Lackawanna County, PennsylvaniaEdit This Page

• Parent Counties: Formed from Luzerne County 21 August 1878. ^[1]
• County Seat: Scranton
  
• Neighboring Counties: Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania residents may also have records in ^[2]Susquehanna (north) • Wayne (east) • Luzerne (southwest) • Wyoming (west)  • Monroe (south)

Named for the Lackawanna River.

Wikipedia

Boundary Changes

Lackawanna County Pennsylvania Genealogy Resources

Bible Records

Cemeteries

Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Census

For tips on accessing Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Federal (or United States) census records online, see: Pennsylvania Census.

There are no county or state census records available for Pennsylvania. County and city tax records can be used as a substitute when census records are not available.

Church Records

Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. In Pennsylvania, church records are often used as a substitute for birth, marriage, and death information. For general information about Pennsylvania denominations, view the Pennsylvania Church Records wiki page.
Finding Church Records at Other Repositories

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Church Records  in online catalogs like:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

County-wide Database – Multi-denominational

• 1708-1985 - Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry.com–$; 7,542,774 entries. This database is incomplete for all counties.

Contains the church records of:

• Carbondale: Clarks Green United Methodist Church; First Presbyterian Church; Peckville United Methodist Church
• Jermyn: Trinity Church Carbondale and St. James Church; Worth Baptist Church
• Newton: United Methodist Church
• Scranton: Dallas United Methodist Church; Elm Park United Methodist Church; Emmanuel Lutheran Church; Hyde Park Presbyterian Church; Petersburg Presbyterian Church; Providence United Methodist Church; St. David's Episcopal Church; St. John's Lutheran Church; St. Luke's Episcopal Church; St. Mary's Greek Catholic Church; Westminster Presbyterian Church

Because Lackawanna County was not formed until 1878, many early congregations are discussed in the Luzerne County church records.

Baptist

The Baptist church was first organized in Scranton in 1859.

Catholic

An early church and cemetery was built near Roaring Brook. Later the congregation moved to Scranton in the Hyde Park area. The Cathedral was erected in 1865. The property included a convent and college. ^[3]

• Diocese of Scranton web site has a History of the Diocese, a parish directory, and a directory of diocesan cemeteries.
  
  

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

LDS Ward and Branch Records

• Scranton
• Scranton Dist

Episcopal

Early services were conducted by the Wilkes-Barre leaders. A congregation was organized in 1851, with service in the Methodist church. A frame church was built in Scranton in 1853 and, later a new edifice was completed in 1871. ^[4]

• 1894-1910 - Baptisms, marriages, and burials of St. David's Episcopal Church, West Scranton, Pa. at The USGenWeb Project - free.
  

Lutheran

• 1897-1933 - Baptisms and deaths of Immanuel Lutheran Church, North Scranton, Pa. at The USGenWeb Project - free.
  

Methodist

Methodism was first introduced into Luzerne County in about 1787. Meetings were held in homes and shops. By 1800, monthly meetings were held in Providence. he first meetinghouse was erected in 1828 in Carbondale. Most early preaching was done by traveling circuit-riding ministers. Later congregations were found in Hanover, Newport and the Plains. ^[5]

In the 1840's the Methodist congregation built a church in Scranton. This building was used every other week for Methodist services and for various other congregations the other weeks. ^[6]

• 1851-1913 - Baptisms and marriages of Providence Methodist Church at The USGenWeb Project - free.
• Primitive Methodist Church, Taylor, Pennsylvania, most records before 1936 were destroyed. See History for more information about this church.
  
  

Presbyterian

Presbyterians met in Scranton in the Methodist church in the 1840's.  In 1845 they moved their meetings to the Odd Fellow's Hall. A new building was completed in 1852. ^[7]

Presbyterian Church, Baldmount

• 1842-1876 - Presbyterian Church, Baldmount, Baptism Index 1842-1876 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C524021.^[8]

Court Records

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania court records are housed at the Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Courthouse. For many counties copies of court records may be found at the Pennsylvania State Archives and in the FamilySearch collection. Note that within these collections some films may contain the same records, but have different titles. Other titles are not duplicates. See Finding Court Records at other repositories within this section for links to the online catalogs for these two collections. Films at the Pennsylvania State Archives are not available for inter-library loan. If court records are available FamilySearch films may be ordered at a local Family History Center.

• 1995–present Clerk of Judicial Records' dockets for both Civil and Family Courts are available online.
  

Court of Common Pleas

The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of Pennsylvania. Major civil and criminal cases are heard in these courts. Judges also decide cases involving adoption, divorce, child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, estates, guardianships, charitable organizations and many other matters. The Common Pleas courts are organized into 60 judicial districts. Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania County has its own judicial district. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.^[9]

Clerk of the Court

The Clerk of Courts prepares and maintains the records for the Criminal Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk signs and affixes the Seal of the Courts to all writs and processes, administers oaths and affirmations, and assumes custody of the seal and records of the Courts. The Clerk certifies and distributes orders of the Court. The Clerk also certifies and prepares bills of costs for the defendants and utilizes the computerized financial management system to disburse fines, costs and restitution.^[10] For the Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Clerk of Courts address see the Courthouse section on this page.

Prothonotary

The office of the Prothontary is the custodian of all civil matters in the county. This includes naturalization, immigration, equity actions, judgements, federal and local tax leins, city liens, family court, arbitrations, license suspension appeals, appeals to higher court, commercial code filings, applications for passports and divorce proceedings. See the Courthouse section on this page for the Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Prothonotary office information.

The Prothonotories are listed under the Court of Common Pleas.

Orphans' Court

See Vital Records
The Orphans' Court is responsible for a wide range of matters. The name of the Court is derived from the more general definition of "orphan," that being a person or thing that is without protective affiliation or sponsorship. This would include those not capable of handling their own affairs, minors, incapacitated persons, decedents estates, nonprofit corporations and trusts. It is the role of the Court to ensure that the best interests of the person or entity are not compromised.

It is believed the name of this court was borrowed from the Court of Orphans of the city of London, England which had the care and guardianship of children of deceased citizens, in their minority.^[11]

For Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Orphans' Court contact information see the Courthouse section on this page.

Orphans' Court

The Scranton Electric Building Suite 400 507 Linden St Scranton, PA 18503

Phone 1-570-963-6702

contact@lackawannacounty.org

Finding Court Records at Other Repositories

Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Court Records in online catalogs like:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Do a Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Place-name search for these and other records in the Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Directories

• Scranton Directory (1859) - via the Internet Archive

Emigration and Immigration

For information about emigration into Pennsylvania, see the Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration page.

Ethnic Groups

Germans

Gazetteers

Genealogy

History

Published Histories

• Early History of Scranton and The First Presbyterian Church (1948) - via the Internet Archive
• Founders of Scranton (1916) - via the Internet Archive
• History and directory of Newton and Ransom townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania (1912)
• History of Scranton Post Office (1901) - via the Internet Archive.
• History and Geography of Scranton and its Vicinity (1957) - via the Internet Archive  
• Reminiscences of The Early History of Dark Hollow, Slocum Hollow, Harrison Lackawanna Iron Works, Scrantonia and Scranton, Pa. (1889) - via the Internet Archive

Land and Property

Land records in Lackawanna County began in 1878. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, and maps. Property records include liens as well as livestock brands and estray records.

The following are examples of available resources:

Online Land Records

• The Recorder of Deeds offers online access to land records. Log in is required. (IQS Lackawanna County web access technical support 800-320-2617.)
• Merrifield, Edward. "The Territory of Scranton Immediately Prior to the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Co. Purchase." Lackawanna Institute of History and Science. Historical series, no. 4. Scranton, 1896. Digital version at Internet Archive. At various libraries (WorldCat)

Additional Resources

See Pennsylvania Land and Property for more information about using land records, especially about original land warrants, surveys, and patents filed at the state land office.

Additional resources can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lackawanna County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
  
• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
  
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)

Maps

Migration

Military

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. See Pennsylvania Naturalization for more information about the types of records and availability.

Naturalizations granted at the county level were kept by the office of the Prothonotary. Naturalizations could also be granted on the Federal Court level.

Naturalization records for Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania include the following:

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

• 1901-1930 – Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930; and 1901-1906 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1622, Middle District court was created in 1901, for earlier dates try the Eastern and Western District court records
  

• 1901-1930 - Middle District, US Circuit and District Courts: Naturalization petitions, 1906-1930 located in U.S. Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1795-1972 (World Archives Project) database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1622, Middle District court was created in 1901, for earlier dates try the Eastern and Western District court records
  

Finding Naturalization Indexes at Other Repositories

Additional naturalization indexes can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania naturalization  in online catalogs like:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Do a Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Place-name search for these and other records in the Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Newspapers

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.

To access newspapers, contact public libraries, historical/genealogical societies, college or university libraries, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published.

For information on state-wide newspapers see Pennsylvania Newspapers

Newspapers of Lackawanna County

• Pennsylvania Newspapers
• Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

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.

• Chronicling America Scranton Tribune 1891-1910 Scranton, Pennsylvania.
• The Aquinas - The Student Newspaper of the University of Scranton

Online Newspaper Abstracts

• PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.
• USGenWeb Lackawanna County Newspapers

Obituaries

Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died. However, sometimes an obituary is found in the location from which he or she originated. To find an obituary, see the information under the Newspaper heading

Sometimes the fastest way of finding obituaries is to call or email the local public library in the area where the person died. If the library does not have newspapers, a librarian often will know where they are kept. If a death date is known, and the newspapers are at the library, someone on staff will usually make a search for a small fee, or will indicate someone who will do the search.

Online Obituary Abstracts

• PA-Roots Obituaries for Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.
• USGenWeb Lackawanna County Obituaries

Occupations

Periodicals

Poorhouse, Almshouse

Probate Records

Probate matters in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania are handled by the Orphans' Court and start when the county was created. To obtain original probate records, contact the Orphan's Court in the County Courthouse.

In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates of decedents, incompetents, and minors; appointment and control of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills involving probate matters; inheritance tax appeals and various petitions and motions.

Online Probate Records

Original probate records for some Pennsylvania counties are available free online as digital images at FamilySearch.org. The dates vary significantly for each county and not all counties are listed. Some counties may only have probate indexes. This Pennsylvania collection of images may be browsed through the links listed below:

Complete Collection:

• 1683-1994 – Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994 at FamilySearch.org
  

Lackawanna County Only:

• 1878-1939 - Will Indexes for Lackawanna County 1878-1939 at PAGenWeb - free.
• 1878-1885 – Lackawanna County Probate Records
  
• 1878–present - Searchable digital images of will and probate records are available online through the office of the Register of Wills
  

Original Probate Records on Microfilm

• 1878-1885 Lackawanna County (Pennsylvania) Probate Files FHL film 2315518 (first of 7 films)
  

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania probate wills in online catalogs like:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).
  

Repositories

Archives

The Pennsylvania Archives collection contains county archive records that can be searched onsite. Currently the Archives' staff cannot provide research or make copies of these records. Their collections include Almshouse Registers; Tax records; Birth, Death and Marriage Indexes and Records; Midwife records; African American records; Wills; Deeds; Naturalizations; Coroner's inquests; and Orphan's Court dockets. A list of the Archive's county holdings are on Microfilm or Manuscript form.

Courthouse

Lackawanna County Courthouse
The Scranton Electric Building
Suite 400
507 Linden Street Ave
Scranton, PA 18503

Clerk of Courts
Brooks Building
436 Spruce Street
Scranton, PA 18503
Telephone: 570-963-6723

Prothonotaries are listed under the Court of Common Pleas, as are the Register of Wills, the Orphan's Court Clerk, and the Clerk of Courts.The Prothonotary and the Clerk of Courts is the same person.

Family History Centers

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources for family history research.

The main FHC for Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania is the Scranton Pennsylvania Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory. (Clarks Summit)

• Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Libraries

Hours:
Monday through Thursday: 9AM - 9PM
Friday: 9AM - 5:30PM
Saturday: 9AM - 5PM
Sunday: 2PM - 5PM

The Albright Library has a genealogy research room. Their collection includes census records, vital records, newspapers, family surname files, a biographical index to their local history collection, some church records. and Scranton city directories. The library will do research for a fee. The library is housed in its original building built in 1893.

Museums

PA Anthracite Heritage Museum
PO Box 20185 Steamtown Station
Scranton, PA 18502
(570) 963-4845

Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum
R.R. #1, Bald Mountain Rd.
Scranton, PA 18504
(570) 963-4845

Societies

Lackawanna Historical Society
The Catlin House
232 Monroe Ave.
Scranton, PA 18510
Phone: 570–344–3841
Hours: Tues – Fri 10–5, Sat 12–3
Library with newspapers, genealogy family files, manuscripts, maps.

Genealogical Research Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. (GRSNP)
110 Main Street
Peckville, PA 18452
Phone: 570-383-7661
FAX: 570-383-7466
E-mail: info@grsnp.org

Hours: Monday through Thursday 9:00–2:00 and Wednesday night 6:00 pm–900 pm and Saturday by appointment

A simple search of a dated name or event $20 - Detailed searches are at the rate of $40 an hour. Postage and photocopies up to $1 are included.^[12]

The GRSNP serves northeastern counties:

• Lackawanna
• Luzerne
• Monroe
• Pike
• Susquehanna
• Wayne
• Wyoming

There resources include the research center and library, newsletters, and database queries.^[13]

Taxation

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. 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.

Use substitute records for birth, marriage and death information. These substitute records include Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records.

Birth

Early birth records for Scranton are located at the Scranton Public Library. Other county births (excluding Scranton) are found at the Register of Wills(or Orphans' Court).

Indexes for Pennsylvania birth records are available through the Department of of Health for 1906 only. 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

• 1726-1930 - Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950 - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
• 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
• 1893-1905 - Births (excluding city of Scranton) prior to 1906 at county government website - free.

Marriage

Pennsylvania marriages are located at the county level. Contact the Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania clerk's office for these records. The clerk's office has marriage records October 1885 to present.

• 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
• 1725-1976 - Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
• Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
• 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
• 1885–present - Searchable digital images of marriage applications are available online through the office of the Clerk of the Orphans Court.
• 1885-1914 - Lackawanna County Marriage Licenses Index at The USGenWeb Project - free.

Divorce

Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building.

Death

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

• 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
• 1878-1905 – Deaths for Scranton are located at the Scranton Public Library.
• 1893-1905 – Deaths prior to 1906 at county government website - free.

Finding Vital Records at Other Repositories

Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Vital Records in online catalogs like:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Family History Library Catalog (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).

Lackawanna County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

• Lackawanna County, PAGenWeb - free genealogical resources; part of the national USGenWeb Project
• Lackawanna Valley Digital Archives
• Family History Library Catalog

Lackawanna County Pennsylvania Places

Populated Places

Lackawanna County Pennsylvania Genealogy References

1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), [FHL book 973 D27e 2002].
2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adams County, Pennsylvania" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_County,_Pennsylvania (accessed 17 July 2012).
3. ↑ Benjamin H. Throop, A Half Century in Scranton (Scranton, Pennsylvania : [Scranton Republican], 1895, 282-282 FamilySearch Books Online Free online digital copy.
4. ↑ Benjamin H. Throop, A Half Century in Scranton. (Scranton, Pennsylvania : [Scranton Republican], 1895), 283-284. FamilySearch Books Online Free online digital copy.
5. ↑ Horace Hollister,History of the Lackawanna Valley. (New York: C. A. Alvord, 1869), 322-326. FamilySearch Books Online Free online digital copy}}
6. ↑ Benjamin H. Throop, A Half Century in Scranton. (Scranton, Pennsylvania : [Scranton Republican], 1895), 282-282. FamilySearch Books Online Free online digital copy.
7. ↑ Benjamin H. Throop, A Half Century in Scranton. (Scranton, Pennsylvania : [Scranton Republican], 1895), 280-281 FamilySearch Books Online Free online digital copy.
8. ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/9/92/Igipennsylvaniaf.pdf.
9. ↑ The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ accessed 10 July 2012.
10. ↑ Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Clerk of Courts in http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ClerksOfCourts.htm (accessed 25 Aug 2012)
11. ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/orphans/ accessed 10 July 2012
12. ↑ http://www.grsnp.org/Research_Services_and_Center.php
13. ↑ http://www.grsnp.org/Home_Page.php

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