Many have often said that doing research in Greene County, Pennsylvania is a remarkably easy task compared to other areas and regions. It seems that the citizenry of “Good Ole Greene” has long had an interest in preserving their past, from LK Evans in the 1870s interviewing the surviving children and grandchildren of our pioneer ancestors and publishing their tales in the Waynesburg Republican to times more recent times with individuals such as Candice Buchanan devoting a great deal of time and energy in preserving and archiving documents and photographs that give us a visual interpretation of the past.
However, we are in a new era, a digital era, and Greene County still leads the way in ease of research, in large part to people just like Candice and the folks at Cornerstone Genealogical Society.
The Greene Connections Website, https://greeneconnections.com/home, is a treasure trove of information and resources for both the novice researcher and the well-seasoned expert. The website contains archives, wherein countless collections of local photos have been scanned and documented and are viewable, for free, to the public. Not only do the archives contain many personal collections, but large collections like those housed at the Greene County Historical Society have also been made available to view. Additionally, the Greene Connections website has links to Cemetery resources, Books available online, Courthouse Records, Military Records, and a wide array of other resources that will be invaluable to anyone doing research centered in this area.
Cornerstone Genealogical Society also has an assortment of records available online. A membership to their organization, information can be found at https://cornerstonegenealogy.com/ will give you access to their Membership Portal, which contains many great resources, chief among which may be digitized copies of local newspapers and other ephemeral records that only exist in their holdings.
If you are an active genealogist, local historian, or just have an interest in the very rich history of this region, you’ll definitely want to check out both the Greene Connections and Cornerstone Genealogical Society Websites, especially if you live outside of the area. Both amazing organizations should be the first stop for anyone trying to learn a bit more about our rich heritage. If you are in this area, it is definitely worthwhile a visit to the library at Cornerstone Genealogical Society, located in the Original Log Courthouse on Greene Street. It is certainly one of the best Genealogical Reference Libraries in the region. Well-organized with knowledgeable staff, it is definitely worth a visit.
