Washington County: Source Material for Genealogical Research

Washington County: Source Material for Genealogical Research RAYMOND MARTIN BELL, F.A.S.G. Al THEN Washington County, in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, was laid out under an Act of Assembly passed 28 February 1781, the area it encompassed was taken from Westmoreland County, erected in 1773 from Bedford County, which in its turn had been erected in 1771 from Cumberland County. As originally erected Washington County was bounded on the north by the Ohio River, on the west and south by what is now the West Virginia line, and on the east by the Monongahela River. The first published assessment lists for 1781 include fifteen townships: Amwell, Bethlehem, Cecil, Cumberland, Donegal, Fallowfield, Greene, Hopewell, Morgan, Nottingham, Peters, Robinson, Somersett, Smith and Strabane. By 1792 these had been increased by subdivision to twentyeight townships. At the same time, however, the county's overall area had been diminished by the erection in 1789 of Allegheny County on the north. It was further diminished by the erection in 1796 of Greene County on the south at the West Virginia line, and in 1800 of Beaver County in the northwest corner of its original territory. Thus today, it is bounded by Beaver and Allegheny Counties on the north, the Monongahela River on the east, Greene County on the south, and the West Virginia line on the west. Therefore, if one is attempting to trace residents of the county after 1781, it may be necessary to consult not only the civil or public records of the county itself in Washington, the county seat, but similar records in Pittsburgh, county seat of Allegheny County, Waynesburg, county seat of Greene County, or in Beaver, county seat of Beaver County. For those interested in records prior to 1781, the Virginia records must also be consulted, since before the Revolution the area was claimed by that colony as well as by Pennsylvania. Certificates of settlement 180 Washington County Source Material 181 issued in 1779 and 1780 by Virginia show settlement dates as early as 1769. While the subjoined list of published sources is not complete, it may be helpful to searchers. It does not include church or cemetery records or family genealogies. Except for those prefixed by an asterisk (*) all are available in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The following articles by the present author were published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly: "Dates of Settlement from Virginia Certificates, Washington County, Pennsylvania," Volume 45 (1957), 132. "Settlement Dates, Washington Co., Penn.," Volume 54 (1966), 222. In the Virginia Genealogist, the following articles by the author contain further data on settlements authorized by Virginia: "Virginia Land Grants in Pennsylvania," Volume 7 (1963), 78, 103, 158. "Yohogania County, Virginia, A Short - lived County," Volume 8 (1964), 75. "Estate and Deed Records of Yohogania County, Virginia, 1776 - 1781," Volume 9 (1965), 128. "Virginia Land Grants in Pennsylvania, Part Two," Volume 11 (1967), 126. "Petitions for a Fourteenth State," Volume 14 (1970), 109. The author has also compiled four monographs dealing with Pennsylvania records: Tax Lists of Washington County, 1784 - 85, 1793 (Washington, Pa., 1955). These lists were copied from the originals in the Washington County courthouse under the author's direction by members of the Washington County (Pa.) Chapter, DAR. The taxables are listed but not the acreage or livestock. Copies of the lists are available through the Washington Chapter, DAR. Lists of Inhabitants in Washington County 1800 or before (Washington, Pa., 1961). This monograph includes the 1800 county census, as well as maps. Estate Records 1781-1796 and Deed Records 1782-1785 in Washington County, Pennsylvania (Washington, Pa., 1967). Washington, Pennsylvania in 1798 (Washington, Pa. 1970). This contains a description of each house in the town, based on the federal Direct Tax of 1798, with the owner's name. "Abstracts of Wills of Washington County, Registered at Little 182 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Washington, Pennsylvania," by Mary Ellison Wood, appeared in Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Volume VI (1916), 135. The period covered is 1781 - 1805, with one will proved in 1811. These government publications should be consulted: Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States taken in the Year 1790: Pennsylvania (Washington, D.C., 1907). Washington County is not enumerated by townships, but by comparison with tax lists it is possible to make approximations. *Inventory of the County Records of Pennsylvania: Washington County, Pennsylvania Historical Survey (Washington, 1941). The Pennsylvania Archives, published at Harrisburg between 1852 and 1935, contain much information of a specific nature on Washington County. The first published tax list, for 1781, is in the 3rd Series, Volume X.XII, 701. Volumes XII to XVI of the Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council (generally referred to as Colonial Records) which cover the years 1781 - 1790, have many references to the county, particularly division of townships and county appointments. The General Index to the Colonial Records and the Pennsylvania Archives [1st Series], published in 1860, should be referred to for specific subjects. "Land Warrantees, 1784 - 1892," are in the 3rd Series, Volume XXVL 531. "Muster Rolls and Papers Relating to the Associators and Militia," are in the 2nd Series, XIV, 529; 6th Series, II, 3, and III, 1363, IV, "Executive Minutes, 1790 - 1817," V, 563. "Election Returns, 1781 1789," are in 6th Series, XI, 393. "Officers of the State of Pennsylvania . . . Under the Constitution of 1776," are in 2nd Series, III, 683. *The Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, c/o Burton Collection, Detroit Public Library, Detroit, Mich., 48202, published in 1968 a booklet, Searching in Western Pennsylvania, available at the above address. There are five general histories of Washington County: J. H. Creigh, History of Washington County from its First Settlement to the Present Time . . . , (Washington, Pa., 1870). Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Philadelphia, 1882), an excellent work. Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania. . . , (J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1893). Joseph F. McFarland, Twentieth Century History of the City of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania . . . , (Chicago, 1910), mainly biographical. 'Washington County Source Material 183 Earle R. Forrest, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, 1926). This is in three volumes, one of which is biographical. Other useful works include: Boyd Crumrine, The Courts of Justice, Bench and Bar of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, 1902). Boyd Crumrine, "Minute Book of the Virginia Court held at Fort Dunmore," Annals of Carnegie Museum, Volumes I-III (Pittsburgh, 1902 - 1905). Inex R. Waldermaier, "Index to the Virginia Court Records in Southwestern Pennsylvania," Genealogical Newsletter, Volume 4 (1958). Blaine Ewsing, Canonsburg Centennial, 1802-1902 (Canonsburg, Pa., 1902) . Howard L. Leckey, The Ten Mile Country and its Pioneer Families. This first appeared as a series of articles in the Waynesburg Republican. It is an excellent source for some Washington and many Greene County families. Volumes 1-7 were printed in booklet form in 1950. Volumes 8-9 have never been printed, but a copy of a scrapbook made from them is in the Historical Collection of the Library of Washington and Jefferson College. There are two useful books of maps: Joseph A. Caldwell, Illustrated Historical Centennial Atlas of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Condit, Ohio, 1876). W. F. Horn, The Horn Papers, Early Westward Movement on the Monongahela and Upper Ohio, 1765-1795 (Waynesburg, Pa., 1945). The contents of Volumes I and II of this work have been discredited as spurious and should be ignored. Volume III, however, contains the official warrant, survey and patent maps, by townships, of Fayette, Greene and Washington Counties which were prepared by the Pennsylvania Land Office in Harrisburg. Three libraries in Washington, Pa., have important source materials, published and unpublished: Citizens Library, Washington County Historical Society, Washington and Jefferson College Library.