History 302W
"Boalsburg"
Harris Township Tax Records, 1840-1890 | Harris Township Tax Records, 1900-1910
Selected Library Resources
Population Census Records in the News and Microforms Library
| Year(s) | Call Number |
| 1800-1880 | HA217.U5P4 |
| 1890 | HA217.U5P4 1890, D326 reel 197 * |
| 1900 | HA217.U5P4 1910 |
| 1910 | HA217.U5P4 1920 |
| * most of the 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire. For 1890 the Library has the Census of Civil War Veterans and Widows and city directories. (See also the 1890 Centre County directory in PA's Past: Digital Booksehlf) | |
Locating an Individual in the Population Census
For the years 1800-1870 use a printed name index. These are on the Index Tables in News and Microforms in the call # range HA605.P45.
For 1880, 1900, 1910 and 1920 use the Soundex system as follows:
1) Enter the last name into a Soundex Convertor on the Web http://www.geocities.com/heartland/hills/3916/soundex.html
http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/Genea/soundex.sh
2) Look up the surname in the Soundex cards. You'll find the cards at Call Number D21. Write down everything on the card - it will guide you to the appropriate reel and page in the Population Census (see above for locations of the reels)
Census of Agriculture
Call # HD1775.P4 The library has the individual returns for 1850-1880 for Pennsylvania.
Census of Manufacturers
Call # range: HD9724.U52P4 1820, HD9724.U52P4 1850. The library has 1820, 1850-1880 for Pennsylvania.
Reproductions
Hard copies can be made and paid for using the debit account on your PSU ID (16 cents/page), or with change (20 cents/page). Scanners are also available for making electronic page copies. Scanning is free in the library.
Additional PA History Resources
America 's Historical Newspapers, 1690-1922. A collection of pre-1900 newspapers.
Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography
( http://apps.libraries.psu.edu/content/encpabio.cfm )
Pennsylvania Civil War Newspapers
Includes the Bellefonte Democratic Watchman , 1855-1871.
Pennsylvania Newspapers (Microfilm), use Microfinder to browse Pennsylvania newspapers.
PA County & Regional Histories (Microfilm, Call number D187). Consult the print guide on the Index Tables, (Call # Z1330.R44) for a list of titles by county.
Pa's Past Digital Bookshelf - includes the 1883 Linn "History of Centre County" and the 1890 Directory of the Population of Centre County (a partial substitute for the lost 1890 Census reels)
Statistical Data from the U.S. Censuses can be found in the Social Sciences Library, 2 nd Floor Paterno. Some of the data is also online,
http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/
Historical Statistics of the United States
Statistical Abstract of the United States , 1878-present
Help - ask as the desk, or contact Eric Novotny, W321 Pattee, ecn1@psu.edu , 865-1014, IM: HistoryLibrarian