MONROE COUNTY, PA HISTORY AND LOOKUP
Table of Contents
- In-Print County History Books
- Free Public Domain County History Books
- Related Books
- Concise County History
- Comments & Suggestion
In-Print County History Books
These titles are currently in print and selected for their relevance to local and county history. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Free County History Books
This section features a curated collection of county history books sourced from public domain archives. Each book provides valuable insights into local history and heritage. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s public domain resource.
History of Northampton, Lehigh, Monroe, Carbon, and Schuylkill Counties, Penssylvania by I. Daniel Rupp, James Young, John Van Etten, James Burd, (1845) – 600 Pages
This volume presents a regional history covering multiple counties, emphasizing early settlement, migration patterns, and the formation of communities. It highlights the cultural diversity of settlers and traces the development of institutions, industries, and local governance. The narrative blends historical storytelling with descriptive accounts, serving as a foundational source for understanding northeastern Pennsylvania’s early growth.
History of Wayne, Pike and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania by Alfred Mathews, (1886) – 434 Pages
This is a detailed regional history covering Wayne, Pike, and Monroe Counties, tracing settlement, civic development, and economic growth from frontier times through the late 19th century. It emphasizes early pioneers, natural resource use, and the formation of towns and institutions, while providing biographical sketches of influential residents. The work combines narrative history with documentary evidence, making it both a historical chronicle and genealogical resource.
History of Northampton, Lehigh, Monroe, Carbon, Schuylkill by I. Daniel Rupp, (1845) – 1136 Pages
This volume presents a regional history covering multiple counties, emphasizing early settlement, migration patterns, and the formation of communities. It highlights the cultural diversity of settlers and traces the development of institutions, industries, and local governance. The narrative blends historical storytelling with descriptive accounts, serving as a foundational source for understanding northeastern Pennsylvania’s early growth.
History of Wayne, Pike and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania by Alfred Mathews, (1886) – 1368 Pages
This is a detailed regional history covering Wayne, Pike, and Monroe Counties, tracing settlement, civic development, and economic growth from frontier times through the late 19th century. It emphasizes early pioneers, natural resource use, and the formation of towns and institutions, while providing biographical sketches of influential residents. The work combines narrative history with documentary evidence, making it both a historical chronicle and genealogical resource.
Related Books
This section highlights additional county and local history titles that complement the main collection. These books are selected for their relevance, historical value, and research usefulness. Click anywhere on the book listing below, and each listing links directly to the corresponding resource or purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Monroe County, Pennsylvania: A Genealogical Overview
As a key county within Pennsylvania’s popular Pocono Mountains region, Monroe County has a rich history shaped by early settlement patterns, natural resource-based industries, and the rise of tourism. Its formation from two older, large counties creates a specific path for genealogical research that requires looking beyond its current boundaries for the earliest records.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Monroe County’s creation from its parent counties is crucial for locating the correct pre-1836 records.
- Pre-1752: Bucks County: The land that would become Monroe was originally part of Bucks County, one of Pennsylvania’s three original counties.
- 1752-1836: Northampton County: The area was part of the vast Northampton County upon its creation. As settlement pushed northward, the region was administered from Easton.
- 1814-1836: Pike County Influence: The northern townships of modern-day Monroe County were temporarily part of Pike County when it was formed from Northampton County.
- 1836: Monroe County Formed: Monroe County was officially created on April 1, 1836, from parts of Northampton County and Pike County. Stroudsburg was named the county seat. From this year forward, its government and court systems were established.
Summary for Genealogists:
- Prior to 1836: Records for ancestors in this area will primarily be found in Northampton County, PA. For those in the northern townships, records between 1814 and 1836 may be in Pike County, PA.
- 1836 – Present: It is Monroe County, PA. All records created from its formation forward are held by the county itself.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The region was the ancestral home of the Lenape (also known as the Delaware) people.
- Early European Settlement: The first European settlers were primarily Dutch and Huguenot families moving south from the Hudson River Valley in New York and New Jersey. They were followed by German, English, and Scots-Irish settlers moving north from the Lehigh Valley. Early life was focused on agriculture, hunting, and trapping.
- Economic Development: The county’s economy was initially driven by its vast forests, leading to major lumbering and tanning industries in the 19th century. As the forests were cleared, agriculture remained important. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the county’s natural beauty gave rise to the resort and tourism industry for which the Poconos are famous, served by multiple railroad lines.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides the practical information needed to locate ancestral records specific to the county.
- Courthouse and Government Center: Records are maintained at the county level.
- Monroe County Courthouse: Located at 610 Monroe Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. This is the primary repository for county records from 1836 to the present. The Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans’ Court holds wills, probate records, and marriage records (from 1885). The Prothonotary holds civil court records, and the Recorder of Deeds holds land records.
- Parent County Records: For the earliest records (pre-1836), researchers must consult the archives of Northampton County (in Easton) and Pike County (in Milford).
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration began in 1906. All official certificates from 1906 to the present must be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. Records for births and deaths between 1893 and 1905 are held at the Monroe County Courthouse.
- Marriage Records: Marriage licenses from 1885 to the present are held by the Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans’ Court at the Monroe County Courthouse.
- Historical Societies and Libraries:
- Monroe County Historical Association: Located at 900 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. This is the most important resource for anyone with roots in the county. Their research library contains an extensive collection of genealogical materials, including family files, local histories, maps, photographs, church and cemetery records, and local newspapers.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Carbon County (west)
- Luzerne County (northwest)
- Lackawanna County (north)
- Wayne County (north)
- Pike County (east)
- Northampton County (south)
- Warren County, New Jersey (east)