As the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society is an all-volunteer organization, we try our best to answer research questions and archives requests as promptly as possible. WPGS will research for members or non-members, but members do receive preferential treatment. Turnaround time for most requests is 2-4 weeks.   

The WPGS Library is staffed by volunteers who are available to assist patrons with limited genealogical research within the scope of the WPGS collection and resources.

 Such research is intended to complement, but not replace, the services of a professional genealogist, and the research resources available through our colleagues at the Pennsylvania Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

  • WPGS Members receive a discount on any research service.
  • Please sign in with your member login before ordering to receive the discount.
  • For ordering services by mail, please follow the instructions listed under each service.
  • Please follow all instructions listed for each service.

Below is a description of all of our services. If you would like to purchase research electronically, please visit our shop after completing the requested forms for each service. Orders with payment by personal check can be made by completing the requested forms and sending to; WPGS c/o 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213. Attn: Library Research.

(see instructions below-under each plus + sign)

Order research Services Online

• WPGS Volunteers will search all relevant holdings of our choice in the WPGS collection for a specific individual.
• Please order a minimum of 2 hours of research time.
• Service includes up to 10 pages copied. Additional copies bill at $.50 per page.
• Recommendations for further research will be included.
• A full report with sources will be delivered in a 2-4 week period. All requests will be worked in the order of arrival.

To request research:

• Download and complete the WPGS Research Request Form  and the WPGS Research Services Order Form
• Pay with PayPal through our online store, or by personal check to WPGS, mailed to our address; 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
• Return all forms to us at research@wpgs.org or by USPS to our address above.
• You will be contacted by our researchers to discuss any need for additional paid hours or page copy fees.

• Includes a search for one name in the Indexes of up to 5 printed volumes.
• Select your volumes from our library collection through our Online Catalog found on the website under Library Collection.
• Fee includes a copy of the title page, and the index page on which the name appears.
• WPGS Members may receive 2 Free Index searches each year.
• Copies of the pages mentioned in the index, may be requested at the additional cost of $.50 per page. Please see the Index Search Additional Copies item in the research services module.


To Request an Index Look-Up:
• Download and Complete the WPGS Index Search Form and the WPGS Research Services Order Form
• Pay with PayPal through our online store, or by personal check to WPGS, mailed to our address; 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
• Return all forms to us at, research@wpgs.org or by USPS to our address above.

  • Includes a One Hour search for one named individual within our Family Files, Cemetery Files, Church History Files, and Member Ancestor Charts.
  • Members Only, may search the member-submitted Ancestor Charts within the Members Only module on the website.
  • Fee includes up to 10 pages copied.
  • Extra pages are $.50 per page, and you will be notified as to how many extra pages are available.

Request a Copy:

  • Download and Complete the WPGS Research Request Form and the WPGS Research Services Order Form                                       
  • Pay with PayPal through our online store, or by personal check to WPGS at our address; 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
  • Return the above forms to us at research@wpgs.org or by USPS at our address above.

  • WPGS will send our Members a copy of the 4 page completed application form, along with the proof of residency documents for One Approved First Families Ancestor, previously submitted by a WPGS member.
  • WPGS Members may search the First Families Index in the Members Only module on the website.

Request a Copy:

  • Download and Complete the WPGS First Family Request Form and the WPGS Research Services Order Form           
  • Pay with PayPal through our online store, or mail a personal check to WPGS at our address; 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
  • Return all forms to us at research@wpgs.org or by USPS to our address above.
  • Request Additional copies of other documents for $.50 each to research@wpgs.org and by using our online store for Additional Copy Service, or a personal check.
  • WPGS will provide you copies of the Naturalization Record for one named ancestor from the WPGS 7 Volume publication, “A List of Immigrants who applied for Naturalization papers in the District Courts of Allegheny Co. Pa. 1798-1906” You will receive a copy of the abstract from our publication volume and a copy of the microfilmed original that was used for the publication.
  • The information found in these seven volumes was abstracted from the original naturalization petitions by members of WPGS as the society’s first project after its formation in the 1970s. All information on each document was transcribed, but the type and quantity of information varies greatly from one entry to the next.
  • These records are indexed on  www.ancestry.com  as part of the database; “US and Canada Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1500’s-1900”
  • Members Only may view the complete digitized abstracted records from our 7 vol. set mentioned above, on the website.

Request a Copy:

  • Download and Complete the WPGS Allegheny Co. Naturalization Form, and the WPGS Research Services Order Form                                                                                                                                                     
  • Pay with PayPal through our online store, or with a personal check mailed to us at our address; 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
  • Return the above forms to us at research@wpgs.org or through the USPS to our address above.
  • The death registrations in this publication are a result of legislation approved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on June 6, 1893.
  • The Act required the Clerk of the Orphan’s Court for each county to keep a separate record of deaths occurring within their county. It was the duty of the assessors of the townships, boroughs, and wards to conduct a semi-annual recording of such deaths on a preprinted form (see example). This law did not affect cities where a system for the registration of deaths had already been established.
  • The source of the information for each death is shown by the document number assigned by Allegheny County. (Index in Members Only)
  • Document numbers are provided for each entry with the exception of a few surnames.
  • Many of the ledger pages were torn and contained missing pieces. Abstractors working on this project made every effort to ascertain the name of the deceased, year of death, and place of death, but in some cases it was impossible. These entries are listed at the end of the book. Questionable entries are contained within brackets [ ].
  • Most of the original registrations include the name of the deceased, color, sex, age, marital status, place of birth, occupation, date of death, place of death, the cause of death, duration of last sickness, place of internment, and date of internment. The names of the father and mother are provided (in most cases) if the deceased was a minor. In cases where the surname of the child was not provided, the surname of the parents was used, followed by the notation (P).

Request a Copy: One name/entry per form

  • Members can view the complete Index for these registrations in the Members Only module on the website.
  • Download and Complete the WPGS Research Services Order Form            
  • Download and Complete the WPGS Allegheny County Death Registration Form    
  • Pay with PayPal through our online store, or with a personal check to WPGS at our address; 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
  • Return the above forms to us at research@wpgs.org or through the USPS to our address above.
  • Compiled in 1936 and 1937 by the Works Project Administration, the WPA Home Survey Project provides valuable information on certain properties in Allegheny County, which were in existence at that time. Not all addresses are available.
  • WPA Home Survey records include a physical description of the property, and a sketch of the property’s outlines, made by a draftsman, (Top and Side views). These are not artist sketches.

To Request a Copy:

  • The Allegheny County Dockets Index published by WPGS is available for free on our website. WPGS will make a copy of the corresponding docket page for one name per order. 

To Request a copy;

  • Allegheny County Coroner has prepared an arrival census of the deceased.
  • May contain, name, age, occupation, residence, physical appearance, date/cause of death, location of death, disposition of remains, personal belongings description.
  • View the Index for the Allegheny County Morgue Books in the WPGS Members Only portion of the website.

To request a copy of a page from the Morgue Books: