Tionesta Township was organized in 1838 from Barnett Township, one of the county’s “twin townships” along with Jenks. It covered wilderness country around the Tionesta Creek and upper Clarion River. In the early 1840s, Tionesta and Jenks were detached from Jefferson and became part of Forest County, turning Tionesta into a lost Jefferson County township for genealogical purposes.
After the transfer to Forest County, Tionesta-area records belong to that county’s courts and townships. For modern records, borough histories, and additional cemetery and township information, see the Forest County PAGenWeb site.
Tip: Combine Tionesta Township, Tionesta Creek, Clarion River, Blood’s Settlement, or Marienville with key surnames and, for later records, add Forest County to your searches.
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When searching, combine Tionesta Twp., Tionesta Creek, Clarion River, Blood’s Settlement, Marienville, and later Tionesta Borough or Forest Co., Pa., plus neighboring Barnett and Jenks.
Strategy: For families along Tionesta Creek or the upper Clarion River, use Barnett Township and Tionesta in Jefferson County up to the transfer, then follow them into Forest County deeds, court dockets, church records, and maps.
Tionesta Township was set off in 1838 from the northern part of Barnett Township, at the same time as Jenks Township. County histories emphasize that the two were “properly called the twin townships,” their boundaries oriented around the Tionesta Creek and Clarion River watersheds. Tionesta lay toward the northwest, trending into the headwaters that flow northward to the Allegheny.
The township was heavily timbered, with steep hillsides and narrow valleys. Travel depended on rough trails and creek fords, and many early references simply describe residents as living “up Tionesta” or “on the Tionesta” rather than by any formal village name.
When the Pennsylvania legislature created Forest County, the northern portions of Jefferson County were reorganized. Tionesta and Jenks townships, together with parts of Barnett north of the Clarion, were detached from Jefferson and attached to the new county. From that point forward, Tionesta ceased to be a Jefferson County township and became part of Forest County’s structure.
For researchers, this means that a single family may appear in Jefferson County records under Barnett or Tionesta, then later in Forest County records under Tionesta Township or Tionesta Borough. Recognizing this jurisdictional shift is key to building a continuous timeline.
Like much of the northern Jefferson–Forest region, Tionesta’s early economy was rooted in lumbering, hunting, and small-scale farming. Mills along the creeks processed logs into boards and grain into flour and feed, and the rivers served as highways for rafts headed toward the Allegheny.
Historical summary adapted from Scott’s History of Jefferson County and McKnight’s Pioneer History of Jefferson County, focusing on genealogically useful details: township formation, boundary changes, pioneer settlement patterns, and the transition into Forest County.
Rather than a long list of isolated families, think of Tionesta as part of a cluster of settlements spanning Barnett, Jenks, and the upper Clarion–Tionesta region. Use tax rolls, land descriptions, and township elections to build a FAN club (Friends, Associates, Neighbors) for your target ancestor and then follow that cluster forward into Forest County records.
Tip: If your ancestor disappears from Jefferson County records soon after appearing in Barnett or Tionesta, be sure to check Forest County for the same surname near Tionesta Borough or along Tionesta Creek.
During the Jefferson County era, Tionesta had few formal villages, but several local names and natural features recur in histories and records. Use these mini-profiles with maps and land descriptions to interpret census entries, deeds, and obituaries.
Scattered farmsteads and small clearings along Tionesta Creek formed the backbone of early Tionesta Township. Many deeds describe tracts “on Tionesta” or “near the forks of the creek” without mentioning a formal village name.
Watch for references to creek forks, mill sites, and nearby hills in metes-and-bounds descriptions to locate these settlements on modern maps.
Parts of Tionesta reached toward the Clarion River, with ridge-top farms looking down on both the Clarion and the Tionesta watersheds. These locations tie Tionesta families closely to those in Barnett and Jenks.
Look for descriptions like “north of the Clarion,” “toward the Tionesta,” or “on the divide” when matching ancestors to specific tracts.
Because Tionesta was carved from Barnett and paired with Jenks, early settlers moved freely across these township lines. Road and trail references between Clarington, Blood’s Settlement / Marienville, and points along Tionesta Creek help link families across the region.
When a residence is described only in regional terms (for example, “up the Tionesta”), widen your search to include Barnett, Jenks, and Forest County townships.
Early burials for Tionesta-region families are associated with small family plots, churchyards, and later cemeteries now cataloged under Forest County names, especially around Tionesta Borough and settlements along Tionesta Creek.
Hint: If you cannot find a burial under “Tionesta” in Jefferson County, try searching for Tionesta or Jenks Twp., Forest Co., or the surname alone in Forest County databases.
Formal school districts developed slowly in the Tionesta–Jenks region. Early schooling often took place in private homes or simple log schoolhouses serving wide areas along the creeks. As the population increased and Forest County was formed, more structured districts emerged.
Surviving records may be filed under Barnett, early Tionesta, or later Forest County districts. Use county-level school reports, teacher pay lists, and township minutes for indirect evidence of residence and guardianship.
Preaching in the Tionesta area was often provided by traveling ministers serving circuits along the Clarion and Tionesta valleys. As settlement increased and Forest County took shape, congregations centered at Tionesta Borough and nearby communities.
For sacramental registers and membership rolls, check Forest County church records, regional Methodist and Presbyterian circuit archives, and denominational histories covering the Clarion– Allegheny region.
Because Tionesta transferred to Forest County, many church records that document Jefferson-era families are now held in Forest County or denominational repositories rather than in Jefferson County archives.
Early settlers in the Tionesta region often received mail through offices in older Jefferson County centers or through routes that later became part of Forest County. By the time Tionesta Borough and other Forest County communities were established, local post offices shifted fully into that county’s jurisdiction.
For mail references before the county transfer, look for Jefferson County post offices serving the Clarion valley; for later years, check Tionesta, Marienville, and other Forest County post offices.
This locality snapshot will eventually list key places tied to Tionesta Township, including settlements along Tionesta Creek, ridge-top farms, and connected communities in Barnett and Jenks. Use it along with historic atlases and Forest County maps to position families in the landscape north of the Clarion.
Jefferson County histories give only brief statistical snapshots for Tionesta while it was part of the county, often combining it with neighboring townships:
After the move to Forest County, Tionesta statistics appear in that county’s census and state reports. To follow growth, consult Forest County schedules and printed county histories that treat Tionesta as a Forest County township and borough.
Use these figures mainly to gauge how small and close-knit the settlement was in early years; almost every name in an 1840s assessment list represents a significant piece of the community’s story.
Use Jefferson County and Forest County maps to locate tracts along Tionesta Creek and the Clarion River. Early deeds may be recorded under Barnett Township or Tionesta in Jefferson County, with later transactions under Forest County townships and Tionesta Borough.
Tionesta-region burials are often cataloged under Forest County cemeteries, especially those at Tionesta Borough and along Tionesta Creek. Use the Jefferson County cemetery roundup for cross-county context and surname hunting, then pivot to Forest County databases for detailed plots.
For the period when Tionesta belonged to Jefferson County, look for residents in Barnett and county-wide records: deeds, tax lists, road petitions, and early court dockets. After the transfer, similar materials are in Forest County offices.
Because Tionesta became part of Forest County, many records for Tionesta Creek and upper Clarion River families are now held there. Use the Forest County PAGenWeb site for local histories, cemeteries, and township-level records after the transfer.