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Wayne County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

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Guide to Wayne County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Honesdale
Organized: March 21, 1798
Parent County(s): Northampton[1]
Neighboring Counties
Delaware (NY) • Monroe • Susquehanna • Sullivan (NY) • Lackawanna • Pike • Broome (NY)
See County Maps
Courthouse
Wayne County, Pennsylvania Courthouse.jpg
Location Map
Wayne County PA Map.png
Anthony Wayne

County Information

Description

The county was named for the Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne. The county is located in the northeastern tip of the state.[2]

County Courthouse

Wayne County Courthouse
925 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: 570-253-5970
Recorder of Deeds: 570-253-5970 Ext. 4040
Prothonotary: 570-523-5970 ext. 4030
Register of Wills: 570-253-5970 Ext. 4040
Wayne County Website

Prothonotary Office has birth and death records 1893-1906, marriage records from 1885, divorce records from 1900, court records from 1798, school records from 1912-1971, and 1180 county tax assessment census
County Registrar and Recorder has probate and land records from 1798[3]

Wayne County, Pennsylvania Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[4]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1893 1885 1893 1798 1798 1798 1790
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1906. General compliance by 1915.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[7]

Boroughs
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Townships


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Wayne County, Pennsylvania online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Pennsylvania Cemeteries for more information

 

Census Records

State Census


Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1800 2,562 —
1810 4,125 61.0%
1820 4,127 0.0%
1830 7,663 85.7%
1840 11,848 54.6%
1850 21,890 84.8%
1860 32,239 47.3%
1870 33,188 2.9%
1880 33,513 1.0%
1890 31,010 −7.5%
1900 30,171 −2.7%
1910 29,236 −3.1%
1920 27,435 −6.2%
1930 28,420 3.6%
1940 29,934 5.3%
1950 28,478 −4.9%
1960 28,237 −0.8%
1970 29,581 4.8%
1980 35,237 19.1%
1990 39,944 13.4%
2000 47,722 19.5%
2010 52,822 10.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

Court Records

For information about records kept in the Orphan's court, Prothonotary Court, Court of Common Pleas, and other courts in counties of Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Court Records Wiki page.

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

For online resources, passenger lists, and specific groups coming to Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration. Many early residence came from New England, New York, and New Jersey. (Ref. History of Wayne County Pennsylvania 1798-1998 by Walter B. Barbe and Kurk A. Reed. Wayne County Historical Society C 1998.)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

For groups that came, see People section of the Pennsylvania Emigration page.

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

The Orphan's Court ensures the best interests of those not capable of handling their own affairs: minors, incapacitated persons, decedents' estates, and more.[8]

Orphans Court

Land and Property Records

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a specific location and reveal family relationships. Records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, maps and more. For more information, see Pennsylvania Land and Property.

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Susquehanna CountyLackawanna CountyMonroe CountyPike CountySullivan CountyDelaware CountyBroome CountyPA WAYNE.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Maps

Migration

The migration routes used by early European settlers to and from Wayne County included:[9]

Military Records

See more databases at Pennsylvania Military Records and US Military Records.


Civil War

World War II

Naturalization and Citizenship

Naturalization records can contain information about immigration and nativity. Prior to 1906, it is rare to find the town of origin in naturalization records. For more information, see Pennsylvania Naturalization

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

Newspapers may contain obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings. Newspapers are often found in local or university libraries, historical or genealogical societies, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published. See Pennsylvania Newspapers for more information.

Newspapers of Wayne County


Online Newspapers

To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.

Online Newspaper Abstracts

Obituaries

Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died or where family members lived. Local libraries or societies may have indexes or other sources.

Online Obituary Abstracts

Other Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate matters in Wayne County are handled by the Orphans' Court and start when the county was created.

In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates; appointments of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills; inheritance tax appeals, and various petitions and motions.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

  • 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Vital Records

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. County marriage records were kept in earnest in 1885. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905. For the most complete set of records, contact the County Orphans' Court.

Birth

Early births 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For more information, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.


Marriage

Pennsylvania marriages were created by county officials. Contact Wayne County Courthouse

Death

Early deaths 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For indexes and records, 1906 and later, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.

Divorce

  • Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Wayne County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.

National Archives at Philadelphia
14700 Townsend Rd
Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096
Phone: 215-305-2044
Fax: 215-305-2052
Email: philadelphia.archives@nara.gov
Website
Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Wayne County. For state-wide library facilities, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.

Wayne Library Alliance
1406 N Main St
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: 570-253-1220
Email: wla@waynelibraries.org
Website
Facebook

Operates seven public libraries within Wayne County.

Museums

Equinunk Historical Society Museums
1972 Pine Mill Rd
PO Box 41
Equinunk, PA 18417-0041
Phone: 570-224-6722
Email: ehs22@verizon.net
Website
Facebook

The Equinunk Historical Society promotes the Joel Hill Water-Powered Sawmill and the Thomas Cleveland Machinery Museum.

Wayne County Historical Society
810 Main St
PO Box 446
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: 570-253-3240
Email: wchs@ptd.net
Website
Facebook

The Society maintains a historical and genealogical research library as well as six historical sites/museums. The Main Street address houses the main museum.

Societies

Listed below are societies in Wayne County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Pennsylvania Societies.

Bethany Public Library and Historical Society
8 Court St
RR3 Box 650, Bethany, PA
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: 570-253-4349
Website

Equinunk Historical Society Museums
1972 Pine Mill Rd
PO Box 41
Equinunk, PA 18417-0041
Phone: 570-224-6722
Email: ehs22@verizon.net
Website
Facebook

Northeast Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, Inc. (NEPGS)
Kirby Annex II
57 N Franklin St
Wilkes-Barré, PA 18701
Phone: 570-829-1765
Email: nepgsmail@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

Wayne County Historical Society (WCHS)
810 Main St
PO Box 446
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: 570-253-3240
Email: wchs@ptd.net
Website
Facebook

The Society maintains a historical and genealogical research library as well as six historical sites/museums.

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_County,_Pennsylvania accessed 2/12/2017
  3. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), p. 593.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  7. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Wayne County, Pennsylvania," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_County,_Pennsylvania, accessed 4 January 2020.
  8. ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at Common Pleas accessed 10 July 2012
  9. ↑ Handybook, 850-51.
v • d• e
Links to Pennsylvania-related articles
Topics
Counties
Extinct Co.
Major
Repositories
American Swedish Historical Museum · Bristol Public Library (Bristol, VA) · Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh · Citizens Library · Erie County Library · Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society · Franklin and Marshall College Library · Free Library of Philadelphia · Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania · German Society of Pennsylvania · Handley Regional Library (Winchester, VA) · Haverford College Library · Historical Society of Pennsylvania · Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania · Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Philadelphia · Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society · Library Company of Philadelphia · Library of Congress (Washington, DC) · Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia · Luzerne County Historical Society Bishop Library · National Archives at Philadelphia · New York Public Library (New York City, NY) · Pennsylvania Department of Health · Pennsylvania State Archives · Philadelphia City Archives · Presbyterian Historical Society · State Library of Pennsylvania · SUNY Fredonia Reed Library (Fredonia, NY) · Swarthmore College Friends Historical Library · Temple University Urban Archives · University of Pennsylvania Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center · Western Reserve Historical Society (Cleveland, OH)
Migration
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