Library & Research

Research Services

Need help with your historical research or family genealogy? Our friendly and knowledgeable team of research assistants is ready to help you uncover Schuylkill County’s history.

In-person research available by appointment only.

  • Members: Free unassisted research. $10 per hour for assisted.

  • Non-members: $25 per day for unassisted research. $20 per hour for assisted research.

Can’t make it to the library? For a pre-paid fee, we can investigate materials available in our collections and respond to your historical or genealogical research requests.

 
Request for General Research
Request for Genealogy Research
 

While we cannot guarantee results, we will make every effort to help you by documenting all sources consulted during our research. Staff and volunteers will indicate if additional research time is needed, and we will often note where further information can be found.

We answer research requests on a first come, first serve basis. We do our best to respond to requests within 2 to 3 weeks, but make take longer during busy seasons.

If you have additional questions about SCHC’s Personalized Research Service, please contact us at research@schuylkillhistory.org

Copying and Reproduction Services

For research purposes, visitors can make photocopies or take images of books, newspaper clippings, and manuscripts under fair use law.

    • Letter and legal size pages: $0.50

    • Ledger size pages: $0.75

    • Color letter and legal size pages: $1.00

    • Color ledger size pages: $2.00

    • Photos on quality photo paper, $10 members, $20 for non-members.

  • Researchers may take unlimited number of images with a camera, phone, or tablet. Camera licensing does not apply to the Society’s photo collection.

    • One-day camera Fee: $5.00

    • Annual camera Fee (members only): $25.00

Records Available

Below is a list of the records available at the Schuylkill County Historical Society.

    • Local newspapers

    • Wills and estate files

    • Marriage dockets

    • Naturalization papers

    • Delayed birth certificates

    • Miscellaneous Orphan’s Court records

    • Local newspapers

    • Scanned copies of church and cemetery records

    • Index to wills

    • Index to naturalization papers

    • Miscellaneous biographies and memoirs

    • Miscellaneous local interest

    • County history

    • Town/township history

    • Church history

    • Military history and miscellaneous records

    • Mining

    • Yearbooks

    • Family files and books/binders

    • Church and Cemetery records

    • Business Directories

    • Telephone directories

    • Social Security index

    • Miscellaneous vital records books

    • Will Books for Dauphin and Berks County

    • Index of newspaper announcements for Miner’s Journal

    • Coroner’s abstracts

    • Collection of street, topographical, and various other maps available on 3rd floor. 

      • Index available.

    • Collections of information by subject. No archival records.

    • Available in photo department on 2nd floor and searchable on PastPerfect

    • Available in objects department on 2nd floor and searchable on PastPerfect

    • Newspapers.com

    • Ancestry

      • Fold3, specifically military records accessed via ancestry log in.

    • National Archives

      • Census and military records, among others

    • Miscellaneous mining ledgers

      • Located on library shelves

      • Not indexed

    • Reading Company Employee Records

      • Select miscellaneous employee records

      • Archival boxes in library

      • Index in progress- not cataloged

    • Christopher Loeser papers

      • 34 volumes. Coal and mining, railroads, canals, land cases, letters, early agreements. C. Loeser (1793-1865) acted as legal adviser to many mining companies during his long professional career.

      • Located on microfilm and on 3rd floor landing

      • Index available via card catalog

    • Molly Maguire Collection

      • Trial transcripts, general history, etc.

      • Located in photo room on 2nd floor

      • Has an incomplete finding aid in drawer

    • Civil War Pension Records

      • Miscellaneous individuals

      • Located in photo room

      • Index in top container- not cataloged

    • Schuylkill Co. District Attorney Case Files

      • Miscellaneous cases from the 1930s

      • cabinet in library

      • Index in drawer- not cataloged

    • Garden Club of Pottsville- archival box in library

      • Memorabilia and programs

      • Located in archival box in library

      • Not indexed or cataloged

    • McAdoo Catholic Churches

      • Programs and memorabilia 

      • Located in archival boxes in library

      • Not indexed or cataloged

    • Pottsville Maroons

      • Miscellaneous memorabilia

      • Located in photo room

      • Not indexed or cataloged

    • Yost Papers*

      • State legislation, state lottery, appointment as judge of Schuylkill County, national legislation, war of 1812, news from New Orleans in 1815, stone quarries and stone coal

      • Located in filing cabinet in library

      • Cataloged on past perfect and via card catalog

    • Benjamin Christ Papers*

      • Sheriff of Schuylkill County. Sales Conditions 1817-1820, sheriff sales 1813-1823, sale inventories 1813-1823

      • Located in filing cabinet in library

      • Cataloged on past perfect and via card catalog

    • GAR Records*

      • Mostly member applications

      • Located in filing cabinet in library

      • Cataloged on past perfect and via card catalog

    • General Manuscripts*

      • Miscellaneous records, including land tracts, legal documents, letters, etc.

      • filing cabinet in library

      • Cataloged on past perfect and via card catalog

    • Papers of the North American Coal Company 1862-1827*

      •  The American Coal Company owned seven anthracite coal mines in Schuylkill County. The papers of the company include invoices from suppliers, contractors, accounting records, and board meeting minutes

      • Located in filing cabinet in library

      • Cataloged on past perfect and via card catalog

    • Papers of Judge Edwin Owen Parry*

      • Admitted to the Schuylkill Co. Bar in 1829, drew up the borough charter and ordinances of Pottsville in 1831. He was also appointed President Judge of Schuylkill Co. in 1862.

      • Located in filing cabinet in library

      • Cataloged on past perfect and via card catalog

    • Papers of John Wharton*

      • Philadelphia merchant. Large collection of 18th and 19th century documents. Early deeds of coal lands in Schuylkill County prior to 1800 purchased by people in Philadelphia.

      • Located in filing cabinet in library

      • Cataloged on past perfect and via card catalog