Guide to the Records of the Allegheny County (PA) Recorder of Deeds Office, 1769-1919

Arrangement

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Records of the Allegheny County (PA) Recorder of Deeds Office
Creator
Allegheny County (PA) Recorder of Deeds Office
Collection Number
MSS#256
Extent
9 cubic feet (19 boxes)
Date
1769-1919
Abstract
Allegheny County is located in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is the county seat and the largest city in Allegheny County. These records include title abstracts, mortgage certificates, tax liens, and certificates of land conveyance.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
This guide to the collection was originally prepared by J. Savine on February 20, 1997. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in Spring, 2002.
Sponsor
This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

History

Allegheny County is located in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is the county seat and the largest city in Allegheny County.

Scope and Content Notes

These records include title abstracts, mortgage certificates, tax liens, and certificates of land conveyance. For both series the deeds are arranged by the last name listed in the ownership history. The names that appear on the folders are no the only names mentioned in the document. Some properties had only two owners while others had close to sixty. The names listed on the folders are also not necessarily the only people to own that property during the cited years. Often the property was divided and purchased by different parties. To make research easier the documents have been arranged geographically by borough, township and ward. In 1907 Pittsburgh annexed Allegheny City. In that year ward numbers were changed to accommodate this large addition. The ward numbers that appear on the folders are the numbers assigned after the annexation.

This collection is incomplete. There are sections missing from the 2nd ward, the 10th ward, the 13th ward and the 19th to the 24th ward. The records for the surrounding townships are also very limited. These deeds should not be considered a complete record of land transactions in Allegheny County, but they are a substantial sampling. Several different types of documents are in the collection. Some provide extensive information about the property while others contain information on the owner. Many significant Pittsburghers appear in the records including Jacob Negley, Thomas Mellon, Alexander Watkins, Charles McKnight, John Roup, and the Baum Family. The Pennsylvania College for Women, Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, and the 2nd Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh also appear.

Arrangement

The Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds records are arranged in two series. Series I deals with the records of townships and Series II deals with the records of the city of Pittsburgh.

The Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds records are housed in 19 archival boxes.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These items came in one accession in 1975.

Acc# A-75-124 Gift of anonymous donor.

Preferred Citation

Records of the Allegheny County (PA) Recorder of Deeds Office, 1769-1919, MSS# 256, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania

Processing Information

This collection was processed by J. Savine on February 20, 1997.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Doug MacGregor on December 27, 2001.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Allegheny County (PA) Recorder of Deeds Office
    • Pennsylvania College for Women (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Philadelphia Savings Fund Society
    • Second Presbyterian Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

    Personal Names

    • McKnight, Charles, 1863-1925
    • Mellon, Thomas, 1813-1908
    • Roup, John
    • Watkins, Alexander

    Geographic Names

    • Allegheny County (Pa.) -- History
    • Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- History
    • Wilkinsburg (Pa.) -- History

    Other Subjects

    • Deeds -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
    • Land titles -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
    • Mortgages -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
    • Real property -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
    • Tax liens -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
    • Deeds -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Land titles -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Mortgages -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Real property -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Tax liens -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh

Container List