Montour County Marriage Records Search
Montour County marriage records are held at the courthouse in Danville by the Clerk of Orphans' Court. As one of the smallest counties in Pennsylvania, Montour County has a compact but complete set of marriage records dating back to 1885. The county was formed in 1850 from Columbia County and is named for Madame Montour. Residents of Danville and surrounding areas can search for and request marriage records at the courthouse. This page explains how to access those records.
Montour County Quick Facts
Montour County Courthouse
The Montour County Courthouse in Danville is where all marriage records are kept. The Clerk of Orphans' Court is the office responsible for marriage licenses and certificates. Both parties must appear in person at the courthouse to apply for a new marriage license.
Montour County is small. It has no known history of courthouse disasters, so records have been well preserved since the county was formed. The courthouse handles a modest volume of marriage license applications compared to larger counties in Pennsylvania. This can mean shorter wait times for in-person visits.
The Montour County official website provides general information about county government and departments.
Contact the courthouse for current fees and hours before your visit.
| Office |
Clerk of Orphans' Court Montour County Courthouse Danville, PA 17821 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, business hours |
Note: Montour County does not have an online database for marriage records, so all searches and requests must go through the courthouse.
How to Search Marriage Records
To find a marriage record in Montour County, you can visit the courthouse in Danville or send a written request by mail. The Clerk of Orphans' Court can search their index by name. Provide the full names of both spouses and the approximate year of the marriage.
Under Section 1301 of Title 23, Pennsylvania requires a marriage license before a ceremony can take place. Montour County has issued licenses since 1885, the year this requirement began. All licenses issued since that date are on file at the courthouse.
For mail requests, include your return address and payment. Standard copy fees apply. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope to speed up the process. Staff will search the records and send copies back to you.
Montour County birth and death records from 1893 to 1905 are also available at the county level. After 1905, those records moved to the state Department of Health. Marriage records have stayed at the county level throughout.
Historical Montour County Marriage Records
Montour County was formed on May 3, 1850, from Columbia County. The county is named for Madame Montour, a woman of Indian and French descent who played a prominent role in Indian affairs in the region. Marriage license records begin in 1885, which is when Pennsylvania first required county-level marriage licensing.
For marriages before 1885 in the Montour County area, church records are the primary source. Many churches in the Danville area kept registers of marriages they performed. These records are scattered but some have been collected by historical societies and genealogy organizations.
A valuable resource for pre-county research is the Ancestry collection of Columbia and Montour Counties marriage records from 1828 to 1866. This database contains marriage records from both counties, which is especially important since Montour was part of Columbia County before 1850. If you are looking for a marriage that took place in the Danville area before 1850, the record would be under Columbia County.
The Pennsylvania State Archives may also hold related materials for Montour County. Church records available through FamilySearch include Pennsylvania Church Marriages from 1682 to 1976 and Pennsylvania Civil Marriages from 1677 to 1950. The FamilySearch Pennsylvania County Marriages collection from 1885 to 1950 includes Montour County records.
Note: Because Montour County was part of Columbia County until 1850, any marriage records from before that date will be found in Columbia County files.
Getting a Marriage License
Both parties must visit the Montour County Courthouse in Danville to apply for a marriage license. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Under Section 1303 of Title 23, there is a three-day waiting period after the license is issued. It then remains valid for 60 days.
A license from Montour County can be used anywhere in Pennsylvania. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed license to the Montour County courthouse. The Clerk of Orphans' Court then records it. This creates the official marriage record.
Contact the courthouse for the current license fee. Fees in Pennsylvania include a county portion, a state writ tax, and contributions to the domestic violence and children's funds as set by state law.
Copies of Marriage Certificates
Certified copies of Montour County marriage records are available from the Clerk of Orphans' Court. You may need a certified copy to change your name, update government records, or prove a marriage for legal or financial purposes. Standard copy fees apply. Contact the office for the current rate.
Under Section 1307 of Title 23, the clerk who issues a marriage license must maintain a record of it. This means every marriage license processed through the Montour County office since 1885 is on file and available.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health also issues marriage certificates for $20 per copy. These state certificates cover marriages from 1906 to the present. You can order by mail from the Division of Vital Records at PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. For the full license document, contact Montour County directly.
The Unified Judicial System Portal can be used to search for court records across Pennsylvania.
The UJS Portal primarily covers recent court filings, but it may help locate some Montour County records.
Research Resources
Several resources can help with Montour County marriage record research. The State Archives vital statistics page has information about records available on microfilm. The Library of Congress Pennsylvania genealogy guide lists other archives and libraries where vital records can be found.
For the brief period of statewide registration from 1852 to 1854, some Montour County marriages may appear in the state records held at the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg. The CDC guide for Pennsylvania vital records is another helpful reference for understanding where different types of records are kept.
Under Section 1309 of Title 23, certain exceptions to the standard marriage license rules may apply. The Montour County Clerk of Orphans' Court can explain how these apply in your situation.
Nearby Counties
Montour County is a small county in central Pennsylvania. If you are searching for a marriage record and are not sure which county holds it, check where the license was issued. These neighboring counties may have the record you need.