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United StatesGotoarrow.png Pennsylvania Gotoarrow.png Greene County

Greene 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.

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Online Records


Greene County, Pennsylvania
Map
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Greene County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the U.S. highlighting Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the U.S.
Facts
Founded February 9, 1796
County Seat Waynesburg
Courthouse
Greene County, Pennsylvania Courthouse.jpg
Address Greene County Courthouse
93 East High St.
Waynesburg, PA 15370
Greene County Website
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Contents

Historical Facts

Beginning dates for major county records
Birth
Marriage
Death
Deeds
Probate
1893
1885
1893
1796
1796


  • Greene County was claimed by both Virginia and Pennsylvania until the Mason-Dixon Line was finalized in 1763-1767. (source: Wikipedia)
Greene-nathanael.jpg
  • Named for General Nathanael Greene, major general in the American Revolutionary War.


Boundary Changes


Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Cemeteries

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

Online Grave Transcripts Published Grave Transcripts County Cemetery Directories
Findagrave.com Family History Library Findagrave.com
Interment.net WorldCat Names in Stone
USGenWeb Billion Graves
Pennsylvania Genealogy Epodunk
Pennsylvania Gravestones
Billion Graves
Names in Stone
Access Genealogy
Ancestry($)

See Pennsylvania Cemeteries for more information.


Census

For tips on accessing Greene 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

Greene county pennsylvania churches.png
Churches, Greene County Pennsylvania Genealogy Project

Finding Church Records at Other Repositories

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

County-wide Database - Multi-denominational
Catholic
  • "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.
Baptist

The Baptist appear to be the earliest denomination in Greene County. Organized in 1773, the Goshen Baptist Church with thirty members by the Reverend John Corbly.[3]

Methodist

Organized by Reverend Thomas Hudson, Methodists organized in the Carmichaels area in 1784. In 1793 a log church was built for services.[4]

Presbyterian

With heavy migration of Scotch and Scotch-Irish into Greene County, the Presbyterians established churches as early as 1775.[5]

Protestant Episcopal

Because of the location of Greene County, many settlers were from Virginia and Maryland. These settlers brought their Anglican faith with them. However, after the American Revolution the Anglicans were reformed into Protestant Episcopal Churches.[6]

Court Records

Greene County, Pennsylvania court records are housed at the Greene 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. Greene 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.[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 Greene County, Pennsylvania Clerk of Courts address see the Courthouse section on this page.

The Clerk of Court's Office encompasses the criminal, juvenile and orphans’ divisions of the Court of Common Pleas.

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 Greene County, Pennsylvania Prothonotary office information.

The Prothonotary is the keeper/clerk of the records of the Court of Common Pleas civil division.

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.[9]

For Greene 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 Greene County, Pennsylvania Court Records in online catalogs like:

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 Greene County began in 1796. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in Waynesburg, 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

  • 1950–present Greene County Recorder of Deeds offers online access to records. Fees apply.

Online Land Record Abstracts

Land Records on Microfilm

Maps

  • MacInnes, Sharon Cook and Angus MacInnes. Early Landowners of Pennsylvania: Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Greene County, PA. Apollo, Pennsylvania : Closson Press, 2005. FHL book 974.883 R2m

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

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 Greene County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:

Maps

Migration

Military

Revolutionary War

Men living in what is now Greene County (then Washington and Westmoreland counties) served in the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment.[10]

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.

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm

Newspapers

Greene 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 Greene County, Pennsylvania

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. 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

Tip
 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

Obituary Index

  • Morgan, Yvonne L. Blair, Index of Census, Newspaper Obituary Files and Microfilm : Fayette, Green, Washington & Westmoreland counties (Apollo, Pennsylvania:Closson Press, c2003) FHL book 974.88 V42m

Occupations

Indentured Servants

Periodicals

Poorhouse, Almshouse

Probate Records

Probate matters in Greene 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

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:

Probate Record Abstracts

Original Probate Records on Microfilm

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

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

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

Greene County Courthouse
10 East High Street
Waynesburg, PA 15370
Phone: 724-852-5280

Clerk of Court/ Orphan’s Court:
1st Floor
Phone: 724-852-5281 or 724-852-5282

Prothonotary
1st Floor
Phone: 724-852-5288 or 724-852-5289

Family History Centers
Libraries
Museums

MeKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center
1832 Arboretum Drive
McKeesport, PA 15132
(412) 678-1832
Email: mckheritage@yahoo.com

The heritage museum is free and open to the public. The McKeesport research center has newspapers and records related to the local schools, churches, organizations, and businesses. The research center is free for members. The daily fee for non-members is $15.

Societies

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


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.

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

Birth Records

Marriage

Greene County marriages are maintained at the county courthouse. Greene County began recording marriages in 1885 although some registrations took place from 1852–1854. Marriage licenses are all digitally archived and copies can be requested through the mail. Marriage licenses from 1885 are available at the courthouse.

  • 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. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
  • 1885-1916 Index to Marriage License Dockets, 1885-1976 (Greene County, Pennsylvania) – FHL film 1319627 (first of 8)
  • List of marriage records from docket book of Jay Thompson, Justice of Peace at Carmichaels, PA – Transcribed by Debbie Ovechka, Pennsylvania Genealogy Trails
  • Greene County PA marriages, a PDF file of marriages taken from various newspapers and other sources
Divorce

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

Death

Greene County began recording deaths in 1893 although some were recorded from 1852–1854. These records are available in the County Courthouse in Waynesburg. You may request a death record from the Clerk of Courts.

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 Greene County, Pennsylvania Vital Records in online catalogs like:

Web Sites

Places

Populated Places

Boroughs: Carmichaels | Clarksville | Greensboro | Jefferson | Rices Landing | Waynesburg

Townships: Aleppo | Center | Cumberland | Dunkard | Franklin | Freeport | Gilmore | Gray | Greene | Jackson | Jefferson | Monongahela | Morgan  | Morris | Perry | Richhill | Springhill | Washington | Wayne | Whiteley

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. ↑ G. Wayne Smith, "History of Greene County, Pennsylvania" (Cornerstone Genealogical Society Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 1996), 19. WorldCat 36230349; {{FHL|767605|item|disp=FHL book 974.883 H2s
  4. ↑ G. Wayne Smith, "History of Greene County, Pennsylvania" (Cornerstone Genealogical Society Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 1996), 20. WorldCat 36230349; {{FHL|767605|item|disp=FHL book 974.883 H2s
  5. ↑ G. Wayne Smith, "History of Greene County, Pennsylvania" (Cornerstone Genealogical Society Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 1996), 19. WorldCat 36230349; {{FHL|767605|item|disp=FHL book 974.883 H2s
  6. ↑ G. Wayne Smith, "History of Greene County, Pennsylvania" (Cornerstone Genealogical Society Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 1996), 19. WorldCat 36230349; {{FHL|767605|item|disp=FHL book 974.883 H2s
  7. ↑ The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ accessed 10 July 2012.
  8. ↑ Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Clerk of Courts in http://www.pacourts.us/T/CommonPleas/ClerksOfCourts.htm (accessed 25 Aug 2012)
  9. ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/orphans/ accessed 10 July 2012
  10. ↑ Harold Frederic, William C. Frederick III with William J. McMaster Sr., Path of Blood: The Untold Story of the Kittanning PA. Regiment in the American Revolution (Kittanning, Pa.: W.C. Frederick, 1998). FHL Book 974.8 M2ff
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