Genealogy

Genealogy- Online Research Database

MyHeritage.com™ is one of the top genealogical resources in the world, second to only Ancestry.com and is free for library card holders to use through the Power Library website. It boasts billions of historical records, millions of historical photos, and thousands of databases.

MyHeritage Library Edition provides access to billions of historical records from around the world, including census data, birth, marriage, and death records, immigration and military records, and tombstone photos. It also connects to digitized photos and family trees on MyHeritage.com and Geni.com. The database is particularly strong in US and UK census records and includes content from 48 countries.

Local History

“The Pennsylvania Room” collection at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library is an excellent resource for anyone interested in researching Westmoreland County families and local history. Since being moved to storage during the 2021-2022 renovations, the entire PA Room collection has not been on display. Select pieces of the collection may be viewed upon request in the Library. Please call (724) 837-5620 to schedule a time.

There has been a Pennsylvania Room collection at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library since the collection moved into the old post office in 1969. The collection includes many important and unique resources that are hard to find. These resources include church and cemetery records, city directories, histories, newspapers on microfilm and more. These resources are available for in-library use only. Reference librarians are available to assist anyone who is interested in using the collection.

Highlights of PA Room Collection

US Census in Print

1790 – Pennsylvania and Virginia
1810 – Westmoreland & Fayette Counties
1850 – Westmoreland, Washington and Fayette Counties
1880 – Westmoreland County
*1890 census not available due to a fire

Westmoreland County Census on Microfilm

1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930

The 1950 US Censuses

The most recent publicly available census records are from the 1950 census, previously only the 1940 census was available. These records were released on April 1, 2022. You can access them for free through the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website and its dedicated site, 1950census.archives.gov.

NARA has digitized the 1950 Census population schedules for U.S. states and territories, along with enumeration district maps and descriptions.

While the 1950 Census is the most recent publicly available, other online resources like FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com also offer access to census records, often with indexing and search capabilities. However, these may require subscriptions or fees.

Church and Cemetery Records

The German Church Records of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania by Paul Miller Ruff, volumes 1-4

Births and Baptisms 1784-1815 by Rev. John William Weber,  complied by Della Reagan Fischer

Births – Baptisms of the First Lutheran Church, Westmoreland County, Greensburg, PA 1792-1853, compiled by Della Reagan Fischer

Ligonier Valley Cemeteries: Ligonier Borough and Township, compiled by William I. Iscrupe, 2 volumes

27 Cemeteries, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, compiled by Della Reagan Fischer

Congruity Presbyterian Church, Salem Township, Westmoreland County, PA 1828-1909 compiled by Della Reagan Fischer

Brush Creek Evangelical Church Records, compiled by Della Reagan Fischer, 2 volumes

Birth-Baptisms-Cemetery Records, Denmark Manor Churches 1811-1907, Lutheran and Reformed, compiled by Della Reagan Fischer

Inscriptions of Unity Presbyterian Cemetery, Unity Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, compiled by Della Reagan Fischer

Marriage and Death Records (copied and compiled by Della Reagan Fischer)

Marriage and death notices from weekly newspapers 1818-1865, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Marriages 1866-1900 from old newspapers, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Death notices 1866-1900, old newspapers, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Histories of Westmoreland County

History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men. Edited by George Dallas Albert, 1882

Old and New Westmoreland by John N. Boucher and Capt. Fenwick Y Hedley. Four volumes 1918

City of Greensburg Histories

City of Greensburg: a history 1799-1949

History of Greensburg and Greensburg Schools by B.F. Vogle, 1899

A Bicentennial History of the city of Greensburg by Robert B. Van Atta

City Directories

Greensburg City Directories in Print – The earliest city directory in print is from 1913. There are directories for intermittent years between 1927-1992

Greensburg City Directories on Microfilm – There are city directories beginning in 1909 and covering intermittent years till 1959

Greensburg & Latrobe City Directories in Print – 2000 – present

Indexes to Wills

Wills and letters of administrations of the Westmoreland County Court House 1771-1839 compiled by Della Reagan Fischer, two volumes

The Pennsylvania Archives

The Library has many volumes of the published Pennsylvania Archives. These Archives include early colonial records, marriage records, military records, tax records and more. These volumes cover the time period from 1664-1902.

Newspapers on Microfilm

Greensburg Tribune Review (Daily) January 1, 1991 to present (January 1, 1993 was not published)

Greensburg Morning Review (Daily) January 1, 1908 through January 2, 1925; September 24, 1940 through December 31, 1955

Greensburg Daily Tribune (Daily) February 8, 1889 through October 18, 1940. The following dates are missing: July 1, 1892 to January 3, 1893; June 29, 1894 to December 31, 1894; December 19, 1895 to December 31, 1895; July 1, 1896 to December 31, 1896; October 16, 1925 to February 1, 1926; September 1933 to October 1933

Farmer’s Register (Greensburg, PA) (Weekly) June 21, 1799 through April 24, 1802; August 18, 1840 through October 28, 1840

Greensburg Daily Record (Daily) April 3, 1886 through January 11, 1890

Westmoreland Intelligencer (Weekly) April 1841 to December 1847

Pennsylvania Argus (Weekly) December 7, 1832 through May 1834; January 9, 1867 through December 21, 1871; December 8, 1886 through December 4, 1889; December 28, 1871 through December 18, 1872; November 20, 1907 through November 6, 1912

Tribune Herald (Weekly) July 29, 1870 through November 25, 1908

Greensburg Press Daily (Daily) June 13, 1882 through February 28, 1888; March 6, 1888 through March 18, 1898 (missing April 15, 1891 to September 13, 1897); March 22, 1898 through June 30, 1899

Greensburg Evening Press (Daily) October 1881 through March 31, 1891