Justice of the Peace Docket (No. 2)

Samuel Vanatta, Francis Drake, M. E. Ealy, et al, "Justice of the Peace Docket," docket entries 1840s-1860s, loose papers through 1920s, Richhill Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania; held by Greene County Clerk of Court's Office, Courthouse, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 2016. Item no. GCCH-AN003-0002-0000, Greene County Courthouse Collection, Greene Connections Archives Project (www.GreeneConnections.com).

FULL COLOR scan have been posted, but GRAYSCALE scans are also available for comparison. Some pages may be easier to read in grayscale due to contrast.

Provenance:

Donated to the Greene County Clerk of Courts Office, Courthouse, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. No record of donor maintained. It appears that the docket book was passed down from one JP to the next, thus covering a large span of years and including entries from more than one person. Francis Drake is identified as having performed a set of marriages beginning 5 July 1863, but the twenty years of entries prior to that are uncredited in the docket itself. A letter included in the loose papers, was written by M. E. Ealy, who was one of the later JPs to have possession of the book. In the letter, Ealy states that the docket had once belonged to Samuel Vanatta. He credits Vanatta with an 1862 nuptial. Vanatta is likely responsible for others of the early entries as well. Other clues in the docket suggest John T. Poland may have also been a previous owner.

Due to the fact that Pennsylvania did not officially record marriages until 1885 at the Courthouse, the records in this docket are an invaluable record for family history.

In addition to marriages, this JP docket includes criminal matters. Please review these with the understanding that genealogical research requires an open mind. Ancestors were human too. Each should be remembered and treated respectfully, but also with an unbiased examination of the facts. These records have the potential to provide useful clues and details regarding family alignments, everyday life, biographical profiles, and more.

Record specifications:

Justice of the Peace dockets are not typically maintained by the Clerk of Courts Office. This book is in the custody of the office due to donation by the JP or his heirs. As a result, the Clerk of Courts may not issue certified copies of any of these records. In an effort to make the rare material in these dockets available, they are being scanned and transcribed on volunteer time for sharing via the Greene Connections: Greene County, Pennsylvania Archives Project.

Record Images and Transcript:

This entire docket book has been scanned cover to cover, including loose papers found inside. As volunteer time permits, these records will also be transcribed and indexed.