Description
Information varies, but usually includes the year, court session, and petition number (if given); name of the petitioner (either the tavern owner or person renting the tavern); location of the tavern by municipality (often with additional information such as “six miles from Carlisle on the Walnut Bottom Road”); occasionally the name of the tavern (after 1800) and/or the previous tavernkeeper; and signatures of the petitioner and area residents recommending the petitioner as a fit person to keep a tavern. The verso side contains a notation of whether the license was “allowed" or "rejected"/ “not allowed." Sometimes the fee paid is also found on the verso side. Some years include a list of recommended tavern licenses sent to the Governor. These lists are recorded in many of the Quarters Sessions Dockets as well as cases for Tippling Houses where a license was not granted or fee paid.
Note 1: For a small set of petitions for hotels and distilleries see Liquor Licenses Petitions & Bonds (1907-2916).
Arrangement: Chronological by year and court term and therein alphatical by municipality. Within municipality alphabetical by petitioner's name.
Index: None.
Related Records: Clerk of Courts Papers: 1. TAVERN LICENSES Unpaid 1786…1837
2. TAVERN AND INN KEEPERS BONDS 1807-1808
3. LIQUOR LICENSES Petitions and Bonds 1891…1926
Clerk Of Courts Volumes: 4. LIQUOR DOCKETS 1856-1923
5. QUARTER SESSIONS DOCKETS
Treasurer Papers: 6. LICENSE RECEIPTS Liquor 1814…1885
Treasurer Volumes: 7. LIQUOR LICENSE FEE BOOK 1886-1886