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Research Guide for Genealogy & Family History

Select one of the categories below to get started

Visiting the Library (Hours, Maps, Parking, etc...) Guides to Research
General Resources County & Local Histories
Census Records Vital Records (Births, Deaths, Marriages)
Immigration Records & Passenger Lists Newspapers & Obituaries
Genealogy Magazines and Journals City Directories
Church Records Military Records
Selected Internet Sites Other Genealogical Collections 

Questions???  Help is widely available.  For general questions about the library ask at any service desk, call us at 814-865-6368 or go to our ASK service.  For questions about Census records and historical newspapers contact the News and Microforms, Library, 814-863-0377.  For all other genealogical inquiries contact the History Librarian, Eric Novotny, at 814-865-1014, ecn1@psu.edu, IM: HistoryLibrarian.

Visiting the Library

The public is welcome to use the resources of the University Libraries.  Residents of Pennsylvania can apply for borrowing privileges to check out materials.  Note that some materials including reference books and microfilm collections such as the U.S. Census, cannot be used outside of the library.  You are welcome to use them in the library and make copies of needed materials.  

Most of the genealogy resources are located in the Pattee/Paterno library.  On the campus map you will find Pattee/Paterno in the center at the intersection of Curtin and Allen.  

BEFORE YOU VISIT -- It is not always necessary to visit the library in person in order to determine if we have what you are looking for.  You can search for materials in the library's collections from anywhere in the world.  Simply go to the library's home page (http://www.libraries.psu.edu), and select databases, then the CAT.  The CAT  is the library's online card catalog.  The CAT does not contain the full-text of library materials, but it does allow you to search for what we own by author, title, or subjects.  

For more information about the library or searching the CAT call 814-865-3063, or go to our ASK-A-LIBRARIAN e-mail service

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Getting Started

How you will proceed depends on what information you already possess, and how much much information you are looking for.  If you are new to the process you might consider starting with one of the guides below.  While each resource is different a guide will typically describe the types of records available for genealogical research, help you decipher unfamiliar terms, and provide information about groups that assist family researchers.  They will also advise you on what information you need to gather before beginning the process.  The Centre County Genealogical Society also offers advice and publications on how to get started.  See their web page for more information.  See also the online Glossary of Genealogical Terms for definitions of unfamiliar words.

WANT MORE GUIDES?  -- The library has a number of similar guides in our collections.  To identify other titles of interest you will want to use the CAT, the library's online card catalog.   You can access the CAT from anywhere in the world.  Simply go to the library's home page (http://www.libraries.psu.edu), and select databases, then the CAT.   Once in the CAT you can search for what we own by author, title, or subjects.  

There are also guides to getting started available online.  See for example, Genealogy 101 (Heritage Quest), or the RootsWeb Guide to Tracing Your Family Tree

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General Resources

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County and Local Histories

County histories of the late 19th and early 20th Century did more than recount the chief events of the region.  Often they included extensive data on the early inhabitants, include those connected with prominent families in some fashion.  Many include lists of tax rolls, church registers, local officials, occupational indexes and the like.  A number of these early county histories have been microfilmed and are widely available.  The Pennsylvania histories are in the series Pennsylvania County and Regional Histories, Call #Microfilm D187, News and Microforms Library, Ground Floor Pattee.  

The easiest way to identify additional county histories available in the library  is to search the CAT, the library's online catalog.  Conduct a keyword search on the name of the county and history.  For example, Centre and history, or Allegheny and history.  

The PA's Past: Digital Bookshelf provides full-text access to over 600 historical works on Pennsylvania history.  A list of additional Pennsylvania county and regional histories online is at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/pahist.htm

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Census Resources

The library has the manuscript returns for the Federal Population Censuses for Pennsylvania, 1800-1930 .   The information contained varies for each census as described in the U.S. Census online pamphlet, Availability of Census Records about Individuals .  The library also has other Census manuscripts, including the Census of Agriculture (Pennsylvania, 1850-1880), and the Census of Manufacturers (Pennsylvania , 1820, 1850-1880)

Note:  In 2007, the Census reels were reclassed and moved within the News and Microforms Library.  Click here for the new call numbers. 

Soundex (Census Indexes)

The 1880-1920 Censuses on microfilm are indexed using a system known as Soundex.   The Soundex index arranges last names based on the way a name sounds rather than the way it is spelled. Surnames that sound the same, but are spelled differently, like SMITH and SMYTH, have the same Soundex code and are filed together.  The Soundex coding system was developed so that you can find a surname even though it may have been recorded under various spellings. Knowing a surname's Soundex code is an important first step in locating your ancestor.  The National Archives web site has a guide to deciphering the Soundex Machine.  The easiest way to convert your name to the Soundex code is to use an online convertor.  There is one available via RootsWeb, Soundex Convertor

Census Information Online 

The USGenWeb project is soliciting volunteers to transcribe Census records and place them online.  Some Pennsylvania counties have already been entered, with more forthcoming.  It is free to search and view the Census records at this site.  

Ancestry.com, offers online searching of Census materials and other materials.  Some records can be viewed for free, but many, including the Census materials, require the payment of a membership fee for access.

Historic Pittsburgh Census Project.   Allows users to search the U.S. Census Schedules for the city of Pittsburgh from the years 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 and for Allegheny City from the years 1850, 1860, and 1870

National Archives and Records Administration: Genealogy Page  This site contains much useful information about federal records, including the U.S. Census,  and how they can be used for genealogy. 

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Vital Records (Births, Deaths, Marriages)

Most original copies of Vital Records are housed in the county where the event occurred.  To obtain copies of Birth, Death, and Marriage records for Centre County contact the:

Centre County Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court
Willowbank County Office Building 
414 Holmes Street 
Suite #2 
Bellefonte PA 16823 
Phone: (814)-355-6724 
Fax: (814)-355-8685 
rabierly@co.centre.pa.us 

The Centre County Library's Pennsylvania Room in Bellefonte has the following original county records: 

Will and Intestate files - 1800-1990 
Marriage license applications - 1885-1987 
Tax assessment records - 1802-1956 
Civil and Criminal Court Papers - 1800-1875 

In addition the The Pennsylvania State Archives has microfilm of selected county records.  A description of the county records available from the Pennsylvania State Archives is on their web site.

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Health. Division of Vital Records has birth and death records from 1906. Marriage and divorce records are not available from the Division of Vital Records. They are usually obtained from the courthouse in the county where the marriage license was issued or divorce decree was granted.  The Department's web page contains information on vital records available from the state and how to obtain them. 

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Newspapers and Obituaries

Prior to 1885 most births, deaths, and marriages in the state of Pennsylvania were not officially recorded by state or local governments.   These events do typically appear in local newspapers.  In some cases specialized indexes are available (see the section on Vital Records, and the description of the Pennsylvania Room below).  In most other cases you will need to browse through the newspaper for the region you are interested in.  The News and Microforms Library has a list of the newspapers available in the Pattee/Paterno Libraries.  The collection is particularly strong in historic Pennsylvania newspapers.  To identify newspapers available in other libraries use one of the guides below. 

Pennsylvania Scrap Book Necrology, (Obituaries from circa 1891-1904, mostly of PA Civil War veterans).

Times of London Index 1790-1905, have the paper index from 1790-present in the News and Microforms Library.  

NewspaperArchive.com offers selected full-text newspapers online.  Searching is free, but there is a charge for viewing the text online.

Centre Daily Times Selective Index (1981-present).  Covers local interest news stories only.  Obituaries were not originally included, but have been added in recent years.  

Locating Newspapers not at PSU:

For more information on locating newspapers, consult the Historical News Sources Page

The Centre County Library and Historical Museum's Pennsylvania Room in Bellefonte, has a collection of newspaper obituaries as part of the Spangler Genealogical Papers, as well as Obituary Notebooks and Indexes for the Center Daily Times, the Centre Democrat and other local publications.  Years of coverage vary.  See the web site for the Pennsylvania Room, or call the Museum at: (814) 355-1516.

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Immigration and Passenger Lists

Passenger lists can tell you when an ancestor arrived in this country.  Often they also include information about the person's port of origin (where they came from), and their final destination (where they intend to settle).  They may also include information on ethnicity, marital status, relatives, and occupation.  The bibliographies listed below will help you identify if a passenger list was created for the time period and region you are interested in.  

Centre County Naturalization Records, 1802-1929  The Centre County Historic Records Imaging Project is reproducing images of Naturalization Records from 1802-1929 as well as Slave Records from 1803-1820.   

Ellis Island  Contains images of passenger lists and ships process through Ellis Island.  The images are searchable by name.  

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Genealogy Magazines and Journals

The publications below contain information of interest to genealogists.  They often contain descriptions of ongoing projects and are a good way to discover otherwise hidden resources.  Browsing current issues is a good way to get a sense of what is currently being done by other researchers.   

Guides to Contents of Genealogy Periodicals

The sources below will help you locate articles on particular topics or individuals within genealogical publications. 

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City Directories

City Directories are a way to verify that an ancestor resided in a particular location at a particular time.  Besides listing people many of the early directories provided occupations and addresses.  Directories can also be useful for tracking down institutions such as churches, schools, benevolent  and city offices. 

In addition to the microform collections above the library has some city directories and registers in paper.  The easiest way to search for these is to use the CAT, the library's online catalog.  Do a keyword search on the name of the city and directories, e.g. Altoona and directories.  If you retrieve too many matches, try limiting your search by a range of years.  This will eliminate more current directories.  

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Church Records

Church records can be extremely valuable for documenting family events such as baptisms, marriages, and deaths that may have gone unrecorded in other sources.  This is especially true for earlier time periods before the state assumed the role of issuing marriage licenses and birth and death certificates. Unfortunately, church records can be difficult to obtain.  Often they reside in scattered denominational archives.  Many denominations have merged with larger organization or changed since their founding.  The first step, then is determining which denomination your ancestors were involved in, and then discovering where they may have their archival records.  A useful web site describing the history of religious groups in Centre County can be found at the Rootsweb site.  

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Military Records

The sources below can be used to obtain information about an ancestor's military service.  The amount of information varies.  Some merely provide verification of enlistment, others give length of duty, and rank information, while the 1890 census provides address information for Civil War Veterans surveyed.  For a fuller description of the types of military records available see the Pennsylvania State Archives Web Page

The Pennsylvania Historical Museum and Commission is creating an online archive called ARIAS (Archives Records Information Access System).  The system contains records from the Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File, World War I Service Medal Application Cards, Spanish American War Veterans' Card File of United States Volunteers, Civil War Veterans' Card File, and the Mexican Border Campaign Veterans' Card File.    

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Selected Internet Sites


Good Places to Start

Pennsylvania Resources

General Resources

See also the web pages of the organizations below for additional suggestions for places to search

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Other Genealogy Collections & Contacts

CENTRE COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY   

The Centre County Genealogical Society holds monthly meetings, and publishes numerous guides to aid genealogists.  Their web site provides   information about becoming a member.  You can also write them at:  PO Box 1135, State College, PA 16804-1135  

CENTRE COUNTY LIBRARY & HISTORICAL MUSEUM

The Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library and Museum focuses on Centre County and Pennsylvania history and genealogy. It has a specialized collection of over 3000 volumes devoted exclusively to these topics, as well as original Centre County records, newspapers, vertical files containing items of historical and genealogical interest, and various historical and genealogical periodicals.  You can visit the Library & Museum at: 

203 N. Allegheny Street 
Bellefonte, PA 16823 
(814) 355-1516 

CENTRE COUNTY GOVERNMENT

The web site contains information on how to contact Centre County government agencies including the Recorder of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphan's Court.  Some records are being added to the web site through the Historic Records Imaging Project.

FAMILY HISTORY CENTERS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints maintains a number of Family History Centers.  The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah is the world's largest repository of genealogy records.  Materials from the Utah collection can be requested on loan from the closest Family History Center.  The Family Search web site has a directory of the Family History Centers.  The nearest Center to the library is at 842 Whitehall Road, State College.  The Center's mailing address is:  1761 Circleville Rd., State College, PA 16803.  Telephone: 814-237-9048.   The general public is welcome to use the Center.  Reference assistance is available from library volunteers.  

National Archives Mid Atlantic Region, Philadelphia
900 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-4292

Phone: 215 597-3000
E-mail: philadelphia.archives@nara.gov
Fax: 215-597-2303

Maintains archival records from Federal agencies and courts in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia

PENNSYLVANIA STATE ARCHIVES

The Pennsylvania State Archives contain official state records and other archival documents.  The Archive library is open to the public  Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; and Saturday 9:00 to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, excluding State holidays.  For general information about the collection and services see their web page for Genealogists  For a more detailed guide to the Pennsylvania State Archives consult: A Guide to Genealogical Resources at the Pennsylvania State Archives, Call # F148.D7, Pattee Stacks Level 1                                   

STATE LIBRARY OF PENNSYLVANIA (Harrisburg, PA)

Maintains a online guide to genealogical research, and has copies of the U.S. Census materials for Pennsylvania.

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For help or to send comments, email Eric Novotny, Humanities Librarian for History, at ecn1@psu.edu; IM: HistoryLibrarian
last updated: 5/1/08
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