Earliest records and where to find them: Pennsylvania before 1700

Many records were consulted in the study of Thomas Holme’s map. This is a reference guide for locating them. In some cases there is more detailed information on an earlier blog page. Please note that this is a guide for locating records, not a source for the records themselves, which are generally voluminous.

Quaker Records

Monthly meeting minutes: Reference on blog of 2/9/16 [all blog dates in 2016]

Vital records: Reference on blog on 2/14, 2/15, 2/29, 3/1

Certificates of removal: Reference on blog on 5/4

Acknowledgments: Mostly included in monthly meeting minutes.

Court Records

Bucks County Quarter Sessions: Ancestry; Spruance Library; HSP (Historical Society of PA, Phila.)

Chester County Record of the Courts: Ancestry and HSP

Burlington Court Book: Ancestry, HSP

Upland Court: Ancestry

Land Records

Old Rights Index 1759: Pennsylvania Archive, series 3, vol 2 & 3 (correct dates)

Copied Survey Books and Old Rights Index 1833: State website at phmc.pa.gov (under Land Records). Note that the Old Rights Index there has incorrect dates; Quakers used numbers for months instead of the pagan names; by 1833 someone had forgotten that before 1752 the year started in March, not January, so “First Month” meant March.

First Purchasers: Papers of William Penn, vol 2

Minutes of the Board of Property: Google Books, full view; Ancestry

Original Purchase Register: PHMC website

Deeds, Phila County, index: Philadox.phila.gov/phillyhistoricalindex/index.html

Deeds, Phila County, deeds & a guide: Phila-records.com/historic-records/web (paid site)

Deeds, Bucks County: FamilySearch.org (to about 1860)

Deeds, Chester County: FamilySearch.org (to about 1860)

Immigration Records

Civil arrivals: Lists in Sheppard, Passengers and ships prior to 1684

Certificates of removal: Myers, Quaker Arrivals…; see the blog on 5/4/16

Immigrants who declared goods: Balderston’s articles in Passengers and ships…

Tax lists

Blackwell rent roll: Papers of William Penn, vol 3

1693 tax list: See the blog on 3/25/16

Probate Records

Bucks County wills (and other estate papers): FamilySearch.org; Bucks Co. courthouse

Chester County wills: FamilySearch.org; Chester Co. Archive

Philadelphia County wills: FamilySearch.org; Phila City Hall

Other Useful Lists

Philadelphia Business Directory of 1690: Roach, Colonial Philadelphians

Biographies of officers: Horle et al, Lawmaking and Legislators, vol. 1

Lists of people who signed petitions: Lawmaking and Legislators, vol. 1

Early letters and narratives: Papers of Wm Penn; Myers, Narratives of early PA…Minutes of the Provincial Council: Google Books; Ancestry

 

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