Introduction

The goal of this project is to present genealogical and historical details about Erie County, Pennsylvania.  This website is part of The PAGenWeb Project and The USGenWeb Project, a group of volunteers dedicated to providing free data for researchers.  My name is Donna Sims Conner and I am the Coordinator for Erie County.  We rely on volunteers to grow and maintain our websites.  Several of the counties in Pennsylvania are in need of coordinators.  If you are interested in becoming a county coordinator, please review the Volunteer Guide and contact the State Coordinator, Nancy Janyszeski.  We appreciate your contributions!

This county was formed March 12, 1800, and was formerly a part of Alleghany county.  The trade of Erie in iron ore, anthracite and bituminous coal, lumber and petroleum, is immense, and the various kinds of manufactures show an extraordinary increase,  Large quantities of Mackinaw trout, black bass, and white fish are exported from Erie to many locations.  Grain elevators, dry docks, large ship-yards, 25 churches, and two fine parks and fountains, are among the improvements of this great lake city.  There are quite a number of dairy farms, which produce large quantities of cheese, in some of the townships, in different sections of the county.  Population in 1870, 65,979; 1880, 77,549.

Links

Local Resources

Erie County Public Library 

Location: 160 East Front Street, Erie, PA 16507 

Phone: (814) 451-6900

Web: https://erielibrary.org/resources/genealogy

Erie Society for Genealogical Research 

Web: https://www.genealogyerie.org 

Hagen History Center 

Location: 356 West 6th Street, Erie, PA 16507 

Phone: (814) 454-1813

Web: https://www.hagenhistory.org






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Copyright © 2026 by The Erie County PAGenWeb Project.  All rights reserved. 


PAGenWeb State Coordinator: Nancy Janyszeski.  Email: nancyjanyszeski@yahoo.com.


PAGenWeb Erie County Coordinator: Donna Sims Conner.  Email: donna.usgenweb@yahoo.com.


We would like to recognize the contributions of Bill Klauk.  For twenty years, Bill was the steward for the Erie County PAGenWeb site.  We appreciate his hard work and dedication.


Site Update: 18 March 2026.