Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania  Westmoreland County

'Guide to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania ancestry, family history and genealogy in courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

Westmoreland County Pennsylvania Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Bedford County 26 February 1773.
 * County Seat: Greensburg


 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in:
 * Armstrong (north)
 * Fayette (south)
 * Allegheny (west)
 * Cambria (east)
 * Washington (southwest)
 * Somerset (southeast)
 * Indiana (northeast)
 * Butler (northwest)

Boundary Changes
Several counties were set off over the years.


 * 28 March 1781: Washington County
 * 26 September 1783: Fayette County
 * 24 September 1788: Allegheny County
 * 12 March 1800: Armstrong County
 * 30 March 1803: Indiana County

For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Records Loss
For a list of record loss in Pennsylvania counties see: Pennsylvania Counties with Burned Courthouses

Bible Records

 * Westmoreland County Bible Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * Every Name Index to Old Westmoreland:A History of Western Pennsylvania During the Revolution courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.


 * Feightner Cemetery, Greensburg BillionGraves
 * Union Cemetery, Arnold BillionGraves

The Mennonite Heritage Center 565 Yoder Road Harleysville PA 19438-1020 215-256-3020 [mailto:library@mhep.org library@mhep.org] Hours: Tuesday thru Friday, 10am–5pm, Saturday, 10am–2pm The Cemetery Database at the Mennonite Heritage Center includes 86,000 burial records from 125 local cemeteries. Records cover cemeteries in the counties of Berks, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Westmoreland. The database provides transcriptions from Mennonite, Brethren, Lutheran, Reformed, Union, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, community, and private cemeteries. Search the list of cemeteries and the alphabetical surname lists in Adobe PDF format. Visit the Mennonite Heritage Center to search the cemetery database by various criteria. The transcriptions are available for further research at the MHC library.

Census

 * 1783 - Returns of Taxables for the Counties of Bedford (1773 to 1784), Huntingdon (1788), Westmoreland (1783, 1786), Fayette (1785, 1786), Allegheny (1791), Washington (1786) and Census of Bedford (1784) and Westmoreland (1783). (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 22). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.

Church Records
The Westmoreland County Historical Society's library has church records and histories. You can look at them at their library for free if you are a member or for a minimal fee if you are not. Check their webpage for current prices. You can also have research in the records by mail. Instructions are under "Genealogy and Research" on their Internet site.

Additional church records can be located at Linkpendium and by searching the FamilySearch Catalog. The FamilySearch Catalog has a plethora of for Westmoreland County, many are limited in the time frame they cover. When searching the FamilySearch Catalog, be sure to also search at the town and township level.

County-wide Database - Multi-denominational

 * 1708-1985 - Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry.com – $; 7,542,774 entries. This database is incomplete for all counties.


 * Contains the church records of:
 * Burrell: Bethesda Lutheran Church
 * Greensburg: Christ Episcopal Church
 * Hempfield: Herold's Reformed Church
 * Irwin: Covenant United Presbyterian Church; First Presbyterian Church; First United Church of Christ
 * Larimer: St. John's United Church of Christ
 * Latrobe: Latrobe Methodist Church; United Brethren in Christ
 * Ligonier: St. James Lutheran Church
 * Murrysville: Christ's Lutheran Church
 * Schuylkill: St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Trafford: Trinity United Methodist Church
 * Vandergrift: First United Methodist Church; First United Presbyterian Church


 * Westmoreland County Church Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives Including records of:
 * Brookland Congregation, 1822-1865
 * Greensburgh Presbyterian Church
 * Fairfield and Union Presbyterian Church
 * Salem Regular Baptist Church
 * St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Catholic

 * 1843–1943 "100 years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943". Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, 17:1. FamilySearch Library book 974.8 B2wg. Contains chronology, map, county-by-county information.

Lutheran
First Lutheran Church, Greensburg


 * 1792-1854 - First Lutheran Church, Greensburg, Baptism Index 1792-1854 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1792–1753 Births, Baptisms of the First Lutheran Church, Westmoreland County, Greensburg, Pennsylvania at Ancestry.com - $; typescript only

Hoffman's or Hope Lutheran Church, Smithton


 * 1813-1875 - Hoffman's or Hope Lutheran Church, Smithton, Baptism Index 1813-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Churches, Mt. Pleasant Township


 * 1782-1860 - St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Churches, Mt. Pleasant Township, Baptism Index 1782-1860 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. John's Lutheran Middle Church, Mt. Pleasant


 * 1821-1875 - St. John's Lutheran Middle Church, Mt. Pleasant, Baptism Index 1821-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hempfield Township


 * 1822-1875 - St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hempfield Township, Baptism Index 1822-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Presbyterian
Congruity Presbyterian Church, Salem Township


 * 1827-1875 - Congruity Presbyterian Church, Salem Township, Baptism Index 1827-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1828-1880 - Congruity Presbyterian Church, Salem Township, Baptism Index 1828-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Unity Presbyterian Church, Unity Township


 * Inscriptions of the Unity Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Unity Township, Westmoreland County, PA. at Ancestry.com - $; index only

Reformed
Harrolds Reformed Church, Hempfield Township


 * 1782-1875 - Harrolds Reformed Church, Hempfield Township, Baptism Index 1782-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Churches, Mt. Pleasant Township


 * 1782-1860 - St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Churches, Mt. Pleasant Township, Baptism Index 1782-1860 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. John's Reformed Middle Church, Mt. Pleasant


 * 1860-1875 - St. John's Reformed Middle Church, Mt. Pleasant, Baptism Index 1860-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. Paul Reformed Church, Hempfield Township


 * 1821-1875 - St. Paul Reformed Church, Hempfield Township, Baptism Index 1821-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Court of Common Pleas
The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of Pennsylvania. Major civil and criminal cases are heard in these courts. Judges also decide cases involving adoption, divorce, child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, estates, guardianships, charitable organizations and many other matters.

The Common Pleas courts are organized into 60 judicial districts. has its own judicial district. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.

Land and Property
Land records in Westmoreland County began in 1773. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. If your ancestor lived in the area which became Westmoreland County, they may have filed land claims with Virginia when the area was know as the District of West Augusta.

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, and maps. Property records include liens as well as livestock brands and estray records.

The following are examples of available resources:

Online Land Records


 * 1850–present The Recorder of Deeds offers online access to land records. The online indexes are free but fees apply for copies.

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1773-1886 Deeds and Index

Additional Resources

Note that the "Maps" section below includes maps related to land ownership.

See Pennsylvania Land and Property for more information about using land records, especially about original land warrants, surveys, and patents filed at the state land office.

Additional resources can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Westmoreland County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
 * (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search.)

Maps
Click the image to view an enlarged version


 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images from the Map of Westmoreland Co. Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by D.J. Lake &amp; N.S. Ames, published by Wm. J. Barker in 1857
 * Ancestor Tracks also has an Atlas of the Township Warrantee Maps of Westmoreland County and a Companion Scans of Township Warrantee Maps plus Current Road Overlay CD ($). They show precise outlines in metes and bounds of each original tract and all surrounding tracts in each township, giving the names of the warrantee and patentee; dates of the warrant, survey, and patent; and the patent and survey book and page of each recorded patent.
 * The 1867 Atlas of Westmoreland County has been posted at USGenWeb Digital Map Library.
 * Westmoreland County Maps courtesy USGenWeb Archives


 * 1867 Atlas
 * 1872 Outline Map
 * United States Geological Survey Township Map

Revolutionary War
Westmoreland County men also served in the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records available for Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania include the following:

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1740-1773 – Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry.com - ($), incomplete for all counties


 * 1820-1906 – Index to Declarations and Petitions in the Western District of Pennsylvania, US Circuit and District Courts located in US Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 database on Ancestry.com - ($), National Archives publication M1208


 * 1820-1930 – Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537, incomplete for all counties


 * 1820-1930 - Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm


 * 1886-1903 - Declarations of intention, 1886-1903,


 * 1802-1907 - Naturalization docket (Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania), 1802-1907; index, 1858, 1870, 1881-1896,

Newspapers
Newspapers of Westmoreland County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

Online Newspapers

To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Westmoreland County, Pennsvylvania.
 * Death Notices Westmoreland County, Pennsvylvania Genealogy Project

Newspaper Excerpts and Abstracts


 * Original research and additions by Della Reagan Fischer; compiled and typed by William L. Iscrupe, Marriage and Death Notices from Weekly Newspapers, 1818-1865, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Volume 1 (Laughlintown, PA:Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services, c1977)
 * Originally compiled by Della R. Fischer, Death Notices from Weekly Newspapers, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1866-1900 (Laughlintown, PA:Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services, c1983) ;
 * Collected and arranged by Carmella Corcetti Shirley, Marriages &amp; Anniversaries : Taken from the Leader Times Newspapers, 1922-1962-1997-1998-1999-2001 &amp; the Vandergrift News, 1997-1998-1999-2001 (Chicora, Pennsylvania:Mechling Bookbindery, c2002)

Obituaries
Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died. However, sometimes an obituary is found in the location from which he or she originated. To find an obituary, see the information under the Newspaper heading

Online Obituary Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Westmoreland County, PA.
 * Obituaries Westmoreland County, PA Genealogy Project
 * Obituary Index created from their collection of obituaries of the years of individuals who resided in or had connections to Westmoreland County. Courtesy of Baltzer Meyer Historical Society.
 * Westmoreland County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts


 * Compiled by Yvonne L. Blair Morgan, Index of Census, Newspaper Obituary Files and Microfilm:Fayette, Green, Washington and Westmoreland Counties (Apollo, Pennsylvania:Closson Press, c2003) ;
 * Copied by Della Reagan Fischer, Pa. Argus Marriages and Deaths, 10-17-1900 - 03-04 and 05 : Tribune - Review newspaper office, Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pa., copied from micro-film 2285, 2509 (McKeesport, PA:Fischer, 1976)
 * Compiled by Della Reagan Fischer, 7491 Death Notices, 1866-1900 : Old Newspapers, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Copied from Microfilms, the Tribune-Review Newspaper Office, Greensburg, Pa (1969)
 * Compiled by Carmella Corcetti Shirley, Obituary Extractions Taken from The Vandergrift News, Vandergrift, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, 1992-1996 (S.I.:C.C. Shirley, 1996?, c2002)

Probate Records
Online Probate Records Original probate records for some Pennsylvania counties are available free online as digital images at FamilySearch.org. The dates vary significantly for each county and not all counties are listed. Some counties may only have probate indexes. This Pennsylvania collection of images may be browsed through the links listed below:

Complete Collection:


 * 1683–1994 – at FamilySearch.org

Westmoreland County Only:


 * 1773–1917 – Westmoreland County Probate Records

Online Probate Abstracts


 * Westmoreland County Wills and Estate Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Original Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1773–1917 Wills, includes Index 1773–1918.

Repositories

 * List of Pennsylvania Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Courthouse
Westmoreland County Courthouse 2 North Main Street Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-830-3734


 * Prothonotary Suite 501 P.O. Box 1630 Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-0830-3502
 * Register of Wills Clerk of Orphans' Court Courthouse Annex, Suite 301 Phone: 724-830-3177 Fax: 724-850-3976 E-mail: row@co.westmoreland.pa.us Hours: 8:15 AM–4:15 PM Monday, Wednesday–Friday 8:15 AM–6:00 PM Tuesday
 * The office has:
 * 1852–1855 Birth, marriage, and death records. See Vital Records
 * 1773 to present Estate records
 * 1773 to present Orphans' Court records


 * The Clerk of Courts Suite 203 Phone:724-830-3734 Fax: 724-850-3979

Libraries
Westmoreland County Federated Library System consists of 25 public libraries in Westmoreland County. Each library has access to genealogical databases - especially newspaper sites. Many are accessible with your library card from home. A list of the libraries in this system and their website and contact information is found here.


 * Greensburg Hempfield Area Library 237 South Pennsylvania Ave. Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-837-5620


 * The Genealogy and Local History Resources web page list their holdings. Their microfilmed newspapers for the area include dates from 1832 to the present. They also have censuses.

Museums

 * Compass Inn Museum 1382 US Route 30 PO Box 167 Laughlintown, PA 15655 724-238-4983 E-mail: jkoontz@compassinn.com The Museum is run by the Ligonier Valley Historical Society. They have costumed docents through out a small area including a barn, blacksmith shop and cookhouse.The museum is also on Facebook.


 * West Overton Museums 109 Overton Rd Mailing: West Oveton Village Scottdale, PA 15683 724-887-7910 E-mail: info@westovertonmuseums.org The museum is built around Henry Overholt distilling industry. Henry Clay Frick, a grandson of Henry Overholt, grew up around West Overton.

Societies

 * Westmoreland County Historical Society 362 Sand Hill Road Suite 1 Greensburg, PA 15601 724-532-1935 Fax: 724-532-1938 E-mail: history@westmorelandhistory.org Hours: Tuesday–Friday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Evenings by Appointments


 * Historical Society Members: No charge for using library; Photocopies, $0.20 per copy.
 * Non-members: $3.00 per researcher per day to use library; Photocopies, $0.25 per copy.
 * Tips for planning a visit


 * You may schedule research consultation with their researcher ahead of time. Members $30 per hour and Non-member $35 per hour.
 * Research by mail has varying charges. Read through the instructions on line and use the "Genealogical Research Request Form."


 * Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-4080 Library Hours: Monday - Thursday: 10:00am - 8:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 10:00am - 5:30pm, Sunday: 1:00pm - 5:00pm Tips for planning a visit The focus of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society are the 26 counties west of Centre County. The Society is based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and maintains its library and offices in the Pennsylvania Department of the Carnegie Library. The WPGS Library collection is complemented and augmented by the Pennsylvania Department's enormous holdings of local and family history information. It has extensive onsite resources for both in-library research, and out-of-town queries.


 * Baltzer Meyer Historical Society 642 Baltzer Meyer Pike Greensburg, PA 15601-9711 724-836-6915 E-mail: baltzermeyer@juno.com This society was founded in 1993 to preserve and study the history of Westmoreland families as well as those in Southwestern Pennsylvania. They maintain a library in a former church and a museum in a schoolhouse. They publish books which you can order from them.


 * Research is $10.00 for each hour of research.
 * Photocopy costs are $0.25 per page
 * Cemetery look ups are $3.00 per Surname per Cemetery.


 * The Ligonier Valley Historical Society 1382 US Route 30 PO Box 167 Laughlintown, PA 15655 724-238-4983 E-mail: jkoontz@compassinn.com The Society's mission revolves around the history of the Lignoier Valley area. They maintain a records and document room. Also, they maintain the Compass Inn Museum.

School Records

 * Westmoreland County Education and School Records
 * Teachers Montly Reports of Independent School #3, Derry District, 1872-1877
 * New Kensington High Graduates, 1921
 * Mineral Villa School, Smithton, 1895/1896

Taxation

 * 1783, 1786 - Returns of Taxables for the Counties of Bedford (1773 to 1784), Huntingdon (1788), Westmoreland (1783, 1786), Fayette (1785, 1786), Allegheny (1791), Washington (1786) and Census of Bedford (1784) and Westmoreland (1783). (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 22). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.


 * 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Vital Records
See also How to order Pennsylvania Vital Records

Birth

 * 1782-1930 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.

The Register of Wills have incomplete birth records from 1852 to 1855 and complete records 1893 to 1905. You may obtain the records from:

Register of Wills 2 N. Main Street, Suite 301 Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-830-3177 Fax: 724-850-3976 Email: row@co.westmoreland.pa.us Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Friday 8:15 am to 4:15 am Tuesday 8:15 am to 6:00 pm

Marriage

 * 1677–1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
 * 1725-1976 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
 * 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
 * 1885-1950 - Extracted marriage records – free. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.

The Register of Wills have incomplete marriage records from 1852 to 1855 and complete records 1885 to the present. You may obtain the records from:

Register of Wills 2 N. Main Street, Suite 301 Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-830-3177 Fax: 724-850-3976 Email: row@co.westmoreland.pa.us Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Friday 8:15 am to 4:15 am Tuesday 8:15 am to 6:00 pm

In May 2012, the Register of Wills of the Orphan Court discovered marriages performed by District Judge, Raymond Tubbs from 1974 to 1989 had not been filed. This office is now trying to reconstruct the marriages. To learn about this problem visit their website. at http://www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/westmoreland/cwp/view.asp?a=1453&amp;q=639334.

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building.

Death

 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.
 * 1852-1853 - Westmoreland County Death Registrations courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * 1893-1906 - Westmoreland County Death Index 1893-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. See link in endnotes for batch numbers.

The Register of Wills have incomplete death records from 1852 to 1855 and complete records 1893 to 1905. You may obtain the records from:

Register of Wills 2 N. Main Street, Suite 301 Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-830-3177 Fax: 724-850-3976 Email: row@co.westmoreland.pa.us Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Friday 8:15 am to 4:15 am Tuesday 8:15 am to 6:00 pm

Westmoreland County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

 * Westmoreland County, PA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * USGenWeb project. Westmoreland County. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * An early history of the county published in 1906 and biographical sketches of early residents can be found in this transcription project: Westmoreland County History.
 * An early history of the county published in 1906 and biographical sketches of early residents can be found in this transcription project: Westmoreland County History.