Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

''United States Pennsylvania  Westmoreland County

Parent County
26 February 1773: Westmoreland County was created from Bedford County.

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

Neighboring Counties
Allegheny | Armstong | Butler | Cambria | Fayette | Indiana | Somerset | Washington

Cemeteries

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

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

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

Land
Recorder of Deeds 2 North Main Street Suite 503 Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: (724) 830-3518

Due to the lack of vital records for Pennsylvania, land records are an important tool in early Pennsylvania research. Land records will list the seller and purchaser of the property and may hide clues to family connections. Land records for Greene County are available from the recorder's office for 1773 to the present.


 * Records from 29 April 1943 to the present are available on-line.
 * Deeds, 1773-1886; Index
 * Early Landowners of Pennsylvania: Atlas of Township Patent Maps of Westmoreland County by Sharon and Angus MacInnes contains all of the Township Patent Maps drafted by Office of Deeds of Westmoreland County. Information included for each tract includes: names of warrantees and patentees; size and name of each tract; warrant, survey and patent dates; patent book and page number where the land was recorded; survey book and page number; and atlas coordinates within which the tract is located.  A companion CD contains the original tracts showing metes and bounds, with current road maps superimposed over them.  Extensive footnotes correct or supplement information on the original patent maps.

Maps

 * 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.

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

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
Courtesy of the Baltzer Meyer Historical Society:

Obituary Index created from their collection of obituaries of the years of individuals who resided in or had connections to Westmoreland County.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Greensburg Pennsylvania Family History Center

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. 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.