Crawford County, Pennsylvania


Courthouse
ADOPTIONS
INTRODUCTION

Adoption was unknown to the common law, and thus required an act of the legislature (statutory adoption) or, after 1855, decree by a common pleas court (judicial adoption).  The purpose was often for providing inheritance rights to and from children born out of wedlock.

An alternative solution was to have the child declared legitimate by special act of the state legislature (statutory legitimation).  Special provision could also be made for illegitimate children whose parents were no longer living, and whose estates had consequently escheated or would escheat to the Commonwealth (escheated estates released).

Some adoptions and legitimations resulted in changing the individual’s name.  All name changes by statute or, for Crawford County, judicial decree are also being compiled.


STATUTORY ADOPTIONS Introduction List Transcripts
JUDICIAL ADOPTIONS
Crawford County only
Introduction List Abstracts
BASEBORN CHILDREN
Crawford County only
Introduction List Abstracts
STATUTORY LEGITIMIZATIONS Introduction List Transcripts
ESCHEATED ESTATES RELEASED Introduction List Transcripts
STATUTORY NAME CHANGES Introduction List Transcripts
JUDICIAL NAME CHANGES
Crawford County only
Introduction List Transcripts