LANCASTER COUNTY RECORDS

Major collections in the Archives

Administrators Accounts

Accounts of administrators, executors or guardians, showing court term and case number; names of decedent, fiduciary, attorney, and judge; assets; receipts and expenditures; balance on hand; dates; amounts; totals; affidavit of fiduciary; dates filed and confirmed by court; and volume and page of recording in Account Book. (1732-1749 filed with Estate Inventories.) 1750-1901. Surnames beginning with A through E may be searched on the in-house database.

Appearance Dockets

Record of civil court proceedings, showing court term and case number, names of plaintiff and defendant, attorneys presiding, type and nature of instrument, cause of action, and disposition. Arranged chronologically by court term. This is an index to the NARRS. 1729-1843.

Commissioners' Orders

Canceled orders issued to treasurer by commissioners for payment by treasurer, showing date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, signatures of county commissioners, and endorsement of payee. These include payments for Poor Children, Coroners’ Inquests, Court House, and Almshouse. No index. 1812-1901, incomplete. Orders are searchable on the in-house database.

Continuance Dockets

Record of proceedings in the Court of Common Pleas, showing court term and case number, names of the parties and presiding attorneys, cause of action, disposition, and date filed. Arranged chronologically by date filed. 1751-1811.

Defendant Index

Index to the Appearance Dockets, showing names of defendant and plaintiff, court term, and case number. Arranged alphabetically by surname of defendant. 1773-1896.

Estate Inventories

Inventories of estates showing name of decedent, date, itemized list of goods and chattels, appraised valuation, and signatures and affidavits of appraisers. 1729-1913. Surname, date, and municipality may be searched on the in-house database.
Indictments: True bills returned by the grand jury in criminal cases showing date; court term and case number; names of defendant and attorney; date and character of paper; charge; plea; disposition; and date filed. Arranged chronologically by court term. 1745-1767, 1794-1878. 1881-1900 may be searched on the in-house database.

Liquor License Papers

Petitions and bonds show date; court term and case number; name and address of petitioner; location and type of business; signatures of applicant and supporters; approval; and date filed. Arranged by year filed and then by municipality. No index. 1802-1965, incomplete. 1802-1827 may be searched on the in-house database.
Marriage Applications and Consent Forms: 1894-1942, incomplete. Documents may be searched on the in-house database.

Marriage License Applications

Applications show number; date filed; and names, addresses, signatures, and previous marital status of contracting parties. Arranged numerically by application number. No index.

Consents to Marriage License

Petitions of parents or guardian giving consent for child or ward to marry, showing date of petition; date and place of birth; names, signatures, and affidavits of parents or guardian and minor; and certificate number. No index.

MISS (Miscellaneous Orphans Court Proceedings)

Abstracts of proceedings and various papers involving property disputes and guardianship, showing court term and case number, names of parties, cause for action, and disposition. 1730-1917.

NARRS (Appearance Files)

Papers filed in civil proceedings, showing court term and case number, names of parties, nature of plea, disposition, official seal and signatures, and date filed. Arranged by court term and case number. 1750-1865.

Plaintiff Index

Index to the Appearance Dockets. Gives names of plaintiff and defendant, court term, and case number. Arranged alphabetically by surname of plaintiff. 1741-1887.

Quarter Sessions Docket

Record of proceedings in Quarter Sessions Court, showing court term and case number, names of parties, charge, costs, and disposition. Arranged chronologically by court term. 1729-1901, incomplete.

Quarter Sessions Papers

Papers filed in Quarter Sessions Court showing court term and case number, names of parties and attorneys, date of hearing, charge, and date filed. Arranged chronologically by court term. 1745-1901. 1890-1899 may be searched on the in-house database.