The cold days of winter are quickly approaching, and many folks will begin their seasonal hibernation. With it too cold to work and play outside, indoor projects and activities will soon engage all of us as we await the warming weather in the spring.
This is the best time of year to dig deep into genealogical and historical research, and if you are new to the field, it may be helpful to get a few hints and tips on how to successfully research the early history of Greene County and uncover the rich and fascinating secrets of our local past.
Greene County was formed on February 9, 1796 by an act of Legislature which separated it from Washington County. John Minor, an officer during the Revolutionary War and prominent pioneer citizen was largely responsible for this act, and has thus been remembered to history of the father of Greene County. But there is much more to our local history than facts paired with dates, and there are many ways to uncover the stories of events and people who once called Greene County home.
Luckily, the people of Greene County have always held a deeply rooted interest in preserving the historic past of this small region west of the Allegheny Mountains. Throughout the 19th century, several individuals interviewed and recorded accounts from still living pioneer citizens and their children who had direct knowledge of the pioneer and frontier days.
Early settlement in this region began in the mid 1760s, however throughout the 1750s there were folks who traveled through Greene County and set up small non-permanent settlements. Unfortunately, there are practically no official records that exist from this time, and sparse records for the last quarter of the 18th century. Records in the courthouse in Waynesburg begin in 1796, and some sparse records from between 1781 and 1796 can be found in the Courthouse in Washington, as our area was part of Washington County at that time.
The best source for accounts for the late 18th century can be found in books such as L. K. Evans “Pioneer History of Greene County Pennsylvania” which is a compilation of newspaper articles on various subjects written by Evans and published in a local news paper leading up to the U.S. Centennial celebrations in 1876. Evans interviewed area residents who had personal knowledge of events that happened in the early years of this region’s history. Evans addresses many of our earliest settlers such as Colonel John Minor, the Swan and VanMeter families, Indian attacks and many other interesting events. Professor A. J. Waychoff of Waynesburg University, then Waynesburg College, would build on Evans’s work in his 1925 “Local History of Greene County.”
There are several other sources for early historical information in Greene County. Samuel P. Bates 1888 “History of Greene County Pennsylvania” gives an excellent account of the county from the earliest settlement up through 1888. It contains biographical sketches of residents who were living in the county at that time, many of which give some history of their genealogical roots. Hanna’s “History of Greene County” also is an excellent source of information.
Beyond that though, there are several other books that really dig deep into the early history of the county. Sherman Day’s “Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania,” and I. D. Rupp’s “History of Western Pennsylvania” both originally published in the 1840s specifically focus on late 18th and early 19th centuries, and specifically, Rupp’s History of Western Pennsylvania has quite a bit of focus on frontier and settlement times. They also make for a fascinating read.
The journals of Christopher Gist, give a very good firsthand account of explorations through what is now Greene County in the 1750s and the situation with Native Americans, and is well followed up by Wither’s “Chronicles of Border Warfare”, one of the best primary sources on the frontier wars in this region in the late 18th century.
For records on specific people however, sources are a lot more limited. Perhaps the best book source for genealogical data is Howard Leckey’s “The Tenmille Country and It’s Pioneer Families.” Leckey did the bulk of his research throughout the 1940s and his book is a remarkably accurate and comprehensive source of information on many early families in Greene County.
The museum often gets questions asking where to find a marriage record or birth record for someone in the late 18th century, and unfortunately in many instances this information simply may not exist. This is one of the most difficult areas of research in the county. Few records exist, but there are ways to find things out. Wills and deeds held at the Courthouse, or the Washington County Courthouse for the years prior to 1796, will often list children and spouses and many family connections can be made that way.
Late 18th century and early 19th century appearance dockets can also be found at the courthouse. Appearance dockets are records of testimony given before a judge, either as part of a trial or other depositions and can occasional be a wealth of information. You may even be able to find early “Oaths of Allegiance” to the United States and references to family relationships in court cases.
The single best source for birth, marriage, and death records, can often be in Revolutionary War pension records. A quick Google search can lead you to websites such as Fold3 where this information can be accessed. Often in the testimony given for a war pension, family bible records were submitted and other documents that would tie a soldier to his spouse and children. This information can be invaluable.
And then, there is no substitute for old fashioned “dig into a book” research. Again, Greene County is lucky to have had so many people in the past be dedicated students of local history, and as such, we have one of the best genealogical libraries in the country. Cornerstone Genealogical Society, located in the old log courthouse on Greene Street, open by appointment, archives a huge collection of documents, research and books that provide a wealth of information. A visit to their library and searches through their books and files can often yield successful results.
The Greene County Historical Society also has a small library that can be made available by appointment, but the primary focus of the GCHS is the preservation of artifacts that directly relate to anything and everything you would be finding in your research.
Finding facts and information from the early history of Greene County can often be a difficult task, but the rewards are well worth the effort. The history of Greene County played a significant role in the history of the nation, something many people do not realize. Genealogical and historical research can open the doors that show us just how we fit into this larger picture.
Many of the books mentioned above can be found for free online via google books, hard copy reprints can be found via various sources from a simple google search. The books that are the most specific to Greene County can generally be found quite easily as well on the internet or from a call or email to either Cornerstone Genealogical Society or the Greene County Historical Society.
Hopefully, this research guide will get you off to a good start on how to begin to research early history in Greene County, and maybe will give you an excellent new hobby that will help the winter fly by!