FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject Pennsylvania/Tasks-Vital Records on USGenWeb

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WikiProject Pennsylvania Gotoarrow.png Progress Chart Gotoarrow.png Pennsylvania Wiki Project Task - Vital Records: UsGenWeb

Task[edit | edit source]

Wiki Project Pennsylvania Tasks - Vital Records: USGenWeb Task

Description[edit | edit source]

Use USGenWeb to locate pertinent vital records databases on the county website.

Instructions[edit | edit source]

1. Search USGenWeb.org for the county you are working on.

2. Locate the vital records section of the page.

3. If there are no vital records databases on the county page, you are finished with this task.

4. If you locate is a database, examine each link to determine:

a. If the link works. If it doesn't do not include.
b. Examine the information in the database to see if it is worth listing on the wiki. It will be your decision as to if it is worthwhile to list the database on the county page.


5. Under the appropriate birth, marriage, divorce or death heading, list each applicable database from the county USGenWeb page in chronological order as follows:

6a. WITHOUT DATES IN TITLE
:* [http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/vitals/deaths/weaver-deaths.txt Record of Deaths Kept by Mary Weaver] at [http://usgenweb.org/ USGenWeb] - index only of deaths spanning 1883-1900, West Earl Township<br>


6b. WITH DATES IN TITLE
:*'''1865-1950''' – [http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/vitals/deaths/althouse.txtl ALTHOUSE: Index to Death Affidavits,] at [http://usgenweb.org/ USGenWeb] - index only; Althouse surname<br>


7. When adding a database with dates in the title, repeat the dates just after the bullet in bold. Make sure to use the N–dash between the dates and anytime it is used in wiki text. The N–dash is made by holding the alt key and typing 0150. If the dates are not in the title but can be determined, also add them in this manner.

8. After each database listed, add any helpful info about the database after the title by putting a dash in the entry such as, "not complete" or "index only" or "index & images". See examples above.

Example[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]


Example of Complete Vital Records Heading[edit | edit source]

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Vital records are handled by the County Orphans' Court. Between the years 1852-1855 Pennsylvania made a failed attempt to record birth, marriage and death events at the county level. While the records for that time period are available, there were few events recorded. County marriage records were kept in earnest in 1885. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905. Abstracts and copies of vital records are available for some counties, but most are incomplete. For the most complete set of records, always contact the County Orphans' Court.

County-wide Database  [edit | edit source]
  • 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. 
  • Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
Birth[edit | edit source]

Early births 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. See the heading Court Records on this page for contact information.

Indexes for Pennsylvania birth records are available through the Department of of Health for 1906 and 1907. Once an individual is located in the index a non certified Birth certificate can be obtained by writing and sending $3.00 to:

Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Public Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103


Marriage[edit | edit source]

Pennsylvania marriages are located at the county level. Contact the WikiProject Pennsylvania/Tasks-Vital Records on USGenWeb clerk's office for these records.

  • 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
  • 1725-1976 - Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years.
  • Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
  • 1842-1866 - Marriage Notices from the Pittsburgh Christian Advocate at USGenWeb - (Free) Contributed by Roy Lockhart. Gives the marriage information from the newspaper with the names of bride and groom, date, volume, number, page, and column.
  • Newspaper Announcements at USGenWeb - (Free) Gives the marriage information from the newspaper with the names of bride and groom, date, volume, number, page, and column. Often also gives residence of the people. Mostly from 1850 to 1880.
  • 1885-1889 - Marriages from the Pennsylvania State Archives, series #14.25, brides A-R at USGenWeb - (Free) Alphabetical by name of bride. Usually gives the residence of the bride and groom, the date of the marriage, and name of groom. May also give place of birth for bride and groom, age, and color of each.
  • Marriage Records - Fayette County at PA-Roots - (Free) Not arranged alphabetically, but can be searched by name, though the name search finds more than bride or groom and searches more than marriage records.



Divorce[edit | edit source]

Divorce records are handled by the office of the Prothonotary. While no on-line indexes or records are available, records may be obtained by visiting or writing to the Prothonotary at:

Office of the Prothonotary
PO Box 549
230 E. Market Street
Clearfield, PA 16830
Phone:(814) 765-2641

Death[edit | edit source]

Early deaths 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. See the heading Court Records on this page for contact information.

Indexes for Pennsylvania death records are available through the Department of Health for 1906 through 1962. Once an individual is located in the index a non certified death certificate can be obtained obtained by writing and sending $3.00 to:

Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Public Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103


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