If you wish to build a Pennsylvania genealogy records document filled with information about your family and its history, you will need to locate numerous records and resources and use that to help you to flesh out even more information. The more birth certificates, death records and marriage documents you find, the more information you will have about each of your family members. Take this information and build on it to go farther back in history. You may get to learn who your family members were, when they arrived in the state and country and what events they took part in. This information can be a lot of fun to have, too.
 

To get started creating Pennsylvania genealogy records, do use the state's database first. It does not contain all records, though, since the state did not enact a law requiring this collection of information until January of 1906. Even still, you will need to do some research to find these records. In most cases, you will find the birth records, death records and some marriage records for those who lived in the state from 1906 and onward through the following address. You can write to it or visit it in person.
 

State Department of Health

Division of Vital Statistics

101 South Mercer Street

PO Box 1528

New Castle, Pennsylvania 16103
 

It is possible to call this agency by phone to place a request for a search. To do so, call 724 656-3100. If you do not find the information you need there, or the records are older, you will need to turn to local counties for additional information. The counties in the state of Pennsylvania were established well into its history, though. For that reason, some of the most accurate and older records come from the townships in the area. Each township appointed a clerk to gather this information and to manage it long term.
 

In addition to this, there are other ways to create Pennsylvania genealogy records. One of the strongest elements in the state was its very strong religious background. Those who established the area, in fact, did so for religious reasons. Some of the oldest churches here contain the best records for families from as early as the 1700's, sometimes even earlier. You can also gather a great deal of information from the older cemeteries in the state. Check out Maysville Cemetery in Armstrong County, the German Reformed Cemetery in Blair County and the Presbyterian Church cemetery in Prosperity. There are many other cemeteries often connected to the actual churches.
 

In addition to this, you will find Pennsylvania genealogy records available from the 1910 census, military records dating back to the revolution and from the various Native American tribal councils. As you work to gather this information, it is a good idea for you to pull the information together as a whole and then use it to learn more. For example, you may be able to use the 1840 Pensioner's Database to verify that family members participated in the Revolutionary War. You can use these resources for much more, too.

• Pennsylvania Genealogy