If you did not make it to the event this is the areas we covered last night.
We did a review of Berks Co. Pa, then we moved on to Northampton Co. with a map showing the change of shape for the counties involved. With the live links working we were able to see some of the available data awaiting those researching in Northampton County. We also used live links for Berks Co. Then we moved on to Bedford County. This was a major leap in boundary changes for the central and western part of the state.
Berks County was settled in 1690 and became a county in 1752. It was created from Bucks County, Chester County, Lancaster County and Philadelphia Counties. Reading is the County Seat.
Starting in 1752 certain records were maintained, some include: Court 1752, Estate 1752, Mortgages 1752, Oaths of Allegiance 1777 and Naturalizations 1798. Of course, the area could not be without taxes, paid since 1715, Probate 1752 and Orphans Court 1752.
Seven basic religions were in this region. I find it interesting how some counties have 4 and others have 9 or more. Berks County showed 14.
This county took a major change in boundaries and one needs to watch the timeline and boundaries when doing research here.
Books are many for this county. Here is a mention of some.
Book of Biographies, biographical sketches of leading Citizens of Berks Co. 1880 by F. A. Davis
History and Biographical Annals of Berks Co. 2 Vol by Morton L Montgomery
History of Berks Co. 1886, by Morton L Montgomery.
The Pennsylvania Line by Iscrupe * one of my favorites
Pennsylvania Genealogical Research by George W. Schweitzer Ph.D.Sc.D. * my other favorite
The Source and Written Sources by Ancestry
more are listed below in link
Berks County put their Wills, and data on line in the mid 1990's. I gave them KUDO's then and still do. Every county should have done this to earn money and save the past.
Next I will share the other counties we covered for those who did not come. Of course, this is not the
full presentation but an overview. Please use the rootsweb.com lists and usgenweb.org or
pagenweb.org query pages to find assistance. Twenty years later I am still getting replies from my early
1990's queries. Of course I kept the same email address or went and notified site of the change in
address.
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