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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:

  • That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
  • We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
  • On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.

By learning about Bellvale (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.

As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Bellvale. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Neighboring Counties ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived:  their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Bellvale is located in San Mateo County.

To see how the shape of California's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of San Mateo County: Alameda, San Francisco, Santa Clara & Santa Cruz.

Below are the counties that are near Bellvale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bellvale:

  • San Mateo County     (The home county of Bellvale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bellvale, with the one closest to Bellvale listed first.
    • La Honda
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Loma Mar
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • San Gregorio
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Pescadero
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Portola Valley
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Martins Beach
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Martins Beach is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martins Beach
    • Searsville ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Searsville is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searsville
    • Adobe Corner
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Adobe Corner is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adobe Corner
    • Woodside
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Ladera
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Ladera is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladera
    • Emerald Lake Hills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Emerald Lake Hills is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald Lake Hills
    • West Menlo Park
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Atherton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Alameda County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bellvale, with the one closest to Bellvale listed first.
    • Drawbridge ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Drawbridge is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drawbridge
      • Former name for Drawbridge:
      • Saline City
    • Larkins Landing ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Larkins Landing is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larkins Landing
    • Newark
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Albrae ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Albrae is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albrae
    • Alvarado ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Alvarado is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
    • Fremont
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Fremont is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 234,569 people
      • Former names for Fremont:
      • Centerville
      • Irvington
      • Mission San Jose
      • Niles
      • Warm Springs
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fremont <1>
    • Union City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Union City is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 74,501 people
      • Former name for Union City:
      • Decoto
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Union City <1>
    • Mount Eden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Russell City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Russell City is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell City
    • San Lorenzo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Hayward
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Ashland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cherryland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cherryland is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryland
  • San Francisco County
    • Stonestown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Stonestown is located in San Francisco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonestown
  • Santa Clara County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bellvale, with the one closest to Bellvale listed first.
    • Los Altos Hills
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Stanford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Loyola
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Loyola is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyola
    • Escondido Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Escondido Village is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Escondido Village
    • Los Altos
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Ventura
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Ventura is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ventura
    • Mountain View
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Castro City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Castro City is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castro City
    • Palo Alto
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Cupertino
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Saratoga
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Sunnyvale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Champagne Fountain
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Champagne Fountain is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champagne Fountain
  • Santa Cruz County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bellvale, with the one closest to Bellvale listed first.
    • Boulder Creek
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Swanton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Swanton is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swanton
    • Brookdale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Davenport Landing
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Davenport Landing is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davenport Landing
    • Alma ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Alma is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
    • Ben Lomond
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Bonny Doon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Lompico
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Lompico is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lompico
    • Davenport
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Eccles ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Eccles is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eccles
    • Summit
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Summit is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
      • Summit has also been known as:
      • Loma Prieta
    • Zayante
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Zayante is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zayante
    • Felton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bellvale, see our County-by-County Page for Bellvale.

Cemeteries Near Bellvale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bellvale.

This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.

Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Bellvale - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bellvale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bellvale, with the one closest to Bellvale listed first.

  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Anthony Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Holy Cross Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Cascade Ranch Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Oakwood Community Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Community Cemetery
    • The Oakwood Community Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Convent Of The Sacred Heart Cemetery
  • IOOF Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Pilarcitos Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Alta Mesa Memorial Park
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Union Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Skylawn Memorial Park
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Gates of Heaven Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Madronia Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (52 more) ...
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Mission City Memorial Park
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Santa Clara Mission Cemetery
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)

Nearby Communities in 1895 ...

We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<4>

While we didn't find Bellvale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bellvale.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Bellvale, with the one closest to Bellvale listed first.

  • San Gregorio
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Pescadero
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Searsville ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Searsville is located in San Mateo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searsville
  • Woodside
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Mayfield
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Mayfield is located in Santa Clara County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
  • Half Moon Bay
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Menlo Park
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Redwood City
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Mountain View
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Palo Alto
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Fair Oaks
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Fair Oaks is located in San Mateo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair Oaks
  • San Carlos
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Belmont
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Boulder Creek
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Saratoga
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bellvale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bellvale.

Newspapers Published in Bellvale ...

An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.

Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 117 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bellvale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bellvale, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bellvale.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.

To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Bellvale:

Footnotes ...

<1>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<2>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bellvale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Bellvale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.