Greene County Genealogy and Family History
Greene County genealogy records are held at the courthouse in Waynesburg in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania. The county borders West Virginia to the south and west, Fayette County to the east, and Washington County to the north. This location at a crossroads of states means many Greene County families have records on both sides of the state line. Wills, deeds, and marriage records have been kept here since the county's formation. The Cornerstone Genealogical Society and the Greene Connections digital archive are among the best specialized resources for Greene County family history research.
Greene County Quick Facts
Greene County Genealogy Records
The Greene County government maintains official records through courthouse offices in Waynesburg. Greene County is rich in natural resources and has a history shaped by farming, coal mining, and early settlement along the Monongahela River corridor. Land records and probate files date from the county's formation in 1796. Marriage licenses go back to 1885. Birth and death records at the county level run from 1893 to 1905.
Greene County's border with West Virginia has made it a crossroads for families moving between states. Many families with roots in Greene County also have records in the West Virginia counties directly across the state line. Researchers should plan to check both Pennsylvania and West Virginia sources when tracing Greene County family history. The Cornerstone Genealogical Society and the Greene Connections website are the best local starting points for research in this county.
The Greene County government website provides access to county services and office contact information. Use it to identify the correct office and get current phone numbers before visiting the Waynesburg courthouse for genealogy research.
Greene Connections Digital Archive
The Greene Connections website is a digital archive and genealogy resource dedicated to Greene County history and family research. The archive contains over 7,500 photographs and documents shared by families from across the county. The cemeteries section provides a geographical directory of more than 400 local cemeteries organized by township, making it easy to locate burial sites for specific families.
The site also maintains records and links to digital documents from the Greene County courthouse, covering many of the offices that hold genealogy records. Military records and histories for Greene County soldiers span from the American Revolution through World War I. One of the most notable features is the documentation of "Rain Day Boys," a project covering 18 young men from Greene County who were killed or mortally wounded on July 28 and 29, 1918 in France during World War I.
Greene Connections has over 5,000 followers on social media and serves as a sister site to the Cornerstone Genealogical Society. This community-driven platform is one of the most comprehensive online resources for Greene County genealogy and is worth bookmarking as a regular research tool.
Cornerstone Genealogical Society
The Cornerstone Genealogical Society was founded in 1975 and is attached to the 1797 Log Courthouse in Waynesburg. It is a licensed FamilySearch affiliate and offers research assistance for Greene County family history. Membership is $25 per year. The society holds comprehensive obituaries going back to the Civil War era, making it a strong resource for identifying death dates and surviving family members.
Services available from the Cornerstone Genealogical Society include ordering copies of obituaries, wills, and funeral home records for a fee. Research assistance is available for those who need help navigating Greene County records. Being a FamilySearch affiliate means the society has access to digital tools and indexes that supplement the physical records held at the courthouse and in local archives.
The Carmichaels Area Historical Society also serves Greene County researchers and provides computer access to Ancestry, Newspapers.com, and GenealogyBank. Local historical records for the Carmichaels area and broader Greene County are available there with research assistance from staff and volunteers.
Note: Contact the Cornerstone Genealogical Society in advance to confirm current hours and what records can be accessed without an appointment.
Vital Records in Greene County
Births and deaths from 1906 onward are registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health under 35 P.S. §450.801. Certified copies can be ordered through VitalChek, by mail to P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103, or in person. The fee is $20 per copy. Indicate on the application that the request is for genealogical purposes. Birth and death records from 1893 to 1905 are held at the Greene County courthouse.
Marriage licenses in Greene County date back to 1885 and are available at the courthouse. For marriages before 1885, church records are the primary source. Greene County has a long history of church communities, and many denominations kept baptism, marriage, and burial records from the late 1700s onward. The Cornerstone Genealogical Society or the local courthouse may have indexes of some of these church records.
Pennsylvania Archives for Greene County Research
The Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg holds materials that support Greene County genealogy research. Land warrant registers from 1733 to 1957 document early land grants in southwestern Pennsylvania, including what became Greene County. Military records in the archives cover the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and later conflicts, with veterans identified by county of residence. These are searchable through the ARIAS database online.
Through the Commonwealth's digitization partnership with Ancestry.com, many state-level records are available online at no cost to Pennsylvania residents. The State Library of Pennsylvania holds census records for Greene County on microfilm from 1790 to 1930 along with county histories and family genealogies. The Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society in Pittsburgh also holds regional materials relevant to Greene County family history.
Under 65 P.S. §§ 67.101, most government records are public. Greene County courthouse records can be requested under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. Provide as much detail as possible in any request to help staff locate the correct records efficiently.
Nearby Counties
Greene County borders West Virginia and several Pennsylvania counties. Researchers tracing families in this corner of the state should check records in neighboring counties and in West Virginia as well.