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). 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.

County Histories & Biographical Volumes

History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Union,
Columbia, Juniata and Clinton Counties, PA. (I. D. 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).

History of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania
(J. H. Battle, 1887, 899 pages)
This is the first dual-county biographical volume for Columbia and Montour Counties, PA. It contains a wealth of historical and biographical information on these counties and their citizens. Hundreds of individuals and families from the region are touched on and there are a number of portraits of these persons included.

Book of Biographies. Biographical Sketches of Leading
Citizens of the 17th Congressional District, Pennsylvania
(Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, 680 pages)
This publication is a collection of biographies from the areas of Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, and Sullivan Counties in Pennsylvania. This information highlights many of the important men and families who helped this part of Pennsylvania to prosper over the decades. This is an excellent resource for historical or genealogical research, and a nice addition to the other historical / biographical volumes published for this area.

Surnames Indexed:
Adams, Alexander, Angle, Arment, Armstrong, Aucker, Auten, Avery, Baker, Baldy, Barton, Beahen, Bealor, Beaver, Beck, Bedford, Bennett, Bergstresser, Betts, Bigger, Binder, Bird, Black, Bloom, Bobb, Bogardus, Boody, Botsford, Bower, Boyd, Breckel, Breece, Brennen, Brewster, Bright, Brobst, Brong, Brower, Brown, Bryfogle, Buck, Buckalew, Buddinger, Burg, Cadwallader, Cake, Camp, Campbell, Carl, Caswell, Cathcart, Catterall, Chalfant, Chester, Christian, Clement, Clifford, Colt, Conner, Cotner, Creasy, Croninger, Cruikshank, Cummings, Davenport, Davis, Dean, DeArmond, Deeter, Deininger, Derby, Dewart, Dickson, Diemer, Dillon, Diltz, Divel, Dorr, Drinker, Dunlap, Eckman, Edgar, Edwards, Elliott, Elwell, Erieg, Evans, Everett, Evert, Eves, Fagely, Faughnan, Faust, Fawcett, Ferris, Fertig, Fischer, Fisher, Fleming, Flynn, Forrester, Forry, Fosnot, Frick, Fritz, Fruit, Funk, Furmann, Gallagher, Gamble, Gansel, Gardner, Garr, Gearhart, Geisinger, Gibbons, Gilbert, Glenn, Glockler, Goeser, Golembiewski, Goodwill, Gorrey, Graham, Green, Grier, Gross, Grotz, Haas, Haley, Hall, Hamilton, Hancock, Hanion, Hannon, Harding, Harman, Harpel, Harris, Harrison, Harter, Hartman, Hartzell, Hassert, Hawley, Hazen, Heim, Heller, Hemingray, Hemingway, Hempsted, Hennessy, Herr, Herring, Higbee, Higgins, Hill, Hinckley, Hoffman, Hollenback, Hollister, Holloway, Holmes, Hoover, Horn, Houck, Howells, Huber, Hubler, Huckell, Hugo, Hull, Jefferson, John, Johnson, Jury, Karns, Kase, Kashner, Kay, Kearney, Keefer, Keim, Keiser, Kennedy, Kiefer, Kimble, Kitchen, Kliem, Kline, Knapp, Knight, Koch, Kocher, Kohlbraker, Konstankiewicz, Kopp, Kreamer, Kremer, Kreitzer, Krickbaum, Kulp, Kurtz, Laird, Lancaster, Laubauch, Lay, Leader, Leisering, Lesher, Lewis, Lilley, Little, Logan, Lonshore, Lorenz, Lotier, Low, Lowry, Luckenbill, Ludy, Magargel, Markle, Mason, Mauser, May, McBride, McCarthy, McCleery, McEliece, McElwee, McFarlane, McHenry,McKamey, McKillip, McWilliams, Mears, Meek, Mercer, Merithew, Meuwese, Meylert, Miller, Misicki, Momley, Monroe, Montelius, Montgomery, Moody, Moore, Morehead, Morton, Mowrey, Mullen, Myers, Newbaker, Newman, Norton, Oram, Osler, Ostrander, Packer, Pardoe, Paules, Pealer, Pensyl, Peterman, Phillips, Plumstead, Polk, Price, Priestly, Purcell, Purman, Quick, Quirk, Rabb, Raessler, Raker, Ramsey, Randall, Ratti, Raup, Reber, Rebman, Redeker, Reed, Reese, Reichert, Reimard, Rhawn, Richard, Richardson, Riehl, Robbins, Robertson, Robison, Rockefeller, Rogers, Rohrbach, Rothrock, Ryon, Rutter, Sands, Sanger, Savage, Savidge, Schaffer, Schill, Schlief, Schmick, Schneder, Schoener, Seely, Seibert, Seiler, Shannon, Sharpless, Sharretts, Shay, Shew, Shindel, Shipman, Shultz, shuman, Sidler, Slate, Small, Smink, Smith, Snyder, Sollenberger, Sowers, Stager, Starr, Staver, Stearns, Sterling, Stroh, Stroup, Sult, Supplee, Sweisfort, Swenk, Taggart, Taylor, Thomas, Thompson, Van Dyke, Vannan, Vastine, Vincent, Visick, Wallize, Walter, Walton, Watkins, Webster, Weicksel, Wells, Welsh, Wendling, Werkheiser, West, White, Whitley, Wiest, Wilcox, Williams, Willits, Wilson, Wolverton, Woodin, Wragg, Yost, Young, Zimmeman, Zuern

Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour
Counties, Pennsylvania (J. H. Beers & Co., 1915, 1392 pages)
This publication is an extensive historical and biographical volume for both Columbia and Montour Counties. The information is separated by county, and begins with a general discussion of the county's history and development. The information then proceeds to focus more narrowly on each township and borough, citing it's early settlers and their contribution to its growth as well as details about it's makeup. The biographical sections are the major portion of this publication, comprising almost 1000 pages. The hundreds of biographies outline the histories and genealogies of many of the areas prominent men and families. There are also a number of portraits of these men and a few engravings of some of the important buildings of the area.

Surnames Indexed:
Abrams, Achy, Acor, Adams, Ahlers, Aikman, Albeck, Albertson, Alexander, Alleger, Altmiller, Amerman, Amesbury, Ammerman, Andy, Angell, Angle, Anthony, Appleman, Armes, Armstrong, Arnhold, Artley, Artman, Ash, Aten, Auten, Averill, Baker, Baldy, Bare, Barger, Barkley, Barnard, Barton, Bates, Baucher, Bauman, Beach, Beaver, Beck, Belles, Berninger, Beyer, Bibby, Biddle, Billheimer, Billig, Billmeyer, Bird, Bitler, Bittner, Black, Blank, Blee, Bloss, Blue, Bogart, Bombly, Boody, Boone, Boudman, Bower, Bowman, Boyd, Boyles, Brannen, Bredbenner, Berisch, Brewington, Brien, Bright, Brink, Britt, Brittain, Brobst, Brockway, Brower, Brown, Bruder, Brugler, Bruner, Brunner, Brunstetter, Bryan, Bucci, Bucher, Buck, Buckalew, Buckingham, Burhard, Burkey, Bush, Butler, Butt, Cadman, Campbell, Canouse, Carrathers, Carse, Catterall, Chalfant, Chamberlain, Chapman, Cherrington, Childs, Chrisman, Clapp, Clark, Clay, Clayton, Cleaver, Clewell, Cloud, Cohen, Coira, Cole, Colley, Comly, Conner, Conyngham, Cook, Cooper, Cornelison, Cotner, Crawford, Creasy, Creveling, Crispell, Crispin, Croop, Crossley, Culp, Cummings, Currin, Curry, Daniel, Davenport, Davis, Dean, Deen, Deily, Deitrick, Delanty, Delay, DeLong, De Mott, Dengler, Dentler, Depew, Derr, Deutsch, Dewald, DeWitt, Dice, Dickson, Dieffenbach, Dieffenbacher, Diehl, Dietrich, Dietterick, Dietz, Dildine, Dillon, Dirk, Divel, Dixon, Doan, Dodson, Donnel, Doster, Dreibelbis, Dreisbach, Drinker, Duggan, Dutt, Duy, East, Eaton, Eck, Eckman, Eckroth, Edgar, Edmondson, Edwards, Eisenhauer, Elliott, Ellis, Elmes, Elwell, Emmet, Emmett, Ent, Enterline, Ervin, Eshleman, Evans, Everett, Evert, Eves, Eyer, Fahringer, Fairchild, Fallon, Farley, Farver, Faus, Faust, Fedorco, Fegley, Fenstemaker, Fenstermacher, Fergerson, Ferris, Fetterman, Field, Fielding, Fiester, Fifield, Finigan, Finney, Fisher, Fister, Fleckenstine, Flick, Forney, Fornwald, Fortner, Foster, Foulk, Foust, Fowler, Fox, Frank, Frazer, Frazier, Freas, Freeze, Frey, Frick, Fritz, Fry, Funk, Furman, Furry, Gaertner, Galbraith, Gallagher, Garrett, Garrison, Gaskins, Gearhart, Geisinger, George, Gernert, Gibson, Giger, Gilbert, Gilds, Golmore, Girton, Girvan, Glenn, Gordner, Gotshall, Gotwalds, Graham, Gresh, Grier, Grotz, Grove, Grozier, Gruber, Guest, Guie, Gulics, Gulliver, Hagenbuch, Hager, Hagerman, Hall, Hancock, Harder, Harding, Haring, Harman, Harmon, Harpel, Harris, Harter, Hartline, Hartman, Hartzell, Hassert, Hauck, Haupt, Hauser, Hayden, Hayman, Heacock, Heim, Heller, Helwig, Hendershott, Hendricks, Hendrickson, Henkel, Henkelman, Henrie, Henry, Herr, Herring, Herrington, Hertz, Hess, Hetler, Hicks, Hidlay, Hildebrand, Hile, Hill, Hinckley, Hine, Hixson, Hock, Hockman, Hoffa, Hoffman, Holdren, Hollingshead, Holly, Hopkins, Hoppes, Hortman, Hosler, Houck, Housenick, Houtz, Howe, Hower, Hughes, Hull, Hunsinger, Hunt, Hyde, Hyssong, Ikeler, Iles, Irland, Ivey, Jack, Jackson, Jacobs, Jacoby, James, Jarrard, Jayne, John, Johnson, Johnston, Jones, Jordan, Karchner, Kase, Kaufman, Keck, Keifer, Keiner, Kelchner, Keller, Kelley, Kellogg, Kelso, Kepner, Kerswell, Kester, Kile, Kimble, Kindig, Kingsbury, Kirk, Kirkendall, Kirkham, Kisner, Kistler, Kitchen, Klase, Kline, Klinetob, Kling, Klinger, Knapp, Knecht, Knepper, Knittle, Knorr, Knouse, Kocher, Koons, Kostenbander, Kramm, Krebs, Kreischer, Kreisher, Kressler, Krumm, Kuhn, Kunkel, Kurtz, Landis, Laub, Laubach, Lazarus, Learn, Lechleitner, Lechner, Le Duc, Lee, Leffler, Legien, Lehman, Leiby, Lemon, Lenhart, Lesher, Letteer, Levan, Lewis, Lightner, Litchard, Little, Livziey, Lockard, Lockhart, Long, Longenberger, Loreman, Lormer, Lovett, Lowry, Lundy, Lutz, Lyman, Lyon, McAnall, McAuley, McBride, McClure, McCollum, McConnell, McCormick, McHenry, McKillip, McMahan, McMichael, McNeal, McVicker, McWilliams, MacCrea, MacDonald, MacIntyre, Madden, Magill, Magreevy, Mallery, Manning, Mansfield, Markle, Marks, Marr, Martin, Martz, Masteller, Masters, Maus, Mauser, Melick, Mensch, Meredith, Mericle, Merkel, Messersmith, Michael, Milheim, Millard, Miller, Mills, Milnes, Molyneaux, Monroe, Montgomery, Moomey, Moore, Mordan, Morgan, Moser, Mourer, Mowery, Mowrer, Mowrey, Munson, Murray, Murry, Musselman, Myerley, Myers, Newbaker, Newman, Neyhard, Noss, Nuss, Oglesby, Ohl, Oliver, Oman, Orth, Oswald, Owen, Oxley, Oyster, Paden, Parker, Patrick, Patten, Patterson, Paules, Peckham, Pentz, Peters, Petrikin, Petrovits, Petty, Pfahler, Phillips, Ploch, Poe, Pohe, Polk, Pollock, Price, Purpur, Pursel, Pursell, Quick, Quigg, Rae, Randall, Rank, Raseley, Raup, Reagan, Rebman, Reed, Reedy, Reese, Reifsnyder, Reiter, Remley, Reynolds, Rhawn, Rhinard, Rhoads, Rhodes, Richard, Richardson, Richie, Ricketts, Rider, Rinard, Ringrose, Rishel, Rittenhouse, Ritter, Robbins, Roberts, Robinson, Robison, Rockefeller, Rodenhoffer, Roderick, Rogers, Rohrbach, Rook, Rote, Roup, Rowe, Ruch, Ruhl, Runyan, Rupert, Russell, Rutter, Ryan, Salmon, Sandel, Sands, Savage, Savidge, Scarlet, Schlee, Schott, Schram, Schultz, Schweppenheiser, Sechler, Seely, Seidel, Seiple, Seybert, Shaffer, Shambach, Shannon, Sharpless, Shelhart, Sheriff, Sherman, Shew, Shires, Shive, Shoemaker, Shoop, Shreeve, Shugars, Shultz, Shuman, Sidler, Simington, Sitler, Smack, Smethers, Smith, Smithers, Snyder, Sober, Sones, Sponenberg, Stackhouse, Startzel, Stees, Steinman, Sterner, Stifnagle, Stiles, Still, Stine, Stock, Stone, Stout, Strawbridge, Stuart, Styer, Sult, Suplee, Sutliff, Swank, Swentek, Sweppenheiser, Taylor, Teple, Tewksbury, Thomas, Thompson, Thornton, Tilley, Tooey, Tooley, Townsend, Traugh, Trego, Trescott, Trowbridge, Trumbower, Tubbs, Turner, Umstead, Unangst, Updegraff, Utt, Van Alen, Van Campen, Vanderslice, Van Fossen, Van Horn, Vannan, Van Natta, Vastine, Vincent, Voris, Vought, Wagenseller, Wagner, Walker, Waller, Walp, Walter, Walton, Waters, Watson, Watters, Watts, Weikert, Weller, Welliver, Wells, Welsh, Wenner, Wertman, West, Whalen, Wheeler, White, Whitemire, Wigfall, Willliams, Willits, Wilson, Wintersteen, Witman, Wolf, Woodin, Woodward, Wyatt, Yagel, Yerrick, Yetter, Yocum, Yorks, Yost, Young, Youngman, Zarr, Zehnder, Zehner, Zerbe

Town, Township & Regional Histories

Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania
(D. H. B. Brower, 1881, 289 pages)
This is a historical and biographical history of the borough of Danville, at the southern edge of Montour County, PA. The account covers the history of the town from before its settlement to the date of publication. It provides a picture of the growth of the town and its make-up, including its businesses, industries, schools, churches, military involvement as well as brief biographical sketches of some of its citizens. The accounts also cover to some degree the nearby towns of South Danville and Riverside.

Sketches:
Gen. William Montgomery, Alem Marr, Samuel Kirkham, Dr. David Petrikin, Daniel Frazer, Elias Hughes, Daniel Montgomery, William Hartman, Robert C. Grier, Rev. William B. Montgomery, Gen. Daniel Montgomery, J. B. Moore., Dr. Joseph Parry, John Yerrick, William Kitchen, William Hancock, John G. Montgomery, Paul Leidy, John Foley, John T. Heath, John Patton, Manassa Young, William Thompson, Sydney S. Easton, Isaac Gulick, A. P. Alward, John Moore, Jacob Cornelison, Cornelius Garretson, John Harmon, Robert Winter, John Cooper, Peter Hughes, B. W. Musselman, Jacob Hibler, Thomas Jemison, Jacob Reed, Samuel York, Jr., James Consart, Daniel Reynolds, James G. Maxwell, Thomas Clark, A. J. Ammerman, B. W. Waples, James Voris, Joseph D. Hahn, William Buckley, Charles C. Baldy, Isaac R. Freeze. Eli Trego, Samuel Alexander, M. C. Grier, William Smith, J. P. Grove, M. J. Grove, John J. Grove, Maj. Thomas Brandon, George A. Frick, Maj. J. V. L. De Witt, Maj. William G. Scott, John Rhodes, Horace Curtis, Simon P. Kase, Michael Kessler, Col. A. J. Frick, Col. Charles W. Eckman, William Keiner, George B. Brown, John C. Millhouse, M. S. Ridgeway, John P. Leisenring, David N. Kownover, Peter Baldy Sr., Maxwell B. Goodrich, Henry B. Strickland, Dennis Bright, Peter Yerrick, Michael Sanders, Dr. R. S. Simington, Dr. I. Pursel, Dr. James D. Strawbridge, Charles S. Wetsel, William J. Thomas, Emanuel Peters, Rev. Irvin H. Torrence, G. M. Shoop, Benjamin G. Welsh, R. H. Woolley, Dr. George J. Gravel, Daniel Ramsey, Ned Buntline, George F. Geisinger, Alfred Creveling, T. O. Van Alen, Dr. William H. Magill, Dan Morgan, Capt. George Lovett, Jacob Sechler

Church, Family, Education, Military and Miscellaneous Histories

Industrial and Commercial Resources of Pennsylvania
(Historical Publishing Company, 1887, 125 pages)
This publication is a history and description of the business operations from a dozens of towns throughout north, central and western Pennsylvania. Each business is detailed in sketch form, giving, in many cases, a brief history of its existence, management, and a description of its operations. This information was only published in this publication making this a rare and useful resource for historical or genealogical research in these counties of PA.

From Montour County
-- From Danville: -- Danville Stove and Manufacturing Company, Danville Nail and Manufacturing Company, Gosh's Centennial Drug Store, J. H. Johnson, Lew Woods, City Hotel, Wm. H. Ammerman & Co., First National Bank, Danville Marble and Granite Works, J. & C. Bausch, Derr & Lunger, John Jacobs, John Sperring, S. F. Ricketts' Famous Hat Store, E. Thompson, M. L. Fisher, W. L. Gouger, William J. Thomas, Globe Dry-goods Warehouse, S. Bailey & Co., David Shelhart, Samuel Henri, William Keiner, Gomer Thomas, G. B. Brown, B. A. Childs, Enterprise Foundry and Machine Works, G. W. Askins & Son.

Industries and Wealth of the Principle Points in Northeastern Pennsylvania; Being Scranton,
Williamsport, Lock Haven, Wilkes-Barre, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Danville, Sunbury and Shamokin
(American Publishing and Engraving Co., 1890, 125 pages)
This publication contains sketches of industrial and economic significance from the major populated areas of northeastern PA. These commercial sketches provide a rare look at many of the businesses and business people of Pennsylvania before the 20th Century.

From Montour County
-- From Danville: – William A. Shepperson, Jos. F. Schneider, I. C. Lee, O. H. Ostrander, The Minnetonka Milling Company, J. B. Ferguy, R. B. Curtis, Dr. S. Y. Thompson, H. M. Sechler, Globe Dry-Goods Warehouse, O. F. Young, McMahan & Ireland, R. H. Woolley, Grand Union Tea Company, Henrie Brothers, F. W. Howe, J. K. Boyer, Montour Coal & Iron Company

Directory Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, Danville, PA
December 1926 (Anonymous, 1926, 40 pages)
This is a directory of the church: services, officials, and societies. It also presents a membership roll of the congregation listing members and addresses for each.

Dedication Ceremonies for Montour County's Memorial
to its Veterans in World War II Together with the Honor Roll
and All Home Week-End Celebration (Anonymous, ~1946, 36 pages)
This book was written as a memorial of those who served in World War II from Montour County, PA. It begins with a program of the events of the memorial celebration, then follows with an alphabetical list of those men and women who served. After this is another section of those who were killed or died in service during the course of WWII. This section provides a portrait of each person along with a notation of branch, rank, and the date and place of death.

In Memory of Our Honored Dead - Souvenir Program
(Honor Degree of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1947, 120 pages)
This booklet was published as an honorary souvenir of the men and women of Columbia, Northumberland & Montour Counties, PA who died in the course of World War II. It covers numerous individuals from each branch of the military and includes a portrait, a listing of where they lived, when they entered service and where and when they died. This is an excellent resource for research on these counties of Pennsylvania or WWII.

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***)

1860 Cumming's Map of Columbia and Montour Counties Penna
(G. M. Hopkins & J. A. J. Cummings, Color)

1876 Atlas of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania
(F. W. Beers & Co., 62 pages, B/W)