. 8th St.
Lebanon, PA 17042
Telephone: (717) 274-2801
Lehigh County
Lehigh County Clerk
455 Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18105
Telephone: (610) 782-3148
Luzerne County
Luzerne County Clerk
200 North River St
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702-2685
Telephone: (717) 825-1555
Lycoming County
Lycoming County Clerk
48 West Third Street
Williamsport, PA 17701-6519
Telephone: (570) 327-2258
McKean County
McKean County Register Of Wills
McKean County Courthouse
P.O. Box 202
Smethport, PA 16749
Telephone: (814) 887-3260
Mercer County
Mercer County Clerk
112 Mercer County Courthouse
Mercer, PA 16137
Telephone: (724) 662-3800
Mifflin County
Mifflin County Clerk
20 N. Wayne St.
Lewistown, PA 17044-1770
Telephone: (717) 248-6733
Monroe County
Monroe County Clerk
County Courthouse Square
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Telephone: (717) 420-3540
Montgomery County
Montgomery County Courthouse
P.O. Box 311
Norristown, PA 19404
Telephone: (610) 278-3020
Montour County
Montour County Clerk
29 Mill St.
Danville, PA 17821-1945
Telephone: (717) 271-3012
Northampton County
Northampton County Clerk
7th and Washington Streets
Easton, PA 18042-7401
Telephone: (610) 559-3000
Northumberland County
Northumberland County Clerk
2nd & Market Sts.
Sunbury, PA 17801
Telephone: (570) 988-4100
Perry County
Perry County Clerk
P.O. Box 37
New Bloomfield, PA 17068
Telephone: (717) 582-2131 ext.235
Philadelphia
The Philadelphia City Archives
3101 Market Street 1st. Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: (215) 685-9401
Pike County
Pike County Clerk
506 Broad Street
Milford, PA 18337-1511
Telephone: (717) 296-7613
Potter County
Potter County Clerk
1 E. 2nd St.
Coudersport, PA 16915
Telephone: (814) 274-8290
Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County Clerk
N. 2nd St. & Laurel Blvd.
Pottsville, PA 17901
Telephone: (570) 622-5570
Snyder County
Snyder County Courthouse
Prothonotary's Office
11 West Market Street
Middleburg, PA 17842
Telephone: (717) 837-4207
Somerset County
Somerset County Clerk
111 E. Union St.
Somerset, PA 15501
Telephone: (814) 445-1435
Sullivan County
Sullivan County Clerk
Main & Muncy St.
Laporte, PA 18626
Telephone: (717) 946-7351
Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County Clerk
P.O. Box 218
Montrose, PA 18801
Telephone: (717) 278-4600
Tioga County
Tioga County Clerk
116- 188 Main St.
Wellsboro, PA 16901-1410
Telephone: (717) 724-1906
Union County
Union County Courthouse
103 South 2nd Street
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Telephone: (570) 524-8751
Venango County
Venango County Court House
Liberty & 12th Sts.
Franklin, PA 16323
Telephone: (814) 437-6871
Warren County
Warren County Clerk
204 4th Ave.
Warren, PA 16365-2318
Telephone: (814) 723-7550
Washington County
Washington County Clerk
100 West Beau Street
Washington, PA 15301-4402
Telephone: (724) 228-6700
Wayne County
Wayne County Clerk
925 Court St.
Honesdale, PA 18431-9517
Telephone: (717) 253-5970
Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County Clerk
301 Courthouse Square
Greensburg, PA 15601-2405
Telephone: (724) 830-3000
Wyoming County
Wyoming County Clerk
Courthouse Square
Tunkhannock, PA 18657-1216
Telephone: (717) 836-3200
York County
York County Clerk
28 E. Market St.
York, PA 17401-1501
Telephone: (717) 771-9675
Pennsylvania Public Records Search
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