200 South Center Street, Ebensburg, Pennsylvania 15931
General Court House (814) 472-5440
Register of Wills (814) 472-1440
Recorder of Deeds (814) 472-1473
Prothonotary (814) 472-1638
Cambria County's records start in the year 1804 and extend to the present day. For records earlier than 1787 look in Bedford County. For records prior to1795 look in Bedford County and Huntingdon County. For records before 1804 look in Somerset County.
The Estate Files contain all records that fall under the headings of Wills, Deeds and Orphans Court. These Estate Files are maintained in the Register & Recorder's Office. The Index is in book form for the earlier records and on computer for the more recent years. The numerous volumes which make up the index are located in a shelf along the wall to the right of the entrance door, at the opposite end of the room. The Index volumes are open to the public (if you insist on being permitted to have access to them). The Estate Files and Deeds are kept in a side room, to the right of the main Office. The public is not permitted to obtain a file from that room; the clerks will take your request and obtain the file for you to review. A table, with two chairs, is available along with counter space for use.
The Orphans Court Files are maintained with the Estate Files.
The Tax Assessment records are maintained in the basement of the court house. Unlike the other records, researchers are permitted to handle the tax assessment returns and help themselves. A key to the locked storage room is available at the Tax Assessors Office.
Personal photocopiers are not permitted in the court house. Personal computers, which run on their own battery power, are permitted.
| Note: The comments in this section were derived from numerous, random visits to this Court House over a period of time. They might not represent everyone's experience at this Court House. They are presented here because certain of the Courts have consistently exhibited ill-will toward both, genealogical and historical researchers. |
The Cambria County Court system qualifies as the most uncooperative and unfriendly court house in the region. The personnel are surly and unwilling to provide assistance to researchers. The hostile attitude of the personnel of the Cambria County court house was noted in an article published in the Altoona Mirror in 1991 in which the Register stated that genealogists were not welcome in the Cambria County Court House. The article also stated that genealogists would not be permitted to handle files and dockets because of the great amount of abuse such individuals inflict upon those materials. During one visit to that court house I was not even permitted to carry an index volume to the copier machine when I offered to do so out of courtesy to the clerk; apparently they felt I would destroy the volume by carrying it in my hands.
Researchers are not permitted to allow their workpapers to rest upon an open docket page; such action might cause damage to the docket. During the same visit mentioned above, I witnessed at least three instances where court house employees slammed the index volumes down on the tables and flipped the pages with enough force to send loose papers flying off the table. It is quite apparent that the Cambria County Court system believes that they can discourage researchers by unfriendly and beligerent service.
