RESEARCH RESOURCES
This page focuses on the research materials that are available in my personal library and archives. Below is a list of materials that I have as well as another list of materials that can be found elsewhere in Erie County, PA.
Research materials in my collection can be utilized by emailing me for information. It is free to request what type of information is in a particular book. There will be a cost for me to do research for you. PDF files (attachments) of information can be sent for 50 cents a page; info sent in an email (no attachment) will cost $5.00 per half hour search. If I can answer your question quickly, I will not charge, as some answers I know directly where to look-less than ten minutes of my time. If you are out of state and need research done at one of the other facilities listed here, I can research them at $15.00 per hour. It may be best to contact those facilities who have their own rates for research. I can also mail hard copies for a nominal fee.
NOTE: As curator of the Wattsburg Area Historical Society, I will do research there for free because it is my job as a volunteer to help find information for people.
Research materials in my collection can be utilized by emailing me for information. It is free to request what type of information is in a particular book. There will be a cost for me to do research for you. PDF files (attachments) of information can be sent for 50 cents a page; info sent in an email (no attachment) will cost $5.00 per half hour search. If I can answer your question quickly, I will not charge, as some answers I know directly where to look-less than ten minutes of my time. If you are out of state and need research done at one of the other facilities listed here, I can research them at $15.00 per hour. It may be best to contact those facilities who have their own rates for research. I can also mail hard copies for a nominal fee.
NOTE: As curator of the Wattsburg Area Historical Society, I will do research there for free because it is my job as a volunteer to help find information for people.
1928-1933 MAP of Wattsburg This map was recently accessioned into the collections of the Wattsburg Museum thanks to the family of Robert & Sally Harwood. It has a wonderful photo of the Wattsburg fire which took place September 14, 1928 and talks of the 50th anniversary of the Wattsburg Fair which was to be held in 1933. Other than these clues, no actual date is found on the map. It features a short written history of the Wattsburg area and the properties within the borough and down Route 8 toward Lowville. |
TINA'S RESEARCH MATERIALS [More will be added over time as I am always expanding my collection.]
LOCAL REFERENCE
Erie County History books including: 1884, 1894, 1909, 1925
Crawford County History: 1885
Erie County Directories including: 1859-60, 1873-74, 1908-09, 1922, 1959, 1991
Diary of Edith Chaffee Gross, mother of Arlie Gross Tanner, grandmother of Floyd Arthur Tanner, great-grandmother of Raymond
Floyd Tanner; Great-great-grandmother of Tina L. Tanner-Curtis 1874-1914
Diary of Jack Richardson 1810-1815
Pictorial History of Crawford County by Meadville Tribune 1994
Reflections on Erie County Physicians by John S. Chaffee, M.D.
The First 100 Years: Settlement & Growth in Crawford County, PA by Jonathan E. Helmreich 1987
Pennsylvania: The Golden "Girard" by Herman L. Collins 1933
The School District of the City of Erie 1954
PENNSYLVANIA STATE HISTORY: SPECIFIC REPORTS, MANUALS, & LAWS
Eighth Census: 1860 ( a scrapbook) by Kennedy
Smull's Legislative Handbook & Manual of the State of Pennsylvania 1875 & 1887 & 1898
Agriculture of Pennsylvania 1879
Pennsylvania Second Geological Survey of Lancaster County by Persifor Frazer, Jr. 1880
Pennsylvania Report of the Board of Public Charities 1884
Laws of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1903
Pennsylvania Report of the Department of Agriculture 1916
Report of the Commonwealth Appointed to Codify & Revise the
Law of the Decendents Estates 1917
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Departmental Statistics 1924
Building and Loan Laws of Pennsylvania by William A. Mason 1937
Pennsylvania Superior Court Reports Vol. 147 1941-42
Pennsylvania Borough Officers Handbook 1944
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Department of Highways Specifications 1946
Pennsylvania Manual 1947-48/ 1994-95
Auditor General's Report: Pennsylvania 1952-53
An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania by Benjamin Franklin MDCCLIX, Reprint 1972
PENNSYLVANIA STATE HISTORY:GENERAL HISTORIES
The Pennsylvania Pilgrim by John G. Whittier 1872
The American Citizen in Pennsylvania by Albert E. Maltby 1902, 1910
The Pennsylvania Citizen by L.S. Shimmell, Ph.D. 1895 reprint 1901 & 1909
A History of Pennsylvania by L.S. Shimmell, Ph.D. 1907
History of Pennsylvania by Charles Morris 1912
Pennsylvania The Keystone: A Short History by Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker 1915
A History of Pennsylvania by Thomas Stone March, Ph.D. 1915
With Rifle and Plow by J.E. Wright, et al. 1938
The History of Pennsylvania by Arthur D. Graeff 1945
The Pennsylvania Citizen by Eleanor S. Deatrick 1958
Your Pennsylvania by Lucille Wallower 1965
John Dickinson & The Revolution in Pennsylvania: 1764-1776 by David L. Jacobson 1965
Key to the Keystone State: Pennsylvania pub. by League of Women Voters of PA 1972
Introduction to Pennsylvania by Lucille Wallower 1974
PENNSYLVANIA CULTURE
Aus Pennsylfawnia ed. by William S. Troxell 1938
Indians of Pennsylvania by Paul A. Wallace 1991
In A Valley Surrounded By Hills by Don Skinner 2003
VETERANS
Annual Report of the supt. of Soldier's Orphans of Pa 1880
History of the Eighty-Third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers by Amos M. Judson 1865/1986 reprint
Record of Pennsylvania Volunteers for the Spanish-American War by Thos. J. Stewart 1898
Pennsylvania State History: Daughters of American Revolution by Elma V. Streeter Shaffer 1976
Revolutionary War Patriots of Erie County, PA Erie Chapter 1995
Every One A Hero by James R. Nelson & Beverly Bittner 2004
DIRECTORIES
List of Post Offices in the United States (Postmasters, Laws, Regulations) 1859
United States Postal Guide (Lists Post Offices) 1889
Erie County Directory 1859-60
Erie County Directory 1873-74
Erie County Directory 1908
American Agricultural Farm Directory, Erie County 1918
Corry-Union City Directory 1922
Corry-Union City Directory 1959
Corry-Union City Directory 1991
Erie County Almanack 1974
SCHOOL DIRECTORIES/YEARBOOKS
Anvil (Union City) 1921, 25, 27, 28, 29, 51
Conneauttean (Edinboro / General McLane High School) 1923
Vita (Edinboro Normal School) 1912, 1913
Banner (Calvary Baptist Christian School-Union City) 1984, 88, 92
Grail (Seneca High School-Wattsburg) 1981, 82, 83, 84
The Clan (Edinboro) 1931-32
CHURCH DIRECTORIES
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church 2002
Pictorial History of the Diocese of Erie 1853-2003
Lowville United Methodist Church 2003
The Persevering Presbyterians of Union City, Penna by Kathy Warnes 1993
FARMING & TOOLS
Horse Power by Marylian & Sanders Watney 1975
The Craftsman In America National Geographic Society 1975
Tools & Gadgets by Bobbie Kolman 1992
The Antique Tool Collector's Guide by Ronald S. Barlow 1989
Farm Collector Field Guide to
Mystery FarmTools (magazine) 2010
A Museum of Early American Tools by Eric Sloan 1964
ERIE INDUSTRY
Trade Name Directory: Company Index 2 volumes by Donna Wood, el. 1986-87
Erie Industrial Electric Supply Corp. Catalog Erie n.d.
Cooper Industries by David N. Keller 1833-1983
Jarecki Mfg. Company Catalog No.34 Erie n.d.
Products of Erie County: A Directory of Manufactureres... n.d. (prior to 1974)
Hammerscale 1895-1945 (Origin of Erie Foundry Company) by Gordon S. Altman n.d. (prior to 1945)
Eriez Magnetics: From Pioneer to World Leader by Michael J. McQuillen, Ph.D. 1991
History of Erie County Electric Company 1884-1932 by E. Albert Rust 1932
Products of Erie County by the Industrial Bureau of the greater Erie Chamber of Commerce n.d. (prior to 1974)
Hamot Medical Center: 125 Years of History 1881-2006 2006
ORGANIZATION
First Annual Report of the Transactions by the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society 1854
Manual of Subordinate Granges of the Patrons of Husbandry 1920
Yearbook of the Pennsylvania Society 1931
Proceedings of the Grand Chapter Pennsylvania Order of the Eastern Star 1941
1973 Ahiman Rezon, Pennsylvania 5973 (Free and Accepted Masons constitution book) 1972
Zem Zem 1976
GREAT LAKES
Daniel Dobbins: Frontier Mariner by Robert D. Ilisevich 1993
MAGAZINES
Journal of Erie Studies 1972 to 2016
Mercer County History 1971-1980
Pennsylvania History 1948-1951, 1981-1987, 1990
The Pennsylvania Magazine of History & Biography 1949-1951
Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 1933-1983
ERIE
Tales of Old Erie by John G. Carney 1958
Highlights of Erie Politics by John G. Carney 1960
Erie...A History by Herbert Reynolds Spencer 1962
Squadron In The Wilderness by Ruth Weiler 1963
Erie In Photos by Joe Comstock 1989
Lost Erie by John R. Claridge 1991
Erie Reflections: Volume I 2001
Erie Memories: Volume II 2014
PITTSBURGH
Along the Monongalela by William Garbarino 2000
Pittsburgh: A Story of An American City by Stefan Lorant 1964, 1975
AGRICULTURAL FAIRS
The Illustrated History of the Centennial Exhibition by James D. McCabe 1876
Catalogue: The World's Columbian Expostion by A.B. Farquhar 1893
The Vanishing City/: A Photographic Encyclopedia
of the World's Columbian Exposition by Laird & Lee Publishers 1893
History of the Centennial Exhibition by James D. McCabe 1975
75th Farm Show (Pennsylvania) by Dan Cupper 1991
Pennsylvania Fairs & County Festivals by Craig Kennedy 1996
The American State Fair by Derek Nelson 1999
Reflections of America's County Fair by Ellen Taussig 2001
POSTAL SERVICE
List of the Post Offices in the United States by John C. Rives 1859
United States Official Postal Guide by the US Postal Department 1889
New Post Office Building (Souvenir booklet of the opening of P.O. at Corry, PA) 11/17/1915
c/o Postmaster by Thomas R. St. George 1943
The R.F.D. Golden Jubilee: 1896-1946 by Gwendolyn M. Aaberg 1946
Rebel Mail Runner by Manly Wade Wellman 1954
Saddles & Spurs: The Pony Express Saga by Raymond W. & Mary Lund Settle 1955
They Carried The Mail by Matthew J. Bowyer 1972
The Post Office: A Memoir of His Father by Charles Olson 1951, 1966, 1975
Pennsylvania Postal History by John I. Kay & Chester M. Smith, Jr. 1976
STATE POLICE
Justice To All: Story of the Pennsylvania State Police by Katherine Mayo 1917,18,20
Behind The Law: True Stories of the Pennsylvania State Police by Elmer Faber 1933
Principles & Methods in Dealing with Offenders: PA Correction & Penal Workers by Helen D. Pigeon + 1944
Pennsylvania Police & Constable Manual 1952
The Pennsylvania State Police 1977
True Crime: Pennsylvania by Patricia A. Martinelli 2008
GAME COMMISSION
Pennsylvania Game Commission by Joe Kosack 1895-1995
Pennsylvania Game, Dog & Fish Laws 1947-48
Pennsylvania Big Game Records 1965-1986
Mammals of Pennsylvania by J. Kenneth Dout ++ 1966
Wild Foods Cookery by John Tomikel 1978, 2006
The Nature of Things by John Tomikel 1983
Short Term Survival Techniques by John Tomikel 1984
Birds of Erie County Pennsylvania by Jean & James A. Stull & Gerald M. McWilliams 1985
Buck Fever by Mike Sajna 1990
SCHOOL
Geography Made Easy by Jedidah Morse 1790 2nd ed.
Alden's Citizen Manual for the Common School by Rev. Joseph Alden 1867
School Laws & Decisions of Pennsylvania 1870
Mayhew's Practical Book-Keeping by Ira Mayhew 1870
Henderson's Test Words in English Orthography by N.P. Henderson 1878
Pa Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction 1888
The Rural School: Its Methods & Management 1913
School Laws of Pennsylvania 1915
Pennsylvania Stated Educational Association 1915
Penna' SEA 1917
PA Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction 1919
Directory of Erie County Public Schools 1952-53
Teaching A District School by Dinsmore n.d.
Long, Long Ago...:Schools of Northwestern School District by Victor Wheeler 1998
ARCADIA BOOKS
Around Union City by Jeffrey R. Nelson 1997
Cherry Run Valley:Plumer, Pithole, and Oil City by Steve Karns 2000
Around Titusville by David L. Weber 2004
Greater Erie Trolleys by Kenneth C. Springirth 2005
Ashtabula by Evelyn Schaeffer 2005
Conneaut Lake Park bby Michael E. Costello 2005
Cambridge Springs and Edinboro by Terry and Kathleen Perich 2006
Meadville by William B. Moore/Elizabeth H. Rekas 2012
Around Waterford by Rosalee B. Holzer et al. 2012
Lake Erie Wine Country by Jewel Leigh Ellis 2014
OTHER
Tin Tub Baths & The Ragman 2010
Silo-Filling Feasts and Sunday Chicken 2016
(Two collections of stories by people from northwestern Pennsylvania)
This Was Early Oil by Ernest C. Miller 1968
Poems of Pennsylvania by Irving Sidney Dix 1943
The Household Guide (Manual of Domestic Information) by Prof.B.G. Jeffries, M.D., Ph.D. 1892
Manners, Cultures & Dress at the Best American Society by Richard A. Wells, A.M. 1892
Practical Recipes for Merchants, Grocers, Saloon Keepers,
Physicians, Druggists, Tanners, Shoemakers, Harness
Makers, Painters, Jewelers, Blacksmiths, Tinners, Gunsmiths,
Farriers, Barbers, Bakers, Dyers, Renevators, Farmers, and
Families by A.W. Chase, M.D. 1876
Memoirs of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Vol.IV-Part II by Henry C. Baird 1850
A Pioneer Workshop by Judy Cole/Mary Minturn 1975
Diary of An Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805 by Eric Sloan 1962
Sear & Roebuck Catalog No.112 Early 1900s
Ida Tarbell: Portrait of a Muckraker by Kathleen Brady 1989
Pennsylvania Amish Directory of the Spartansburg Settlement 1994
Horse & Buggy Driver's Manual: Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation 2015
OTHER ERIE COUNTY RESEARCH MATERIALS & THEIR LOCATIONS
REMEMBER: Some of these places have limited hours and accessibility. Most often it is best to call ahead for an appointment.
Erie County Historical Society 419 State Street, Erie, PA 814-454-1813
(Also home of the Erie County Genealogical Society) [Note: There is now a $7 charge to get into the library & archives]
County cemetery records (Various cemetery records from the many cemeteries, large and small, in the city and county)
Erie County Bar Association records (15,000 deed searches, 8,000 file cards on properties)
Erie County Courthouse Criminal records 1820-1942
Erie Times News photo collection (1950s and before)
Erie County Charter books (on microfiche)
Erie County Deed records (on microfiche)
many private collections of photos, postcards, documents from local organizations
Erie county maps
Erie & Crawford County book collection
Erie County Blasco Library 460 E. Front Street Erie, PA 814-451-6900 (Heritage Room)
Large collection of Erie County books
Erie newspapers on microfiche
Computers for genealogical research online
Erie County maps
Erie County Court House 140 W. 6th Street Erie, PA
Deed records on microfiche
Charter Records
Mortgage Records
Marriage records
Tax Records
Sheriff Sales
Wills
Maps of properties, townships, etc.
Wattsburg Area Historical Society Museum Wattsburg, PA 814-462-7637
Wattsburg High/ Seneca High School yearbooks "Grail" 1942-1980's
Numerous ledgers from early Wattsburg (1830s-?)
Wattsburg Fair premium books (1885-21st century)
Photo collections from numerous people including: Charlie McDannell and Neil Bisbee
Pennsylvania State Supreme Court case books (1800s)
Numerous diaries, newpaper scrapbook collections, and more!
Various exhibits featuring Wattsburg memorabilia
Union City Area Historical Society Museum 11 South Main Street, Union City, PA 814-438-7573
Collection of Budget Wise booklets published in 1950s-60s by Mr. Merrill
Large collection of photos
Much to be learned from three floors of exhibits including the history of chair manufacturing in Union City
Union City Public Library Stranahan & South Main Street Union City, PA 814-438-3029
Union City newspapers from 1866-2001
Various other local research materials such as cemetery records and books/pamphlets by local authors
REMEMBER: Some of these places have limited hours and accessibility. Most often it is best to call ahead for an appointment.
Erie County Historical Society 419 State Street, Erie, PA 814-454-1813
(Also home of the Erie County Genealogical Society) [Note: There is now a $7 charge to get into the library & archives]
County cemetery records (Various cemetery records from the many cemeteries, large and small, in the city and county)
Erie County Bar Association records (15,000 deed searches, 8,000 file cards on properties)
Erie County Courthouse Criminal records 1820-1942
Erie Times News photo collection (1950s and before)
Erie County Charter books (on microfiche)
Erie County Deed records (on microfiche)
many private collections of photos, postcards, documents from local organizations
Erie county maps
Erie & Crawford County book collection
Erie County Blasco Library 460 E. Front Street Erie, PA 814-451-6900 (Heritage Room)
Large collection of Erie County books
Erie newspapers on microfiche
Computers for genealogical research online
Erie County maps
Erie County Court House 140 W. 6th Street Erie, PA
Deed records on microfiche
Charter Records
Mortgage Records
Marriage records
Tax Records
Sheriff Sales
Wills
Maps of properties, townships, etc.
Wattsburg Area Historical Society Museum Wattsburg, PA 814-462-7637
Wattsburg High/ Seneca High School yearbooks "Grail" 1942-1980's
Numerous ledgers from early Wattsburg (1830s-?)
Wattsburg Fair premium books (1885-21st century)
Photo collections from numerous people including: Charlie McDannell and Neil Bisbee
Pennsylvania State Supreme Court case books (1800s)
Numerous diaries, newpaper scrapbook collections, and more!
Various exhibits featuring Wattsburg memorabilia
Union City Area Historical Society Museum 11 South Main Street, Union City, PA 814-438-7573
Collection of Budget Wise booklets published in 1950s-60s by Mr. Merrill
Large collection of photos
Much to be learned from three floors of exhibits including the history of chair manufacturing in Union City
Union City Public Library Stranahan & South Main Street Union City, PA 814-438-3029
Union City newspapers from 1866-2001
Various other local research materials such as cemetery records and books/pamphlets by local authors