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 PDFs. You will receive an email with the download link after purchasing online. These files can be read using many PDF reader programs (Windows / Mac / Linux), however Adobe Reader or Acrobat are recommended. Unless notes, each of these files are text-searchable.

A History of Bethany Orphans Home
(Rev. Thomas M. Yundt, 1888, 142 pages)
This publication is a history of the Bethany Orphans Home of Womelsdorf, Berks County, PA.

Chapters:
1 - Introductory Chapter on Orphans' Homes.
2 - Beginning of Bethany Orphans’ Home.
3 - The Home at No. 702 Morris Street, Southwark, Philadelphia.
4 - Removal to Bridesburg
5 - The Home at Bridesburg
6 - Purchase of New Property and Removal to Womelsdorf.
7 - Dedication of Home at Womelsdorf. - Historical Address by Rev. C. Z. Weiser.
8 - Resignation of Rev. D. Y. Heisler. Rev. D. B. Albright Supt. for 17 Years and 5 Months.
9 - Burning of the Home. - Erection of a New Building.
10 - The Last Two Years of the Home.
11 - The Home as it now.
12 - In Memoriam.
13 - List of Names

Surnames Indexed:
Abbott, Antrim, Armstrong, Arndt, Bampeon, Barkdoll, Barthel, Beaver, Beoker, Bennethum, Bender, Bellowsford, Bleistine, Benson Berger, Bierman, Bilger, Binckly, Bletchler, Boehringer, Bohler, Botts, Bowman, Breidinger, Bricker, Bright, Brown, Burk, Bryant, Bryan, Buckley, Cauler, Clack, Clement, Clemmens, Conner, Cox, Cristwell, Crook, Culp, Cunningham, Davis, Dennison, Dittman, Dotterer, Doyle, Dunkle, Ebert, Eleer, Ehly, Engel, Englehart, English, Ehrhart, Fatzinger, Feather, Fegley, Fehr, Fink, Fogel, Foroe, Fox, Fritchey, Fritz, Fry, Galbraith, Gantenbein, Geary, Gearhard, Gerhart, Gibeon, Gilbert, Ginkinger, Glasey, Gohl, Gombar, Good, Gordon, Gower, Greenawalt, Greninger, Grosch, Gross, Growner, Hague, Hacker, Hahs, Harbaugh, Harp, Helman, Hetler, Heller, Helt, Heltzer, Hanning, Henry, Hensel, Herman, Hertzel, Heltensperger, Hipple, Hoffman, Hougendobler, Horner, Howe, Hoover, Horstick, Hospelhorn, Hunschberger, Inglefelter, Isenberg, Igler, Kane, Keeler, Kelley, Kemery, Kemmerer, Kennel, Kepp, Kiefer, Kimmel, Kinsel, Klock, Koch, Kramer, Kopfender, Laible, Lambert, Land, Lanick, Lesser, Leberman, leise, Leisey, Leiby, Leopold, leopold, Levan, Loeb, Lusch, Lynn, Machmer, Manderbach, Mowry, McCarroll, McCauley, MeCumley, McDougal, McGee, McLain, McManaway, McMicken, McNamarra, Mellinger, Meyer, Miller, Moony, Moyer, Muschlitz, O'Brien, Ochs, Odenaugh, Paine, Palsgrove, Parsons, Pennington, Peters, Peterson, Pfrommer, Post, Ramsey, Ranch, Reber, Reigert, Reigel, Reiss, Ritter, Rockwell, Roth, Rudloff, Ruhl, Rupp, Sammel, Savitz, Saylor, Schall, Schelley, Schively, Schmidt, Schneider, Schnell, Scholl, Schwartz, Sechler, Seitz, Seltzer, Schafer, Shankweiler, Shatz, Shelley, Shivley, Shomo, Shhoup, Shubert, Shultz, Seimon, Sellers, Simon, Smith, Snyder, Spayd, Spoarel, Stauffer, Stein, Stecker, Steinbach, Steinable, Stire, Stirrel, Stoneback, Stricker, Strohm, Stung, Swartz, Taylor, Tchlittler, Thomas, Torbert, Trenwith, Trible, Van Gunden, Van Rank, Voght, Waegly, Wagner, Walmer, Waltz, Weidman, Welker, Wentz, Whertlog, Winslow, Winter, Wise, Wisner, Wilhelm, Wolf, Wolfensperger, Yost, Young, Younkin, Zimmerman

Bernville, Pennsylvania [Bird's-Eye Town View] (Bailey & Moyer, 1898)
This is a detailed image from birds-eye perspective of the city of Bernville, Berks County, PA in the year 1898. It details streets, homes, businesses, churches, etc., providing a unique view of the town and wider area. (Not Text-Searchable)

Bird's Eye View of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania [Bird's-Eye Town View] (T. M. Fowler, 1898)
This is a detailed image from birds-eye perspective of the city of Sinking Spring, Berks County, PA in the year 1898. It details streets, homes, businesses, churches, etc., providing a unique view of the town and wider area. (Not Text-Searchable)

Wernersville Pennsylvania [Bird's-Eye Town View] (Bailey & Fowler, 1898)
This is a detailed image from birds-eye perspective of the city of Wernersville, Berks County, PA in the year 1898. It details streets, homes, businesses, churches, etc., providing a unique view of the town and wider area. (Not Text-Searchable)

Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania [Bird's-Eye Town View] (Bailey & Moyer, 1898)
This is a detailed image from birds-eye perspective of the city of Womelsdorf, Berks County, PA in the year 1898. It details streets, homes, businesses, churches, etc., providing a unique view of the town and wider area. (Not Text-Searchable)

Annals of Womelsdorf, Pa. and Community 1723-1923
(Rev. P. C. Crol, 1923, 151 pages)
This is a bicentennial history of the town and region of Womelsdorf, Berks County, PA. It contains historical and personal accounts along with portraits and pictures of the area.

The Tulpehocken Bi-Centennial
(Womelsdorf, Pa. Executive Committee, 1923, 260 pages)
This is a history and program of the events of the Tulpehocken bi-centennial June 28th, 29th, 30th and July 1st, 1923. It contains a series of historical sketches covering two hundred years from 1723-1923.

Main Topics:
Womelsdorf
The committees
Introduction
Vast Changes
Four-day program
Synopsis of the historical pageant
Two centuries in twenty-five year periods,
- Period of Settlement (1723-1750)
- The Stormy Period of War and Defense-(l750-1775)
- Period of Revolution and National Independence (1775-1800)
- Period 0f Internal Development (1800-1825).
- Period 0f Expansion and Bitter Sectional Agitations (1825-1850)
- Period 0f National and Local Prosperity (1875-1900).
- The modern Period of Twentieth Century Civilization (1900-1923)
Documentary data concerning the Tulpehocken Settlement
Interesting historical data
The Tulpehocken community as others saw it
Tulpehocken offspring--The Penns Creek Settlement
The Hessian prisoners
Few pioneer families
Early educators of Womelsdorf
Tul-pi-wi-ha-ki Lodge
Diary of Rev. Fred. A. C. Muhlenberg
Church history of the Tulpehocken region for the two hundred years
Tulpehocken Bi-Centennial Pageant

The Spirit of the Tulpehocken
Tulpehocken Bi-Centennial Pageant (Anonymous, 1923, 52 pages)
This is souvenir program of the Tulpehocken Bicentennial Pageant, held in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of this historic region of Berks County, PA. The pageant proceeded through various periods of the history of the region from its settlement in 1723 to World War I. The program lists each segment of the pageant along with the participants, some historical background, and photographs from around the county, as well as numerous ads from businesses supporting the events.

Bicentennial of the Union Church of North Heidelberg,
1744-1944 (Anonymous, 1944, 20 pages)
This is a history of one of Berks County's early churches. It covers the founding and growth of the church up to the present day (1944). A very nice feature of this publication is a list of early Moravian burials in 'God's Acre' in Heidelberg, and another burial list from 1822 to 1944.

General Marshall's Victory Report [Womelsdorf, Newmanstown,
Stouchsburg] (U.S. War Department, 1946-47, 159 pages)
This was published following the close of the war to provide the public with a general account of the war from beginning to end. The report was published for individual areas throughout the state, and each of these areas included a list of local men and women who served in the war. This report covers sections of Berks & Lebanon Counties, including Womelsdorf, Newmanstown and Stouchsburg.

Official Souvenir Booklet Bernville Centennial Celebration
One Hundred Years 1851-1951 (Anonymous, 1951, 84 pages)
This is a souvenir history of Bernville, PA, written for its Centennial celebration in 1851. It presents a history of the town, its early residents and its growth through the years. Additionally, there area a series of sketches from its history touching on a number of subjects. It also presents a program of events of the centennial celebration, a list of veterans from the area who served in WWII, and cemetery listings from several local cemeteries.

Centennial Souvenir Program Robesonia, PA 1855-1955 (Anonymous, 1955, 116 pages)
This is souvenir history and program for the Centennial Celebration of Robesonia, Berks County, PA in 1955. It presents a thorough history of the town and area along with many photographs both historical and current (1955). It also contains a program of the celebration events and many ads for local businesses.

Bernville Pennsylvania 1851-1976 (The Bernville Bicentennial Committee, 1976, 142 pages)
This book presents a history of the town of Bernville, Berks County, PA. Bernville, and wider Berks County, provided a home to many early settlers of Pennsylvania. This publication covers the early history of the area and its progress through the years. Along with the historical information are many historical photographs featureing locations around the area and its people.