McKean County GenWeb
Libraries & Genealogical Resources
Addresses - Phone Numbers - Email - Web Pages

State Vital Records

PA Vital Statistics Records
Birth and Death Records Indices
Operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
Birth Certificates, 1906-1913
Death Certificates, 1906-1968

February 15, 2012 Governor Corbett signed PA Vital Records Bill 361 into law making Birth and Death indices available on-line
Original birth certificates for 1906-1913 and death certificates for 1906-1968 are available at the State Archives. Digital copies of the 1906-1910 birth certificates and the 1906-1966 death certificates may be found on Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania residents can access these records free of charge through a link on their page to Ancestry.com Pennsylvania.

BRADFORD AREA

Bradford Area Public Library
67 West Washington St.
Bradford, Pa. 16701
814-362-6527
Web Site: http://www.bradfordlibrary.org/genealogy.htm
Library holdings include Bradford Era microfilm (1878 - ), city directories, histories of the county, towns and families. Necrology for Bradford and cemetery listings for the county and bordering areas. A microfilm reader/printer is available. Some requests for information can be answered via correspondence. There is a fee for this service.

Bradford Landmark Society
45 E. Corydon St.
Bradford, Pa. 16701
814-362-3906
Email: ✉ bradland@penn.com
Extensive collection of local memorabilia, photographs, documents and records, including newspapers (incomplete runs of: Bradford Era, Bradford Evening Star, Evening Star and Daily Record,Bradford Herald, Bradford Miner), city directories (1881-1973, incomplete), oil history books, books by local authors, correspondence of US Senator William Wallace Brown, necrology of Bradford, cemetery listings.

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
300 Campus Dr.
Bradford, Pa. 16701
814-362-7610
Web Page: T. Edward & Tullah Hanley Library (updated 4/27/18)
Hanley Library holds the collection of the McKean County Genealogy Society, including family, local, county and regional histories, genealogies of local families, necrology, cemetery listings and census microfilm for McKean County and some surrounding areas. The library also holds histories of oil, railroad and other industrial activities germane to the region. Elizabeth Emery Kennedy Fesenmeyer's scrapbooks provide one woman's perspective on life in the region from 1922 to 1981.

Penn-Brad Oil Museum
Rt. 219
Custer City, PA
Mail: 50 Parkway Lane, Bradford, Pa. 16701
814-362-1955 verified 4/23/18
Web Page: Penn-Brad Oil Museum updated 1/19/19
Displays & memorabilia related to the oil industry in the area, focusing on the 22,000 acre Bradford Oil Field, and also covering Penn Grade Crude Oil from the NY, PA, OH and WV area. Information about the history, production statistics, people and companies participating in the business for the last 120 years is available, including textual materials such as issues of Producers Monthly, local newspaper pages and issues, and an extensive collection of books on regional oil history and industries.

McKean County Genealogical Society
Box 207A
Derrick City, PA 16727
No Phone
Their collection is at the Hanley Library - UPB.

McKean County Professional Genealogist
Judith A. Shick
18 Pleasant St.
Bradford, PA 16701
814-362-5419 (3/1/19 - No Ring)
Professional assistance with genealogy, local history, census, Civil War, Court House, obituaries, marriages, births, wills, deeds, cemetery and general research. Judy Shick has 17 years experience in this field, advertises in Evertons Genealogical Helper out of Utah. Judy, along with others, has compiled numerous research documents, most of which can be viewed at the Hanley Library, University Of Pittsburgh, Bradford, PA. Judy also has compiled a three volume reference which includes 20 Cemeteries Of McKean County, with 6 Bordering Cemeteries in Warren and Cattaraugus Co. This Cemetery work has been copyrighted and is for sale. Judy states that this reference is the most accurate and updated cemetery information available at the present time. She is the President of the McKean County Genealogical Society, and on the board of the McKean County Historical Society.


ELDRED

Eldred World War II Museum
201 Main St.
P.O. Box 273
Eldred, PA 16731
814-225-2220
WebSite: https://eldredpawwiimuseum.com/
Commemorates the efforts of the people of Eldred, Bradford, Olean, NY and the surrounding communities during WWII. Centers around a specially commissioned sculpture representing the National Munitions Company production line, features a video production chronicling the history of the war from the perspective of that Company. Includes computer-activated dioramas representing events in both major theaters of war, animated maps, posters, letters from Allied generals and a library.


KANE AREA

Kane High School Library
300 Hemlock St.
Kane, PA 16735
814-837-9640
Has Kane Republicanon microfilm.

Friends Memorial Library
230 Chase St.
Kane, PA 16735
814-837-7010
Kane directories for a number of years between 1908 and 1948. A few local and area histories.


MT. JEWETT

Mt. Jewett Memorial Library
9 Main St.
P.O. Box Y
Mt. Jewett, PA 16740
814-778-5588

Kinzua Bridge Foundation
20 W. Main St.
Mt. Jewett, PA 16740
814-778-6118


PORT ALLEGANY

S.W. Smith Library
Church St.
Port Allegany, PA 16743
814-642-9210
Reporter Argus, June 3, 1874 - present on microfilm; microfilm reader (no printer). A small collection of local histories.


SMETHPORT

Hamlin Memorial Library
123 South Mechanic St.
Smethport, PA 16749
814-887-9262
Collection includes books relating to local families, Smethport and McKean County.

McKean County Historical Society
McKean County Old Jail Building
Smethport, PA 16749-1144
814-887-5142
Exhibits of early life in McKean County, including country store, schoolhouse room, period clothier, oil field materials, lumber, history of glass, the role of the Bucktails in the Civil War and a railroad room. Working looms preserve the artistry and technology of weaving. A genealogy libray provides information on the area history. Featured material includes the McKean County Miner on microfilm, and records of all McKean County Cemeteries. Group tours and professional consultants are available. The charges are $4.00 for general admission and $2.00 for members, senior citizens, and children from 6 to 12, those 5 and under are free.


The above information was taken from a brochure done for the local libraries. This brochure was the work of the following people:
Dennis Frank, University Of Pittsburgh Library;
Sally Costik, Bradford Landmark Society;
Eileen Reddy, Bradford Area Public Library;
Larry Richmond, McKean County Historical Society;
Judith A. Shick, McKean County Professional Genealogist.