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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 Clay (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 Clay. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 east contained birth and death records; the county to the north 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.

Clay is located in Sacramento 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 Sacramento County: Amador, Contra Costa, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter & Yolo.

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

  • Sacramento County     (The home county of Clay)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay, with the one closest to Clay listed first.
    • Herald
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Wilton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Galt
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Galt is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,551 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Galt <1>
    • Arno ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Arno is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arno
    • McConnel
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • McConnel is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnel
    • Rancho Murieta
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Sloughhouse
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Elk Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Vineyard
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Vineyard is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineyard
    • Laguna
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Laguna is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laguna
    • Mather
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Walsh Station
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Walsh Station is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walsh Station
    • Franklin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Franklin is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
  • Amador County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay, with the one closest to Clay listed first.
    • Carbondale ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Carbondale is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbondale
    • May ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • May is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for May
    • Camanche Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Camanche Village is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camanche Village
    • Ione
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Ione is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ione
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,326 people
      • Former names for Ione:
      • Bedbug
      • Freeze Out
      • Hardscrabble
      • Ione City
      • Ione Valley
      • Jone City
      • Jone Valley
      • Rickeyville
      • Woosterville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ione <1>
    • Drytown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Amador City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Martell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Sutter Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Plymouth
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Jackson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Fiddletown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Electra ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Electra is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Electra
    • River Pines
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Calaveras County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay, with the one closest to Clay listed first.
    • Wallace
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Oregon Bar ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Oregon Bar is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oregon Bar
    • Burson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Campo Seco
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Valley Springs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Rancho Calaveras
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Rancho Calaveras is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rancho Calaveras
    • Jenny Lind
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Jenny Lind is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenny Lind
    • Big Bar
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Big Bar is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bar
    • Mokelumne Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Petersburg ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Petersburg is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
      • Petersburg has also been known as:
      • Greasertown
    • Milton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Milton is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
    • San Andreas
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Lost City ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Lost City is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost City
  • El Dorado County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay, with the one closest to Clay listed first.
    • Clarksville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Clarksville is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksville
    • Crescent Ridge Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • La Cresta Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • La Cresta Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Cresta Village
    • Mormon Tavern ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Mormon Tavern is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mormon Tavern
    • Park Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Park Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Village
    • Ridgeview Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Ridgeview Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeview Village
    • Cameron Park
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • El Dorado Hills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Governors Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Governors Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Governors Village
    • Oak Ridge Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Oak Ridge Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge Village
    • Stonegate Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Stonegate Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonegate Village
    • Crown Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Crown Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Village
    • Franciscan Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Franciscan Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franciscan Village
  • Placer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay, with the one closest to Clay listed first.
    • Granite Bay
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Roseville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • San Joaquin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay, with the one closest to Clay listed first.
    • Clements
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Lockeford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Acampo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Victor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • North Woodbridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • North Woodbridge is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Woodbridge
    • South Woodbridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • South Woodbridge is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Woodbridge
    • Woodbridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Lodi
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lodi is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 68,186 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lodi <1>
    • Taison
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Taison is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taison
    • Thornton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mokelumne City ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Mokelumne City is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mokelumne City
    • Henderson Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Henderson Village is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Village
    • Bellota
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Bellota is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellota
  • Solano County
    • Oxford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Oxford is located in Solano County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
  • Yolo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay, with the one closest to Clay listed first.
    • Clarksburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Greendale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Greendale is located in Yolo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
    • Broderick
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • West Sacramento
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Bryte
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Clay ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Clay.

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 Clay - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Elliott Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Hicksville Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Clements Glen View Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Union Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Galt - Arno Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Locke Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Live Oak Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Michigan Bar Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Ione Protestant - Community Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Catholic Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Harmony Grove Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (66 more) ...
    • Masonic Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Lodi Memorial Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • San Joaquin Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)

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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Clay had a population of 47 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Cicero ‑ Historic
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Cicero is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicero
  • Elliott ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Elliott is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliott
  • Galt
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Galt is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galt
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,551 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Galt <1>
  • Carbondale ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Carbondale is located in Amador County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbondale
  • Arno ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Arno is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arno
  • Clements
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • May ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • May is located in Amador County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for May
  • McConnel
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • McConnel is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnel
  • Lockeford
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Michigan Bar ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Michigan Bar is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michigan Bar
  • Acampo
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Ione
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Ione is located in Amador County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ione
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,326 people
    • Former names for Ione:
    • Bedbug
    • Freeze Out
    • Hardscrabble
    • Ione City
    • Ione Valley
    • Jone City
    • Jone Valley
    • Rickeyville
    • Woosterville
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ione <1>
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Elk Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Wallace
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Forest Home ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Forest Home is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Home

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

Newspapers Published in Clay ...

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 68 newspapers that have been published in the area around Clay.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Clay, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Clay.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Clay:

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>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 Clay, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Clay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.