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WPGS Membership: The Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society is a great group of passionate, dedicated genealogists with a lot to offer both Pennsylvania residents, and those who now live far from their Pennsylvania roots. Why not join us?

This Month's Tip:

In 1754, the colonies of Virginia and Pennsylvania entered into a dispute over the ownership of what is today the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, including the present-day counties of Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and portions of Allegheny and Beaver. The dispute continued throughout the course of the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War, and during this time many Southwestern Pennsylvania settlers purchased their land from the colony of Virginia.

In 1780, commissioners for the states of Virginia and Pennsylvania were appointed to draw proper boundaries, and in 1784 and 1785, new meridian lines were run confirming the present-day boundaries of Pennsylvania. As part of the deal, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania honored the claims of those holding land under Virginia certificates. These lands were resurveyed and Pennsylvania patents were issued to the owners (in many cases this might be a different owner due to the length of time between the original Virginia Certificate and the new Pennsylvania patent). For this reason, information regarding land claims in the disputed area prior to 1780 is generally found among the records of both states.

Become a WPGS Member:

Membership in the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society opens doors to a wealth of records and friends for those with an interest in the families of Western Pennsylvania. Learn more about membership in WPGS.

Upcoming Events

May 10, 2008

Using Land Records to Trace Your Ancestors

Sharon MacInnes, PhD
Land ownership maps are one of the most valuable, yet underused, tools available to researchers. Sharon MacInnes, PhD, of "Ancestor Tracks" discusses a new series of atlases showing pages of the land tracts, drawn in metes and bounds, of the earliest landowners of Pennsylvania. Each page reveals a wealth of information since neighboring tracts were usually owned by relatives, witnesses, and sponsors. Books and CDs have been completed for Berks, Fayette, Greene and Washington Counties. Ancestor Tracks plans to eventually publish books of all counties in Pennsylvania for which such maps exist. They have also published CDs containing .pdf files of all the Warrant Registers on file in the PA Archives in Harrisburg; one containing all of the Patent Register Indexes in the PA Archives; and a third CD containing the Tract Name Indexes to all of the tracts given names when they were patented. Visit their website at www.ancestortracks.com for more information

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Oakland
10:00 AM - 12:00 noon
FREE and open to the public
$5 parking

Spring Classes

Saturdays, May 3, 10, 17, 24 2008

Learn how to research your ancestors with the WPGS beginning genealogy series. Two classes are held each Saturday, at 10 AM and 1PM on a variety of topics, from Getting Started and the Federal Census, to Courthouse Research and Using Maps in Genealogy. Please see the registration form for the complete schedule of sessions.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Oakland - 3rd Floor Conference Room
Saturdays, 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM
$10 Registration Fee
Registration deadline: April 25, 2008
Spring Classes - Registration Form

More Upcoming Meeting Dates
Mark your calendars!

June 14, 2008