Blair County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania  Blair County

County Courthouse
423 Allegheny St. Hollidaysburg, PA 16648-2022 Phone: 814-693-3000

Parent County
26 February 1846: Blair County was created from Huntingdon and Bedford Counties.

==== Boundary Changes ====


 * 27 January 1750: Blair County was part of Cumberland County when it was created.
 * 9 March 1771: Bedford County was created out of Cumberland County.
 * 20 Sep 1787: Huntingdon County was created out of Bedford County; all but a part of Greenfield Township split into Huntingdon County while the small part of Greenfield remained in Bedford County.

Neighboring Counties
Bedford | Cambria | Centre | Clearfield | Huntingdon |

Cemeteries
Woodbury Township

Biddle Farm Cemetery: on Clover Creek across the street from Snively Cemetery. Not to be confused with the Biddle Farm Cemetery on Plum Creek. Biddle Farm Cemetery on Clover Creek: Latitude 402553 N. Longitute 0781205 W. Transcription available (ca 1930/1970) in the George Liebegott Collection housed in the Martinsburg Public Library and also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Cemetery restored in 2001 by Ramona Householder who published her findings in The Biddle Family Cemetery. Copies of the book The Biddle Family Cemetery are housed in the Blair County Genealogical Society and the Family History Library in Salt Lake.

Dell/Smith Farm Cemetery: on Clover Creek three miles east of Williamsburg. In very poor shape. Transcription available on Family History Library US/CAN Film 883,492. Not to be confused with another Smith Cemetery, also located in Blair County that no longer exists.

Saint John's Cemetery: at Shellytown near Clover Creek. Transcription (ca 1950/1970) available in the George Liebegott Collection housed at the Martinsburg Public Library, Martinsburg, PA and also on microfilm through the Family History Library.

Snively Cemetery: on Clover Creek. Cemetery in great shape (2001). Transcription available at the Martinsburg Public Libary in Martinsburg, PA in a brownish folder/book titled Snively Cemetery and published 1983 in Williamsburg, PA.

Huston Township

Ditch Cemetery: Transcription available in Ditch Cemetery File at the Blair County Genealogical Society.

Taylor Township

Biddle/Hoover/Smith Farm Cemetery: located near East Sharpsburg, Taylor Twp, on left side of road (back behind house) down Plum Creek. Further down Plum Creek Road than Snowberger Cemetery. In poor shape (2001). Won't be able to see it from the road unless you have been their before. 1936 transcription done by George Liebegott and reposited in the George Liebegott Collection at the Martinsburg Public Libary, Martinsburg, PA and also on microfilm through the Family History Library.

''' East Sharpsburg/St. John's Reformed Church/Umbower Cemetery: ''' located by St. John's Reformed Church in East Sharpsburg, PA. Transcription available in the Martinsburg Public Library Genealogical Room. Transcription for oldest section done in 1979, the remainder in 1992.

Snowberger Cemetery: located near East Sharpsburg, Taylor Twp, on left side of road down Plum Creek. 1936 transcription done by George Liebegott and reposited in the George Liebegott Collection at the Martinsburg Public Libary, Martinsburg, PA and also on microfilm through the Family History Library. Cemetery in good shape (2001). 

Land
The deed books can be located in the Blair County Genealogical Society.

Local Histories

 * Altoona Library has posted online the 1896 A History of Blair County, Pennsylvania, From its Earliest Settlement, and more particularly from its Organization, in 1846 to June 1896

Maps

 * The 1873 Atlas of Blair and Huntingdon Counties From actual Surveys by and under the direction of Beach Nicholas, Published by A. Pomeroy &amp; Co. has been placed online at the usgenwebarchives. The atlas shows many landowners, populated places, and landmarks, and is invaluable when used with the 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses.

Newspapers
Birth Index: This is a work in progress and is in the beginning stages. The birth notices from the Altoona Mirror that have been added may be searched by the child's last name, Mother's maiden or married name, Father's last name or the date of birth. Unlike the Obituary index which is only an index, complete information is contained in a Birth Index entry.

Obituary Index: The Obituary Index lists the dates that local obituaries appeared in the Altoona Mirror. It is searchable by last name or maiden name. It currently covers the period from 1936 to the present. Once an obituary date is located a patron can visit the library and print it from the library's microfilm or patrons who cannot visit the library may order prints from the library to be mailed to the patron for a nominal fee

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Altoona Pennsylvania Family History Center (Hollidaysburg)

Web Sites

 * Linkpendium - Blair County
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.