Getting Started

  1. Identify the timeframe and place (township/borough). Not sure? Use the Locality Guide to map communities and landmarks to townships.
  2. Check Vital Records for births, marriages, and deaths (county 1893–1905; state 1906+). If you don’t find an image online, note the citation for an on-site request.
  3. Use Cemeteries for death/burial clues and family groupings.
  4. Use Maps & Atlases to align historic township names, post office towns, and boundary changes (Caldwell 1878 is especially helpful).
  5. If your target is a veteran, visit Military Records for service, pension, and headstone files.
  6. Search Obituaries for narrative details and survivors.

Jefferson County Record Finder

Where to find common record types and usual date spans. Always verify at the desk for local practice and availability.

Record Type Dates (typical) Where Notes
Births / Deaths (County) 1893–1905 Register of Wills / Orphans’ Court Registers & indexes on microfilm; bring exact names and dates if known.
Births / Deaths (State) 1906–present PA Dept. of Health Certified copies; restrictions apply.
Marriages 1885–present Orphans’ Court (Marriage License Dockets) Applications can include parents’ names & birthplaces.
Deeds & Indexes 1828–present Recorder of Deeds Grantor/Grantee indexes (A–Z). Early transactions may reference older surveys.
Probate (Wills, Estates) 1832–present Register of Wills; Orphans’ Court dockets Search both the will books/registers and the Orphans’ Court dockets.
Naturalization 1831–1906 Prothonotary (Court of Record) Declarations, petitions, final records, and loose papers; later naturalizations often federal.
Court / Civil 1830s–present Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts Civil suits, divorces, and assorted docketed matters.
Tax Lists & Assessments 19th–20th c. Courthouse; PA State Archives Often filed by township; use to place households annually.
Delayed Birth Certificates c.1940s–1960s Register / Orphans’ Court; sometimes State Created for Social Security; valuable affidavits and witnesses.
Church Registers c.1820s–present (varies) Local parishes; historical societies; FamilySearch (locked images) Baptisms, marriages, burials; often pre-date civil vital records.
Newspapers 1840s–present (varies by title) Libraries; PA Newspaper Archive; Chronicling America Obits, marriages, legal notices; use local & regional titles.
Which office does what? (cheat-sheet)
  • Recorder of Deeds: deeds, mortgages, land indexes.
  • Register of Wills: wills, estate packets, county birth/death registers (1893–1905).
  • Orphans’ Court: guardianships, estate proceedings, marriages (1885+), adoptions (restricted).
  • Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts: civil actions, divorces, naturalization records (to 1906).

County Repositories

Click a repository below to learn more. Call ahead to confirm hours, fees, and copy/photography policies.

Jefferson County Courthouse

Offices: Recorder · Register of Wills · Orphans’ Court · Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts

Deeds & mortgages; probate (wills, estates); Orphans’ Court dockets & marriage licenses; naturalizations (to 1906); county birth/death registers (1893–1905).

  • Address: 200 Main Street, Brookville, PA 15825
  • Phone: (814) 849-1610
  • Website: jeffersoncountypa.com
  • Notes: Bring government ID. Some offices are cash-only for copies. Book & page citations speed things up. Photography may be restricted for fragile volumes—ask first.
Jefferson County History Center

Local manuscripts, family files, cemetery and church materials, photographs, and publications.

  • Address: 172–176 Main Street, Brookville, PA 15825
  • Phone: (814) 849-0077
  • Website: jchconline.org
  • Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 11 AM – 4 PM (check online)
  • Notes: Ask about research fees, copy costs, and photography permissions.
Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society

Serving southeastern Jefferson County with strong holdings for Punxsutawney and nearby communities.

  • Address: 400 West Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney, PA 15767
  • Phone: (814) 938-2550
  • Website: punxsyhistory.org/genealogy
  • Hours: Thursday–Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM (check seasonal variations)
  • Collections: Family files, obituaries, cemetery indexes, church records, photographs, Punxsutawney Spirit archives, yearbooks.
  • Notes: Research assistance available for a small donation. Call ahead if traveling.
Public Libraries (Brookville, Punxsutawney, Reynoldsville)

Local histories, yearbooks, newspaper microfilm, obituary clipping files, and genealogy collections.

  • Brookville Public Library: 243 Main Street, Brookville PA 15825 · (814) 849-5512 · brookvillelibrary.org
  • Punxsutawney Memorial Library: 301 E. Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney PA 15767 · (814) 938-5020 · punxsutawneylibrary.org
  • Reynoldsville Public Library: 460 Main Street, Reynoldsville PA 15851 · (814) 653-9471 · reynoldsvillelibrary.org

Tip: Many libraries offer interlibrary loan and onsite access to Ancestry Library Edition or HeritageQuest.

Nearby Counties

Records for early residents or border communities may appear in neighboring county courthouses.

State & Regional Resources

Digitized Microfilm & Finding Aids

What you can expect to find through the Pennsylvania State Archives and partner digitization (availability varies by platform/on-site access).

Deeds & Land

  • Deed Books 1–52 (1828–1887)
  • Grantor/Grantee Indexes A–Z (to c.1910)

Probate & Court

  • Registers’ Dockets Vol. 1–4 (1832–1906)
  • Orphans’ Court Dockets Vol. 1–6 (1833–1881) + General Index (to mid-20th c.)
  • Marriage License Dockets (1885–1916)

Vital & Naturalization

  • Death Registers (1853–1854; 1893–1906)
  • Naturalization Records & Papers (1831–1906)
  • Delayed Birth Certificates (1940s–1960s; partial)

Tip: Many images are viewable only at a FamilySearch Center or on-site at the State Archives. Bring full citations (book/page, docket/number) for best results.

See Jefferson County microfilm list

Pennsylvania State Archives – digitized county records guide

Online Research Hubs

Boundary Changes & Localities

Jefferson County was created on 26 March 1804 from Lycoming County. For court business it was attached to Westmoreland (1804–1806) and then Indiana County (1806–1830) until fully organized. If a record seems missing, check those attachments and the counties adjacent to where your ancestor lived or married.

Tips for Visiting Repositories

If it’s not online: Many Jefferson records are indexed but images are restricted. Note full citations, and plan an on-site visit or a lookup request.

Next Steps

Vital Records Deeds & Land Probate Military Churches Cemeteries Maps & Atlases Post Offices Obituaries Biographies Newspapers (local guide)

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