Greene Artifacts: Bates History of Greene County Pennsylvania

Perhaps the most interesting artifacts are the ones that can literally tell us a story. Every lover of history or genealogy knows that if you want to learn any really good information, you will spend a lot of time in libraries, historical societies, genealogical libraries and records archives. The history is there – you just need to seek it out.

Nowadays, many folks do a lot of their research online, and many older books and reference materials have gone into the public domain. Complete digital copies can easily be found in a quick search on the web. But many people still enjoy the smell and feel of turning the pages of an aged and well cared for old book. 

Samuel P. Bates, a native of Massachusetts, adopted Pennsylvania as his home in 1853. A teacher and lover of history, he was later appointed State Historian by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1864, a position he would fill until his death in 1902. Perhaps most well-known for his five-volume work History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, a chronicle of Pennsylvania’s role in the Civil War. Bates also penned the 1888 History of Greene County Pennsylvania. 

This work is one of the most important reference books for anyone researching Greene County, Pennsylvania. The book begins with a general outline history of the discovery and early settlement of the United States, then moves into the expansion into the territories on the western side of the Allegheny Mountains.

The book details the separation and formation of Greene County from the southern portion of Washington County in 1796 and gives a history of each township and the major towns that existed in Greene County in 1888. The book also offers an excellent summary of Greene Counties involvement in the Civil War.

Notably, the book contains a section of biographical sketches for many of the prominent citizens and families that lived here at the time. Several of the biographical sketches include portraits providing a rare and insightful glimpse into late 19th century life in Greene County.

Shown in the photo is a first edition copy opened to one of the portrait pages in the biographical section. This book is a valuable resource for anyone researching their own genealogy or looking for information on our local history and heritage. 

If this book is something you need to reference, both Bowlby and Flenniken libraries have copies in their collections that you can peruse, and Cornerstone Genealogical Society and the Greene County Historical Society archive copies as well. Reprinted editions are also available by contacting the Greene County Historical Society and Cornerstone Genealogical Society as well.