How to Cite a County History Book

 

How to Cite a County History Book

County history books are among the most tantalising and most treacherous sources in genealogy. Published in great numbers between the 1870s and the 1920s, they contain biographical sketches, family histories, and local records that appear nowhere else. They can also contain fabrications, embellishments, and outright errors that have been copied into family trees for over a century.

What County History Books Actually Are

Most county histories from this era were produced by publishing companies that approached prominent local families and offered to include a biographical sketch — for a fee. The family provided the information, the publisher printed it with minimal or no fact-checking, and the result was a handsome volume that combined legitimate local history with paid biographical entries that were essentially advertisements.

This does not mean the information in them is wrong. Many biographical sketches were provided by the subject themselves or by close family members and contain accurate details about birth dates, marriages, migrations, and military service. But it does mean the information was self-reported, unverified, and sometimes embellished. Families had every incentive to present themselves favourably and no one was checking their claims.

County history books are derivative sources containing self-reported, unverified information. Treat them as leads that need corroboration, not as authoritative records. Use them to find names, dates, and places — then verify every fact against primary sources.

What to Include in Your Citation

A citation for a county history book should include: the title of the book, the author or editor (if identified), the publisher, the year of publication, the specific page or pages, and the specific biographical entry or section you are citing. If you accessed the book through a digital platform like the Internet Archive, Google Books, or HathiTrust, include that as well.

Many county histories have long, elaborate titles. Cite the title as printed on the title page. If the book has no named author (many were published anonymously under the publisher's name), cite the publisher as the author.

The Gold in County Histories

Despite their limitations, county histories contain information that exists nowhere else. A biographical sketch might name an ancestor's parents, siblings, and birthplace in a single paragraph. It might describe a migration path — "came from Virginia to Kentucky in 1812, thence to Indiana in 1830" — that would take weeks to piece together from census records alone. It might name a military unit, a church affiliation, or a business partnership that opens entirely new lines of research.

The narrative sections of county histories — the chapters on early settlement, local government, churches, schools, and industries — sometimes contain information drawn from local records that have since been lost. A chapter on early churches might quote from a church register that no longer exists. A chapter on county government might transcribe court records from a courthouse that later burned.

Where to find county history booksThe Internet Archive (archive.org) has thousands of digitised county histories available for free. Google Books has many more. HathiTrust has additional volumes. Your county library or historical society almost certainly has copies of the county histories for their area. FamilySearch also has many on microfilm or in their digital library.

The Danger of Taking County Histories at Face Value

The most common mistake is treating a county history as a primary source and building your research on its claims without verification. A biographical sketch might say a man was born in 1822 in Virginia. The birth certificate might say 1825. The census might say 1820. The county history got the information from the family — who might have been guessing, rounding, or deliberately adjusting the date.

Use county histories as a map of where to look, not as proof of what you will find. Every date, place, and relationship they mention is a research lead — a clue to be followed up in primary sources. When the primary sources confirm the county history, you have a strong conclusion. When they contradict it, the primary sources take precedence.