Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The county was named for the county of Westmorland, England. The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Westmoreland County Courthouse 2 N. Main Street Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-830-3826 Clerk of Courts: 724-830-3734 Prothonotary: 724-830-3502 Clerk of Orphans' Court: 724-830-3177 Register of Wills: 724-830-3177 Westmoreland County Website County Clerk and Orphans' Court has birth records from 1893-1905, marriage records from 1893, birth, marriage, and death records from 1852-1855, and estate and probate records from 1773, Orphans' Court records from 1773 to present Prothonotary Office has divorce records Clerk of Courts has court records Register of Deeds has land records

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

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

Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Indentured Servants

Cemeteries

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

Additional Cemetery Resources
 * ca.1700-ca.1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * PA-Roots
 * Names in Stone
 * Ancestry($)
 * 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 Records

 * 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

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.
 * Linkpendium

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. Batch
 * 1792 -1753 Births, Baptisms of the First Lutheran Church, Westmoreland County, Greensburg, Pennsylvania at Ancestry $

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. 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. 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. 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. Batch.

Presbyterian

Congruity Presbyterian Church, Salem Township


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

Unity Presbyterian Church, Unity Township


 * Inscriptions of the Unity Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Unity Township, Westmoreland County, PA. at Ancestry $

Reformed

Harrolds Reformed Church, Hempfield Township


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

St. Paul Reformed Church, Hempfield Township

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1821-1875  St. Paul Reformed Church, Hempfield Township, Baptism Index 1821-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch.
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration
Indentured Servants

Land and Property Records
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 known as the District of West Augusta.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1773-1886 Deeds and Index - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1850-present The Recorder of Deeds offers online access to land records. The online indexes are free but fees apply for copies.

Local Histories

 * History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania. 1882. Edited by George Dallas Albert. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : L.H. Everts. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. 3 volumes. 1906. By John Newton Boucher and John W. Jordan. New York, New York : Lewis Pub. Co. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Ancestry ($); .  Volumes 2-3 are biographical sketches compiled under the editorial supervision of John W. Jordan.
 * Old and New Westmoreland. 4 volumes. 1918. By John Newton Boucher and Fenwick Y. Hedley. New York, New York : American Historical Society. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 4 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Vol. 1 - Google Books, Vol. 3 - Google Books, Vol. 4 - Google Books; . Added title and author in vol. 3-4: Genealogical and personal history under editorial supervision of Capt. Fenwick Y. Hedley. Vols. 3-4 edited by Capt. Fenwick Y. Hedley. Indexes included in vol. 2 and 4.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 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 which have the following: 1867 Atlas 1872 Outline Map United States Geological Survey Township Map
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War

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

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

1802-1907 Naturalization docket (Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania), 1802-1907; index, 1858, 1870, 1881-1896,  - images only +++
 * 1740-1773 Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry $
 * 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 $
 * 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 $
 * 1886-1903 Declarations of intention, 1886-1903,  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

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)
 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch

Obituaries
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


 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch
 * 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 Indexes and Records
 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch
 * 1773-1917 Westmoreland County Probate Records
 * 1773-1917 Wills, includes Index 1773 -1918. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * Westmoreland County Wills and Estate Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

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

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * 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 ($); Google Books
 * 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Birth

 * 1782-1930   index. Not complete for all years. This collection is an 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 $

The Register of Wills have incomplete birth records from 1852 to 1855 and complete records 1893 to 1905.

Marriage

 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
 * 1677-1950 at FamilySearch
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1725-1976 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 $
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 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 has incomplete marriage records from 1852 to 1855 and complete records 1885 to the present. 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.

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch — index, some images
 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1852-1853 Westmoreland County Death Registrations courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * 1893-1906 Westmoreland County Death Index 1893-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch See link in endnotes for batch numbers.

The Register of Wills has incomplete death records from 1852 to 1855 and complete records 1893 to 1905.

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.

Archives

 * National Archives at Philadelphia 14700 Townsend Road Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Phone: (215) 305-2044 Fax (215) 305-2052 website

Family History Centers

 * Greensburg Pennsylvania Family History Center

Libraries

 * List of WLN Member Libraries WLN 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. website includes list of WLN member libraries


 * Greensburg Hempfield Area Library 237 South Pennsylvania Ave. Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-837-5620 website
 * The Genealogy and Local History Resources web page lists 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 Phone: 724-238-4983 Email: [mailto:jkoontz@compassinn.com jkoontz@compassinn.com] Facebook website
 * The Museum is run by the Ligonier Valley Historical Society. They have costumed docents throughout a small area including a barn, blacksmith shop and cookhouse.


 * West Overton Museums 109 Overton Rd PO Box 3 Scottdale, PA 15683 Phone: 724-887-7910 Email: [mailto:info@westovertonmuseums.org info@westovertonmuseums.org] website 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 Phone: 724-532-1935 Fax: 724-532-1938 Email: [mailto:history@westmorelandhistory.org history@westmorelandhistory.org] website
 * Historical Society Members: No charge for using library
 * You may schedule research consultation with their researcher in advance.


 * Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213-4080 Facebook website
 * The focus of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society is 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 Phone: 724-836-6915 Email: [mailto:baltzermeyer@juno.com baltzermeyer@juno.com] website 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, and publish books. Research services Cemetery look-ups


 * The Ligonier Valley Historical Society 1382 US Route 30 PO Box 167 Laughlintown, PA 15655 Phone: 724-238-4983 Email: [mailto:jkoontz@compassinn.com jkoontz@compassinn.com] website 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.

Websites

 * 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.
 * Westmoreland County PA Genealogy
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.