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.

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County Histories & Biographical Volumes

History of the Counties of Berks and Lebanon (I. Daniel Rupp, 1844, 500 pages)
The full title of the publication is: "History of the Counties of Berks and Lebanon: Containing a brief account of the Indians who inhabited this region of country, and the numerous Murders by them; notices of the first Swedish, Welsh, French, German, Irish, and English settlers, giving the names of nearly five thousand of them, Biographical Sketches, topographical descriptions of every Township, and of the Principal Towns and Villages; the Religious History, with much useful Statistical information, notices of the Press & Education." The book begins with a general history of the two counties, accounts of the Indians and their troubles with the early settlers, and then separate sections dealing with Swedish, German, Welsh, Irish, and Huguenot settlers. Following this, the counties are outlined.

Biographical Sketches: Heister Family, Rev. Philip R. Pauli, Rev. Michael Schlatter, Rev. John Conrad Bucher

Appendix:
A - Minutes of an 1829 Meeting to discuss the "religious excitement at present prevailing in the county"
B - A brief account of the "Paxton Affair", murder of the Indians of Lancaster County.

History of the Counties of Dauphin and Lebanon in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:
Biographical and Genealogical (William Henry Egle, 1883, 1104 pages)
This is the first major biographical volume for Dauphin and Lebanon Counties, and therefore an essential source for genealogical research. Part 1 covers Dauphin County, discusses the history and development of the county, then briefly covers the history each township, followed by biographies of prominent individuals and families. Part 2 is outlined the same as Part 1, but deals with Lebanon County. The biographies included in this work are bookmarked for quick access, although there is an index for each county.

Dauphin County Surnames:
Alricks, Auchmuty, Awl, Ayres, Bailey, Barnitz, Beader, Beatty, Beck, Bell, Bergner, Bent, Bernheisel, Bertram, Bigler, Black, Boas, Bombaugh, Bomberger, Bowman, Boyd, Boyer, Briggs, Brisban, Brown, Brua, Brubaker, Bucher, Buehler, Burd, Burke, Calder, Cameron, Carl, Carson, Chandler, Chester, Clark, Cline, Clyde, Collier, Cooke, Coover, Cowden, Cox, Crain, Crouch, Day, Dentzel, Detweiler, DeWitt, Dock, Dougherty, Downey, Durbin, Dunkle, Eby, Edwards, Egle, Elder, Ellmaker, Enterline, Eppley, Espy, Etter, Eyster, Fahnestock, Fager, Fenn, Fetterhoff, Findlay, Finney, Fisher, Fleming, Foose, Ford, Forney, Forster, Fortenbaugh, Fox, Gause, Geary, Gerhard, Gillmor, Gleim, Graydon, Green, Gross, Hage, Haldeman, Hall, Hamilton, Hammond, Hanna, Hargest, Harris, Hartman, Hayes, Hays, Heisely, Heller, Henderson, Hensel, Herr, Hertz, Hickok, Hiester, Hildrup, Hill, Hoffman, Holman, Horter, Houser, Hoyer, Hummel, Hursh, Irwin, Jennings, Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Jury, Kean, Keefer, Kelker, Keller, Kemp, Kendig, Kepner, Kerr, Kunkel, Kurtz, Laird, Landis, LaRoss, Lauman, Lawrence, Lochman, Loomis, Maclay, Maher, Maloney, Matheson, Matter, McAlarney, McCammon, McCormick, McCreath, McConkey, McFadden, McFarland, McIlhenny, McKinney, Meetch, Meyers, Miller, Mish, Mitchell, Mowry, Muench, Murray, Myers, Neagley, Nininger, Nisley, O'Conner, Orth, Patton, Peacock, Pearson, Peffer, Peters, Pitcairn, Porter, Potts, Puglia, Rahter, Ramsey, Rawn, Rehrer, Reily, Rife, Ringland, Roan, Roberts, Robinson, Ross, Roop, Rutherford, Sallade, Savage, Schofield, Sees, Seiler, Shammo, Shanahan, Sheafer, Sheesley, Sherer, Shoch, Shope, Shunk, Simon, Simmons, Simonton, Simpson, Sloan, Smull, Smuller, Snodgrass, Snyder, Stecher, Swab, Thome, Thompson, Till, Umberger, Verbeke, Walker, Wallace, Waugh, Weir, Weise, Wenrich, Wenrick, Whitehill, Whitley, Wiestling, Williams, Williard, Wilson, Winebrenner, Witman, Wood, Wolf, Worley, Worrall, Wright, Wyeth, Young, Ziegler, Zinn

Lebanon County Surnames:
Achey, Albright, Bachman, Bassler, Beaver, Bickel, Bicksler, Bodenhorn, Bower, Brunner, Bucher, Capp, Coleman, DeHaas, Derr, Dissinger, Doebler, Early, Eberly, Eggers, Embich, Erb, Ernst, Euston, Fisher, Forney, Freeman, Funck, Gleim, Gloninger, Gobin, Greenawalt, Grove, Guilford, Harrison, Hassinger, Haussegger, Hautz, Heilman, Hoffman, Hollenbach, Houck, Ibach, Johnston, Karch, Kelker, Killinger, Kimmerling, Kinports, Klein, Kline, Krause, Kreider, Kremer, Kuhlmann, Kurtz, Lantz, Lehman, Lick, Light, Linaweaver, Lupp, Mark, Marshall, Marstellar, McPherson, Meily, Miller, Mish, Moeller, Muller, Noll, Orth, Rank, Reidenauer, Reily, Reinoehl, Rigler, Ross, Saylor, Schweinhard, Seidel, Shaeffer, Shenk, Shouffler, Shindel, Shultz, Shulze, Snavely, Spangler, Steigel, Stauffer, Stewart, Stoy, Templeman, Thomas, Ulrich, Weidman, Weirick, Witmer, Wolfersberger, Wood, Wrigley, Zehring, Zerbe, Zimmerman

Also included for Lebanon County, in addition to the biographies, is a section titled "Genealogical Register." This outlines information from court records, wills, administrations and deeds pertaining to over 300 individual families not definitely linked to more established genealogical lines, although many of them are from common Lebanon County families.

Ancient and Historic Landmarks in the Lebanon Valley
(Rev. P. C. Croll, 1895, 335 pages)
Historical accounts of the early days of Lebanon County. A wealth of historical information, some genealogical value as well. Includes a number of pictures and illustrations.

Biographical Annals of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
(J. H. Beers & Co., 1904, 845 pages)
This is the second major biographical volume published for Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, covering hundreds of the counties leading citizens and families.

Surnames Indexed:
Adams, Albright, Allwein, Arnold, Atkins, Ault, Bachman, Baeshore, Bahney, Balsbaugh, Barto, Bassler, Beattie, Beaver, Becker, Beckley, Behm, Behney, Behny, Bennetch, Berst, Beshore, Betz, Bibighaus, Bierman, Biever, Binner, Black, Blecker, Boeshore, Bollinger, Bollman, Bolman, Bomberger, Bordner, Bower, Bowman, Brecht, Brendle, Brightbill, Bromer, Brown, Brubaker, Brunner, Bucher, Buck, Burkey, Carpenter, Christ, Christian, Cilley, Coleman, Collins, Corl, Croll, Deaner, Deffenbaugh, Deppen, Derr, Detweiler, Dewald, Dietz, Dissinger, Dohner, Donges, Dubble, Dundore, Eby, Ehrgood, Ehrhorn, Ellis, Engle, Erb, Eshelman, Euston, Evans, Fauber, Feeman, Fegan, Felterolf, Fernsler, Fink, Fisher, FitzGerald, Fluck, Forney, Fox, Frantz, Fretz, Fritz, Funck, Funk, Gable, Garrett, Gassert, Gates, Gebhard, Geib, George, Gerberich, Gerhart, German, Gettel, Gibble, Gingrich, Gloninger, Gobin, Gockley, Greenawalt, Greider, Grittinger, Groh, Grove, Grumbine, Guilford, Haak, Harris, Hartman, Hartz, Hauck, Hauer, Heagy, Heilman, Henry, Herr, Hershberger, Hertzler, Hetrick, Heverling, Hibshman, High, Hitz, Hoelzle, Hoffman, Holland, Hood, Horne, Horst, Houck, Huber, Hull, Hunsicker, Hursh, Hutter, Illig, Imboden, Imhof, Johnston, Kalbach, Karch, Kaufman, Kegerreis, Kembel, Kettering, Killinger, Killmoyer, Kinports, Klein, Kleiser, Klett, Kline, Klopp, Knoll, Krall, Kreider, Kreiser, Kremer, Krum, Kurtz, Landis, Lantz, Lauck, Layser, Leininger, Lenig, Lerch, Leslie, Light, Lineaweaver, Long, Longenecker, Loose, Lord, Louser, McCurdy, McGovern, McNair, Mack, Manbeck, Mark, Marshall, Maulfair, Meily, Meiser, Mengel, Meyer, Millard, Miller, Mish, Mock, Moore, Mosser, Moyer, Muth, Newgard, Nissley, Noel, Oberholtzer, Oltenbuerstel, Olwine, Page, Painter, Parthemore, Parschke, Peiffer, Pfannkuch, Rank, Rauch, Ream, Rebstock, Rehfuss, Reinoehl, Rex, Richards, Ricker, Riegel, Rigler, Rise, Risser, Ritcher, Roberts, Rodearmel, Roller, Roop, Royer, Rummel, Samler, Sanders, Saylor, Schaeffer, Schantz, Schmaltz, Schmauk, Schock, Schropp, See, Seibert, Seidle, Seltzer, Shaak, Sheaf, Sheaffer, Shenk, Sherk, Shindel, Shirk, Shneider, Sholly, Shoop, Shope, Shugar, Shultz, Siegrist, Smith, Snavely, Snyder, Sowers, Spahn, Spang, Spangler, Spanmuth, Spayd, Sprecher, Staeger, Stager, Stahler, Stambaugh, Stauffer, Stein, Steiner, Stiner, Stohler, Stoner, Strack, Strickler, Strohm, Strohman, Swonger, Swope, Thomas, Thompson, Tice, Trabert, Trautman, Uhrich, Umbenhen, Umberger, Urich, Van de Sande, Vogt, Wagner, Walborn, Walter, Ward, Warner, Weaver, Weber, Weidman, Weigley, Weimer, Weirick, Weiss, Wenger, Wengert, Werner, Westenberger, Wilhelm, Wise, Witman, Witmer, Witmoyer, Wittle, Worth, Yingst, Young, Zeigler, Zerbe, Zimmerman, Zinn, Zug

A History of the Lebanon Valley in Pennsylvania
(Dr. Hiram H. Shenk, 1930, 627 pages)
Historical and biographical volumes dealing with Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, and to a lesser degree Dauphin and Berks counties. Volume 1 covers the settlement and growth of the valley, involvement in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War 1, as well as civil, agricultural, industrial, and professional aspects of the valley. There are also brief sketches on the townships and boroughs of the valley. Volume 2 contains a number of biographies of prominent individuals and families.

Surnames Indexed:
Abernethy, Adams, Altenderfer, Althouse, Arnold, Atkins, Bagenstose, Bamberger, Barnhart, Barr, Bashore, Batdorf, Batz, Bauer, Baum, Beckley, Behney, Berger, Bernstein, Bicksler, Blose, Blyler, Boger, Bolton, Bomberger, Booker, Bordlemay, Bowman, Brandt, Brenner, Brightbill, Brock, Brossman, Brown, Brubaker, Brunner, Bucher, Buckholder, Butterwick, Carpenter, Castner, Coleman, Connor, Crall, Croll, Culhane, Curry, Davis, DiNunzio, Drine, Early, Eck, Eckenroth, Ehrgood, Engle, Entrekin, Esbenshade, Fath, Fertig, Fink, Fisher, Flanagan, Flory, Francis, Frantz, Freeman, Frick, Fry, Gerberich, Gerhart, Gilbert, Gingrich, Gossard, Grimes, Groh, Grubb, Guerrial, Hammond, Harbach, Harkins, Harpel, Hart, Hartz, Heffelfinger, Heffley, Heilman, Henry, Hess, Hickernell, Hicks, Hollinger, Houck, Hower, Hunsicker, Hurst, Ibach, Jones, Kapp, Keener, Keesey, Keiser, Kelchner, Keller, Kepner, Kettering, Kiefer, Kilmoyer, King, Kinports, Kirchner, Klopp, Kochenberger, Krause, Kreamer, Kreider, Krum, Kurr, Landis, Lape, Lauck, Lehm, Leibegott, Lentz, Lessley, Lesher, Letcher, Light, Lingle, Loehle, Lombard, Long, Longacre, Longnecker, Loose, Marshall, Mays, McAdam, Means, Meyer, Millard, Miller, Mock, Moyer, Noggle, Noll, Onofrey, Painter, Peterson, Plasterer, Poorman, Potteiger, Pretzfeld, Rader, Rank, Rapp, Reich, Reinhard, Rettew, Richie, Risser, Ross, Rothermell, Runkel, Saile, Saylor, Schaak, Schoener, Schreiber, Schropp, Sealer, Seyfert, Shanfelder, Sheetz, Shenk, Shiffler, Smith, Snavely, Snyder, Sowers, Spang, Spitler, Sprecher, Steckbeck, Stine, Strauss, Strickler, Strohman, Thompson, Ulrich, Umberger, Walter, Weaver, Weber, Weirick, Weiss, Westenberger, Weyland, Wiker, Wilder, Wilhelm, Willimason, Wise, Witmer, Witmeyer, Witter, Wolfe, Worrilow, Yake, Yingst, Zecher, Zechman, Ziegler, Zimmerman, Zug

Town, Township & Regional Histories

Souvenir Book Old Home Week and Sesqui-Centennial 1760-1910
(Anonymous, 1910, 148 pages)
This is a historical and pictorial souvenir of Palmyra, Lebanon County, PA, published for its 150th anniversary. It gives a history and description of the town in its early days and its current state (1910). Along with the historical information, it presents many photographs of the town, its homes and residents. There are also some biographies of important and influential residents of the area: Martin Early, Frank B. Hugendubler, Peter B. Witmer. The end of the publication contains ads for local businesses.

Lebanon Pennsylvania (Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, 1918, 36 pages)
This is a pictorial and descriptive souvenir of Lebanon. It highlights various aspects of Lebanon's features and prospect along with photographs of its prominent businesses, homes and industries.

Lebanon's Bicentennial - 1940 (Executive Committee, 1940, 128 pages)
This booklet was produced as a souvenir of Lebanon's Bicentennial celebration in 1940. It provides a brief history of the county and its settlement, and various historical accounts down through the years. It also contains an outline of the events and persons involved in the bicentennial celebration, along with numerous ads for local businesses.

This is Palmyra 1760-1960 (Bicentennial Committee, 1960, 209 pages)
This is a history and program of the events of Palmyra's bicentennial celebration. This historical narrative covers the early history of the area and the formation and growth of the town through the years. One section briefly relates the events of the "Old Home Week" of 1910 and 1935. Other sections deal with various organizations of the town such as the Post Office, Police Dept, Borough Council, etc. Additional sections cover the history of the towns schools, churches, and clubs. There are photographs and ads for local businesses throughout.

Bicentennial [Palmyra, PA] (Anonymous, 1960, 32 pages)
This is a photographic souvenir of Palmyra's bicentennial celebration. It contains dozens of photographs of people who were part of or attended the celebration events. This is a nice historical snapshot of the town of Palmyra, Lebanon County, PA from 1960.

North Lebanon Township - A History
(Centennial Committee For an Historical Publication, 1976, 114 pages)
This publication was produced as a history of North Lebanon Township, Lebanon County, PA for the commemoration of the nation's Bicentennial Celebration in 1976. It outlines the early history and development of the township, including some coverage of its early residents and settlers and important events in the area's history. It also includes more modern historical information, including discussion of the local churches, schools, etc. This publication also has several sections devoted to towns within the boundaries of the township: Ebenezer, Heilmandale, Kimmerlings, Sand Hill, Reinoehlsville, and Sunset. Along with the historical information, there are also photographs of places, buildings and people of the area.