Winslow Township · Jefferson County, PA Genealogy

Names & Variants

Also appears in records as boroughs, coal patches, local names, and historic spellings:

When searching, try combinations such as Winslow Twp., Reynoldsville, Sykesville, and nearby villages or coal towns (for example, Rathmel Mines, Soldier, Paradise, Prescottville).

Key Timeline for Researchers

Before 1804 — Land that later became Winslow Township fell under earlier parent counties (research may appear in Westmoreland or Lycoming-era records before Jefferson County was created).
1804–1847 — Area is part of Pinecreek Township, Jefferson County. Pre-1847 deeds, tax lists, and court records usually file under Pinecreek, not Winslow.
1847 — Winslow Township is set off from Pinecreek Township. From this point forward, watch for both Pinecreek and Winslow in overlapping records during the transition years.
Later 1800s–1900s — Boroughs such as Reynoldsville and Sykesville incorporate within the township. Some residents who lived in “Winslow” earlier may later be described by their borough name only.

For a full parent-county trail, combine this summary with the Jefferson County Locality Guide and state-level county boundary histories.

Township History

Winslow Township was set off from Pinecreek Township in 1847, but its most dramatic growth came later with the arrival of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway (B.R.&P.) and development of rich coal seams through the late 1800s and early 1900s ⓘ.

Earlier decades saw scattered farm and lumber settlements along Sandy Lick Creek and its branches, but once mining companies opened operations at Rathmel, Soldier, Prescottville, Paradise, and Winslow, the township rapidly became one of Jefferson County’s major industrial districts. McKnight called it “one of the richest coal regions” in the county ⓘ.

Boroughs that grew up within the township’s boundaries—especially Reynoldsville and Sykesville—became commercial centers for both miners and farmers. Smaller company towns such as Rathmel, Soldier, Paradise, and Prescottville supplied housing, stores, and schools for workers from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Italy, and Eastern Europe ⓘ.

Many of these coal patches and railroad villages have since been absorbed into larger boroughs or exist only as names on historic maps, in tax lists, or in mine accident reports. When a family “disappears” from census indexes, check for them in a nearby coal town or in a re-named patch listed under a mine, company, or railroad stop.

Summary based on Scott (1888) and McKnight (1917); specific page citations can be refined as you consult the township chapters.

Early Settlers & Communities

Early farm families (pre-1847) — Before Winslow was set off from Pinecreek Township, farm and lumber families lived along Sandy Lick Creek. County histories list families such as Shaffer, Swartz, Beer, Reed, Rhodes, Mitchell, and Wilson in this region under Pinecreek tax lists and early neighborhood sketches ⓘ.
Reynoldsville founders — Early borough residents included Thomas Reynolds (namesake), John Wilson, William McCreight, John S. Reed, Joseph S. Rankin, and David Gillingham. Their businesses supplied miners and farmers throughout northern Winslow ⓘ.
Sykesville builders — Families tied to early Sykesville include Amos Sykes (namesake), John Hoover, Isaac Moore, George & Jared Snyder, James Long, and William Dixon, many appearing in borough minutes, tax lists, and early business directories ⓘ.
Coal patch pioneers — First residents of the mining villages (1870s–1880s) included families at: • Rathmel (Armstrong, McNeill, Porter, Rankin) • Soldier (Gar-yar-nese / Gargarene, Armstrong, Curry) • Paradise (Long, Murray, Johnson) • Prescottville (Prescott, McMinn, Lemmon) Their names appear in mine-inspector reports, company store ledgers, tax lists, and brief newspaper items ⓘ.

Reynoldsville — Rail & Commercial Hub

Borough within Winslow Township; major shipping point on the B.R.&P. Railway and commercial center for miners and farmers.

Look here for merchants, hotel keepers, physicians, and railroad employees who served a wide rural hinterland. City directories, Sanborn maps, and borough council minutes often name businesses and street addresses.

Genealogy tip: If an ancestor vanishes from a coal patch, check Reynoldsville newspapers and borough records for later references.

Sykesville — Borough on the Coal Corridor

Borough drawing population from nearby mines and farms along the same B.R.&P. corridor.

Church anniversary booklets, school souvenirs, and borough sketches highlight immigrant communities, fraternal lodges, and veterans’ posts tied to Sykesville. Many residents listed as “Sykesville” actually lived in Winslow Township.

Genealogy tip: Pair Sykesville newspaper items with draft cards and naturalization petitions to reconstruct immigrant miners’ stories.

Coal Patches: Rathmel, Soldier, Paradise & Prescottville

Company-built villages near individual mines; often listed under the mine name, railway stop, or nearest borough.

Residents frequently appear in mine-inspector reports, accident notices, company store ledgers, payroll lists, and brief newspaper items. Houses, schools, and churches sometimes vanished after mines closed or consolidated.

Genealogy tip: Search by mine name, coal company, and railroad stop as well as the village name. Historic atlases help translate patch names to modern locations.

Also listed villages & neighborhoods

Cemeteries (Winslow Township)

Cemeteries in Winslow Township are closely tied to boroughs and mining villages. Use the county cemetery page for exact locations, alternate names, and transcription links.

Churches & Schools

Schools

By the 1880s, Winslow Township maintained multiple schoolhouses in mining villages and farm neighborhoods, with graded schools developing later in Reynoldsville and Sykesville to serve larger populations ⓘ.

Look for school board minutes, teacher contracts, and attendance registers in local archives and historical societies.

Church Presence

Industrial growth supported a wide range of denominations: Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, and Evangelical/United Brethren churches all maintained congregations in or near Winslow’s boroughs and villages ⓘ.

Many congregations produced anniversary booklets and membership rolls that name coal miners, railroad workers, and immigrant families.

For sacramental registers and congregational records, contact the Jefferson County Historical Society and the appropriate denominational archives (Catholic diocesan archive, Methodist conference archive, Presbyterian historical society, etc.).

Post Offices (Winslow Township)

Post offices often followed the rise and decline of coal patches, railroad stops, and borough centers. Use these listings to track when a community had its own mail service, and when residents might appear under a different town name.

Towns, Villages & Historic Places

Many Winslow communities began as coal patches or railroad villages and later became boroughs or disappeared from modern maps. Use this snapshot with historic atlases, Sanborn maps, and company records to place your families.

Research Links (Winslow focus)

Maps, Railroads & Coal Towns

Use historic atlases, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, and railroad maps to locate mining patches such as Rathmel, Soldier, Paradise, and Prescottville relative to Reynoldsville and Sykesville and to trace boundary changes over time.

County & Sanborn Maps

Combine map work with the Locality Guide and township snapshots to understand which jurisdiction held your ancestor’s records in a given year.

Cemeteries by Township

Cross-check Winslow burials across USGenWeb, Find A Grave, and FamilySearch, especially for miners and immigrant families tied to coal patches and railroad villages.

Open Winslow section

Locality Guide roundup of cemetery resources by township.

Courthouse & Company Records

Look for deeds, leases, and right-of-way agreements in the Recorder’s Office, and for probate and guardianship records for families impacted by mining and railroad work.

Some coal company payrolls, employment ledgers, and store records survive in local archives and the Jefferson County Historical Society.

Newspapers & Military

Newspapers based in Reynoldsville and Sykesville report mine accidents, social news, labor disputes, and veteran activities. Civil War, Spanish–American War, and World War I/II service often involved men from Winslow’s boroughs and coal towns.

See Locality Guide notes on Jefferson County newspaper titles and military units.