Genealogy
The Pennsylvania Room at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library is an excellent resource for anyone interested in researching Westmoreland County families and local history. 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 Pennsylvania Room houses 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.
These are some highlights of the collection:
US Census in Print
1790 – Pennsylvania and Virginia
1810 – Westmoreland & Fayette Counties
1850 – Westmoreland, Washington and Fayette Counties
1880 – Westmoreland County
*The 1890 census is not available due to a fire.
US Census on Microfilm
Westmoreland County Census for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930
The 1940 US Census
The 1940 US Census is the most recent census that is available to search. Researchers can search by person’s name online at this website – 1940 Census
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 complied by Della Reagan Fischer
Brush Creek Evangelical Church Records Complied 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 complied by Della Reagan Fischer
Marriage and Death Records
Marriage and death notices from weekly newspapers 1818-1865, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania copied and compiled by Della Reagan Fischer
Marriages 1866-1900 from old newspapers, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania compiled by Della Reagan Fischer
Death notices 1866-1900, old newspapers, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania complied by Della Reagan Fischer
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