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ADAMS COUNTY
Pennsylvania, USA

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Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 91,292. It was created on January 22, 1800 from part of York County and named in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams. Its county seat is Gettysburg^.

Adams County was originally included within the ample limits of Chester County. Soon after the settlement of Pennsylvania by William Penn, 1682, the Province was divided by its proprietor, into three counties, Bucks, Chester and Philadelphia. Lancaster County was separated from Chester by Act of May 10, 1729, and was the first county established subsequent to the formation of the three original counties. The first division of Lancaster County was by act of August 9, 1749, when York County was separated from it. York, which then included what is now Adams, was the first county erected west of the Susquehanna River, and embraced all that territory bounded on the west and north by the South Mountain, on the east by the Susquehanna, and on the south by Maryland. The county being very large, and the distance from the upper end to the county seat being great, a movement looking to the formation of a new county was set on foot as early as 1790. Much feeling was soon developed in reference to this matter. Those living within easy reach of the old county town manifested their selfishness by violently opposing the measure, while those residing within the limits of the proposed new county were just as active and zealous in favor of the separation. Public meetings were held petitions for and remonstrances against the erection of a new county were industriously circulated, signers to each obtained, and presented to the Legislature. Finally after ten years of contention and strife, the separation took place by virtue of an act of Assembly dated January 22, 1800. The new county was named Adams, in honor of John Adams, who as President of the United States from 1797 to 1801. The commissioners to mark and run the line dividing Adams from York county were Jacob Spangler, deputy surveyor of York county, Samuel Sloan, deputy surveyor of Adams county, and William Waugh.

The following counties lie adjacent to Adams county: Cumberland County (north); York County (east); Carroll County, Maryland (southeast); Frederick County, Maryland (southwest); and Franklin County (west).

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COUNTY RECORDS

Adams County Register of Wills/ Orphan's Court Clerk has Marriage Records from 1800 and Probate Records from 1800 and is located at 111-117 Baltimore Street, Room 102, Gettysburg, PA 17325; Phone: (717) 337-9826, Fax: (717) 334-1758 .

Adams County Recorder of Deeds has Land Records from 1800 and is located at 111-117 Baltimore Street, Room 102, Gettysburg, PA 17325; Phone: (717) 337-9826, Fax: (717) 334-1758 .

Adams County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1800 and is located at Adams County Courthouse, Room 103, 111-117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg PA 17325;phone: 717-337-9806, fax: 717-334-9333.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Pennsylvania Marriages to 1790 , Pennsylvania Marriages to 1810, Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-73, Philadelphia, 1789-1880 Naturalization Records, and Early Pennsylvania Land Records .

HISTORICAL / GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY(s)

Historical Society Of Pennsylvania. 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Phone: 215-732-6200, Fax: 215-732-2680
South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, Address: PO Box 1824, York, PA 17405, Phone: 717-843-6169; email: [email protected] Contact: Pat Gross

Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, 4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh 15213

Directory of Pennsylvania Genealogical, Historical and Preservation Societies

Adams County Historical Society, Box 4325, Gettysburg, PA 17325, http://www.achs-pa.org/

LIBRARIES

State Library of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Avenue and Walnut Street, P.O. Box 1601, Harrisburg, PA 17105-1601

Adams County Library System. ( Gettysburg, PA United States) [web site ] [online catalog]

Gettysburg Library. ( Gettysburg, PA United States) [web site ] [online catalog]

Gettysburg College. Mussleman Library. ( Gettysburg, PA United States) [web site ] [online catalog]

Lutheran Theological Seminary. Abdel Ross Wentz Library. ( Gettysburg, PA United States) [web site ] [online catalog]

HISTORICAL PLACES

Your LINK to the Historical Places and Districts in ADAMS County

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

National Park Service

National Historic Landmarks

National Battlefields

National Historic Sites

National Historical Parks

National Memorials

National Monuments

Surnames

surnames

The following are names of persons, found within our databases,

as having been either born, married or died in this location.

To find out more about each surname listed above click on the corresponding LINK.

McVicker; Moreland; Pinnell; Scruggs and allied families

Bozarth; Peiffer; Quigley; Rhubart and allied families

Platt

Dellinger; Knecht; Pfeffer; Silar and allied families

Additional information regarding these and other surnames may also be found at:

Surname Locator Resources

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ancestral gen-sites

FAMILY HISTORY NOTES

GEN-SITE PROFILE(s)

Bliss Farm Site; Cemetery Ridge; East Cavalry Field; National Cemetery

Bliss Farm Site

LOCATION: Map Link

39° 48′ 31″ N, 77° 14′ 12″ W

Country: United States; State: Pennsylvania; County: Adams;

Place: Gettysburg National Military Park

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for larger image

DESCRIPTION: Bliss Farm Monument

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE: Marks the location where Charles Rhubart and Samuel Platt were involved in the attempt by the 12^th NJ to dislodge Confederate forces at the Bliss Barn. Platt was killed during this engagement.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): The Battle of Gettysburg: The site of the Bliss Farm; Gettysburg Bliss Farm Monuments; Battle of Gettysburg: Fury at Bliss Farm; Gettysburg Daily | Struggle for the Bliss Farm

Cemetery Ridge

LOCATION: Map Link

39° 48′ 31″ N, 77° 14′ 12″ W

Country: United States; State: Pennsylvania; County: Adams;

Place: Gettysburg National Military Park

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for larger image

DESCRIPTION: 12^th New Jersey Volunteers Monument

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE: Samuel Platt, and Charles Rhubart both Privates in the 12^th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment fought as members of this unit during the Battle of Gettysburg.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): 12th New Jersey Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg; Draw the Sword (and Throw Away the Scabbard) » Archives »; 12th Regiment New Jersey Volunteers Marker

East Cavalry Field

LOCATION: Map Link

39° 48′ 31″ N, 77° 14′ 12″ W

Country: United States; State: Pennsylvania; County: Adams;

Place: Gettysburg National Military Park Directions: Located a little more than three miles east of Gettysburg along Hanover Road.

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for larger image

DESCRIPTION: Fitzhugh Lee’s Brigade Marker

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE: Marks the location of where Joseph A., James E., Samuel M. and William P. Scruggs as part of the 1^st and 2^nd Virginia Cavalry engaged Union cavalry during the third day of the battle.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Gettysburg National Military Park Virtual Tour Stop#22- East Cavalry Field; Battle of Gettysburg, Third Day cavalry battles - Wikipedia; East Cavalry Field

National Cemetery

LOCATION: Map Link

39° 48′ 31″ N, 77° 14′ 12″ W

Country: United States; State: Pennsylvania; County: Adams;

Place: Gettysburg National Military Park Directions: 97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325, located in New Jersey section.

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for larger image

DESCRIPTION: Burial place of O. Samuel Platt, O.S. Platt Burial Marker

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE: O. Samuel Platt, Private in the 12^th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Soldiers National Cemetery at Gettysburg National Military Park; Gettysburg National Cemetery - Wikipedia; Gettysburg PA National Park - Gettysburg National Cemetery

populated places

Populated
Places

The Red Star in the map designates the location of the seat of government for this county. Yellow Stars designates county seats in adjacent counties. A Purple Dot shows the location of identified ancestral Gen-Site(s).

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The list below will assist in your research regarding the matching of your ancestor’s birth, marriage, death dates and the place within this locality at which these events may have occurred.

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships,

and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Adams County:

Boroughs: Abbottstown; Arendtsville; Bendersville; Biglerville; Bonneauville; Carroll Valley; East Berlin; Fairfield; Gettysburg; Littlestown; McSherrystown; New Oxford; York Springs;

Townships: Berwick Township; Butler Township; Conewago Township; Cumberland Township; Franklin Township; Freedom Township; Germany Township; Hamilton Township; Hamiltonban Township; Highland Township; Huntington Township; Latimore Township; Liberty Township; Menallen Township; Mount Joy Township; Mount Pleasant Township; Oxford Township; Reading Township; Straban Township; Tyrone Township; Union Township

Census-designated places: Bendersville Station-Aspers; Cashtown-McKnightstown; Hampton

For more information about the

U.S. State in which this county

is located click on the LINK:

PENNSYLVANIA

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GENERAL RESOURCES

· Our Genealogy Reference Library (USA Locations)

· Genealogy Forum: U.S. States

· Family Search, IGI Batches, Localities

· Genealogy.com: Resources by county

· Rootsweb.com - Localities

· Cyndi's List - General U.S. Sites

· Family History 101

LOCALITY SPECIFIC RESOURCES

· Adams County (Family History 101.com)

· KindredTrails.com - Adams County

· RootsWeb - Adams County

· USGenWeb - Adams County

OUR GENEALOGY REFERENCE LIBRARY

The following Link will take you to our library of genealogy reference books. Here you may find books about the history and records of this county and other places such as towns and churches. The collection also contains research works about military units and personnel during America’s wars, in addition too resource texts about the ethnic and religious groups who may have settled in this locality.

U.S.A. Locations Library - States, Counties, & Localities

Gallery

Image Gallery

During our research we have collected images and photographs that are of general interest to a variety of localities. Some of them are presented on this website because we believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives.

If you have any photographs or other images relating to this ancestral

location, we would greatly appreciate hearing from you.

Use the following LINK to ascertain whether we have any images that pertain to this location.

ANCESTRAL LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES

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Contact information

Email

Snail mail:

Fred
889 Dante Ct.
Mantua, NJ 08051

USA

Email

Pony Express:

Tom
27 Christopher Dr.
Burton, NB E2V3H4
Canada