No comments about Virginia Court Records in Southwestern Pennsylvania: Records of the District of West Augusta and Ohio and Yohogania Counties, Virginia 1775-1780.

No comments about Abstracts of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Wills, 1732-1785.

No comments about Early German Settlers of York County, Pennsylvania (Revised Edition).

No comments about Early Families of York County, Pennsylvania (Volume 1).

2 comments about The Scotch-Irish of Colonial Pennsylvania.

1. You would think that a writer would know the proper name of the group about whom he is writing....we are SCOTS, not Scotch. Ask any native of Scotland--- they will tell you that Scotch is a drink; the people are Scots.
   The information in this book was very interesting and well documented, but it was tiresome to read. The author repeats himself over and over again within chapters and even within paragraphs.....restating, in different form, the same thoughts and facts.
   If you can get through the duldrums of the writing technique, you will gain much valuable information.



2. So, Scotch is a drink. Big deal. Genealogists have grown up with the term "Scotch-Irish" and it will probably stay that way. [Yes, it should be Scots-Irish] This book gives an excellent understanding of this group of people, why they came to America and especially why they headed for the "back country" - westward and southward to the Valley of Virginia. This book clearly explains why these people were so important to the colonization of America. [I apologize to the Native Americans, but this group was instrumental in expanding the white man's territory.]

No comments about Pennsylvania Place Names (The Pennsylvania State College studies in history and political science, no. 1).

No comments about Between Genealogy and Epistemology: Psychology, Politics, and Knowledge in the Thought of Michel Foucault.

No comments about Standards and Colors of the American Revolution.

1 comments about Philadelphia Graveyards and Cemeteries (PA) (Images of America).

1. I just got this book yesterday and I highly recommend it for any fan of old cemeteries.

   The author really drives home the point of how callous we've become as a society when political patronage, urban blight. etc. have caused these once-beautiful places to fall into decay and neglect and finally to disappear. I think that point needs to be made.

   It made me sick when I learned that these places were replaced by playgrounds, athletic fields...and housing projects (which we all know bring nothing but crime and drugs to the neighborhoods in which they are built). The playground that replaced Ronaldson's on 9th Street in South Philadelphia is a dreary, ugly place. For that, an cemetery dating back to 1827 was uprooted? The same with Lafayette, across the street from the famous Pat's Steaks, which was also displaced for a playground!

   I've wondered many times what the "lost" and long-gone cemeteries like Machpelah, Union, American Mechanics, Olive, etc. looked like. This book satisfied much of my curiosity about those places with the black and white photos in it.

   It is a great read and a must for any taphophile's library.

1 comments about Pennsylvania Genealogical Research.

1. The series by Mr. Schweitzer covering a number of states is an excellent starting point for most researchers as well as a handy reference to have. Mr. Schweitzer begins with a brief historical overview of the state's settlement, geography, industries, migration and the like which helps to paint a picture of what likely drew your ancestors there. Mr. Schweitzer's writing style is very plain and direct and he includes a wonderful county by county listing of resources for each state as well as overall statewide resources and records available at the Federal level. There are undoubtedly books that go into greater detail on each state but the Schweitzer series are a great starting point and well worth the money if you're researching there. His titles usually have to be ordered at local booksellers so Amazon is your best bet at getting these quickly and painlessly. One particular note is that this title was written years ago and some telephone numbers and addresses have changed and some groups or societies may be dormant or closed. Additionally Mr. Schweitzer does not make reference to internet sources or email addresses, which is just as well as they tend to get out-of-date quite quickly. I've gotten considerable use out of this title on Pennsylvania and found it to be very helpful...in fact I still use it today!