1. FAMILY SURNAME ($65.00, includes postage and up to 8 photocopies; additional copies will be billed): Our surname search is limited to the ancestors and descendants of one person (line) (for example, a grandfather, uncle, parent) of one surname, not everyone with that surname. We do our best to identify the grandparents, parents, children, and other spouses and children we can. Researching the families of both a husband and a wife would constitute two surname searches and would cost $130 (one for the "Jones" family of the husband and one for the "Smith" family of the wife). We check all of our resources that apply to your line and make copies of all pertinent information. When more than 8 copies result, we will contact you for payment of the additional charge (.25 per page) before sending you our results. (We apologize for any extra delay this may cause.  However, an increasing number of people do not send their final payments, and we can no longer absorb the extra expenses.)

Click here to fill out the Surname Request form

2. NEWSPAPER/FILE LOOKUP ($6.00, plus SASE): Given both the month and the year, we will check our newspaper archives for notices of births, marriages, and deaths.  Note that births, in general, were not announced in the newspaper until the 1890s, and very rarely was the child's name given (being mentioned only as a boy, girl, or child).  Because of the time it takes to conduct this search, the fee is not refundable when we cannot find the information requested.

Click here to fill out the Lookup Request form

3. COURTHOUSE VISIT ($15.00, postage and copies included): We can look up deeds, naturalization records, or death registrations in the County Courthouse records.

Click here to fill out the Other Request form

4. TAX RECORDS ($15.00, postage and copies included): We will search the tax rolls (pre-1850 are part of our records, post-1850 are at the courthouse) for a specific property.

Click here to fill out the Other Request form

5. SPECIAL REQUEST (fee to be determined): Research on local history topics, history of a property, and anything not covered in the categories above will be evaluated by staff. If we determine that the specialty search will take more than the usual time spent with our resources and at the courthouse, we will charge a $100 fee (which will include postage and copying).

Click here to fill out the Other Request form

All research request fees are required at the time of the request.

PHOTOCOPIES: Because of damage to books, copyright laws and restrictions, and shortage of staff, we will not copy (or allow to be copied) certain published or large manuscript genealogies. Copies made in the course of research are 25 cents per page.

OFFICIAL RECORDS: We have no original birth, marriage, or death certificates; wills or estate papers; naturalization papers; tax records; and so forth.  These are kept at the Susquehanna County Courthouse (Montrose, PA 18801).  Marriage records are available from 1885 to present, and birth and death records are available from 1893 to 1906.

Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for a completed research request.

See Research Sources Available at the S.C.H.S. for detailed information on the Society's holdings, including complete lists of our surname files, family genealogies, town and county histories, and CD and microfilm collections.

See Become a Member and Publications for Sale.