Venango County, Pennsylvania Genealogy
Guide to Venango County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Venango County is located in the west-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Venango County Courthouse
1168 Liberty Street
Franklin, PA 16323
Phone: 814-432-9500
Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts: 814-432-9577
Register and Recorder: 814-432-9539
Venango County Website
Clerk of Courts and Recorder of Deeds has birth and death records from 1893-1905, marriage records from 1885, probate and land records from 1806 and court records.[3]
Venango County, Pennsylvania Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1893 | 1885 | 1893 | 1820 | 1806 | 1806 | 1790 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[9]
| Cities | ||
| Boroughs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.
Additional Cemetery Resources
- ca.1700-ca.1950 - Pennsylvania Cemetery Records, ca. 1700-ca. 1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
- PA-Roots
- Names in Stone
- Ancestry($)
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1800 | 1,130 | — |
| 1810 | 3,060 | 170.8% |
| 1820 | 4,915 | 60.6% |
| 1830 | 9,470 | 92.7% |
| 1840 | 17,900 | 89.0% |
| 1850 | 18,310 | 2.3% |
| 1860 | 25,043 | 36.8% |
| 1870 | 47,925 | 91.4% |
| 1880 | 43,670 | −8.9% |
| 1890 | 46,640 | 6.8% |
| 1900 | 49,648 | 6.4% |
| 1910 | 56,359 | 13.5% |
| 1920 | 59,184 | 5.0% |
| 1930 | 63,226 | 6.8% |
| 1940 | 63,958 | 1.2% |
| 1950 | 65,328 | 2.1% |
| 1960 | 65,295 | −0.1% |
| 1970 | 62,353 | −4.5% |
| 1980 | 64,444 | 3.4% |
| 1990 | 59,381 | −7.9% |
| 2000 | 57,555 | −3.1% |
| 2010 | 54,984 | −4.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. For members, they may contain: age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage date and maiden name; death/burial date. For general information about Pennsylvania denominations, see Pennsylvania Church Records.
Methodist
Methodist Church, Plumer
- 1867-1894 Methodist Church, Plumer, Baptism Index 1867-1894 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C725901.[10]
Methodist Episcopal Church, Rouseville
- 1877-1900 Methodist Episcopal Church, Rouseville, Baptism Index 1877-1900 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C725891.[10]
Presbyterian
Amity Presbyterian Church, Irwin Township
- 1867-1904 Amity Presbyterian Church, Irwin Township, Baptism Index 1867-1904 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C726941.[10]
Presbyterian Church, Nickleville
- 1856-1909 Presbyterian Church, Nickleville, Baptism Index 1856-1909 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C726931.[10]
Presbyterian Church, Utica
- 1859-1905 Presbyterian Church, Utica, Baptism Index 1859-1905 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C725911.[10]
Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church
- 1837-1892 Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church, Baptism Index 1837-1892 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C524611.[10]
- 1852-1853 Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church, Marriage Index 1852-1853 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M524611.[10]
United Presbyterian Church, Emlenton
- 1873-1888 United Presbyterian Church, Emlenton, Baptism Index 1873-1888 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C725921.[10]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
For information about records kept in the Orphan's court, Prothonotary Court, Court of Common Pleas, and other courts in counties of Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Court Records Wiki page.
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
For online resources, passenger lists, and specific groups coming to Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration.
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
For groups that came, see People section of the Pennsylvania Emigration page.
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
The Orphan's Court ensures the best interests of those not capable of handling their own affairs: minors, incapacitated persons, decedents' estates, and more.[11]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a specific location and reveal family relationships. Records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, maps and more. For more information, see Pennsylvania 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 Indexes and Records
- 1800 -1925 Deeds, 1805-1889; Deed Index, 1800–1925. FHL film 863691 (first of 108) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its Past and Present. 1890. By Herbert C. Bell. Chicago : Brown, Runk. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Venango County Pennsylvania : her Pioneers and People. 1919. Prepared by Charles A. Babcock. Chicago : J.H. Beers. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Vol. 1 - Google Books, Vol. 2 - Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Maps
- Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
- Ancestor Tracks has posted free, downloadable images of the 1857 Map of Venango County, Pennsylvania Compiled from Official Surveys by R. Irwin, C.H. Heydrick, and C. Heydrick and Hunt's Improved Map of Venango County Oil Regions, published by John P. Hunt in 1865. These maps located in the Library of Congress show major landowners and geographic sites at the dates 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.
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- 1861-1865 - Pennsylvania, Register of Military Volunteers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Naturalization records can contain information about immigration and nativity. Prior to 1906, it is rare to find the town of origin in naturalization records. For more information, see Pennsylvania Naturalization
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1806-1906 - Naturalization docket, 1806-1906, FHL film 1315291 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1820-1906 Index to Declarations and Petitions in the Western District of Pennsylvania, US Circuit and District Courts located in US Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 database on Ancestry $
- 1820-1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537, incomplete for all counties
- 1820-1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry $
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Newspapers may contain obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings. Newspapers are often found in local or university libraries, historical or genealogical societies, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published. See Pennsylvania Newspapers for more information.
Newspapers of Venango 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.
Online Newspaper Abstracts
- 1947-2010 Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 at FamilySearch
- PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Venango County, Pennsylvania.
- Newspaper Abstracts including abstracts from The News Herald, Oil City Blizzard, Oil City Derrick News, Plain Dealer Bellaire and Citizens Press
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died or where family members lived. Local libraries or societies may have indexes or other sources.
Online Obituary Abstracts
- PA-Roots Obituaries for Venango County, Pennsylvania.
- Venango Pennsylvania Obituaries at USGenWeb.org
- Venango County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives.
- 1947-2010 Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 at FamilySearch
- 2008 -2011 Venango Obituaries (PDF version)
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.
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate matters in Venango County are handled by the Orphans' Court and start when the county was created.
In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates; appointments of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills; inheritance tax appeals, and various petitions and motions.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
- 1683-1994 Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994 at FamilySearch
- 1800-1916 Venango County Probate Records
- 1800 - unknown County of Venango, Pennsylvania Wills ($) on Ancestry. Taken from County of Venango, State of Pennsylvania, Will Book Number 1 unknown: 1900. You will find an names and page numbers to wills and administrations. There are no images of wills the wills.
- 1806 -1870 Orphans' Court Records FHL film 857352–857353 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; Each volume is indexed.
- 1819 -1916 Will Dockets with Index (1800–1968) FHL film 857343 (first of 17 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
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. County marriage records were kept in earnest in 1885. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905. For the most complete set of records, contact the County Orphans' Court.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Early births 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For more information, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.
- 1726-1930 Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950 index. Not complete for all years. This collection is an 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 index. Not complete for all years.
- 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Pennsylvania marriages were created by county officials. Contact Venango County Courthouse
- 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
- 1677-1950 Pennsylvania Civil Marriages, 1677-1950 at FamilySearch
- 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
- 1725-1976 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 index. Not complete for all years.
- Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
- 1833-1976 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 index. Not complete for all years.
- 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
- 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.
Death[edit | edit source]
Early deaths 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For indexes and records, 1906 and later, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.
- 1720-1999 Pennsylvania Deaths and Burials, 1720-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1850-1880 Pennsylvania Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
- 1893-1905 Venango County Death Index 1893-1905 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free [10]
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building.
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Venango County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
- National Archives at Philadelphia
14700 Townsend Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096
Phone: (215) 305-2044
Fax (215) 305-2052
website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Venango County. For state-wide library facilities, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
- Franklin Public Library
421 Twelfth St.
Franklin, PA 16323
Phone: 814-432-5062
Fax: 814-432-8998
Email: FranklinPL@FranklinLibrary.org
website
- The Genealogy and Local History Room is located in the basement of the library. There is a large collection of local and Pennsylvania History as well as obituaries.
- Visit website for hours and services.
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
website
- Offers local history and genealogy. The Venango County Genealogical Club meets in the library. The library has newspapers on microfilm, offers interlibrary loans, and access to Heritage Quest.
- Visit website for hours and services.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Venango County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Pennsylvania Societies.
- Venango County Pennsylvania Historical Society
301 S. Park St.
P.O. Box 301
Franklin, PA 16323-1238
Phone: 814-437-2275
Email: vchistory@csonline.net
Facebook
website
- The Research Library has a list of research, photocopy, and scanner fees. The Archival Resource Center has wills, estates, and naturalization 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 available to the public; it is available only to Archivist who will assist you.[12]
- Visit website for available hours
- Venango County Genealogical Club
2 Central Ave.
Heritage Room in the Oil City Library
Oil City, PA 16301-3122
Phone: 814-678-3077 (answered only on Saturdays from 1-5 pm)
Email: vengen@csonline.net
website
- Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society (WPGS)
c/o PA Department, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-4080
website
- The focus of the WPGS is the 26 counties west of Centre County, including Venago County. WPGS is based out of Pittsburgh, PA in the Pennnsylvania Department of the Carnegie Library. [13]
- Visit website for research services and fees.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- USGenWeb archives
- Venango County PA Genealogy
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venango_County,_Pennsylvania 2/12/2017
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), p. 593.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Venango County, Pennsylvania," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venango_County,_Pennsylvania, accessed 3 February 2020.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/2/20/Igipennsylvaniat.pdf.
- ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at Common Pleas accessed 10 July 2012
- ↑ http://venango.pa-roots.com/venangohistoricalsociety.html
- ↑ http://www.wpgs.org/default.aspx
