A writ of habeas corpus is a procedure for obtaining a judicial determination of the legality of an individual's custody. This collection includes petitions for writs of habeas corpus and the writs themselves, showing the names of petitioners, persons to be brought to court, nature of dispute or alleged crime, dates of writs and accompanying documents, names of judges, and names of persons that the writs are filed against. Petitioners include indentured servants, Freedom Seekers, free persons of color, convicted prisoners, those awaiting trial, relatives of prisoners, parties in child custody disputes, and relatives of army recruits and draftees.
Petitions from landowners to the Court of Common Pleas requesting an order to the sheriff to issue deeds for property purchased at the previous sheriff's land sales. Petitions show names of petitioner, former owner, and former sheriff; signature of petitioner; a brief description of the property; location; purchase price; and date. Most are handwritten on printed forms.
System of Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year, then alphabetically by purchaser's name.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection, Title and Object ID, Box #, Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Petitions to Make Sheriff's Deeds may be searched in the online collection database. https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please request at Reference Desk or Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Copyright
Copies of historic Lancaster County, Pennsylvania government records held by LancasterHistory may be published without special permission. There is no fee for publication. Proper credit lines are encouraged in the interest of good documentation.
Credit
Courtesy of Lancaster County Archives and LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Signers of petition: David Bair, John Bair, George Clark, Alexander Gordon, John W. Kennedy, Charles T. Todd, William E. Smith, William Northamer, William R. Ralston, Jacob Leaman, Gardner Furness, T. W. Housekeeper, William W. Steele, Joshua M. Deaver.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
One hardbound volume that contains records of petitions for citizenship of 19 immigrants. Each entry tells where the petitioner formerly resided, current residence, where and when he entered the United States, when he came to Lancaster County, and who supported him in the petition. Handwritten.
In this same volume is the Appearance Docket for the Court of Common Pleas Nov. Term 1779 - May Term 1789. This is a duplicate of the Appearance Docket found in RG 01-00 2303-125.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection, Title and Object ID, Box #, Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
A photocopy of the petitions for citizenship is found in the Information File under Naturalization Court.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please request at Reference Desk or Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Copyright
Copies of historic Lancaster County, Pennsylvania government records held by LancasterHistory may be published without special permission. There is no fee for publication. Proper credit lines are encouraged in the interest of good documentation.
Credit
Courtesy of Lancaster County Archives and LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Record of applications for peddlers' licenses showing date of application, name of applicant, type of license, and dates granted and lifted. Many applications for soldiers' licenses; these are peddlers' licenses issued to honorably discharged veterans. Handwritten.
System of Arrangement
Organized by year, then alphabetically by surname.
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Additional Notes
Person of color.
Petition.
25st Regiment, Company R, U. S. Colored Volunteers.
Civil War.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Record of applications for peddlers' licenses showing date of application, name of applicant, type of license, and dates granted and lifted. Many applications for soldiers' licenses; these are peddlers' licenses issued to honorably discharged veterans. Handwritten.
System of Arrangement
Organized by year, then alphabetically by surname.
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Additional Notes
Petition.
3rd Regiment, Company G, Pennsylvania Volunteers, U.S. Colored Troops.
Civil War.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Record of applications for peddlers' licenses showing date of application, name of applicant, type of license, and dates granted and lifted. Many applications for soldiers' licenses; these are peddlers' licenses issued to honorably discharged veterans. Handwritten.
System of Arrangement
Organized by year, then alphabetically by surname.
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Additional Notes
Petition.
3rd Regiment, Company G, U S Colored Volunteers.
Civil War.
Person of color.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Record of applications for peddlers' licenses showing date of application, name of applicant, type of license, and dates granted and lifted. Many applications for soldiers' licenses; these are peddlers' licenses issued to honorably discharged veterans. Handwritten.
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Additional Notes
Petition.
3rd Regiment, Company G, U. S. Colored Volunteers.
Civil War.
Person of color.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Draft of a petition to appoint William Feltman as Prothonotary
Description
Draft of a petition to the President of Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania to appoint William Feltman to the position of Prothonotary Clerk of Quarter Sessions and Orphans' Court of [Mifflin] County, Pennsylvania.
George Steinman Papers, Series 1 (MG0184_S01) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/786b3ffc-7908-40de-9362-817467455650
George Steinman Papers, Series 2 (MG0184_S02) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/6c7e11c6-f3ca-469c-891a-145832196710
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), George Steinman Papers (MG0184), Series 2, Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact Research@LancasterHistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-184, Series 2
Other Number
MG-184, Series 2, Folder 5, Insert 4, Item 5
Classification
MG0184
Description Level
Item
Custodial History
Added to database 18 September 2023.
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # C980002119, 2021-2024.
