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United StatesGotoarrow.png Pennsylvania Gotoarrow.png Venango County

Venango 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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Venango County, Pennsylvania
Map
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Venango County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the U.S. highlighting Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the U.S.
Facts
Founded March 12, 1800
County Seat Franklin
Courthouse
Venango County Pennsylvania Courthouse.jpg
Address Venango County Courthouse
1168 Liberty Street
Franklin, PA 16323
Venango County Website
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Contents

Historical Facts

Beginning dates for major county records
Birth
Marriage
Death
Deeds
Probate
1893
1885
1893
1805
1806


The origination of the name "Venago" comes from as it was known to Native Americans of the region as Onenge, meaning Otter. This was corrupted into English as the Venango River [3]


Boundary Changes

  • 1784: The future Venango County was part of the area secured by the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, also known as the "Last Purchase"
  • 1785-1788: The eastern part of the future Venango County was annexed to Northumberland County; the western portion was part of the Donation Lands
  • 1788-1795: The eastern part of the future Venango County remained part of Northumberland County; the western portion became part of the newly created (1788) Allegheny County.
  • 1795-1800: The eastern part of the future Venango Co. became part of newly created Lycoming County which was carved out of Northumberland County in 1795; the western portion remained part of Allegheny County.


Resources

Bible Records

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-transcripts
USGenWeb-tombstone photos 		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 Venango 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.
Venango county pennsylvania churches.png


Additional church records can be located at Linkpendium and by searching the Family History Library Catalog. The FHLC has a plethora of church recordsfor Venango County, many are limited in the time frame they cover. When searching the FHL catalog, be sure to also search at the town and township level.

Finding Church Records at Other Repositories

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


Court Records

Venango County, Pennsylvania court records are housed at the Venango 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. Venango 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 Courts

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 Venango 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 Venango County, Pennsylvania Prothonotary office information.

Orphan's 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 Venango 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 Venango 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 Venango County began in 1800. These records are filed with the Register and Recorder office in Franklin, 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

Additional Resources

Note that the "Maps" section below also 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 Venango County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:

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 available for Venango County, Pennsylvania include the following:

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm

Finding Naturalization Indexes at Other Repositories

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

Newspapers

Venango 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 Venango County

Online Newspapers

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

Online Newspaper Abstracts

Obituaries

Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died. 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 Excerpts and Abstracts

  • Venango County Genealogical Club, Rockland Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church of Tionesta, Clapp Farm Cemetery and the Methodist Church of Franklin, Venango County Records, Volume 1 (Oil City, PA:Venango County Genealogical Club, 1984) FHL book 974.896 H2v
  • Romig, Nancy Byers, Scrips and Scraps; Scrapbook Abstracts, Venango County and Surrounding Areas (Apollo, PA:Closson Press, c1995) FHL 974.896 H2r
  • Collected by Sarah E. Milford, Carol H. Jamison and Marilyn Q. Gerhold, Obituaries from Venango and Butler Counties (S.I.:s.n., 2006) FHL book 974.89 V4m Digital version available at catalog entry.

Occupations

Indentured Servants

Periodicals

Poorhouse, Almshouse

Probate Records

Probate matters in Venango 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:

Venango County Only:

Original Probate Records on Microfilm

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

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

Venango County Courthouse
1168 Liberty Street
Franklin, PA 16323
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30–4:30

Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts
Phone: 814-432-9577
The office is on the main floor.
Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court
Phone: 814-432-9539
FAX: 814-432-9569
The office is on the main floor.
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 Venango County, Pennsylvania is the Franklin Pennsylvania Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.

Libraries

Franklin Public Library
421 Twelfth St.
Franklin, PA 16323
Phone: 814-432-5062
Fax: 814-432-8998
Email: FranklinPL@FranklinLibrary.org
Library Hours: Monday to Friday: 10:00 AM- 8:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM
Genealogy and Local History Hours: Monday through Wednesday, Friday: 12:00 PM–5:00 PM

The Genealogy and Local History Room is located in the basement of the library. The have a large collections of local and Pennsylvania History as well as obituaries.
Visiting Before planning your research trip, please contact them ahead of time by phone or e-mail.

Oil City Library
2 Central Ave.
Oil City, PA 16301
Phone: 814-678-3072
Fax: 814-676-8028
Hours: Monday through Wednesday: 8:30 AM–9:00 PM
Thursday through Saturday: 8:30 AM–5:00 PM

The library offers local history and genealogy to their patrons. The Venango County Genealogical Club meets in the library. The library has newspapers on microfilm, offers interlibrary loans, and access to Heritage Quest.
Museums

Venango County Pennsylvania Historical Society
Facebook
301 S. Park St.
P.O. Box 301
Franklin, PA 16323-1238
Phone: 814-437-2275
E-mail: vchistory@csonline.net
Summer Hours: May through December: Tuesday through Thursday, Saturday, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
Winter Hours: January Through April: All: Saturday 10:00 AM–2:00 PM

See Societies for complete information.
Societies

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

Venango County Pennsylvania Historical Society
Facebook
301 S. Park St.
P.O. Box 301
Franklin, PA 16323-1238
Phone: 814-437-2275
E-mail: vchistory@csonline.net
Summer Hours: May through December: Tuesday through Thursday, Saturday, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
Genealogical Library: Wednesday and Thursday: 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
Winter Hours: January Through April: All: Saturday 10:00 AM–2:00 PM

The Research Library has a list of research, photocopy, and scanner fees. The Archival Resource Center has wills, estates, and naturalizations records from 1800 to 1900. Also, records for collections for businesses, churches, clubs, and organizations, families and individuals are housed in the Archival Resource Center. This room is not availbable to the public only to Archivist who will assist you.[7]


Venango County Genealogical Club
2 Central Ave.
Heritage Room in the Oil City Library
Oil City, PA 16301-3122
Phone: 814-678-3072
E-mail: vengen@csonline.net
Hours: Tuesdays and Saturdays: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM

The Genealogy Club has newspapers and censuses. The previous links will show what newspapers and census are available at the Geneagical Club, Franklin Library, and the Historical Society.


Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society (WPGS)
c/o PA Department, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-4080

The focus of the WPGS 26 counties west of Centre County including Venago County. They are based out of Pittsburgh, PA in the Pennnsylvania Department of the Carnegie Library. [8]
The Research Request lists fees for research and look ups in indexes, naturalizations, WPA Home Survey, and more. [9]

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.

Tip
 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.
  • 1837–1915 – Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950 - free index. Not complete for all years.
  • 1852–1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.

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

Marriage

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

  • 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
  • 1725-1976 - Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years.
  • Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
  • 1833–1976 — Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 - free index. Not complete for all years.
  • 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.

Clerk of Orphans Court
Union County Courthouse, First Floor
1168 Liberty Street
Franklin, PA 16323
Phone: 814-432-9539
Fax: 814-432-9569
Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Divorce

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

Death
  • 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.

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

Web Sites

  • USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
  • Family History Library Catalog

Places

Populated Places

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 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. ↑ http://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=worldcat_org_all&q=Indian+Villages+and+Place+Names+in+Pennsylvania
  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. ↑ http://venango.pa-roots.com/venangohistoricalsociety.html
  8. ↑ http://www.wpgs.org/default.aspx
  9. ↑ http://www.wpgs.org/default.aspx
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