Forest County Pennsylvania Death Records
Forest County death records are preserved at both the county courthouse in Tionesta and the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records in New Castle. This small north-central county sits entirely within the Allegheny National Forest, and its population has always been among the smallest in the state. Despite its size, Forest County maintained careful registration of deaths beginning in 1893. County-level records cover registrations through 1905, while all certificates from 1906 onward moved to the state system. Genealogists researching Forest County families will find the county courthouse and the PA State Archives to be the two key resources.
Forest County Quick Facts
Forest County Death Records at the Courthouse
The Forest County Courthouse in Tionesta holds the county's pre-state death registrations. The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court serves as the local custodian for these records. Death registrations from 1893 through 1905 are on file at this office. Will Books covering 1855 through 1911 are also available and can help genealogists piece together family timelines alongside death records. These will records have been indexed and are accessible through FamilySearch's Forest County genealogy pages.
Forest County is Pennsylvania's least populated county. This means records are less voluminous than in larger counties, but it also means the courthouse staff can often provide more individual attention to researchers. The courthouse is the single most important starting point for anyone tracing Forest County death records from the nineteenth century. Researchers visiting in person will find the office open during standard business hours on weekdays.
| Office | Forest County Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court 526 Elm Street, Tionesta, PA 16353 Phone: 814-755-3537 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
| Records | Death registrations 1893–1905; Will Books 1855–1911 |
Note: Death records from 1906 onward are held by the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records in New Castle, not by the Forest County Courthouse.
State Death Certificates and Forest County
Pennsylvania launched its statewide death registration system in 1906. From that point forward, all Forest County death certificates went to the Commonwealth rather than staying at the local level. The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records in New Castle is now the official source for any Forest County death certificate dated 1906 or later. Certified copies cost $20 each. You can order by mail at P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103-1528, or call (724) 656-3100 for guidance. Online orders are also available through the state's certificate portal.
Access to recent death certificates is restricted under 35 P.S. §450.801. This law sets a 50-year waiting period on death records. Only immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a documented need can obtain certificates less than 50 years old. Older records are available for genealogy research; requests must include a 10-year date range and a $25 search fee. The VitalChek service is an authorized option for online orders when you prefer not to use the state portal directly.
Note: The CDC's Pennsylvania vital records guide outlines what to expect and who qualifies to order certified copies.
PA State Archives Forest County Death Indexes
The Pennsylvania State Archives holds death certificates for the years 1906 through 1975. These include Forest County deaths registered during that span. The Archives maintains digital indexes that let researchers confirm a death event before requesting a physical copy of the certificate. You can search online from home, or visit the Archives in Harrisburg for a more thorough in-person review.
The image below is from the Pennsylvania State Archives vital records collection, which covers statewide death registrations including those from Forest County.
Source: Pennsylvania State Archives
The Archives serves as the long-term repository for statewide vital statistics, making it an essential stop for any Forest County genealogy project that reaches into the twentieth century.
Forest County Genealogy and Historical Research
Forest County was created in 1848 from Jefferson County. Its history is closely tied to the timber industry and, later, oil production in the region. For genealogists, this means many early residents were transient workers who may have died far from their home counties. Cross-referencing Forest County death records with records from neighboring Elk, Clarion, and Venango counties can help fill in gaps. FamilySearch offers a useful starting point for Forest County research, with indexed records that include probate and some vital data.
Because Forest County lies entirely within the Allegheny National Forest, early settlement patterns were different from more agricultural counties. Families tended to cluster near Tionesta along the Allegheny River. Church records and cemetery records held by local congregations can supplement the official death registrations. Many smaller townships in Forest County kept informal burial records that predate the 1893 county registration system.
The image below is from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which oversees death certificate access across the state.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Health
The Department of Health processes requests for certified copies and can assist researchers who need official documents for legal or personal purposes.
Note: FamilySearch's Pennsylvania vital records wiki includes county-by-county breakdowns and links to digitized indexes that cover Forest County.
Forest County Death Records for Genealogy
Genealogy searches in Forest County benefit from understanding what records exist and where they are held. The county registered deaths locally from 1893 to 1905. The state took over registration in 1906. Records from 1906 through 1975 are at the PA State Archives. Records from 1975 onward are accessible only through the Division of Vital Records in New Castle.
Researchers looking for pre-1893 death information must rely on alternative sources. These include:
- Church burial registers from Tionesta-area congregations
- Cemetery transcription projects for Forest County cemeteries
- Probate records and will books at the courthouse
- Newspaper death notices from the Tionesta area press
- Family Bibles and private correspondence
The PA State Archives Ancestry partnership provides free access to Ancestry.com records when you visit the Archives in person. This resource can be valuable for Forest County researchers who need to cross-reference multiple record types in a single session.
Under 28 Pa. Code Chapter 1, the Department of Health sets the rules for how vital records are maintained, accessed, and certified. Understanding these regulations helps researchers know what to expect when placing a formal records request.
Forest County History and Record Context
Forest County has a unique place in Pennsylvania history. It is the only Pennsylvania county whose entire land area falls within a national forest. The Allegheny National Forest surrounds and defines the county. Early settlers faced a remote environment, and record-keeping was sometimes inconsistent before the state required formal registration. The county courthouse in Tionesta has served as the center of civic life since the county's founding in 1848, and the records it holds reflect the lives of every family that called Forest County home.
When death records were not formally kept, local newspapers often printed notices. The Tionesta area had several small publications in the late 1800s. The Forest Republican was one such paper and covered deaths, marriages, and community news. These newspapers are partially preserved on microfilm and may be accessible through the State Library of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.
The Forest County government website provides current contact details for courthouse offices and can help researchers locate the correct department before making a trip to Tionesta. The county is small, and staff turnover is low, so a direct phone call often gets quick answers about records availability.
Nearby Counties
Forest County borders several counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. Researchers who cannot find what they need in Forest County records may find relevant information in these neighboring counties.