Notebook - Pennsylvania No. 5, Part 2

Closson, Bob & Mary Closson. Surname to 52 Westmoreland County, Pa. Cemeteries, Vol. I, no imprint.

• Blackburn - Rehoboth Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Blackburn - Parnassus Presbyterian Church Cemetery, City of New Kensington
• Blackburn - United Methodist Church Cemetery, Sewickley Township
• Coy - Emanual Evangelical & Reformed Cemetery, Franklin Township
• Coy - Middle Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant Township
• Coy - Pine Run Church Cemetery, Washington Township
• Coy - St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg
• Coy - St. James Lutheran Church Cemetery, Bell Township
• DeWalt - Harrison City Cemetery, Penn Township
• DeWalt - Sewickley Presbyterian Cemetery, Sewickley Township
• Dewees - Mars Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, Sewickley Township
• Deweese - Long Run Presybeterian Church Cemetery, North Huntington Township
• Fitzgerald - Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Allegheny Township
• Fox - Middletown United Methodist Church Cemetery, Hempfield Township
• Fox - Harrold Lutheran Church Cemetery, Hempfield Township
• Fox - United Methodist Chruch Cemetery, Sewickley Township
• Fox - Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery, Hempfield Township
• Porter - Bethesda Cemetery, Lower Burrell Township
• Porter - Congruity Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Salem Township
• Porter - Fells Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Porter - Hankey Cemetery, Franklin Township
• Porter - Harrold Lutheran Church Cemetery, Hempfield Township
• Porter - Olive Branch Baptist Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Porter - Markle Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Allegheny Township
• Porter - Pine Run Church Cemetery, Washington Township
• Porter - St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg
• Ritenhouse - Hankey Cemetery, Franklin Township
• Sheperd - Pine Run Church Cemetery, Washington Township
• Shephard - Mount Hope Cemetery, Allegheny Township
• Shephard - Wesley Chapel Cemetery, East Huntington Township
• Shepherd - Olive Branch Baptist Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Speer - Long Run Presbyterian Church Cemetery, North Huntington Township
• Speer - Rehoboth Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Speers - Rehoboth Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Stout - Harrold Lutheran Church Cemetery, Hempfield Township
• Stout - Lycippus Evangelical United Brethren Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant Township
• Stout - Olive Branch Baptist Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Stout - St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg
• Stout - Sardis Methodist Church Cemetery, Franklin Township
• Stoutt - Emanual Evangelical & Reformed Cemetery, Franklin Township
• Willson - Rehoboth Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Wilson - Congruity Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Salem Township
• Wilson - Emanual Evangelical & Reformed Cemetery, Franklin Township
• Wilson - Fells Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Wilson - Long Run Presbyterian Church Cemetery, North Huntington Township
• Wilson - Mount Hope Cemetery, Allegheny Township
• Wilson - Olive Branch Baptist Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Wilson - Parnassus Presbyterian Church Cemetery, City of New Kensington
• Wilson - Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Allegheny Township
• Wilson - Puckety Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Lower Burrell Township
• Wilson - Rehoboth Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rostraver Township
• Wilson - St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg
• Wilson - Weddell Burying Ground, formerly located in Rostraver Twp. now Elizabeth Twp. Allegheny Co., PA
• Wilson - Wineland Cemetery, Sewickley Township
• Wilson - United Methodist Church Cemetery, Sewickley Township

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Closson, Bob & Marietta Closson. Volume Two Surname Index to 43 Westmoreland County, Pa. Cemeteries, Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1981

• Blackburn - Unity, West Newton, Scottdale, Livermore
• Brill - West Newton
• Brook - Mt. Pleasant
• Brooks - St. James, Scottd
• Foale, Mt. Pleasant
• Clyde - West Newton
• Daywalt - Unity
• Devault - West Newton
• Edward - Eastview Union, Mt. Pleasant
• Edwards - Unity, Mt. Hope Methodist, West Newton, Scottdale, Brush Creek, Mt. Pleasant
• Fitzgerald - Tarr, West  Newton, Scottdale
• Fox - Unity, Ligonier Valley, Alverton, Tarr, Denmark Manor, Harrold Reformed Church, Scottdale, Seanors, St. Luke's United Church of Christ, Brush Creek, Mt. Pleasant
• Galbraith - Old Ligonier, Ligonier Valley
• Galbreath - Ligonier Valley 
• Grove - Old Ligonier, Ligonier Valley, Tarr, West Newton, Hoffman
• Park - Unity, Green Mountain, Ligonier Valley, St. James
• Parks - Green Mountain, Scottdale, St. Luke's, Mt. Pleasant
• Porter - Unity, Alverton, Bethesda, Congruity, Fells, Hankey, Harrold Reformed Chruch, Olive, Markle Presbyterian, Pine Run, St. Clair, Scottdale, West Newton, Hoffman, Brush Creek, Mt. Pleasant
• Shepard - Mt. Hope Methodist, St. James
• Shepherd - Unity, Old Ligonier, Ligonier Valley, St. James, Mt. Pleasant
• Sheppard - Alverton, West Newton, Hoffman, Mt. Pleasant
• Spear(s) - Unity, Ligonier Valley, St. James
• Speer - Poke Run, West Newton, Mt. Pleasant
• Speirs - Tarr
• Stout - Laurel H., Menoher, Tarr, Emanual Evangelical Reformed, St. James
• Wilson - Unity, Old Ligonier, Ligonier Valley, Alverton, Tarr, Poke Run, Emanual Evangelical Reformed, Mt. Hope Methodist, St. James, Scottdale, West Newton, St. Luke's, Hoffman, Brush Creek, Livermore, Mt. Pleasant
• Wolf - Menoher, Denmark Manor, West Newton, Brush Creek, Eastview Union, Mt. Pleasant
• Wolfe - Ligonier Valley, Alverton, Tarr, Denmark Manor, Emanuel Evangelical Reformed Church, Scottdale, Brush Creek, Eastview Union, Mt. Pleasant
• Wolff  - West Newton

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Closson, Bob & Mary Closson. Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Cemetery Records, Closson Press, 1980.

Delmont U.P. Church Cemetery, map

• Mary Agnes, wife of J.S. McQuaid and daughter of Rev. T.M. & S.J. Wilson died June 25, 1878 in the 38th year of her age
• My husband Joseph S. McQuaid died Aug. 6, 1873 aged 29 years, 3 months & 12 days, GAR
• Ann Wilson, consort of Robert Wilson died March 30, 1853 aged 60 y, 6 m
• Robert Wilson died Oct. 30, 1860 aged 83 y, 3 m & 2 d
• David Wilson, son of --- illegible 

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Dumont, William. Tax Lists Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 1786-1810, Washington, DC: National Genealogical Society, 1968.

• Map of Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County is just east of Pittsburgh and on the main road from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. Thus the population fluctuated from year to year, since some folks would stay for only a year or two and then move west. . . . 

The taxes before 1795 were shown in pounds, shillings and pences but starting with 1795, the taxes were in dollars and cents. Evidently two lists were made - one going to the State and the other kept in the county. Only the 1786 list for North Hempfield had the names of both lits with the amount of taxes due for both State and county. As the names varied somewhat between these two rolls, any difference in spelling in the second list is shown in parenthesis. 

The lists for 1786 for both South Hempfield and North Huntington townships had also the number of acres owned by each person, the number of stock (cows, horses, sheep & hogs), and the total value of the same. For Greensburg, Hempfield (1798-1810) and North Huntington (1810) only the total tax was shown in dollars and cents. 

Five of the tax rolls gave the occupation of many persons (Greensburg 1804 & 1810; Hempfield 1798 & 1810). It is presumed that the rest were farmer. These occupations give a slight idea of the economic activities of the three townships. They also indicate the changing importance of certain occupations. 

• Columns: Occupation, # in 1798, # in 1804, # in 1810, not all townships:
• Innkeeper - 6, 6, 12
• Doctor - 1, 3, 5
• Attorney - 3, 5, 0
• Minister - 0, 0, 1
• Printer - 0, 1, 1
• Storekeeper - 11, 1, 9
• Schoolmaster - 0, 0, 2
• Butcher - 0, 1, 2
• Baker - 1, 0, 0 
• Barber - 1, 0, 2
• Brewer - 0, 0, 1
• Taylor - 1, 4, 17
• Weaver - 1, 1, 18
• Dyer - 0, 1, 1
• Hatter - 1, 4, 7
• Shoemaker - 7, 4, 24
• Bootmaker - 0, 1, 1
• Tanner - 1, 0, 9
• Carpenter - 2, 1, 7
• Nailor - 0, 1, 1
• Cabinetmaker - 0, 0, 2
• Joiner - 5, 1, 13
• Cooper - 1, 1, 12
• Coopersmith - 0, 2, 2
• Tinner - 0, 1, 1
• Clockmaker - 0, 2, 0
• Blacksmith - 4, 5, 21
• Wheelwright - 1, 2, 2
• Wagonmaker - 1, 1, 3
• Wagoner - 1, 0, 0
• Sadletreemaker - 0, 1, 0
• Saddler - 2, 1, 4
• Mason - 0, 1, 8
• Stonecutter - 0, 1, 0
• Fuller - 0, 0, 2
• Potter - 1, 1, 1
• Skindresser - 1, 1, 1
• Plasterer - 1, 0, 3
• Combmaker - 0, 0, 1
• Miller - 1, 0, 6
• Millright - 1, 0, 0
• Machinist - 1, 0, 0
• Barker - 0, 1, 0
• Silversmith - 0, 0, 1
• Surveyor - 0, 0, 1

The map of Westmoreland County is taken from Reading Howell's map of Pennsylvania for 1792. This shows 14 townships. Only two (Armel & Wheatfield) were north of the Kiskhemanetas or Conemaugh River. There was only one road which passed through the lower part of Wheatfield. Evidently there were not many settlers in the northern part of the county in 1792. No tax rolls are included for Fairfield and Donegal (townships along the lower eastern part of the county and between the two mountain ranges); or for Derry, Salem, Franklin & Washington townships (middle and western section, with very few roads or villages).

Huntington Township, South District 1786 

• Gilbrath, Hamilton
• Wilson, James
• Wilson, Hugh
• Wilson, Robt.
• Wilson, Samuel
• Wilson, Jas. (S.M.)

 Huntington Township, North District 1810

• Baughman, Peter
• Baughman, Henry
• Baughman, John
• Baughman, Adam
• Parks, William

Hempfield, South District, 1786

• Parks, Hugh
• Willson, Wm.
• Willson, Edward
• Willson, Jno.
• Willson, Joseph
• Willson, James - single man

Northern Hempfield Township, 1786

• Porter, Wm.
• Porter, Andrew
• Porter, Sam
• Wilson, John
• Wilson, Mary, widow
• Wilson, Joseph

Greensburgh, 1808 - Jacob Shlusser, & John Wolf

Greensburgh, 1810 - John Wolf

Wheatfield Township, 1806

• Porter, Robert
• Porter, Andrew 

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McQuillis, Shirley & William L'Iscrupe, comp. Index to Adminsitrations Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 1773-c. 1830, Laughlintown, PA: Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services, 1983.

• Fitzgaral, James, Vol. A, p. 63, 1791
• Gailbreath, Thomas, Vol. A, p. 49, 1785
• Harbert, Elizabeth, Vol. A, p. 10, 1778
• Harbert, William, Vol. A, p. 8, 1778
• McDowell, James (Esq.) Vol. A, p. 226, 1829 
• McDowell, Mathew, Vol. A, p. 143, 1803
• McDowell, William, Vol. A, p. 21, 1780
• Robertson, John Vol. A, p. 127, 1797
• Spears, Henry, Vol. A, p. 34, 1782
• Willson, John, Vol. A, p. 154, 1793
• Willson, William, Vol. A, p. 140, 1799
• Wilson, Samuel, Vol. A, p. 5, 1774
• Wilson, William, Vol. A, p. 126, 1796
• Wilson, William, Vol. A, p. 86, 1813

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Ruff, Paul. The German Church Records of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1772-1791, no imprint, 1980.

• Map of Westmoreland County, showing earliest congregations & preaching points

A large number of Germans began to come to America soon after 1700. Most came from southwestern Germany, the Palatine, Alsace, Lorraine, Baden & Wȕrtemberg. The French invasions had impoverished these people and they saw no future for themselves in Europe. Their route was usually down the Rhein River to Rotterdam and then to America. most of the immigrants arrived in Philadelphia where they were welcomed as settlers in Pennsylvania. Those who followed went farther west looking for land. At first the route was to Conestoga (Lancaster) and then through Hagerstown, Maryland, into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

During the Indian Wars roads were opened over the mountains into western Pennsylvania, the Braddock Road in 1754 and the Forbes Road in 1758. The German soldiers who cut the roads were impressed with the land in Westmoreland and determined to return. The Bayerles, Herolds, Rothebachs and Detars were settled here by 1760, and the Waldhauers, Millers and Wegeles by 1764. In 1769 the land was opened for settlement and many hundreds of Germans took up lands by 1776. Most of them were from Northampton, Berks, Lehigh, Cumberland, Lancaster and York counties. Others came from Maryland, Virginia or directly from Germany.

Almost all were either Lutheran or Reformed. They were accustomed to sharing their church property in the east and continued to do so here. Pastors were expected to baptize children brought to them from either denomination. 

These early arrivals settled in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Fayette and Washington counties. First settlements in Westmoreland were Herolds, Brush Creek and Ridge. Others were Schwabs, Kindigs, Hoffmans, Zehners, Manor, Donegal and Beamers. At first everyone came from all the settlements to Herolds where Balthasar Meyer and the German School were located. In 1772, worship services were begun. Later, the pastors visited the other settlements, baptized children, and formal congregations.

Once the Revolution ended and the Indian troubles were over, Westmoreland became a great high road of migration. Thousands upon thousands of Germans from the East poured through. Primarily they used the Forbes Road but also Burd Road, which branched from the former, west of Bedford to join the Braddock Road in Westmoreland. At first they came with pack horses and later in the Conestoga wagons. 

The German settlements were so located between Forbes and Braddock Roads that practically everyone who came this way had to pass through them. Some stopped for a few days, weeks, a season or a generation and then they or the next generation went on, down the Ohio River to Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, or north and south into the other western Pennsylvania counties. 

This movement of people is witnessed by the baptismal records. In those days of large families, one or two children will be found in Westmoreland  records, the older ones in the east at their former homes, and the younger ones to be born in the west at the end of the road.

Because of the location and influence of these German settlements in Westmoreland County at the intersection of the great roads westward in the last half of the 18th century, it is safe to say there are millions of Americans, not only in western Pennsylvania, but also in north and south central states and western United States who could find their ancestral families in this volume. 

List of children in the Siwickle settlement baptized by Balthaser Meyer, schoolmaster, August 2, 1772 - June 4, 1792:

• Wolff, Johannes, b. 17 Feb 1774, bapt. 9 Feb. 1778, s/o Andreas & Eva, no sponsors
• Wolff, Elisabetha b. 23 Jul 1776, bapt. 9 Feb. 1778, d/o Andreas & Eva, sponsors: Jacob & Catharina Zehner
• Wolff, Anna Maria b. 23 Jul 1776, bapt. 9 Feb. 1778, d/o Andreas & Eva, sponsors: George & Anna Maria Zehner
• Wolff, Joh. Christian b. 20 Oct. 1778, bapt. 19 Jan. 1779, s/o Andreas & Eva, sponsors: Johannes Krebs & Sophia Rebe
• Wolff, Christian b. 23 Feb 1780, bapt. 19 Mar 1780, s/o Andreas & Eva, sponsors: Georg & Anna Margaretha Hattenbach
• Wolff, Regina b. 26 Mar 1780, bapt. 10 Apr. 1780, s/o Jacob & Christina, sponsors: Nicolaus & Magdalena Weitzel

Baptismal Lists 1783-1791 - From 1772 to 1783 there was one list of baptisms for the German people in Westmoreland County. This was the list of schoolmaster Balthazar Meyer. Children of both Lutheran & Reformed families were included.

German Reformed pastor Johann Wilhelm Weber arrived in 1783. Unlike the Lutheran pastors who had the schoolmaster enter pastoral acts in the church record book, Weber kept his own personal records. These became available to the congregation only after his death.

In 1784, Anton Ulrich Lutge became pastor of the Lutheran congregation and a new list of baptisms was begun. Lutge, while educated for the mission field in Germany had not been ordained. Balthazar Meyer ordained him, an act not recognized by the Lutheran Synod, which however licensed him annually to serve the Westmoreland County parish. His baptismal record begins in 1784 and continues into 1789, according to W.A. Zundel, or until the summer of 1791 according to W.F. Ulery. There is no know record of other pastoral acts. 

From 1784 until 1792 Meyer continued as schoolmaster in the Brush Creek area and continued to baptize children occasionally. From 1784 through 1791 there were three lists of baptisms, Meyer's, Weber's and Lutge's. . . . 

The Baptismal Record which now follows in Part II of the present volume is that of Anton Ulrich Lutge. It begins at Christmas 1784. . . The great majority of the children baptized were of Lutheran families although there were some Reformed. So also Weber's list contained a number of Lutherans. The practice of the times permitted pastors of either denomination to baptize such children as were brought to them. . . . the baptisms are Lutge's and therefore belong with the Record of Zion Lutheran Church. 

There are almost 200 discrepancies between the Reformed and the Lutheran versions of this list. Some are minor, as spelling of first names, other include conflicting dates and other information.  The Lutheran version is much more complete and careful in giving information. Most of the later baptismal dates are missing in the Reformed list. Internal evidence indicates that the Lutheran Record was copied into the Book from an earlier original. All of the entries from 1772 until May 20, 1793 were copied in the same handwriting within a short period of time. From June 1793 baptisms are listed, as they occurred, in a different hand from that of the previous period. . . . The 1784 to 1789 entries in the Reformed book were also entered by a single person at about the same time. 

• Wolff, Anna Margaretha b. 15 Mar. 1785, bapt. 2 Aug. 1785 d/o George & Catharina, God parents: Johannes & Barbara Lantz
• Saltzman, Michael b. 10 Dec. 1786, bapt. 7 May 1787 s/o Johannes & Salome, God parents: Michael & Philippina Rugh
• Baumann, Josua b. 9 Mar 1787, bapt. 8 Feb 1788, s/o Philip & Catharina, God parents: Nicholaus Fass
• Wolff, Joh. Jacob b. 4 Jan. 1787, bapt. 8 Feb. 1788 s/o Joh. Georg & Anna, God parents: Joh. Jacob Uhl
• Wolff, Matthias Gotthard b. 5 May 1787, bapt. 11 Oct 1788 s/o Jacob & Christina, God parents: Johann & Anna Catharina Spielman
• Wolff, Maria b. 13 Sep 1788, bapt. 12 Feb. 1789, d/o Daniel & Elisabetha, God parent: Caspar Merckel

Part III - Baptisms from the record of Johann Wilhelm Weber, pastor of the German Reformed Congregations in Westmoreland County - Pastor Weber came from Northumberland County in eastern Pennsylvania where he had been a school master and later a pastor of the Pennsylvania Synod of the German Reformed Church. . . . 

• Wolff, Catharina b. 19 Jun 1782, bapt. 8 Jun 1783 d/o Andreas & Elisabetha, God parents: Philip & Maria Barbara Miehleissen
• Saltzman, Catharina b. 15 May 1780, bapt. 15 Oct 1783 d/o Philip & Elisabetha, God parents: Anna Maria Zwiegarth, grandmother
• Wolff, Johannes b. 23 Oct 1783, bapt. 1 Jun 1784, s/o Georg & Maria Wolff, God parents: Johannes & Sussanna Weimer
• Wolf, Elisabetha, b. 12 May 1784, bapt. 26 Jul 1784, d/o Jacob & Christina, God parents; Peter Jacke & Elisabetha Le Serig
• Wilson, Sabina, b. 8 Nov 1779, bapt. 25 Nov 1784 d/o Abraham & Catharina, God parents: Philip Henrich & Sara Krebs
• Wilson, Neomj b. 23 Feb 1781, bapt 25 Nov 1784 d/o  Abraham & Catharina, God parents: Philip Henrich & Sara Krebs
• Wilson, Sara b. 11 Dec 1782 bapt 25 Nov 1784 d/o Abraham & Catharina, God parents: Philip Henrich & Sara Krebs
• Wilson, Johannes b. 24 Jun 1784, bapt 25 Nov 1784 s/o Abraham & Catharina God parents: Philip Henrich & Sara Krebs
• Wolff, Anna Catharina b. 7 Jul 1785, bapt 21 Aug 1785 d/o Henrich & Anna Margaretha, God parents: Johannes & Anna Catharina Schmahl
• Wolff, Henrich b. 10 Apr 1785, bapt 21 Aug. 1785 s/o Johannes & Sibilla Christina, God parents: Jacob & Eva Heymacher
• Wolff, Joh. Jacob b. 3 June 1786, bapt. 20 June 1786 s/o Joh. Jacob & Christina Wolff, God parents: Joh. Jacob & Catharina Lichti
• Wilson, Rebecca b. 1 Apr 1786, bapt 9 May 1786 d/o Abraham & Catharina Wilson, God parents: Philip Henrich & Sara Krebs
• Wolff, Abraham b. 28 Apr 1787, bapt 16 Sep 1787 s/o Johannes, no God parents listed
• Wolf, Peter, b. 27 Jul 1787, bapt 14 Oct. 1788 s/o Heinrich & Anna Margaretha Wolf, no God parents listed
• Wolff, Isaac b. 29 Apr 1789, bapt 9 Aug. 1789 s/o Johannes & Christina, no God parents listed
• Wolff, Esther b. 15 Mar 1790, bapt 18 Apr 1790 d/o Henrich & Anna Margaretha, no God parents listed
• Wolff, Johannes b. 21 Jan 1789, bapt 21 Sep 1790 s/o Jacob & Christina, God parents: Johannes & Anna Margaretha Frey

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Scott, Kenneth. Abstracts from Ben Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, 1728-1748, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1975

• 12/3/1730 - Porter, Abrahm, dec'd - 2,500 acres, belonging to his estate, on both sides of Gloucester River (commonly called Timber Creek) in West Jersey, 12 miles from Phila., are for sale; apply to Mahlon Stacey, Jonathan Wright and Thomas Scattergood in Burlington, trustees of said estate, or to Isaac Porter at John Sherborn's in Phila. 
• 10/14/1731 - Edwards, John, servant, bookbinder - runaway from William Davies 
• 9/26/1732 - Smith, Thomas, shopkeeper at New-Castle - offers reward for capture of runaway servant man. 
• 10/9/1732  Wright, Anthony, near Bristol - has taken up a roan mare. 
• 12/26/1734 - Hopkins, Robert, of Phila. - offers reward for recovery of strayed or stolen mare. 
• 9/11/1735 - Fitzgerald, William, Irish servant, age c. 25 - who pretends to be something of a sailor - runaway from Timothy Dargen, of Prince William Co. in Virginia.