Genealogy

Those wishing to do genealogical work at the Grove City Area Historical Society and Museum have the option of choosing to do the research themselves, using our resources and equipment, or requesting help from our volunteer genealogists.  We have two volunteer genealogists, Cathy Coulter and Jane Cleary, who have 50+ combined years of experience in working with Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, Fold3, Family Search, Find A Grave, Mercer County Land Records, military records, census records, our local resources and more. They are in our building every second and fourth Tuesday, mid-April to mid-December from Noon to 3 p.m.  If you wish to schedule a time to meet with one of them to discuss your research needs, you may call 724-967-2622, send your request by mail to the Grove City Area Historical Society and Museum, P.O.Box 764, Grove City, PA 16127, or email your request to cathycoulter1@yahoo.com putting the word “Genealogy” on the subject line of the email.

To Request Genealogy Research Services

  • If you are interested in having us help you with your research, please fill out the Genealogy Research Request Form on this website (see link below), and either email it to cathycoulter1@aol.com (subject line – Genealogy), or send it by U.S. mail to the GCAHS&M, P.O. Box 764, Grove City, PA 16127.  
  • You can also obtain a form by visiting the society building during regular hours.  
  • When filling out the Genealogy Research Request Form (pdf), please provide as much information as possible to improve the chance of success. 
  • The form will direct you as to how to make payment for the services.  
  • You will be contacted if we have any questions or need clarification, and you will receive a written report from our researchers as soon as possible, but usually within 2-4 weeks. 
  • When the research is concluded, a copy of the report will be added to the Family History section of our library unless you request otherwise.  

The volunteer genealogists cannot guarantee that they will find what you are looking for or how long it will take.  However, if, after the first hour, they are unable to find what you requested, they will contact you to see if you would like additional research. 

Fees

Research

  • Members of Society – 8 hours of free research, after which the fee is $15.00 per hour.
  • Non-Members – $15.00 per hour donation (with one hour minimum)

Copies

  • Members – $0.25 per page                     
  • Non-Members – $0.50 per page

Photographs

  • approximately $1.00 – $2.00 per photo, depending on the size

To Do Your Own Research…

You are welcome to use the Museum’s electronic and print resources. If you need help getting started, contact Cathy Coulter at cathycoulter1@yahoo.com to schedule a time when assistance is available.  We have two computer/printer workstations and printing fees are $0.25 per page for members; $0.50 per page for non-members.  Following is a list of electronic resources available free for your use, a listing of the books we have available in our library for your use when doing research, and a list of miscellaneous resources of note.

1.  Available electronic resources include: 

  • Ancestry.com – This is one of the world’s best electronic resources for researching family history.  The GCAHS&M has a subscription to Ancestry’s All Access, which provides unlimited access to   all twenty billion records on Ancestry.com.
  • Fold3 – Five hundred million military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.  
  • Newspapers.com (Basic subscriptions) – 16,200+ historical newspapers.
  • Mercer County Cemetery Inscriptions – The index of names for individuals in Mercer County  cemeteries is the place to begin.  Once you find the correct name, you will be directed to one of sixteen volumes to learn more about the cemetery location, maps of burial plots, etc.  
  • Mercer County Historical Land Records – This is the online index of historical land records.  It gives you access to deeds from 1803-1919 and agreements from 1803-1972.  You can sign in as a free guest to use the index, but there is a cost to access the image of the land record.  You may also take the information found in this index to the courthouse yourself and view the record there.  There’s a fee for copies at the courthouse.  
  • Grove City Area Historical Society’s Database of Archives – This is also known as “Past Perfect”.  Ask a volunteer to assist you in searching this catalog to learn more about what is contained in the building.
  • Find A Grave – This is an online database of international cemetery records.

2.  Library Resources – local histories (*available for purchase in our Museum Shoppe) include the following:

  • As They Marched Through Time by Cathie Coulter*
  • City Directories – sporadic years from 1909-present; mainly for Grove City
  • Combination Atlas of the County of Mercer and the State of Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys and Official Records, G.M. Hopkins Co., 1873.  Many maps, sketches, biographies. Indexed.
  • Grandma Left the Light On, GCAHS, 2009 (Grove City architecture)* 
  • Grove City College and Grove City High School Yearbooks
  • Grove City, Postcard History Series. Arcadia, 2004*
  • Mercer County Memories, Pediment Publishing, 2004.
  • History of Mercer County, PA: its past and present including its aboriginal history; its early settlement and development…neighborhood and family histories; portraits…, Brown, Runk & Co., 1888, separate index.  
  • My Family Tree Research Workbook by Catherine Coulter*
  • Reflections of Our Past:  Celebrating 200 Years of Grove City, PA, Grove City Bicentennial Committee, 1998*
  • Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania, Vols. 1-2, John G. White, Lewis Publishing, 1909 – traces history from 1800.  The online version is available in Ancestry.com searchable by keyword.
  • Wolf Creek Legacy by Lillian Reynolds Reeher, 2014*
  • For a complete listing, click on “Library Research Index” below.

3.  Miscellaneous Resources include the following:

  • People Files – Alphabetical listing, by surname, of photos and newspaper clippings from local papers of births, weddings, accomplishments, obituaries, etc. These folders are available in the Publications Room in filing cabinets by the individual’s name.  Although this room is not available to the public, any volunteer on duty can search these files and bring the folder to the library for you to examine.
  • Family Histories– Local family histories are shelved in the front lobby, alphabetically by family name.  We welcome receiving copies of your own local histories and family trees.
  • Giesmann Index to Photographs – Located in the library, this is an index to thousands of photographs of people and businesses from 1950s – 1980s.  With the help of a volunteer we can obtain the original photograph for your research and we can duplicate or reproduce the photo for you at a minimal cost.
  • Walter Family CD – This disc, located in our lobby on the family history shelves, contains 18 volumes of genealogical research of early Grove City settlers from 1754 to the 20th century and is also available for your purchase in the Museum Shoppe for $10.00.
  • Large 12-generation Genealogy Charts are available for purchase in the Museum Shoppe – $5.00.

We are aware that many of you are visiting our site from all over the world.  Thank You!  If you would like to see us continue to offer great services, please consider making a monetary donation or joining the Grove City Area Historical Society and Museum. (See links below)  We appreciate your generosity. Donations are tax deductible.