Forest County Death Records
Forest County death records from 1893 to 1907 are held at the county courthouse in Tionesta, Pennsylvania. Forest County was created on April 11, 1848 from Jefferson County, making it a relatively young Pennsylvania county. Probate matters have been handled by Orphans Court since the county was created. Death records from 1893 to 1907 were recorded by the Clerk of Orphans Court. Records from 1906 onward also fall under the state system. One key gap exists: Forest County has no 1852 to 1854 vital records at the State Archives, which sets it apart from some neighboring counties.
Forest County Quick Facts
Forest County Death Index and Early Records
Forest County existed in 1852, just four years after its creation from Jefferson County. However, unlike most other Pennsylvania counties, Forest County is not included in the State Archives collection for the 1852 to 1854 vital registration period. No 1852 to 1854 vital records at the State Archives exist for Forest County. Researchers looking for deaths from that early period should contact the Register of Wills directly to determine if any local records survive from that window.
Death records from 1893 to 1907 were maintained by the Clerk of Orphans Court at the county courthouse in Tionesta. These records cover the period of local vital registration before the state took over in 1906. The Forest County Death Index from 1895 to 1907 is available in the International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. This free resource provides a searchable index of death records from that period and is a useful starting point for researchers before contacting the courthouse directly.
Birth records from 1893 to 1907 are at FamilySearch Library on film 1314246. Marriage licenses from 1885 to 1928 are on films 1314244 through 1314246. These microfilm resources let researchers access Forest County vital records remotely through any FamilySearch Family History Center. Delayed birth records from 1941 to 1976 are also available for Forest County.
Note: County-level records are essential for pre-1906 genealogy research in Forest County, as the 1852 to 1854 records gap leaves only the 1893 to 1907 window as the primary county-level death record source.
Forest County Orphans Court and Probate Records
Probate matters in Forest County have been handled by Orphans Court since the county was founded in 1848. When someone died and left property, the court opened an estate file. Those files often contain the date of death, names of heirs, and descriptions of assets left behind. For periods with no formal death records, probate files are among the most valuable sources a genealogist can use. The combination of probate files and the 1893 to 1907 death index covers much of the county's history.
Forest County is one of Pennsylvania's smallest and least populous counties. Its rural character and small population mean that official records can sometimes be sparse or incomplete. Church records and cemetery records play a larger role in Forest County genealogy than in more urban counties. Local churches often maintained baptism, marriage, and burial registers that predate or supplement official county records. The Tionesta area and the broader Allegheny National Forest region have a history rooted in the lumber industry, and many families in this area trace their roots to that era of settlement.
Researchers with Forest County ancestry should also check Jefferson County records, since Forest County was carved from Jefferson in 1848. Families that moved between the two counties in the mid-1800s may have records in both places. Jefferson County death records and probate files can provide earlier documentation for some Forest County families.
Pennsylvania State Death Records for Forest County
Deaths from 1906 onward in Forest County fall under the state system. The PA State Archives Death Indices cover 1906 to 1975 and are free to search online. The index provides name, county, year, and certificate number. Original death certificates from 1906 to 1974 are held at the State Archives. Digital copies for 1906 to 1972 are on Ancestry.com free for Pennsylvania residents to view.
Certified copies of death certificates from 1906 forward cost $20 each from the PA Division of Vital Records. Orders can be placed online through mycertificates.health.pa.gov using VitalChek, by mail to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103, or by phone at 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516. Statewide registration began in 1906, with general compliance across all counties by about 1915. Some Forest County deaths in the early years of the state system may not have been captured. The PA Health genealogy page explains what information each type of record contains and how to request older records. Death certificates are public 50 years after death, so records through 1975 are now accessible to the public.
Nearby Counties
Forest County borders Venango, Clarion, Jefferson, and Warren counties. Jefferson County is the parent county from which Forest was formed. Checking these neighboring counties may help trace families who moved across county lines.