This is a collection of various historical and genealogical reference works on Pennsylvania. These references cover 1000's of individuals, and are an excellent way to start or continue research focused on PA.

This material was scanned from original publications and will be provided as text searchable PDFs (unless noted in description). These files can be read using many PDF reader programs (Windows / Mac / Linux), however Adobe Reader or Acrobat are recommended.

History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Union,
Columbia, Juniata, and Clinton Counties, PA (I. Daniel Rupp, 1847, 567 pages)
The full title of the publication is:
"History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Union, Columbia, Juniata and Clinton Counties, PA. Embracing local and general events, leading incidents, descriptions of the principal boroughs, towns, villages, etc."

The book begins with a general history of the territory of these counties, (which also embraced the area of Snyder and Montour Counties, formed later), including its native inhabitants, the settlement of the area, discussion of the Germans and Scotch-Irish who played a large part in settling Pennsylvania, and also the Indian troubles leading up to the Revolution. Following this attention is given to each of the counties mentioned in the title. The information provided on the counties is a description of its geological features, the formation of the county, its public improvements over the years, and descriptions on each of the county's major towns. The concluding portion of the book also contains some biographies of important men of Pennsylvania: Conrad Weiser, Count Zinzendorf, David Brainerd, David Zeisberger, Simon Snyder, John Harris, Colonel Hartley, George Croghan, Col. John Kelly, and David R. Porter.

Appendix:
A - Minutes of conferences held by the Indians on the encroachments of the whites upon their lands, May & June of 1750.
B - Extracts from the Hallische Nachrichten describing the efforts of Neulaneders to persuade Germans to immigrate to Pennsylvania.
C - Correspondence from Shamokin (Sunbury, Northumberland County) on dealings with the Indians from 1740-1758.
D - Correspondence associated with George Croghan and his residence Aughwick (Old Town).
E - Account and correspondence regarding the imprisonment and assisted escape of Frederick Stump and John Ironcutter.
F - Account of Tedyescung, the last chief of the Delaware Indians.
G - Dr. Priestly's Case, concerning riots of the town of Birmingham, which destroyed some of his property.
H - A copy of the act to establish a University at Lewisburg (now Bucknell University).

Industries and Institutions of Centre County
(D. S. Maynard, 1877, 364 pages)
This publication is an early history and description of Centre County, PA. It begins with some account of the area's early history, including the native Indians and early settlers. It then proceeds into the various business and trade institutions of the county, in such areas as Banking, Iron, Newspapers, Roads, Railroads, Schools, Medicine, Agriculture, the Bench and Bar, Churches, Hotels, and Lumber. Also included are sections devoted to the various small villages around Centre County, giving a description of the towns, the businesses present, as well as mention of their settlers and prominent citizens. Additionally, throughout the publication there are brief biographical sketches of influential citizens of the county. The end of the publication provides an appendix listing the soldiers of the Civil War furnished by Centre County.

Villages:
Aaronsburg, Bellefonte, Boalsburg, Centre Hall, Eagleville, Howard, Hublersburg, Lemont, Milesburg, Millheim, Madisonburg, Philipsburg, Pine Grove Mills, Potter's Mills, Pleasant Gap, Port Matilda, Rebersburg, Spring Mills, Stormstown, Snow Shoe, Unionville, Woodward, Zion

Businesses & Institutions:
Bellefonte Academy, Centre Bank of Pennsylvania, Humes McAllister Hale & Co., The First National Bank of Bellefonte, The Centre County Bank, The Pennsylvania State College, The Bellefonte and Snow Shoe Railroad, The Bald Eagle Valley Railroad, Lewisburg Centre & Spruce Creek Railroad, Eagle Iron Works, Milesburg Iron Works, Mann's Bellefonte Ax Factory, Allison's Woolen Mill, Wallace Run Tannery, Bellefonte Flouring Mills Car Works &c., Garman House, Brockerhoff House,

Surnames Indexed:
Allen, Armor, Armstrong, Baird, Beaver, Benner, Berry, Bigler, Blanchard, Boal, Boggs, Brady, Burnside, Burrowes, Bush, Calder, Coburn, Cooper, Cresson, Curtin, Dobbins, Duncan, Dunlop, Frazer, Gregg, Green, Guiles, Hale, Hamilton, Harris, Harter, Hoffer, Holt, Hughes, Huston, Irvin, Jordan, Linn, Livingston, Marks, Mayer, McAllister, McKee, McLoed, McManus, Meyer, Miles, Mitchel, Monks, Motz, Musser, Orvis, Packer, Patton, Petrikin, Pollock, Potter, Pugh, Smith, Strohecker, Thompson, Valentine, Van Doran, Vanvalzah, Vough, Walker, Watts, Weaver, Wilson, Wolf

History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania
(John Blair Linn, 1883, 914 pages)
This is an early historical and biographical work on Centre and Clinton Counties, PA. It is divided into two sections each dealing with one of the counties. Each section begins with a general history of the county, followed by sections dealing with their respective townships and boroughs. The borough and township sections contain a brief history of each individual area as well, and then provide biographical sketches of the prominent and influential residents of those same areas. Along with the historical and biographical information provides there is also a great deal of reference material including early tax lists, military rosters, maps, etc. Also there are also many portraits and other illustrations included in the publication.

Surnames Indexed:
Achenbach, Alexander, Allison, Anspach, Antes, Bailey, Baird, Barnhart, Bayard, Bear, Beaver, Benner, Berry, Bierly, Blakely, Blanchard, Boal, Boggs, Bollander, Bower, Brew, Brady, Bridgens, Brisben, Brockerhoff, Brown, Brugger, BNrungart, Bryson, Buchanan, Buchtel, Burchfield, Burnside, Bush, Caldwell, Callahan, Cambridge, Campbell, Canfield, Chambers, Conser, Cook, Cooper, Curtin, Dale, Dartt, David, De Haas, Dieffenbach, Dobbins, Dougherty, Dubbs, Duncan, Dunlop, Dunn, Eartle, Ferguson, Fisher, Foster, Frank, Frantz, Furey, Gast, Gill, Glenn, Graham, Gramly, Gray, Green, Gregg, Griest, Grove, Hale, Hall, Harloff, Harper, Harold, Harris, Hasson, Hastings, Hayes, Hazel, Henderson, Hilbish, Hinton, Hipple, Holmes, Holt, Homan, Houser, Hoy, Humes, Huston, Irvin, Jack, Jarrett, Keller, Kelly, Kimport, Kooken, Kreamer, Kreighbaum, Kryder, Kurtz, Lamb, Lauth, Linn, Livingston, Long, Loraine, Lowrey, Lytle, Lucas, Mayer, McAllister, McCaman, McCloskey, McCormick, McCoy, McEwen, McKee, McKinney, Meek, Meyer, Miles, Mallory, Malone, Martin, Mayes, Miles, Miller, Montgomery, Motz, Munson, Musser, Noyes, Nuttall, Packer, Patton, Pearce, Petrikin, Pettit, Pie, Potter, Pruner, Quay, Rankin, Raub, Ream, Reber, Reynolds, Rhone, Rich, Rishel, Royer, Ruhl, Sankey, Schaeffer, Schall, Sechler, Schaffer, Shannon, Shoemaker, Shugert, Smith, Smyth, Snook, Spangler, Steiner, Stewart, Sussman, Swanzey, Thomas, Thompson, Tipton, Tonner, Treziyulny, Valentine, Wagner, Walbon, Walker, Waltsmith, Weaver, Williams, Wilson, Wolf, Wolfart, Young

Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania
Centre, Clinton, Union and Snyder (J. H. Beers & Co., 1898, 1588 pages)
This publication is an extensive biographical volume for four Central Pennsylvania counties: Centre, Clinton, Union and Snyder. It contains hundreds of biographies of prominent citizens and families from this region of PA. Also included are numerous portraits of the sketch subjects. This is an excellent source for historical or genealogical research in Central Pennsylvania, as much of the information is related only in this volume.

Surnames Indexed:
Adams, Africa, Aigler, Albrecht, Albright, Alexander, Allbaugh, Alleman, Allen, Allison, Allport, Ammon, Andrews, Anthony, App, Ard, Armstrong, Arney, Arnold, Atherton, Aurand, Aviragnet, Backus, Bair, Bairfoot, Baker, Barber, Barker, Barner, Barnes, Barnhart, Barr, Barrows, Bartol, Bassler, Batcheler, Beaber, Beard, Beaver, Bechdel, Bechtel, Beck, Becker, Beerly, Behrer, Beirly, Bennage, Benner, Bennett, Berkenstock, Bernhart, Berry, Bickel, Bickford, Biehl, Bierly, Bigony, Binder, Bingaman, Bitner, Blair, Blanchard, Blanche, Bliss, Bloom, Blyler, Boal, Bobb, Bogar, Boggs, Bollinger, Boob, Bossert, Boush, Bower, Bowersox, Boyer, Braucher, Braucht, Breon, Bressler, Bricker, Bridgens, Bright, Brobst, Brooke, Brooks, Brown, Brugger, Brumgard, Brungard, Brungart, Brunner, Bucher, Buckbout, Budinger, Bumiller, Burd, Burket, Burkholder, Burns, Burnside, Burrell, Burrey, Bush, Butz, Caldwell, Cameron, Carlin, Carlisle, Capenter, Carver, Christ, Christie, Church, Clark, Cleaver, Clemson, Clingan, Clinton, Close, Clouser, Coburn, Cole, Colyer, Comly, Condo, Confair, Confer, Conley, Cook, Cooke, Cooper, Cort, Cornelius, Corson, Corss, Courter, Crawford, Crider, Criswell, Cromley, Crossgrove, Crowe, Crust, Curtin, Dale, Daley, Darrah, Dauberman, Daup, Davidson, Davis, Decker, DeHaas, Deibler, Deininger, Deitrich, DeLong, Denlinger, Dennis, Derr, Dershem, Deshler, Dewire, Dickey, Dieffenderfer, Dietrich, Dimm, Dorman, Dornblaser, Dorworth, Douty, Downing, Dreese, Dreisbach, Dubbs, Dundore, Dunham, Dunkel, Dunlap, Dunlop, Dunn, Durst, Earon, Eby, Eddy, Edelman, Eisenhauer, Eisenhower, Elliot, Elliott, Emigh, Emory, Engle, Engleman, Erdley, Ertel, Etters, Evans, Ewing, Eyer, Fabel, Fair, Fairchild, Fairlamb, Farley,Farwell, Faulkner, Felmlee, Fessler, Fetterolf, Fiedler, Field, Fink, Fishburn, Fisher, Fleming, Flisher, Focht, Folmar, Follmer, Foote, Forcey, Forry [Forrer], Fortney, Foster, Fowler, Fox, Frain, Frank, Frantz, Frederick, Fredericks, Frick, Fritz, Fry, Fryberger, Fullmer, Furey, Furst, Gardner, Garman, Garner, Garthoff, Geary, Gebbart, Geddes, Gellinger, Gemberling, Gephart, Getgen, Getz, Ghaner, Gilliland, Gingery, Ginter, Glace, Gleason, Glenn, Glosner, Glossner, Glover, Good, Goodman, Gordon, Gormley, Gottschall, Gowland, Gramley, Gramly, Gray, Green, Gregg, Gretzinger, Grieb, Grimm, Groff, Groover, Gross, Group, Grove, Grow, Gudykuntz, Guiswite, Gummo, Gunsallus, Guss, Gutelius, Haag, Haagen, Haas, Hafer, Hagenbuch, Haines, Hale, Halenback, Halfpenny, Hall, Hamilton, Hancock, Hand, Habeson, Harley, Harman, Harnish, Harper, Harris, Harrison, Harshberger, Harter, Hartman, Hartswick, Harvey, Hassenplug, Hastings, Hause, Hayes, Hays, Haynes, Heard, Heaton, Heckman, Heffner, Heim, Heimbach, Heinley, Heiser, Henderson, Henneich, Hensyl, Hepburn, Herb, Herbster, Herman, Herr, Hess, Hilbish, Hillbish, Hillibish, Himmelreich, Hinkson, Hinton, Hipple, Hoch, Hoffa, Hoffman, Holmes, Holt, Holter, Holtzman, Hoop, Hoover, Horner, Hosterman, Hottenstein, Houseworth, Houtz, Howell, Hower, Hoy, Hoyt, Hubler, Hudson, Huey, Huff, Hufferd, Hughes, Hulley, Humes, Hummel, Hunter, Huston, Hutton, Hyatt, Ickes, Iddings, Irland, Irvin, Irvine, Irwin, Isenberg, Jacobs, Jarrett, Johnson, Johnston, Jones, Jordan, Kanawel, Kantz, Kaufman, Kaup, Keefer, Keen, Keichline, Keiser, Keller, Kelley, Kelly, Kemmerer, Kendig, Kepler, Kerlin, Kerstetter, Kessinger, Kessler, Keys, Kimpel, King, Kinsloe, Kintner, Kissell, Kister, Kistler, Kleckner, Kline, Klinefelter, Kling, Klingler, Knauer, Knight, Knouse, Kolp, Korman, Krape, Kreamer, Kreider, Kremer, Kress, Krouse, Krumrine, Kines, Kunkel, Kurtz, Kuster, Lachat, Larh, Landis, Laubach, Lauck, Laurelton, Laurie, Lauth, Leathers, Lebkicher, Lehr, Leiby, Leiser, Lesher, Lewis, Leyman, Liggetts, Lilley, Limbert, Lincoln, Lingle, Linn, Livingston, Long, Longaker, Loomis, Loose, Lorain, Love, Loveland, Loyd, Lucas, Lukens, Lumbard, Lutz, Lynn, Lytle, Mallory, Mann, Mark, Marr, Marshall, Martin, Matlack, Mattern, Mauck, May, Mayer, Mays, McAllister, McCall, McCarthy, McClintock, McCloskey, McClure, McCormick, McCoy, McDonald, McDowell, McEntire, McFarlane, McGhee, McGirk, McGuire, McKinney, McLanahan, McLeod, McMahon, McMeen, McMicken, McMunagle, McNamara, Meek, Meitzler, Mench, Mendenhall, Mensch, Merrey, Merrill, Merryman, Mertz, Meyer, Middleswarth, Miles, Miller, Millner, Mingle, Mitchell, Mobley, Mohn, Moll, Montelius, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Morlock, Morningstar, Mortimer, Mosebarger, Mothersbaugh, Motz, Moyer, Mulhollan, Munro, Murphy, Musser, Muthler, Myers, Nearhoof, Neese, Neff, Neidig, Nesbit, Nipple, Nogel, Noll, North, Nowell, Nowland, O'Bryan, Odenkirk, O'Dwyer, Orndorf, Orner, Orvis, Orwig, Osman, Owens, Ott, Owens, Packer, Parsons, Pawling, Paxton, Pealer, Peck, Pellman, Perkins, Persing, Peters, Petrikin, Pinogel, Platt, Pletcher, Poorman, Porter, Potter, Poulsen, Powers, Pringle, Prutzman, Pursley, Quiggle, Quinn, Ranck, Rangler, Rankin, Rauch, Raudenbush, Raup, Reagel, Ream, Rearick, Reber, Redlin, Reed, Reeder, Reedy, Reeser, Reesman, Reiber, Reifsnyder, Reigard, Reish, Rerick, Rhinesmith, Rhoads, Rhone, Rich, Richards, Richter, Ricker, Rider, Riegel, Rine, Rishel, Ritter, Rittman, Roach, Robbins, Robenold, Rockey, Rodenbaugh, Rogers, Romig, Rooke, Ross, Rosser, Rossman, Rote, Rothermel, Rothrock, Roush, Royer, Ruhl, Ruhle, Russell, Rute, Rutherford, Saas, Sampsel, Sanders, Sankey, Sauer, Scheckler, Schmeltzer, Schnure, Schoch, Schofield, Schrack, Schray, Schwenk, Scott, Seebold, Selin, Shafer, Shaffer, Shambach, Shambaugh, Shaw, Sheckler, Shell, Shellenbarger, Shields, Shindel, Shipton, Shirk, Shively, Shivery, Shobert, Shoemaker, Shortlidge, Showalter, Showers, Shuey, Shugert, Shuler, Shultz, Simler, Singer, Slear, Slifer, Slinger, Smith, Snyder, Sober, Sohmer, Solt, Spangler, Specht, Sperring, Spigelmeyer, Spigelmyer, Spotts, Springer, Springman, Stahl, Stapleton, Steadman, Steans, Steele, Stetler, Stevenson, Stewart, Stine, Stitzer, Stiver, Stockham, Stonerod, Stoughton, Stover, Strickler, Strohecker, Strohm, Stroub, Strunk, Stuart, Stuffel, Swartz, Swineford, Swires, Sypher, Taylor, Temple, Thomas, Thompson, Throne, Tibbins, Tice, Tipton, Tobias, Todd, Tool, Troxell, Trutt, Tuten, Twitmyer, Ulrich, Ulsh, Underwood, Uzzell, Valentine, Van Dyke, Van Pelt, Van Valzah, Vonada, Voneida, Waddle, Wagenseller, Wagner, Waite, Walker, Wallace, Walter, Walton, Ward, Warfel, Wate, Waters, Watson, Weaver, Weber, Weidensaul, Weidler, Weiser, Wentzel, Werts, West, Weston, Wetzel, Wheland, White, Whiteleather, Whitman, Wickersham, Williams, Willis, Wilson, Winters, Wirt, Wise, Witherrite, Wolf, Wolfe, Womelsdorf, Woodring, Woodruff, Worts, Wright, Yarnell, Yeager, Yearick, Yocum, Yoder, Young, Youtz, Zeigler, Zeller, Zerby, Zieber, Ziegler, Zimmerman

Beautiful Centre County
(Centre County Pomona Grange, 1928, 29 pages)
This booklet is was published as a souvenir of Centre County, Pennsylvania. It provides a brief description of the county, followed by photographs of various buildings and places around the county.

Centre County in Pictures 1800-1950
(The Centre County Historical Society, 1950, 44 pages)
From the Foreword: "This book, prepared in honor of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Centre County, Pennsylvania, has a two-fold purpose: first, to call public attention to the existence in the County of many fascinating landmarks of the past; and second, to preserve for the future a pictorial record of important aspects of the life of Centre County today. While the historical pictures do not tell the whole story of the County, they do trace, in a general way, the main elements of that story. Rigid selection had to be made. The committee wished to emphasize those historical sites which, in 1950 remain well-preserved, and to depict places which, for the most part, lie close to the main traveled roads. In order to suggest a comparison between the past and the present, the Committee included pictures of typical institutions and enterprises which now flourish in the County."

Where To Go and Place-Names of Centre County
(Paul M. Dubbs, 1961, 156 pages)
This book is a collection of articles first published in the Centre Daily Times from 1959-1960 featuring recreational and otherwise interesting locations around Centre County, PA, most with photographs. This is a nice overall view of the attractions of Centre County. The section portion of the book lists and describes the towns and villages throughout the county, some of which were almost a footnote at the time of publication. As with the first section, many photographs of the locations are included.

Historical Reflections of Centre County
(Centre County Planning Commission, 1970, 96 pages)
This publication was produced as a survey of the historic sites of Centre County. Similar publications were produced in other counties around the time of the country's bicentennial as a means of preserving historic heritage. The first section relates a brief history of the county and a description of its features. The next section lists the historic sites and buildings of the county by their respective regions, along with photographs of many of them. This is a very interesting publication, particularly for those interested in the historic heritage of Centre County, PA.