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Carbon County Archives


Courthouse Archivist/Records Coordinator: Nancy Davidovich
Email: ccarchiv@ptd.net
Phone: (570)325-5713
Fax: (570)325-9493

The Carbon County Archives was established in 1989. Its goal is to inventory, preserve, and microfilm records not in current use which possess historical, administrative, legal, research, and cultural value. It also provides the public, Government Officials, and Historians with easier access to Carbon County Information.

Carbon County was formed on March 13, 1843 from parts of Monroe County (County Seat: Stroudsburg, PA 18360) and Northampton County (County Seat: Easton, PA 18042).

The Archives is located in:
Carbon County Archives
44 Susquehanna St.
P.O. Box 129 Courthouse
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229

The Archives is open to the public between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday

GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES AT
CARBON COUNTY ARCHIVES

The genealogical resources at the County Archives of Carbon County are among the heaviest used records of the Archives. All of the records listed below are on microfilm and are available for searching by patrons. To aid researchers who cannot visit the County Archives, we provide a limited reference mail service. This service is intended as a preliminary search. There will be no attempt to identify an ancestor or construct a genealogy. For each individual to be searched, please provide the name to be searched, the approximate years the person lived in Carbon County, and the borough or township in which they resided. All information provided will be helpful in locating your request.

To utilize this service, a cost of $2.00 per person requested, $2.00 per reference source, and $.75 per page is required.


Births and Deaths

Naturalizations

Index to Wills and Administration

Veterans Administration

Deceased Burial Cards

Marriage Records

Deeds and Mortgages

Road and Bridge Files




BIRTH and DEATHS
(1894 -1905 only)


The registration of births and deaths in Carbon County began in 1894. These births and deaths were recorded in booklets divided by borough or townships kept by the Clerk of Orphan's Court. The birth records include the full name of the child, sex, and color (race), date and place of birth, full name of the father and mother, and the father's occupation. Unfortunately for genealogists, only the mother's first name is given on these records, not her full maiden name.

The death records also kept in booklet form contain the name of the deceased, sex, color (race), age, marital status, place of birth and occupation, date and cause of death, address of the deceased, name of the cemetery and date of interment, and parents' names for minor children only.

For Birth and Death records after 1905 one must make application to the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records, Room 1009, 1400 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (215-560-3054).




NATURALIZATION
(1843-1958)

Carbon County Naturalization papers document the social history and diverse ethnic origin of its railroad and mining population. They provide important personal data, including the name of the applicant, address, age, place of birth, number of years in America, occupation, and names of relatives. Prior to 1906, these records remained in the custody of local courts, and often are the only reference to early Naturalizations granting citizenship.


INDEX TO WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS

Estate files (wills) generate an enormous amount of information for genealogists and researchers. Date of death, name of spouse and children, property, addresses, inheritance tax appraisement, and inventory and appraisement may be found in these records.



MARRIAGES

Oct 1, 1885-present

The marriage records give the date of marriage, names, ages, races, generic places of resident residence and birth for both bride and groom, minister's name and address, and denomination of marriage.

There are separate indexes for men and woman. You must know the maiden name of the woman to utilize the womans index. All marriages, indexes, and original returns are micro filmed up to 2013.


VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
DECEASED BURIAL CARDS

The deceased burial cards are from the Spanish American War to the Vietnam war. The cards contain: Name of veteran, Residence, Date of Service, Organization, Rank, Cemetery or place of Interment, location in cemetery, who information was given by, and undertaker. These documents are on microfilm in alphabetical order by date of war.


ROAD and BRIDGE RECORDS

1843-1965

These documents serve as the only record of early road and bridges in Carbon County. These files and maps document the evolution of all roads and bridges throughout Carbon County. The documents and maps portray boundary and property lines, roads which no longer exist, and help to resolve many land questions and disputes.

Sheriff Deed books from 1843-1918 are available on microfilm from the Carbon County Archives. Sheriff's deeds can be accessed through defendant and purchaser indices.


DEEDS and MORTGAGES

1843-present

Genealogists can find deeds very helpful in discovering family relationships. One can access these deeds by consulting the grantor (seller) and /or grantee (buyer) indices. The deed records held by the Carbon County Recorder of Deeds are available through the Recorder of Deeds Office at the Carbon County Courthouse Annex. (Note: copies of these deeds are available at $.50 per page).


OTHER RECORDS

The Carbon County Archives holds many other records which may be helpful to Genealogists and history seekers. These include:

  • The Molly Maguire Trial Transcripts
  • Map of original land owners
  • Election records (1935 to present)
  • Court of Quarter Session (1843 to present)
  • Court of Common Pleas (1843 to present)