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Chester County

Pennsylvania, USA

 

 

Introduction

Gen Tool-Kit

Researching by Surname

Ancestral Gen-Sites

Researching by Location

Website Resources

Image Gallery

Contact Information

 

 

Introduction

 

     Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.  It is part of the Delaware Valley area, and is the only Delaware Valley county in Pennsylvania that does not border Philadelphia, though it is close.

     Chester County is one of the three original counties of Pennsylvania created by William Penn in 1682. It did not become an inland county until 1789. It is named for Cheshire, England, from which many of its early settlers came. West Chester, the county seat since 1788, was incorporated as a borough on March 28, 1799. It was named for Chester, the older county seat (now in Delaware County), which in turn derived its name from the shire town of Cheshire.

     Counties that lie adjacent to Chester County are: Berks County (north); Montgomery County (northeast); Delaware County (east); New Castle County, Delaware (southeast); Cecil County, Maryland (south); and Lancaster County (west).    

 

 

Gen Tool-Kit

gen tool-kit

County Court Records 

·         Chester County Register of Wills/ Orphan's Court Clerk has Marriage Records from 1714 and Probate Records from 1714 and is located at 2 North High Street, Suite 109, P.O. Box 2748, West Chester, PA 19380-0991; 610.344.6335 [press 0], Email: [email protected].

·         Chester County Recorder of Deeds has Land Records from 1688 and is located at 121 N. Walnut St., Suite 100, P.O. Box 2748, West Chester, PA 19380-0991; Phone: 610-344-6330, Fax: 610-344-6408, EMAIL.

·       Chester County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1714 and is located at 2 N. High Street, Suite 130, P.O. Box 2748, West Chester, PA 19380-0991; 610-344-6300. 

 

Libraries, Museums & Archives

American Baptist Historical Society  Archives Center, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Chester County Archives & Records 
Chester County Libraries      (Source: Public Libraries Library Directory)
Family History Library Holdings      (Source: Family History Library)
Historic Yellow Springs 
Kennett Underground Railroad Center 
The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum  Coatesville, Pennsylvania
PERiodical Source Index Search  Chester County, Pennsylvania     (Source: PERiodical Source Index)
USGenWeb Archives      (Source: USGenWeb)
Waynesborough  Birthplace and residence of General Anthony Wayne

 

Historical & Genealogical Societies

Borough of Malvern Historical Commission 
Brandywine Crucible 
Charlestown Historical Society 
Chester County Chapter 
(Source: DAR National Society)
Chester County Historical Society 
Downingtown Area Historical Society 
East Vincent Township Historical Commission 
Easttown Township Historical Commission 
Franklin Township Historical Commission 
Great Valley Chapter  Paoli
(Source: DAR National Society)
Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area 
Kennett Township Historical Commission 
London Grove Township Historical Commission 

Main Line Genealogy Club 
New Garden Township 
A Brief History
North Coventry Township Historical Commission 
Pocopson Township Historic Committee 
Sadsbury Township Historical Society 
The Spring-Ford Area Historical Society 
Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust 
Tri-County Heritage Society 
Wallace Township Historical Commission 
West Brandywine Township Historic Commission 
West Caln Historical Society 

West Pikeland Township Historical Commission 
West Whiteland Township Historical Commission

 

Historical Places

Your LINK to the Historical Places and Districts in CHESTER County

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

National Park Service

National Historic Landmarks

National Battlefields

National Historic Sites

National Historical Parks

National Memorials

National Monuments

surnames

Researching
by Surname

The following are names of persons, found within our databases,

as having been either born, married or died in this location.

To find out more about each surname listed above click on the corresponding Link.

McVicker; Moreland; Pinnell; Scruggs and allied families

Dickson;   Dill;   Kerr;   Neely

Bozarth; Peiffer; Quigley; Rhubart and allied families

 

Dellinger; Knecht; Pfeffer; Silar and allied families

Additional information regarding these and other surnames may also be found at:

Surname Locator Resources

Free Genealogy Surname
 Search From Google

Use this free genealogy site to help you get the best genealogy searches from Google™ by using your family tree, for your research. It will create a series of different searches  using tips or "tricks"

that will likely improve your results. The different searches will give you many different ways of using Google and the Internet to find ancestry information about  this  or  any  other  Surname. 

Where in the World do These
 Surnames Come From?

Click on the LINK to the right to see more information about the World distribution of any surname.  You can

get greater detail for any of the maps by clicking on the area, i.e state, county that you are interested in.

Ancestral 
Gen-Sites

ancestral gen-sites

Map of the County

Family History Notes

Gen-Site Profiles

 

Map of the county

Map of the County

The Red Starin the map designates the location of the seat of government for this county.  Yellow Stars designate seats of government in adjacent counties.   A Purple Dotshows the location of identified ancestral Gen-Site(s).

NOTE: for a better view of this map use the following ZOOM feature -

from the keyboard you can increase or decrease the zoom value in 10% increments.

To zoom IN, press Ctrl and the  + (plus) button. To zoom OUT, press Ctrl and the - (minus)  button.  To restore the zoom to 100%, press Ctrl and the 0 (zero) button.

Family history notes

Family History Notes

     It is believed that Michael and Nancy (Campbell) Dickson and their young son John migrated from County Down, Ireland to Chester County, Pennsylvania around 1715.   It is unclear however as to where in the county they actually settled.  Apparently the son, John Dickson, returned to Ireland sometime between 1725-30.   He then came back to Pennsylvania by 1738 and probably settled that area of the county then known as Nantmeal Township, (see map above).  

     Samuel Henry and Elizabeth Neely probably migrated to Pennsylvania during the second decade of the 18th century.  It is believed that they also settled in the aforementioned mentioned area of then Nantmeal Township and that a daughter Sarah was born there around 1735.   The Neely family lived at this location until about 1740 when they migrated south, possibly with the Dickson family, into Maryland, and Virginia before settling in Duplin County, North Carolina.

     The following gen-sites have been identified as places located within this county where our direct ancestors are known to have been, born, married, died or resided.

Gen-site profiles

Gen-Site Profiles

Nantmeal Township;   West Chester

Nantmeal Township

LOCATION:  Country: United States;   State: Pennsylvania;   County: Chester;  

Place: Nantmeal Township; Coordinates/Map:

 

19th century property map of East Nantmeal Twp.

 

19th century property map of West Nantmeal Twp.

 

Click on thumbnail

 for larger image

DESCRIPTION:   The name Nantmeal was formerly, and properly, written Nantmel, being derived from Nantmel, in Radnorshire, Wales, due to the fact that the first settlers were mostly Welsh, and principally confined to the eastern part of the township.  In 1717-1719 surveys of the area to become Nantmeal Township were made on the head of the north branch of Brandywine.  Prior to 1720 the settlement was assessed with the tax district on Schuylkill.  Nantmeal Township was formally organized in 1722 and emcompassed the are shown in above map.  In 1740 the area was divided and East Nantmeal was then formed with the original township becoming West Nantmeal.  The Scots-Irish came up from the southwestern part of Chester county from 1730 to 1740, and peopled the western part of Nantmeal.   In 1789, West Nantmeal was divided, and the name of Honeybrook was given to the western part.  In 1852 the remainder of West Nantmeal was again divided. This southern division was named Springfield, and then changed to Wallace.  East Nantmeal was divided in 1842 by the south branch of French Creek, and the northern part called Warwick.

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE:  see history notes above

INTERNET WEB LINK(s):  Nantmeal Township  

West Chester

LOCATION:  Country: United States;   State: Pennsylvania;   County: Chester;   Place: West Chester; Coordinates/Map: 39° 58′ 12″ N, 75° 45′ 0″ W

 

See full size image

Chester County Court House, West Chester, PA

 

Click on thumbnail

 for larger image

DESCRIPTION:  The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania.  The area was originally known as Turk's Head - after the Inn of the same name located in what is now the center of the borough.  West Chester has been the seat of government in Chester County since 1786, and the borough incorporated in 1799.  West Chester was settled in the early 18th century, principally by members of the Society of Friends.  

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE:  

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Borough of West Chester, Chester Co., PA

 

LOCATION:  Country: United States;   State: Pennsylvania;   County: Chester;   Place:; Coordinates/Map:

 

 

 

 

Click on thumbnail

for larger image

DESCRIPTION: 

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE:  

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): 

populated places

Researching
by Location

Gazetteer of Places in This County

Link to State-Wide Resources

Where in the World

are My Ancestors?

gazetteer

Gazetteer of Places

The list below will assist in your research regarding the matching of your ancestor’s birth, marriage, death dates and the place(s) within this locality at which these events may have occurred.

Map of Chester County Pennsylvania

Chester County Physical, Cultural & Historic Features

Chester County ZIP Codes | Area Codes

Chester County Land - Property, Farms & Ranches

Profiles for 423 cities, towns and other populated places in Chester County Pennsylvania

 

Links To Populated Places Within This County

The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Chester County:

Cities

Coatesville

Boroughs

Townships

·         Birmingham Township

·         Caln Township

·         Charlestown Township

·         East Bradford Township

·         East Brandywine Township

·         East Caln Township

·         East Coventry Township

·         East Fallowfield Township

·         East Goshen Township

·         East Marlborough Township

·         East Nantmeal Township

·         East Nottingham Township

·         East Pikeland Township

·         East Vincent Township

·         East Whiteland Township

·         Easttown Township

·         Elk Township

·         Franklin Township

·         Highland Township

·         Honey Brook Township

·         Kennett Township

·         London Britain Township

·         London Grove Township

·         Londonderry Township

·         Lower Oxford Township

·         New Garden Township

·         New London Township

·         Newlin Township

·         North Coventry Township

·         Penn Township

·         Pennsbury Township

·         Pocopson Township

·         Sadsbury Township

·         Schuylkill Township

·         South Coventry Township

·         Thornbury Township

·         Tredyffrin Township

·         Upper Oxford Township

·         Upper Uwchlan Township

·         Uwchlan Township

·         Valley Township

·         Wallace Township

·         Warwick Township

·         West Bradford Township

·         West Brandywine Township

·         West Caln Township

·         West Fallowfield Township

·         West Goshen Township

·         West Marlborough Township

·         West Nantmeal Township

·         West Nottingham Township

·         West Pikeland Township

·         West Sadsbury Township

·         West Vincent Township

·         West Whiteland Township

·         Westtown Township

·         Willistown Township

Census-designated place

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law.

Find Physical Features* Within This County

* includes but not limited to Cemeteries, Churches, Locales,

Military Installations;  Populated Places, Post Offices, Schools, Streams, and Trails

Links to More Locations in This U.S. State

State-Wide Resources

For more information about the U.S. State in which this county is located  click  on  these  LINKS:

 

Where in the world

Where in the World
are My Ancestors?

Resources which enhance our knowledge of the places inhabited by our ancestors are almost as important as their names. The LINK

MAPS

GAZETTEERS

to the right will take you to Maps, Gazetteers,   and other helpful  resources  that will assist you in discovering Ancestral Locations. 

resources Website
Resources

 

This search engine may

provide you with additional

information to assist with

your research about this topic.

General Resources

·         Our Genealogy Reference Library (USA Locations)

·         Genealogy Forum: U.S. States

·         Family Search, IGI Batches, Localities

·         Genealogy.com: Resources by county

·         Rootsweb.com – U.S. Message Boards

·         Cyndi's List - General U.S. Sites

·         Access Genealogy

Locality Specific Resources

·         Chester County, Genealogy Forum

·         Chester County, at Rootsweb

·         Cyndi's List - U.S. – Pennsylvania - Localities

·         Linkpendium > Genealogy> Chester County

 

Our Genealogy 
Reference Library

The following Link will take you to our library of genealogy reference books.   Here you may find books about the history and records of this county and other places such as towns and churches.  The collection also contains research works about military units and personnel during America’s wars, in addition too resource texts about the ethnic and religious groups who may have settled in this locality.

 

Research Library – Table of Contents

Gallery

Image Gallery

During our research we have collected images and photographs that are of general interest to a variety of localities.  Some of them are presented on this website because we believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives.

 

West Chester Friends Meeting House

 

If you have any photographs or other images relating to this 
 county, we would greatly appreciate hearing from you.

 

Use the following LINK to ascertain whether we have any images that pertain to this location.

ANCESTRAL LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES

 

Free Image Search
help from Google

Use the power of Google™ to find more interesting images about this topic. A Click on this button will link you to the Google Images Search  page.   Enter  the

topic you are searching in the box and click “Search Images”. At the “Images” display page you will see the image, as well  as the  website to  which it is linked.

 

Contact Information 

Contact information

Email

Snail mail:

Fred
889 Dante Ct.
Mantua, NJ 08051

USA

Email

Pony Express:

Tom
27 Christopher Dr.
Burton, NB E2V3H4
Canada