Carbon County, Pennsylvania

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Revision as of 22:25, 14 February 2013

United States Pennsylvania Carbon County

Carbon County, Pennsylvania genealogy and family history research page. Guide to genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

	Pennsylvania Online Records

Carbon County, Pennsylvania
Map
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	March 13, 1843
County Seat	Jim Thorpe
Courthouse
Address	Carbon County Courthouse 4 Broadway Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 Carbon County Website
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Historical Facts

• Parent Counties: Formed from Monroe and Northampton Counties 13 March 1843.^[1]
• County Seat: Jim Thorpe
  
• Neighboring Counties: Carbon County, Pennsylvania residents may also have records in ^[2]Luzerne (north) • Monroe (east) • Schyulkill (southwest) • Northampton (southeast)

Named for extensive deposits of coal in the region.

Boundary Changes ^[3]

• Before 1836: Today's Carbon County was included in Northampton County.
• 1 April 1836: When Monroe County was created from Northampton County, future Carbon County was split between Monroe County and Northampton County.

Resources

Bible Records

Cemeteries

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

Census

For tips on accessing Carbon 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.

Carbon county pennsylvania churches.png

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Carbon 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 church records of:

• Lansford: St. John Evangelical Slovak Lutheran Church
• Lehighton: All Saints Episcopal Church; Wesley United Methodist Church; Zion United Church of Christ
• Parryville: United Methodist Church
• Summit Hill: First Presbyterian Church of Panther Valley; St. Paul's United Church of Christ

• 1795-1825 - Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Carbon County, 1795-1825; Monroe County, 1741-1825; Schuylkill County, 1755-1825. Washington, D.C.: PA Genealogy Books, 2006. FHL Book 974.8 K2hj.

Contains church records of Towamensing Lutheran and Reformed Church, Towamensing Township; Ben Salem Lutheran and Reformed Church, East Penn Township; St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Lausanne Township; and St. Matthew's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Packer Township.

Court Records

Carbon County, Pennsylvania court records are housed at the Carbon 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.

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. Carbon County, Pennsylvania 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.^[4]

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.^[5] For the Carbon 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 Carbon County, Pennsylvania Prothonotary office information.

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.^[6]

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

Finding Court Records at Other Repositories

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

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

Emigration and Immigration

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

Ethnic Groups

Germans

Gazetteers

Genealogy

History

Published Histories

Land and Property

Land records in Carbon County began in 1843. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Jim Thorpe, 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:

Land Records on Microfilm

• 1843–1934 Deeds 1843-1902, 1922-1923; Index 1843-1934. FHL film 2209389 (first of 25 films)

Additional Resources

Note that the "Maps" section below includes maps related to land ownership.

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 Carbon 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

• Ancestor Tracks has posted free and downloadable images from the Map of the Counties of Munroe and Carbon, Pennsylvania from Surveys under the Direction of H. F. Walling (New York, 1860).  This wall map located in the library of Congress shows major landowners and geographic sites at the date of publishing. While the physical maps are in the puiblic domain, the images we have taken of the maps belong to us and are not to be used commercially.  We hereby give permission to use them strictly for personal use; please attribute to Ancestor Tracks
• 1875 County Atlas of Carbon, Pennsylvania by F. W. Beers has been posted on Rootsweb.com site.

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 available for Carbon 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 Carbon County, Pennsylvania naturalization  in online catalogs like:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Do a Carbon 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

Carbon 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 Carbon 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.

• The Carbon Advocate of Lehighton, Pennsylvania 1872-1924.

Online Newspaper Abstracts

• PA-Roots Newspaper Articles of Carbon County.

Newspaper Excerpts and Abstracts

• USGenWeb Carbon County Newspaper Tidbits From the Evening Star Saturday, January 27, 1945.

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 Carbon County.

Occupations

Indentured Servants

Periodicals

Poorhouse, Almshouse

Probate Records

Probate matters in Carbon 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

Carbon County Only:

• 1843-1948-Carbon County Probate Records
  

Original Probate Records on Microfilm

• 1843-1948 Probate Records FHL film 1290569 item 2 (first of (first of 8 films) Index included
  

Repositories

Archives

• Carbon County Archives
  44 Susquehanna St
  Jim Thorpe, PA
  Phone: 570.325.5713
  Email: ccarchiv@ptd.net]

The County Archives holds birth/death records (1894-1905), naturalization records (1843-1958), estate files (1843-present), marriages (Oct 1885-present), and more.

• 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

Carbon County Courthouse
4 Broadway
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Hours: M-F 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

The office of the Prothonotary is located in the main courthouse building. Contact the office at:
Office of the Prothonotary
P.O. Box 130
Jim Thorpe, PA
Phone: 570.325.2481

Register of Wills/Orphan's Court
1 Hazard Square
P.O. Box 286
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: 570.325.2261

The Register of Wills/Orphans Court is responsible for probating wills, appointing administrators, issuing marriage licenses, and more.

Recorder of Deeds
P.O. Box 89
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: 570.325.2651
E-mail: anitadietrich@carboncounty.net
Hours: M-F 8:30 - 4:30 pm
Preserves all Land Records including Deeds, Mortgages, Easements, Right-of-Ways, etc.

The County Archives (see above) holds birth/death records (1894-1905), naturalization records (1843-1958), estate files (1843-present), marriages (Oct 1885-present), and more.

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 Carbon County, Pennsylvania is the Allentown Pennsylvania Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.

Libraries

Dimmick Memorial Library, 54 Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229; Phone 570-325-2131; Fax 570-325-9339; E-mail thorpepl@ptd.net; Hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 - 5:00 ; Thursday 11:00 - 7:00 ; Saturday 9:00 - 4:00 ; Closed Sunday; (Summer Hours are the same EXCEPT Saturday 9:00 - 1:00). This library has federal censuses (1790 to 1930), plus a nearly complete set of Mauch Chunk newspapers on microfilm from 1829 to the present and The Valley Gazette (a local monthly paper devoted to the area’s history). Also have many books pertaining to Carbon Co. History, plus a cheerful and helpful staff of experts!^[7]

Museums

Societies

Rich in history, Carbon County, Pennsylvania contains a number of societies dealing with the history of the area.

Mauch Chunk Historical Society
P.O. Box 273
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: (570) 325.4439

The Mauch Chunk Historical Society was founded in 1973 and primarily works to preserve two historic buildings in Jim Thorpem including the Mauch Chunk Museum. Membership costs $25 and comes with a subscription to the local newsletter.

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 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

• 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.

Marriage

Pennsylvania marriages are located at the county level. Contact the Carbon County, Pennsylvania clerk's office for these records.

• 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. 
• 1725-1976 - Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
• Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) 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. 
• 1885-1950 - Pennsylvania County Marriage, 1885-1950 Extracted marriage records – free. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
  
• 1885–present Original records located at the Carbon County Archives.
  

Carbon County Archives
44 Susquehanna St.
P.O. Box 129 Courthouse
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229

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.

Finding Vital Records at Other Repositories

Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Carbon 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).

Places

Populated Places

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. ↑ Pennsylvania line : a research guide to Pennsylvania genealogy and local history, 1990 ed. (Laughlintown, Pa.: Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services, 1990), [FHL book 974.8 D27p 1990].
4. ↑ The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ accessed 10 July 2012.
5. ↑ Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Clerk of Courts in http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ClerksOfCourts.htm (accessed 25 Aug 2012)
6. ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/orphans/ accessed 10 July 2012
7. ↑ Carbon County Pennsylvania History and Genealogy Index Page at Dimmick Memorial Library (accessed 3 October 2012).

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