The history of Greene County Pennsylvania is well researched and documented with materials that date from as far back as the 1860s up through the present time. Over the years, many dedicated people have taken pen to paper and chronicled the happenings in this county.
Several excellent books have been published and all serve slightly different purposes. Of some of the earlier reference materials, Bates “1888 History of Greene County Pennsylvania” takes a scholarly approach to the overall history of the region. It touches on prehistoric times, as well as conditions during the early years of the United States, with a heavy emphasis on the Civil War history of the county. The second half of the book contains biographies of prominent citizens. Leckey’s “Tenmile Country and It’s Pioneer Families” is an excellent book of genealogical information covering many of the early families in Greene.
If you’re looking for narratives of the early pioneers of Greene County, L. K. Evans’ “Pioneer History of Greene County” is the book for you. The book is a compilation of newspaper articles that were published in the “Waynesburg Republican” newspaper throughout the year 1875. These articles are often the only source for narrative information on Greene County from the mid to late 18th century through the early 19th century.
As he was writing his articles in 1875, Evans traveled the county and interviewed the children and grandchildren of our earliest settlers. He referenced their family bibles, diaries, and many family records and stories that were lost to the annals of time.
Some of the topics that Evans covers include: John Minor, one of the earliest (if not the earliest) settlers in Greene County and the man responsible for the establishment of Greene County in 1796; the Crow family and the massacre of the Crow sisters in 1791; Reverend John Corbly and the Corbly massacre in 1782; the Spicer massacre of 1774; various early forts and settlements; European interactions with the Native Americans; and other topics.
A great source of information to anyone interested in local history, it is an interesting and sometimes thrilling read.
L. K. Evans’ “Pioneer History of Greene County Pennsylvania” is available to view at the Greene County Historical Society Museum, as well as Cornerstone Genealogical Society.
