Welcome to Berks County, Pennsylvania History and Genealogy Presented by Welcome to Genealogy Trails Volunteers working to put free historical data online. My name is Vicki and as your Berks County, Pennsylvania host I try to post as much data online as possible in order to make it freely available to all. We gratefully accept contributions of raw data such as census information, marriage/birth/death records, obituaries, county histories, biographies, old newspaper items - anything that would help someone build their family tree!! Feel free to email me with your contributions - every little bit helps. I regret that I am unable to do personal research. Short History Reading developed during the 1740s and the northern inhabitants of Lancaster County sent several petitions requesting that a separate county be established. With the help of Conrad Weiser, the county was formed on March 11, 1752 from parts of Chester County, Lancaster County, and Philadelphia County and named after William Penn's family home of Berkshire, England. Berks County began much larger than it is today. The northwestern parts of the county went to the founding of Northumberland County in 1772 and Schuylkill County in 1811, when it reached its current size. - Wikipedia.com Berks County Data Online Miscellaneous News Paper Articles From the Past Updated 01/12/08 Death of Frederick Post's child; Mr. Bagley injured by gun powder; great flood; wool manufacturing at Reading ; 12 year old worker killed by accidental hanging (1824) The Execution of Susannah Cox Biographies Added August 5, 2008 From Who's Who in Pennsylvania Howard E. Ahrens Daniel F. Ancona John F. Ancona Sydenham E. Ancona Charles W. Bachman George W. Bard W. Raymond Bard Elmer H. Beard John M. Becker John Marshall Bertolet Samuel E. Bertolet Walter B. Bieber Robert S. Birch Howard L. Boas Charles Brenesier James N. Ermentrout Samuel C. Ermentrout Nathaniel Ferguson J. Wilmer Fisher Abraham N. Fretz Isaac Hiester Eli Miller Rapp Obituaries and Death Notices Added August 26, 2008: 267 Obituary Additions Cemeteries: List and Locations Coming Soon Boroughs and Census Designated Places Adamstown Centerport Lenhartsville Robesonia Wernersville Amity Gardens Fleetwood Lorane Shillington West Lawn Bally Flying Hills Lyons Shoemakersville West Reading Bechtelsville Hamburg Mohnton Sinking Spring West Wyomissing Bernville Kenhorst Mount Penn Spring Ridge Whitfield Birdsboro Kutztown New Morgan St. Lawrence Womelsdorf Boyertown Laureldale Reading (County Seat) Strausstown Wyomissing Couglersville Leesport Reiffton Topton Wyomissing Hills             Townships Albany Township Alsace Township Amity Township Bern Township Bethel Township Brecknock Township Caernarvon Township Centre Township Colebrookdale Township Cumru Township District Township Douglass Township Earl Township Exeter Township Greenwich Township Heidelberg Township Hereford Township Jefferson Township Longswamp Township Lower Alsace Township Lower Heidelberg Township Maidencreek Township Marion Township Maxatawny Township Muhlenberg Township North Heidelberg Township Oley Township Ontelaunee Township Penn Township Perry Township Pike Township Richmond Township Robeson Township Rockland Township Ruscombmanor Township South Heidelberg Township Spring Township Tilden Township Tulpehocken Township Union Township Upper Bern Township Upper Tulpehocken Township Washington Township Windsor Township Surrounding Counties Schuykill County (north) Montgomery County (southeast) Lancaster County (southwest) Lehigh County (northeast) Chester County (south) Lebanon County (west) Back to Genealogy Trails Back to Pennsylvania Trails History and Genealogy