6. Cuff, David J. The Atlas of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia Temple University Press, 1989.
Provides maps of different counties in Pennsylvania. Maps can be very helpful in visualizing where families lived, travel patterns, proximity to other locations. They are also helpful when trying to find cemeteries, courthouse, libraries, etc that many genealogists like to visit.
7. Muller, Edward K., Ruth Byers, Griffith Morgan Hopkins, and Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Atlas of the County of Allegheny, Penna. Pittsburgh, Pa: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, 1988 reprint edition.
Includes brief history of the county, the county today, suggested readings, maps and plans, township maps, borough maps, village and town plans, etc. This is a great way to find old location names, owners of land tracts, names of streams, old churches, etc.
8. Hopkins, Griffith Morgan, and James Veech. Atlas of the County of Fayette in the State of Pennsylvania : From Actual Surveys and Official Records. Philadelphia G.M. Hopkins, 1872.
Includes township plans, borough and village plans for Fayette County. This is a great way to find old location names, owners of land tracts, names of streams, old churches, etc.
9. Cring, Henry. Caldwell's Illustrated Historical, Centennial Atlas of Greene County, Pennsylvania : From Actual Surveys. Condit, Ohio J.A. Caldwell, 1876.
Contents: maps of towns and villages, maps of townships, directory of townships, views of Greene County, Directory of Towns and Villages, names of counties, date of formation and number of acres of each, population of PA, Presidential elections, historical sketch of Greene County, PA, sketches of buildings.
10. Caldwell, J. A., C. T. Arms, and J. A. Underwood. Caldwell's Illustrated, Historical, Centennial Atlas of Washington Co., Pennsylvania : From Actual Surveys. Condit, Ohio J.A. Caldwell, 1876.
Maps, sketches of important properties, buildings, business, business directories. These illustrated historical atlases can be very interesting, especially if you are lucky enough to find a sketch of an ancestor's house.
11. Davis, F. A. New Illustrated Atlas of Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, 1876, with 1971 Supplementary Section; a Reference and Textbook for Schools, Libraries and Historians. Rimersburg, Pa: Pennsylvania Record Press, 1971.
Maps, sketches of buildings, history of Westmoreland Co., populations, townships.
*note - All of these old atlases are great sources of information for genealogists. Maps are helpful in identifying clusters of family and neighbors, many of whom were connected thru intermarriages. Many times the atlases had historical information as well.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Research Sources - Abstracts
While in the Masters Program in Library and Information Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, our final project for our reference resources class was a 125 item annotated bibilography on a topic of our choice. I chose genealogical research in Southwestern PA which focused mainly on Allegheny, Washington, Fayette and Greene counties with a few general resources thrown in. This bibliography is by no means a complete listing of everything that is available but hopefully introduces you to some of the main resources for research in this area. The list is divided by the type of resource and over the next few entries I will post each category starting with ABSTRACTS:
1. Abstracts of Washington County Pennsylvania Willbooks 1-5 (1776-1841). Edited by Bob Closson and Mary Closson. Apollo, PA: Closson, Press, 1995.
This is a very helpful source when searching the wills. It lists deceased, where the deceased was from, date of will, probate date, executor, beneficiaries, witnesses. This is helpful in narrowing down what wills are relevant. Ideally, other volumes of later wills should be complied.
2. Abstracts of the Washington Reporter 1808 - 1814, Washington County, Pa. Edited by Bonnie Malmat. Vol. several: Closson Press, 1990.
Abstracts genealogy information from some of the Washington Reporter Newspapers. It takes things like death rolls, birth announcements, marriages, etc and gives the important details. This makes it easier to search the actual newspapers or microfilm.
3. Livengood, Candy. Genealogical Abstracts of the Laws of Pennsylvania & the Statutes at Large. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1990.
Contains name changes, children being legitimized for inheritances, divorces and annulments, oaths of allegiance, Rev War Pensions, debtors in prison, Indian murders, etc. Interesting source very different kinds of legal information.
4. The People and Times of Western Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Gazette Abstracts 1806 - 1811. Edited by Clara E. Duer: Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, 1988.
Abstracts of articles that appear in the Pittsburgh Gazette which contain information about individuals. Contains an all name index in the back. Although newspapers contain a lot of good information, they are hard to search without an index. This makes it easier.
5. Pittsburgh, Pa Gazette Genealogical Gleanings, 1786-1820. Edited by Mark Welchley. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1986.
News items, advertisements and public notices containing genealogical information from Western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio and Virginia. This is similar to the People and Times abstracts listed above but it covers more years and contains different information. The two compliment each other.
1. Abstracts of Washington County Pennsylvania Willbooks 1-5 (1776-1841). Edited by Bob Closson and Mary Closson. Apollo, PA: Closson, Press, 1995.
This is a very helpful source when searching the wills. It lists deceased, where the deceased was from, date of will, probate date, executor, beneficiaries, witnesses. This is helpful in narrowing down what wills are relevant. Ideally, other volumes of later wills should be complied.
2. Abstracts of the Washington Reporter 1808 - 1814, Washington County, Pa. Edited by Bonnie Malmat. Vol. several: Closson Press, 1990.
Abstracts genealogy information from some of the Washington Reporter Newspapers. It takes things like death rolls, birth announcements, marriages, etc and gives the important details. This makes it easier to search the actual newspapers or microfilm.
3. Livengood, Candy. Genealogical Abstracts of the Laws of Pennsylvania & the Statutes at Large. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1990.
Contains name changes, children being legitimized for inheritances, divorces and annulments, oaths of allegiance, Rev War Pensions, debtors in prison, Indian murders, etc. Interesting source very different kinds of legal information.
4. The People and Times of Western Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Gazette Abstracts 1806 - 1811. Edited by Clara E. Duer: Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, 1988.
Abstracts of articles that appear in the Pittsburgh Gazette which contain information about individuals. Contains an all name index in the back. Although newspapers contain a lot of good information, they are hard to search without an index. This makes it easier.
5. Pittsburgh, Pa Gazette Genealogical Gleanings, 1786-1820. Edited by Mark Welchley. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1986.
News items, advertisements and public notices containing genealogical information from Western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio and Virginia. This is similar to the People and Times abstracts listed above but it covers more years and contains different information. The two compliment each other.
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