Franklin County, Pennsylvania

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Revision as of 23:47, 4 March 2013

United States Pennsylvania Franklin County

Franklin 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

Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Map
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	September 9, 1784
County Seat	Chambersburg
Courthouse
Address	Franklin County Courthouse Register Recorders Office Courthouse Annex 157 Lincoln Way East Chambersburg, PA 17201 Franklin County Website
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Franklin County Pennsylvania Historical Facts

• Parent Counties: Formed from Cumberland County 9 September 1784.^[1]
• County Seat: Chambersburg
  
• Neighboring Counties: Franklin County, Pennsylvania residents may also have records in ^[2]Juniata (north) • Cumberland and Adams (east) • Fulton (southwest) • Huntingdon (northwest)  • Washington County, Maryland (south)  • Perry (northeast) • Frederick County, Maryland (southeast)

Benjamin-frankli-by-jean-baptiste-greuze.jpg

The Scotch-Irish settled heavily in the Cumberland Valley (which included Franklin County). It is estimated that they made up 90% of the population in the eighteenth century.^[3]

Boundary Changes

• 14 October 1728: Lancaster County created from Chester County.
• 27 January 1750: Cumberland County created from Lancaster County, including the future Franklin County.

Franklin County Pennsylvania Genealogy Resources

Bible Records

Cemeteries

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

• Franklin County USGenWeb Project This site contains several cemtery listings online.

• Jim Houpt Indexing Project This site contains indices to Military, Church, Cemetery, and other records in Franklin County.

Census

For tips on accessing Franklin 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.

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

• Presbyterian Church
• Chambersburg: Falling Spring Presbyterian Church; First United Methodist Church; Holy Trinity Episcopal Church; St. John's United Church of Christ; St. Paul Methodist Church
• Concord: United Methodist Church
• Fayetteville: Calvary United Methodist Church
• Greencastle: United Brethren in Christ
• Mercersburg: United Brethren in Christ
• Middleburg: Emanuel's Evangelical United Brethren Church
• Middletown: Presbyterian Church
• Pleasant Hill: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Waynesboro: Faith United Methodist Church
• York: United Brethren in Christ
• York Springs: United Brethren in Christ

Catholic

The oldest Roman Catholic congregations are located in the city of Chambersburg.^[4]

• "100 Years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943," Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 1. FHL Book 974.8 B2wg. Chronology, map, county-by-county information.
  

Church of the Brethren

Church Genealogy Records, Church of the Brethren Network

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

After the murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Sydney Rigdon attempted to establish his branch of the Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1845 a group from Pittsburgh traveled to Franklin County and purchased property in Antrim Township. The group, for various reasons, never took hold and by 1847 disbanded.

LDS Ward and Branch Records

• Blue Ridge Dest
• Fairview (Waynesboro)

Lutheran

Germans settled Franklin County with one of the earliest settlers being Matthias George. Itinerant ministers performed necessary ordinances in the area.^[5] 

• 1834-1906 - Mount Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, 1834-1906 at Ancestry ($).

Presbyterian

The Presbyterians are very numerous in the county and were the earliest denomination in the county.^[6]

Falling Spring Presbyterian Church was organized, at a Scotch-Irish settlement in what is now Franklin County, in 1738.^[3]

• Jim Houpt Indexing Project This site contains indices to Military, Church, Cemetery, and other records in Franklin County.

Court Records

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

Register & Recorders Office
Courthouse Annex
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg, PA 17201

Phone: 717-261-3872
Fax: 717-709-7211

Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 4:30 Closed on weekends and all county observed holidays.

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. Franklin County, Pennsylvania shares its judicial district with Fulton County. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.^[7]

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.^[8] For the Franklin 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 Franklin County, Pennsylvania Prothonotary office information.

Orphans' Court

Clerk of Courts
Franklin County Courthouse
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: 717-261-3805

• 1785–1903 Orphans' Court Dockets FHL Films 323834–323858 Includes general index.
• 1850–1900 Executors and Administrators, and Guardian Accounts FHL Films 323883–323892 Some volumes include surname index.
• 1852–1900 Orphans' Court Auditor's Docket FHL Films 323876–323881

Finding Court Records at Other Repositories

Additional court records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Franklin County, Pennsylvania Court 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).

Emigration and Immigration

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

Ethnic Groups

Germans

Gazetteers

Genealogy

History

• Franklin County USGenWeb Project This site has several local histories online for Franklin County, including the 1887 History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania by Bates (1110 pgs).

Published Histories

Land and Property

Land records in Franklin County began in 1784. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in Chambersburg, 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

• 1955–present Franklin County offers online access to records. Fees apply.

Online Land Abstracts

• Land Warrants, Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3 Volume 25, pp. 3-52 at Franklin County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Land Records on Microfilm

• 1784–1963 Deeds, 1784-1883; Index 1784-1963 FHL film 323794 (first of 91 films)
  
• 1811–1868 Mortgage Books FHL films 323859–323861

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 Franklin 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 downloadable images from the Atlas of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, from Actual Surveys under the Direction of D.G. Beers, published by Pomeroy & Beers, 1868.  This atlas located in the Library of Congress shows major landowners and geographic sites at the date of publishing. While the physical maps are in the public 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.

Migration

Military

• Jim Houpt Indexing Project This site contains indices to Military, Church, Cemetery, and other records in Franklin County.

French and Indian War

Reverend John Elder, pastor of Derry and Paxtang churches, recruited Scotch-Irish rangers from his congregation in what is now Franklin County (then Cumberland County). Known as the Paxton Rangers or Paxton Boys, they provided security for white settlements between the Blue Mountains and the Susquehanna River. They are remembered for playing a prominent role in Pontiac's War.^[3]

Revolutionary War

Men from what is now Franklin County (then Cumberland County) served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment.^[9]

Civil War

An interesting study, called the Valley of the Shadow Project, has collected military and private papers detailing the experience of the Civil War in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and Augusta County, Virginia.

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.

Newspapers

Franklin 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 Franklin 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.

• Franklin Repository of Chambersburg July 8, 1863-December 27, 1865.
• Pilot of Greencastle February 3, 1863 - July 26, 1864.
• Waynesburg Messenger of Waynesburg August 21, 1861 - March 22, 1865.

Online Newspaper Abstracts

• PA-Roots Newspaper Articles of Franklin County.
• Civil War Era Newspapers for Franklin County.
• Newspaper Articles at Franklin County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives. Includes several items from the People's Register

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 Franklin County.
• Obituary and Death Notices at Franklin County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts

• Cell, Robert F. and Franklin Repository (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania), The Franklin Repository; Chambersburg, Pennsyvlania:Newspaper Abstracted and Indexed for Franklin County Names (Edinburg, Texas:R.F. Cell, 1992, 1995; Chambersburg, Pennsylvania:Franklin County Historical Society-Kittochtinny) FHL film 1059479 items 5-7; book 974.844/C1 B38c An index in each volume. Contains draft lists, jurors, military lists, unclaimed letters, death and marriage notices, probate information, etc.
• Cell, Robert F. and Mercersburg Journal (Mercersburg, Pennsylvania), Mercersburg Journal; Mercersburg, Pennsylvania; 1857-1874 (Edinburg, Texas:R.F. Cell, 1996) At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL book 974.844/M1 B3c

Occupations

Indentured Servants

• List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Franklin County, Pennsylvania (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.

Orphanages

Students in the Soldiers' Orphan Schools from Franklin County, Pennsylvania June 1, 1902

Periodicals

Poorhouse, Almshouse

Probate Records

Probate matters in Franklin 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 Indexes

• Franklin County Wills and Estate Records at Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

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, 1683-1994at FamilySearch.org
  

Franklin County only:

• Franklin County Probate Records

Online Probate Record Abstracts

• Wills - Abstracts and Letters of Administration (incomplete) at Franklin County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Original Probate Records on Microfilm

• 1700–1960 Administration Index FHL films 323873–323874 - catalog notes state records begin in 1700's
• 1752–1838 Courthouse Records FHL film 382820 - includes original probates, wills and land records at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• 1784–1822 Estate Papers FHL films 1465867–1465878
• 1785–1903 Orphans' Court Dockets FHL films 323834–323858
• 1785–1960 Index to Minors' Estates FHL films 323956–323957
• 1850–1900 Executors, Administrators, and Guardian Accounts FHL Films 323883–323892
• 1852–1900 Orphans' Court Auditor's Docket FHL films 323876–323881
• 1855–1961 Widows' Appraisements FHL films 323893–323899
• 1962–1963 General index, Orphans' Court FHL film 323958

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Franklin 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.

• Franklin County Archives. Information about the archival and records management program established in Franklin County.
  
  

Courthouse

Franklin County Courthouse
Register Recorders Office
Courthouse Annex
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg, PA 17201

Clerk of Court
William E. Vandrew
Franklin County Courthouse
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg PA 17201
717-261-3805

Prothonotary Office
Courthouse Annex
717-261-3861
Fax - 717-264-6772
Hours: M - F, 8:30 - 4:30 Closed on weekends and all county observed holidays.

Family History Centers

• Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

[[Chambersburg Pennsylvania Family History Center|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 Franklin County, Pennsylvania is the Chambersburg Pennsylvania Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.
You may also visit the Fairview Pennsylvania Family History Center (Waynesboro)

Libraries

Museums

Societies

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

• Franklin County Historical Society & Museum
  175 East King Street
  Chambersburg, PA 17201
  (717) 264-1667
  Email: history@pa.net

• Come join us at our Franklin County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Group on Facebook

• Kittochtinny Historical Society
  175 East King Street
  Chambersburg, PA 17201
  

• Shippensburg Historical Society
  52 West King St.
  Shippensburg, PA 17257
  Phone:(717) 532-6727
  Email: info@shippensburghistory.org

Taxation

• 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. 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

• 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.

Early births 1894–1906 are located at the County Orphans' Court. See the heading Court Records on this page for contact information.

Beginning in 1906 Pennsylvania birth records are available through the Department of of Health. Birth records become public after 105 years. A statewide index is available. Once an individual is located in the index a certificate can be obtained by writing to:

Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Public Records
PO Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103

The cost for an non-certified birth certificate is $3.00.

• 1894-1906 – Register of Births FHL films 323948–323949
  Births from 1894–1906 have been microfilmed. They are available at the Pennsylvania State Archives and through local Family History Centers.

Marriage

Franklin County marriages are maintained by the Register of Wills. Franklin County began recording marriages in 1885. To obtain a marriage record you may go to or mail the Register of Wills.

• 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.
• 1830-48 - James Walker's Journal, Marriages,Franklin County Archives Vital Records (USGenWeb)
  
• 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
• 1885-1950 Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885 – 1950. Free online index with images to some Franklin County marriages. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. These records have been microfilmed.
• 1885-1963 Marriage License Dockets (Franklin County, Pennsylvania) – FHL films 323900-323923

Divorce

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

Death

Franklin County began recording deaths in 1893 although some were recorded from 1853–1854. Records from 1893 – 1905 are available on the 2nd Floor of the County Courthouse Annex in Chambersburg. You may request a death record from the Clerk of Courts.

• 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
• 1893-1906 – Register of Deaths FHL films 323953–323955 These county death records were microfilmed by FamilySearch. They are available through Family History Centers and at the Pennsylvania State Archives.

Pennsylvania death certificates become public records after 50 years. An annual index is released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Records less than 50 years old are kept by the Division of Vital Records and are not public certificates. Only certain people can request a non-public death certificate. To order a non-public representative you must be:

• Legal representative of decedent's estate
• Immediate family member
• Extended family member who indicates a direct relationship to the decedent
• Power of Attorney (Please note that a Power of Attorney document is no longer valid upon the death of the individual)

See the Pennsylvania Department of Health website to obtain a copy of a non-public death certificate. The cost is $9.

The cost for a non-certified public death certificate is $3.00. Indexes for Pennsylvania public death records are available online through the Department of Health for 1906 through 1961. Once an individual is located in the index a certificate can be obtained by writing to:

Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Public Records
PO Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103

Finding Vital Records at Other Repositories

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

Franklin County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

• Franklin County USGenWeb Project This site has several maps, cemetery records, name indexes, local and family histories and other information for Franklin County online.

• Family History Library Catalog

• Pennsylvania Dutch Family History, Genealogy, Culture and Life This site contains links to everything Pennsylvania Dutch with a large portion centered in Lancaster County.

• FamilyHart Online Database This is an online family database of over 630,000 linked records. There are many Franklin County families in this database. The database grows by 1,000 names per week and is updated online quarterly.

Franklin County Pennsylvania Places

Populated Places

Franklin County Pennsylvania Genealogy References

This Pennsylvania-related article is a stub. You can help by expanding it. While this page is under construction, may we suggest Cyndi's List.