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.

Industrial and Commercial Resources of Pennsylvania
(Historical Publishing Company, 1886, 122 pages)
Historical descriptive and biographical review of the industries of southeast Pennsylvania. Includes sketches of prominent businesses and businessmen of Elizabethtown, Harrisburg, Middletown, and Steelton, PA.

From Dauphin County:
-- From Elizabethtown: -- The Greenawalt House, A. Dissinger, -- From Harrisburg: -- Lochiel House, The Pennsylvania Folding Iron and Steel Gate and Guard Co., C. A. Boas, M. C. Detweiler, Hench & Stuart, Luther R. Kelker, C. O. Zimmerman & Son, Henry Fraley, Bolton, House, Keystone Brewery, C. A. Aughinbaugh, Beatty & Son, Calder's Livery and Omnibus Office, Geo. E. Reed, Knoche's Music Room, E. B. Black, Greenawalt Brother's Tannery, J. E. Rhoads, Adam Reel, Geo. H. Freohlich, J. R. Stoey, Cleckner, & Burke, S. A. Hummel, P. K. Sprenkel, John F. Kerper, Smith & Keffer, J. S. Sible, W. J. Adams & Bro., C. E. Roumfort, Harrisburg Business College, W. K. Cowden, J. L. Dipner & Brother, F. L. Hutter, B. F. Messimer, E. A. Fisher, H. F. Quickel, Winfield S. Morley, W. O. Bishop, William F. Neely, Frank M. Dow, F. J. Hursh, Harrisburg State Works, A. L. Tittle, Harrisburg Bottling Works, Geo. H. Sourbier, W. F. Entrekin, A. B. McFadden, L. Poulton, George A. Gorgas, George W. Melly, Jacob Shaffer, State Capital Broom Factory, Franklin Knauss, William Wykoff, John Waller, B. Kemmerer, Park Hotel and Resturant, George Doehne, John J. Shoemaker & Son, The City Grocery, Dr. Raysor's, Edward Boyer, John Froehlich, A. W. Bergstresser, E. S. Shearer, L. C. Johnson, N. Studebaker, Wm. J. Bergstresser, A. G. Keet, J. Hess, J. J. Maguire, -- From Middletown: -- Susquehanna Iron Works, Middletown Furniture Manufacturing Company, J. W. Starr, H. B. Engle, Railroad Hotel, D. M. Snavely, A. G. Banks, Rambler's New Store, E. Nagle, W. B. Withauer, -- From Steelton: -- Steelton Flouring Mill Company, A. Y. Knisely & Son, The Couffer House, Mosser & Kaufman, Jacob M. Hess, A. S. Felker, A. B. Dunkle, J. B. Flickinger, Austin Best M.D., The Fletcher House, J. A. Dunkle & Son.

Industries and Wealth of the Principle Points in Southeastern Pennsylvania
(Excepting Philadelphia) Embracing Dauphin, York, Lancaster, Schuylkill,
Berks, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware Counties
(American Publishing and Engraving Co., 1890, 148 pages)
This publication contains sketches of industrial and economic significance from the major populated areas of southeastern PA.

From Dauphin County:
-- From Harrisburg: -- Lochiel Hotel, Central Iron Works, J. S. Sible, Jackson Manufacturing Company, Pennsylvania Telephone Company, D. L. Jauss & Co., John G. Young, Astrich's Palace of Fashion, Hammersley & Co., Chesapeake Nail Works, First National Bank, American Surety Company of New York, White Hall Hotel, Pennsylvani Publishing Company, Henry Fink, Forney & Knouse, Monaghan Bay Company, Witman - Schwarz & Co., W. I. Poole, Harrisburg Car Manufacturing Company, D. Bacon, J. Kepple, Harrisburg Woven Wire Mattress Company, Naudain Hamilton, Hammond & Bailey, Forney Bros. & Co., Luther R. Kelker, Fox's Studio, Philip German, C. K. Keller, Cleckner & Burke, D. W. Gross & Son, Mechanic's Bank, The Susquehanna Mutual Fire Insurance Company, H. W. Techmeyer, W. & H. I. Marlatt, Forney & Stewart, Bergner Bros, Harrisburg Burial Case Company, Thos. S. Peters, Guiles & Wensell, J. W. Roshon, R. W. Barnheisel, Henry Gilbert & Son, Hanlen Bros., A. W. Bergstresser, Fred L. Welzel, E. L. Rinkenbach, Motter House, Henry C. Demming, B. Frank Ober's, L. R. Poffenberger, Jos. Shisler, Fred. W. Yingst, The Central Pennsylvania Methodist Episcopal Book Rooms, G. H. Markley, Stephen Hubertis, Chas. Frank, The Jacob Dold Packing Company, J. R. McFarland, Alex. Roberts, John W. Brown, A. S. McCreath, C. F. Sieber, J. A. Miller, E. D. Schellenberger, The Eastern Bookstore, George W. Looker, Joseph Fornwald, S. M. Marshall, George Roberts, Beatty & Son, Cook Sweney & Cook, Jas. H. W. Howard, S. W. Fleming, J. D. Lemer, Franklin House, George Whitcomb, Theo. F. Scheffer, H. B. Mitchell & Co., Harrisburg Fire Brick Works, Russ Bates & Vance, J. Santo, Frederick H. DeHaven, John D. Kinneard, Cocklin Bros., Hench & Stuart, Chas. T. George, J. L. Dipner & Brother, Sharon Stephens, W. H. Detweiler, W. R Hughes, I. I. Cohen.

Genealogy of the Ludwig Bretz Family 1750-1890
(E. W. S. Parthemore, 1890, 150 pages)
This is a genealogy of Ludwig Bretz who settled in Upper Dauphin County. Many of his descendants settled in Perry, Junitate and Snyder Counties, particularly the Meck and Bogar families.

Register of the Marriages and Baptisms of the Rev. Traugott Frederick Illing
(E. W. S. Parthemore, 1891, 43 pages)
This publication is a collection of church records from two central Pennsylvania Churches: St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Middletown, Dauphin County, and Caernarvon Episcopal Church, Lancaster County. It begins with a brief historical account of the churches and then goes into the records, including lists of subscriptions from 1773-1781, marriages from 1780-1799, baptisms from 1780-1798, and concludes with biographical notes on a number of individuals associated with the church.

Biographical Notes:
George Frey (Everhard), Frederick Schott, John Metzgar, Conrad Wolfley, Frederick Zebbernick, Christian Roth, Jacob and Christian Koenig, Philip Parthemore, Jacob Creamer, George Philip Schrackin, Ludwig Hemperly, Gottlieb David Ettle, John Backenstow, George Lauman, Nicholas Cassel, Jacob and Henry Schaffner, Martin Hemperly, John Matthias Winagle, Heinrich LaRue, Ulrich Hypscher, Christian Demmy, Jacob Early, Peter Kop, Christian Alleman, Peter Phankucken, Christian Schertz, Abraham Gross, John Peter Brenner, John Michael Conrod, and Peter Schuster.

Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever Baptismal and Marriage 1730-1779
(Anonymous, 1896, 79 pages)
John Casper Stoever was an early and prominent minister serving the area of southeast Pennsylvania, principally the counties of Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery and York. He recorded the details of the baptisms and marriages he performed, providing an early primary set of vital records.

History of the Engle Family in America 1754-1927
(Morris H. Engle, 1927, 161 pages)
This is a history and genealogy of the Engle family of Dauphin and Lancaster counties, PA, beginning with Ulrich Engel.

History of the Classis of Lancaster of the Eastern Synod of the Reformed Church
in the United States 1852-1940 (Daniel Glass, C. George Bachman, Harry Shepardson,
John Frantz, J. N. Le Van, 1940, 450 pages)
This is a history of the Classis of Lancaster which includes both Lancaster and Dauphin Counties, PA. Each of the churches in the classis are given a historical sketch including a photograph of the church and details on some of its pastors. The end of the publication includes lists of ministers, licensures, ordinations, elders, and classis officers.

Young American Patriots - The Youth of Pennsylvania in World War II
(National Publishing Company, 1946, 674 pages)
This publication is a memorial to the service men and women of Pennsylvania who served in WWII. It contains brief sketches of 1,000's of soldiers from across the state. The sketches provide a variety of information on each soldier: Name, rank, branch of military, engagements, discharge date, military awards, birth date, parents, spouse, address, religion., etc. The information varies from soldier to soldier but most contain the information above. Also, nearly every sketch is accompanies by a portrait of the soldier. This publication is not an exhaustive listing of all the soldiers of Pennsylvania who fought in World War II. Nearly all counties are represented, but some more extensively than others. Those given more extensive coverage include: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Cumberland, Dauphin, Erie, Fayette, Indiana, Lawrence, Northampton, Westmoreland,

Here is a sample listing:
Abbott, William Edward
Cpl., Army. Born Apr. 6, 1925. Entered Serv. June 12, 1943. Ft. Belvoir; N. Guinea; Phil. Is.; Okinawa. Awarded GCM, As-Pac Rib., BS, Phil. Lib. Rib. Disch. Mar. 2, 1945. Attended Clymer HS. Protestant. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Abbott. Husband of Margaret Herrington Abbott, 818 Sandusky St., N. S., Pgh, 12, Pa.

Flood '72 (A. Keith Zorger & Frank E. Schubert, 1972, 32 pages)
This is a photographic souvenir of the 1972 Flood in Pennsylvania resulting from Hurricane / Tropical storm Agnes. It shows numerous scenes of flood damage primarily in Cumberland, Dauphin and York Counties.

Flood Pennsylvania - 1972 (Timothy E. Euker, David Berner, 1972, 68 pages)
This is a pictorial souvenir of the flood from Hurrican Agnes which struck central Pennsylvania and other areas in 1972. Photographs show the floodwaters and damage done in various locations in Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Luzerne, Lycoming, Perry, Montour, Northumberland and Snyder Counties.

Maps & Atlases (Not text searchable)
1858 Map of Dauphin County Pennsylvania (J. Southwick, Wm. J. Barker, Color)
1862 Map of Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania (A. Pomeroy, Color)