WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PA HISTORY AND LOOKUP
Table of Contents
- In-Print County History Books
- Free Public Domain County History Books
- Related Books
- Concise County History
- Comments & Suggestion
In-Print County History Books
These titles are currently in print and selected for their relevance to local and county history. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Free County History Books
This section features a curated collection of county history books sourced from public domain archives. Each book provides valuable insights into local history and heritage. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s public domain resource.
History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Volume 1 by John N. Boucher, (1906) – 742 Pages
This authoritative volume details Westmoreland County’s early settlement, geographic formation, and development of civic and economic institutions. It covers farming, industry, and community evolution, integrating biographical sketches to illustrate the contributions of leading citizens. Volume I lays the historical foundation for the county, reflecting the scholarly and documentary style of early 20th-century county histories.
History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Volume 2 by John W. Jordan, Ll.d.., (1906) – 854 Pages
This continuation of the Westmoreland County history elaborates on the region’s social, economic, and industrial development following its early settlement, including the growth of communities, transportation, and commerce. It integrates extensive biographical sketches of influential residents, illustrating how individual lives intersected with broader historical change. The volume’s narrative and documentary approach serves both as a chronological history and a genealogical reference for understanding the county’s maturation.
Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania by John M. Gresham, (1890) – 1418 Pages
This volume combines detailed biographical entries of prominent Indiana County citizens with historical narrative, providing insight into both public events and private lives that shaped the region. It includes accounts of township formation, institutions, and economic activities alongside genealogical information deepening local context. The work’s encyclopedic structure offers researchers and readers a comprehensive portrait of the county’s people and development.
History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches by George Dallas Albert (ed.), (1882) – 954 Pages
This edition provides an alternate or expanded version of Albert’s Westmoreland County history, emphasizing biographies of leading citizens and detailed township accounts. It covers civic, social, and economic developments throughout the county. Like the previous edition, it combines narrative and genealogical information to preserve local history.
Related Books
This section highlights additional county and local history titles that complement the main collection. These books are selected for their relevance, historical value, and research usefulness. Click anywhere on the book listing below, and each listing links directly to the corresponding resource or purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: A Genealogical Overview
As one of Pennsylvania’s most historic and populous counties, Westmoreland boasts a rich and complex past forged on the American frontier. Its vast original territory, its role in pivotal national events like the Whiskey Rebellion, and its evolution into an industrial powerhouse create a deep and rewarding landscape for genealogical research.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Westmoreland’s formation from a massive frontier territory is crucial for locating the earliest records.
- 1773: County Formed: Westmoreland County was formed on February 26, 1773, from a portion of Bedford County. It was the last county formed under the colonial government of Pennsylvania. Its original territory encompassed most of southwestern Pennsylvania.
- 1781: Washington County Formed: The first major division of Westmoreland’s territory occurred with the creation of Washington County from its western portion.
- 1783: Fayette County Formed: Another significant portion of Westmoreland was used to create Fayette County to its south.
- 1788: Allegheny County Formed: The highly populated area around Pittsburgh was taken from Westmoreland to form Allegheny County.
- Post-1800: Portions of Westmoreland’s territory were later used to form parts of Armstrong (1800), Indiana (1803), and Cambria (1804) counties, establishing its modern-day boundaries.
Summary for Genealogists:
- Before 1773: Your ancestor lived in what was then Bedford County (or Cumberland County before 1771). Look for records there.
- 1773 – 1781: Your ancestor lived in a vast Westmoreland County that covered most of southwestern PA.
- After 1781: If your ancestor lived in the areas that became Washington, Fayette, Allegheny, Armstrong, or Indiana counties, you must search the records of those “daughter” counties after their respective formation dates.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The region was home to several Native American groups, including the Shawnee, Lenape (Delaware), and Seneca-Cayuga peoples of the Iroquois Confederacy.
- Frontier Settlement and Conflict: The area was a flashpoint of conflict during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution (as in the burning of Hannastown in 1782). Early European settlement was dominated by Scots-Irish and German immigrants who established farms and forts along routes like the Forbes Road.
- The Whiskey Rebellion: In the 1790s, Westmoreland County was a center of the Whiskey Rebellion, a tax protest by western Pennsylvania farmers that was a major test for the new U.S. government. Later, the county’s economy became dominated by the coal and coke industries, which fueled the steel mills of nearby Pittsburgh, attracting waves of new immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides the practical information needed to locate ancestral records specific to the county.
- Courthouse: The county seat is Greensburg.
- Westmoreland County Courthouse: Located at 2 North Main Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. This is the central repository for most county records. Key offices for genealogists include the Register of Wills (wills and probate records from 1773), the Recorder of Deeds (land records from 1773), and the Prothonotary (civil court records).
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Pennsylvania mandated statewide registration of births and deaths beginning in January 1906. Records from 1906 to the present are held by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. Records prior to 1906 are inconsistent; some may be found at the county courthouse for the period 1893-1905, but most must be sought in church, cemetery, or newspaper records.
- Marriage Records: Official county-level marriage licenses began in 1885. Records from 1885 to the present are held by the Marriage License office at the Westmoreland County Courthouse. Earlier marriages must be found in church records, newspaper announcements, or court dockets.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Westmoreland County Historical Society: Located at 809 Forbes Trail Road, Greensburg, PA 15601. This is the premier resource for county-specific research. The collection includes thousands of family histories, an extensive library of local history books, archival manuscripts, maps, photographs, and other materials focused on the history and people of Westmoreland County.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Cambria County
- Fayette County
- Indiana County
- Somerset County
- Washington County