Revolutionary War

Pennsylvania in the Revolutionary Era: A Researcher's Overview

Denyse Allen

22 Feb 2026 • 6 min read

Pennsylvania was the political and military center of the American Revolution. The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. The Declaration of Independence was signed here. Valley Forge, Brandywine, and Germantown were fought on Pennsylvania soil. If your ancestor lived in Pennsylvania between 1765 and 1790, the Revolution shaped their life — whether they fought, stayed home, or left the state entirely.

Researching Revolutionary-era Pennsylvania ancestors is both rewarding and complex. The records are rich but scattered across county courthouses, the Pennsylvania State Archives, the National Archives, and even British archives. There was no statewide vital registration until 1906, so church records, tax lists, militia rolls, and pension files become your primary sources. This overview covers what records exist, where to find them, and how the war affected every group in the state.

Who Was in Pennsylvania During the Revolution?

Pennsylvania was the most ethnically diverse of the thirteen colonies. By 1776, its population included English Quakers who had founded the colony in 1682, Welsh settlers concentrated in the "Welsh Tract" of southeastern Pennsylvania, massive German-speaking communities — Palatines, Mennonites, Amish, Moravians, Reformed, and Lutherans — who made up roughly a third of the population, Scots-Irish settlers who had pushed west into frontier counties starting around 1717, Scottish, French Huguenot, Jewish, Swedish, and Dutch settlers, and close to 6,000 enslaved Africans plus a small free Black population.

Each group kept different records, worshipped in different churches, and responded to the Revolution differently. Your research strategy depends heavily on which group your ancestor belonged to.

Patriots, Loyalists, and Everyone in Between

Not everyone in Pennsylvania chose the same side — and many chose no side at all.

Patriots

Pennsylvania fielded Continental Line regiments, Associator militia companies, and numerous volunteer units. Service records, muster rolls, and pay records survive in both the Pennsylvania Archives and the National Archives. The most valuable records for genealogists are the pension files — particularly the 1832 applications, where veterans described their service in their own words, often including birthplaces, family members, and migration history.

Loyalists

A significant minority remained loyal to the Crown. About 3,000 Pennsylvania Loyalists left with the British army when General Howe evacuated Philadelphia in June 1778. Those who stayed faced Test Act oaths, property confiscation, and social consequences. Loyalist records include the Test Act lists (who swore allegiance and who refused), property confiscation records in Pennsylvania Archives 6th series volumes 12-13, and the Loyalist Claims Commission records at the British National Archives.

Three-fourths of documented Pennsylvania Loyalists were working class — candle-makers, carpenters, blacksmiths, sailors, shop-keepers. Do not assume only wealthy merchants were Loyalists.

Pacifists and Neutrals

Quakers, Mennonites, Amish, Moravians, German Baptist Brethren, and Schwenkfelders held religious convictions against military service. Together they represented a significant portion of Pennsylvania's population. These groups paid militia fines rather than serve, and their records appear in fine lists, non-associator lists, and meeting minutes rather than military rolls.

Many other Pennsylvanians simply tried to survive without committing to either side. Absence of military service records does not mean an ancestor was a Loyalist — many stayed in Pennsylvania, maintained ordinary lives, and left records in tax lists, church registers, and land records throughout the war years.

The Records That Survive

Military Records

Pennsylvania's Revolutionary War military records include muster rolls and pay records in Pennsylvania Archives, 5th series volumes 1-8; Depreciation Pay and Soldiers' Pay records in Pennsylvania Archives 5th series volume 4 (often overlooked); pension files at the National Archives (indexed on FamilySearch and available on Fold3); and Bounty Land Warrant applications for land granted as payment for service.

Civilian Records

The Revolution generated massive civilian documentation. Tax assessment lists (published in Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd series volumes 11-22) document every taxable person in every township from 1765 to 1791. Supply and impressment records document farmers, merchants, and artisans who provided goods to the army. Damage claims filed after the war document property destroyed or seized. Committee of Safety records name people investigated, reported on, and denounced.

Church Records

With no vital registration before 1906, church records are essential for this period. Baptism records substitute for birth certificates. Marriage records come from church registers. Burial records supplement cemetery evidence. Different denominations kept records at different levels of detail — Quaker and Moravian records are among the most thorough.

Land Records

Pennsylvania's proprietary land system produced some of America's richest genealogical records. The three-stage process — warrant, survey, patent — created multiple documents per transaction. The county-by-county land warrantee index in Pennsylvania Archives 3rd series volumes 24-26 lists every person granted land from 1730 to 1898. Bounty lands — Donation Lands and Depreciation Lands in western Pennsylvania — document veterans who received land for their service.

Where to Find These Records

Pennsylvania State Archives (Harrisburg): State-level military records, tax records, land office records, and published Pennsylvania Archives series.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): Federal military records, pension files (Record Group 15), bounty land applications. Available through Fold3 and in person at NARA facilities.

County courthouses: Deeds, marriage licenses, probate records, court records, and tax records — all maintained at the county level. Pennsylvania never centralized its county records.

FamilySearch: Free access to the pension file index, microfilmed county records, and some digitized collections.

Ancestry.com: Death certificates, birth certificates, some military records, and church record collections.

Fold3: The most complete digital access to Revolutionary War pension files and military records.

British National Archives (Kew, London): Loyalist Claims Commission records (AO 12 and AO 13), British military records, and colonial correspondence.

Library and Archives Canada: Records of Pennsylvania Loyalists who settled in Canada, including land grants and muster rolls.

What's Different About Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's Revolutionary-era research differs from other states in several important ways. There are no vital records before 1906, so church records and substitutes are essential. County records are not centralized — each of 67 counties maintains its own records. County boundaries changed significantly between 1682 and 1878, so your ancestor's property may have been in a different county than exists today. The ethnic diversity means your ancestor's records may be in German, Latin, or other languages. Religious pacifism means absence of military service is common and does not indicate Loyalism. The Pennsylvania Archives published series is an extraordinary resource — dozens of volumes of transcribed original records — but it's not complete and should be cross-checked against original sources.

Start Your Research

For a comprehensive guide to every ethnic group, record type, and repository available for Revolutionary-era Pennsylvania research, see Pennsylvania Revolutionary Era Research by Denyse Allen (coming March 2026). The book covers 30+ chapters on specific groups, record types, regional strategies, and AI-assisted research techniques.

If you've found your Revolutionary-era ancestor and want to write their story, Chronicle Makers is a community of family historians turning research discoveries into finished family stories.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out if my Pennsylvania ancestor served in the Revolutionary War?

Start with the Revolutionary War Pension Index, available free on FamilySearch and Ancestry. Search for both the veteran's name and his widow's name. Then check muster rolls in Pennsylvania Archives 5th series volumes 1-8. Also search Depreciation Pay records in volume 4 — many soldiers who never received pensions appear there.

What if my ancestor didn't fight in the Revolution?

Many Pennsylvanians did not serve due to religious pacifism (Quakers, Mennonites, Amish, Moravians), age, disability, essential occupation, or personal choice. Look for them in tax records, church records, fine records for non-service, and the non-associator lists. Absence of military records is common and doesn't mean your ancestor wasn't there.

Where are Pennsylvania Revolutionary War records kept?

Military records are split between the Pennsylvania State Archives (state-level records, published in Pennsylvania Archives) and the National Archives (federal records, pension files). Civilian records are at county courthouses. Loyalist records are at the British National Archives and Library and Archives Canada.

What is the Pennsylvania Archives series?

The Pennsylvania Archives is a multi-series publication of transcribed original Pennsylvania records spanning the colonial period through the 19th century. For Revolutionary War research, the most important volumes include the 3rd series (tax records, land warrants), 5th series (military records, pay records), and 6th series (confiscation records). These volumes are available at major research libraries, the State Archives, and some are digitized online.

How do I know which county my ancestor lived in during the Revolution?

Use the tax assessment lists in Pennsylvania Archives 3rd series volumes 11-22, which cover 1765-1791 and are indexed in volumes 27-30. These list every taxable person by county and township. Be aware that county boundaries were different during the Revolutionary period — use a historical county map to confirm.

—Denyse

P.S. This post is the first in a five-part series on Revolutionary-era Pennsylvania research. Next week: how to find your ancestor's actual service records, step by step.

About PA Ancestors: The authoritative resource for Pennsylvania genealogy research — vital records, county courthouses, archives, probate, land records, military records, and immigration research across all 67 Pennsylvania counties. Founded by Denyse Allen, Pennsylvania genealogy researcher and author.

More Pennsylvania Research: paancestors.com