Pennsylvania, Published Archives Series, 1664–1902

This database contains 118 volumes of compiled Pennsylvania records from the state’s early days as an English possession through the end of the 19th century.

About the Records

In the case of this database, the Pennsylvania Archives is not a building; it’s a collection of early Pennsylvania records, 1664–1902, selected, transcribed, and compiled into 138 published volumes, of which 118 are included in this database. The books were compiled and published over the course of almost 100 years in 10 groups, or series, and contain military, tax, marriage, naturalization, and land records, as well as diaries, government correspondence, election returns, and many other documents from Pennsylvania and American history. Each volume’s chapters can be browsed as you would read a book, and many of the volumes and series include indexes. This database includes series 1–9 (with the exception of series 3, volume 4). It does not contain the unnumbered Colonial Records series.

The series break down as follows:

First Series (ca. 1664–1790, 12 vols.)

Includes selected papers from the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Second Series (ca. 1641–1825, 19 vols.)

Contains a wide variety of documents, including military records, militia rolls, church records, marriage records, names of people naturalized, boundary disputes, papers related to the Revolutionary War (including muster rolls and journals) and the War of 1812 and the Whisky Rebellion, among others.

Third Series (ca. 1730–1898, 30 vols.)

Includes military and property records: militia rolls, land warrantees, minutes of the Board of Property, Revolutionary War account statements, tax lists.

Fourth Series (ca. 1681–1902, 12 vols.)

A collection of governors’ papers that includes addresses, proclamations, and other items, as well as brief biographies.

Fifth Series (ca. 1743–1785, 8 vols.)

Military records from the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, including muster rolls, letters of marque, abstracts of pension applications, and enlistment papers.

Sixth Series (ca. 1734–1847, 16 vols.)

Military records from the Revolutionary War through the Mexican War, as well as church and government records: muster rolls, War of 1812 records, election returns, baptisms, marriages.

Seventh Series (5 vols.)

An index to the sixth series.

Eighth Series (1682–1776, 8 vols.)

Reprint of Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Province of Pennsylvania, 1682–1776.

Ninth Series (ca. 1790–1838, 10 vols.)

Material from 15 manuscript volumes of colonial records of Pennsylvania, 1790–1838, including official actions of the state’s governors.