Welcome to the Pennsylvania - Reference Books

A Pioneer History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, and: My First Recollections of Brookville, Pennsylvania, 1840- 1843, when my feet were bare and my cheeks were brown - W.J. McKnight. Jefferson Co., PA, was erected on March 26, 1804 from land in Lycoming Co. This rugged wilderness that was home to the Six Nations Iroquois was explored and settled by an adventurous group of missionaries, Scotch-Irish and German pioneers. W.J. McKnight tells the story of these pioneers and of the legacy which grew from their rough-hewn frontier communities. Biographical chapters are
devoted to Joseph Barnett, the patriarch of Jefferson Co., and Cornplanter, chief of the Seneca in western Pennsylvania. A new index has been compiled, double the length of the original and containing all of the entries from the 1898 edition. (1898) reprint, c690 pp., 2 vols., illus., maps, new fullname plus subject index, paper,$46.50 #ZM139

United States Direct Tax of 1798: Tax Lists for the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Upper Delaware, Lower Delaware, High Street, Chestnut, Walnut and Dock Wards - Wilbur J. McElwain. The Direct Tax of 1798 was imposed by the United States government on dwellings, lands and slaves, with the aim of raising $2 million. The result was a housing inventory remarkably complete and detailed for its time. This book is a compilation of these tax lists for six wards in the city of Philadelphia. Brief biographical notices have been added for a few prominent persons. An appendix includes the introduction to the microfilm edition of the Pennsylvania tax lists (published by the National Archives), a circular of the Secretary of the Treasury providing instructions to the assessors, and sample pages from the Philadelphia tax forms 1999, 281 pp., 8.5x11, fullname index, paper, $45.00 #M122

History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron, and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical sketches, including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages; portraits of prominent men; biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics - J. H. Beers & Co. Each county has its own chapter wherein is described its general history, its townships' histories, and biographical sketches of some of its citizens. Portraits are scattered throughout the book. (1890) reprint, 1362 pp., 1 volumes in 3, maps, illus., new index $82.50 #ZB117

Welsh Settlement of Pennsylvania - Charles H. Browning. Rich in historical and genealogical material about these New World pioneers and their descendants. The first Welsh Quaker families arrived in 1682. Old manuscript records trace the establishment of the Welsh Tract through deeds, maps, account ledgers and biographical sketches. The histories of these "noble and gentle Welsh families" are also told through letters and records of monthly meetings. Genealogists will find plenty of names in the property descriptions and the lists of meeting house subscriptions; some genealogical info extends into the late 1800s. Historians will appreciate the detailed accounts of the daily life, customs and traditions of the original inhabitants of the Welsh Tract. (1912) reprint, 631 pp., illus., maps, original fullname and subject indices, paper, $42.00 #B664

History of Scranton, Pennsylvania - David Craft, William A. Wilcox, Alfred Hand, J. Wooldridge. This book begins with a description of Scranton's natural advantages: location in the great northern anthracite coal field of Pennsylvania; proximity to the cities of New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; elevation and geography; geology and mineral resources apart from coal; flora and fauna; and a scenic and healthful setting. Next the book describes the Indian history of the region, in which figured the Iroquois, Delawares, Shawanese, Minsis and Pontiacs. There follows a discussion of the pre-Revolutionary controversy over whether the Wyoming Valley should be part of Connecticut or Pennsylvania. From there the book proceeds through descriptions of the region's early settlements and surveys; growth, development and improvement (including the discovery of the value of anthracite coal); municipal and military histories; mining interests; manufacturing industries; banks, building associations and insurance; transportation; the press; education; church history; public institutions, societies and associations; medical history; and finally, bench and bar. (1891) reprint, 583 pp., illus., index, paper, $40.00 #ZC602

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Deed Records, 1684-1763 - Compiled by John David Davis. In 1681, William Penn was granted a charter by Charles II, giving him and his heirs a sparsely populated tract of land that would eventually become the state of Pennsylvania. Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was created in 1682 as one of the original three counties of Pennsylvania.

Ten deed books are abstracted in this volume. A typical entry includes some or all of the following information: page number, date of transaction, name of grantor(s), occupation of male grantor, place of residence of grantor(s), name of grantee(s), occupation of male grantee(s), place of residence of grantee(s), sales price, area of land involved, location of land, neighbors, chain of deed, other landmarks, signatures of grantor(s) and witnesses, and year of recordation of the deed. The entries are listed chronologically and the book also contains an everyname index. 1997, 518 pp., everyname index, paper, $35.50 #ZD084

Genealogies, Necrology and Reminiscences of the "Irish Settlement" - Rev. John C. Clyde. This book is a record of those Scotch-Irish Presbyterian families who were the first settlers in the "Forks of the Delaware" now Northampton County in Pennsylvania. The Genealogy section contains nearly 300 family names. The Necrology section contains all the inscriptions on the tombstones in the old Settlement graveyard. The eminiscences section gives a more detailed look at the Settlement itself. Items included in this section are the date of the Settlement, the Settlement in the French & Indian War and the Revolutionary War, the minutes of the Settlement academy, Rosebrughs family history, and the relations between the settlers and the Native Americans, along with many other interesting articles. (1879) reprint, 419 pp., append., maps, original surname index, paper, $31.00 #C491

Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania; containing a copious selection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, etc. relating to its history and antiquities, both general and local, with topographical descriptions of every county and all larger towns in the state - Sherman Day. The first section is a brief outline history starting with Indian tribes through first Dutch and Swedish settlers and then provides a brief history of the colony of William Penn. Next, arranged alphabetically, are county by county historical descriptions. Sources include: personal and secondary accounts, anecdotes, and. Numerous biographical sketches detail the men and women who lived this history. (1843) reprint, 708 pp., 2 vols., illus., index, paper $46.50 #ZD091

History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches - J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope. Officially created by William Penn on November 25, 1682, along with Philadelphia and Bucks County, Chester County was one of the first established counties in the Pennsylvania Province. The first section of the book is a general history of the county dealing with such topics as: religion, education, agriculture, masons, mills, banks, judges, county officials, lawyers, doctors, etc. The second section of the book provides over three hundred pages of brief genealogical and biographical sketches of county residents. (1881) reprint, 782 pp., 2 vols., 8.5x11, illus., map, append., index, paper, $102.00 #ZF873

Transactions of the Historical Society of Berks County, [Pennsylvania] Volume II, 1905-1909 - The Historical Society of Berks County, PA. This book is made up of the several annuals issued by the historical society in pamphlet form during the five year period of 1905-1909. The annuals consist of papers read before the society at its quarterly meetings. The topics cover many interesting subjects from colonial through post-Civil War times. About 250 names are included in a complete membership list at the beginning of the book. (1910) reprint, 444 pp., illus., new index, paper, $32.50 #ZH378

History of the Early Settlement of the Juniata Valley - U. J. Jones. The Juniata River collects its water from the mountains of central Pennsylvania. Ultimately, the torrent spills into the Susquehanna River just north of Harrisburg. The terrain of the Juniata watershed is often unrelenting and treacherous, and settlement of the area was not accomplished without great effort. Settlers of the valley frequently faced hardship and misery of which there is no modern equivalent. This particular record offers a sobering illustration of the trials of pioneer life in early Pennsylvania, including "predatory incursions, massacres, and abductions by the Indians during the French and Indian Wars, and the War of the Revolution, &c." Therefore, it would come as no surprise that this section of Pennsylvania was once referred to as "the dark and bloody ground." The author's principal mission was to give a more detailed, substantial recitation of actual events than what had come before, using first-hand accounts as his primary source of information to improve upon previous histories that were, in his words, "exceedingly brief, lacked detail, and in many instances were found grossly inaccurate." This he has accomplished quite splendidly, incorporating all the pioneer stories he could muster into one comprehensive work, while still providing a broad view of important events which had an impact throughout the colonies. In regard to family histories, this book is replete with the names of early settlers, often their origins, where they began their homesteads, and, frequently, illuminating family anecdotes. Some additional topics of intrigue are: Tuscarora Valley-Its Mounds and Its Forts, Tommy Coleman, the Indian Fighter-Surprise of the Dunkard Murderers, and Hollidaysburg-The Holliday Family. This work also includes a number of illustrations that are mainly renderings of the local scenery. (1856) reprint, 388 pp., appendix, illus., new everyname index, paper, $31.00 #ZJ556

Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania - John W. Jordan, LL.D., and James Hadden. More than 500 "genealogical and personal sketches" trace the region's social and professional leaders; dates span from the 17th century to the early 20th. Each sketch traces the subject's history and lines of descent, as well as details concerning his education, family, residence, occupation, possessions and character; town or church records are occasionally quoted. Fayette County is a region rich with history. Its first days were close to the first of our country; its early residents, from the Indians to the French to other immigrants, have left a diverse cultural history; and its sons were part of the "very backbone" of armies in the Revolutionary and Civil wars. (1912) reprint, 939 pp., 2 vols., illus., index, paper, $78.50 #ZJ563

Genealogical and Personal History of Northern Pennsylvania - John W. Jordan, LL.D. Originally published in 1913, this well illustrated multi-volume set collects within its pages enormous amounts of information on families from the Northern Pennsylvania region. Each participating family has, on average, two full pages of genealogical material which often includes the name of the immigrant ancestor and his or her place of origin. In addition to genealogical material some families have also chosen to include photographs or illustrations of the heads of the families. (1913) reprint, 1448 pp., 3 vols., 8.5x11, illus., index, paper, $158.50 #ZJ562

Some of the First Settlers of "The Forks of the Delaware" and Their Descendants. Being a translation from the German of the Record Books of the First Reformed Church of Easton, Pennsylvania, from 1760 to 1852 - Translated by the Rev. Henry Martyn Kieffer, D.D., Pastor of the Church. The records are presented as they appeared in the original books; chronologically arranged and categorized into baptisms, deaths and burials, and marriages. The author inserted notations and comments within the actual records to indicate when a new pastor took over the record-keeping duties. This helps to account for the variations in name spellings and the difficulty of reading some of the handwritten entries. (1902) reprint, 443 pp., illus., new index, paper, $33.50 #ZK312

Annals of Buffalo Valley, PA, 1755-1855 - Collated by John Blair Linn. Gives a wealth of historical data, including numerous lists of residents, taxpayers, marriages and deaths on a year-by-year basis. Also replete with historical text describing the settlement and development of the area, and includes numerous excerpts from the diaries and journals of early residents and travelers. (1877) reprint, 625 pp., map, original name plus subject index, $43.00 #ZL355

Genealogical Data Abstracted from History of Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, Middle Spring, Pennsylvania 1738-1900 - Wilbur J McElwain. 1992, 180 pp., 8.5x11, index, paper, $29.50 #ZM115

United States Direct Tax of 1798 - Tax Lists for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania - Wilbur J. McElwain. The direct tax of 1798 was imposed on dwellings, lands and slaves. This book is a compilation of the tax lists for the area of present-day Cumberland County. Over 2,000 properties are listed herein, and approximately 5,000 separate structures are described. An appendix includes reproductions of original tax list forms and related documents, and separate indexes are provided for property owners and for occupants other than owners. Information in the tax lists includes the type of structure, its dimensions, construction material, number of stories, number of windows and window panes, lot size, farm acreage, location, names of adjoining owners and value. (1994) reprint, 231 pp., 8.5x11, append., indices, paper, $36.50 #ZM120

History of Lancaster County, to which is Prefixed a Brief Sketch of the Early History of Pennsylvania - I. Daniel Rupp. Covers earliest settlement in the region (including Delaware Bay and River); period prior to 1729 when Lancaster County was formed; and from then to the early 1800s. Many people are mentioned. (1844) repr, 568 pp., illus., new index, paper, $37.50 #ZR866

Cambria County Pioneers: A Collection of Brief Biographical and Other Sketches Relating to the Early History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania - James M. Swank. Biographical sketches of prominent men make up the larger part of the book while "the remainder of the volume is devoted to subjects of historical interest relating to pioneer days in Cambria County..." Biographical information covers such things as birth, marriage and death; parents; spouse; occupation or profession; military service; and community activities. Historical sketches cover such items as Johnstown as an important shipping port; the iron industry, including the building of the Cambria Iron Works; the founding of the Johnstown Tribune; and a reflection on the infamous Johnstown flood of 1889. Includes a new fullname index. (1910) reprint, c138 pp., new fullname index, paper, $16.00 #ZS805

Pennsylvania Divorces: Dauphin County, 1788-1867, and York County, 1790-1860 - Eugene F. Throop. From colonial times to the Civil War days a large number of divorce actions are on record for Dauphin and York counties, Pennsylvania. Typically, these records establish the date and place of the marriage, and often mention whether either of the parties were previously married and if there were any children. Other family members are frequently named as witnesses and "next friends." The compiler has grouped together all of the separately dated entries for each case, thus eliminating the frustration of leafing through the entire book to follow the progress of a single case. The cases are arranged chronologically according to the date of the original petition. 1995, 183 pp., index, paper, $19.50 #ZT366

Pennsylvania Genealogies and Family Histories: A Bibliography of Books about Pennsylvania Families - Donald O. Virdin. This bibliography lists about 2,800 books which contain genealogies and histories of families from Pennsylvania, who may have also had ties to other states as well. Each book is listed under the surname of the primary Pennsylvania family which it covers; the names of allied families are listed in the cross-reference index. 1992, 269 pp., 8.5x11, index, paper, $37.00 #ZV365