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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 Collegeville (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 Collegeville. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Collegeville is located in San Joaquin 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 Joaquin County: Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Santa Clara & Stanislaus.

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

  • San Joaquin County     (The home county of Collegeville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Collegeville, with the one closest to Collegeville listed first.
    • Walthal
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Walthal is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walthal
    • Holden ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Holden is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holden
    • Five Corners
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Five Corners is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
    • Manteca Junction
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Manteca Junction is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manteca Junction
    • Kennedy
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Kennedy is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kennedy
    • Ortega ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Ortega is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ortega
    • Garden Acres
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Garden Acres is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Acres
    • Atlanta
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Atlanta is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlanta
    • French Camp
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Peters
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Taft Mosswood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Taft Mosswood is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taft Mosswood
    • Farmington
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • August
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • August is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for August
  • Alameda County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Collegeville, with the one closest to Collegeville listed first.
    • Tesla ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tesla is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tesla
    • Altamont
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Altamont is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
  • Amador County
    • Camanche Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Camanche Village is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camanche Village
  • Calaveras County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Collegeville, with the one closest to Collegeville listed first.
    • Milton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Milton is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
    • Jenny Lind
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Jenny Lind is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenny Lind
    • Rancho Calaveras
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Rancho Calaveras is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rancho Calaveras
    • Telegraph City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Telegraph City is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telegraph City
    • Wallace
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Burson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Lost City ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Lost City is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost City
    • Oregon Bar ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Oregon Bar is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oregon Bar
    • Carmen City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Carmen City is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmen City
    • Valley Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Campo Seco
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Copper Cove Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Copper Cove Village is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copper Cove Village
    • Copperopolis
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Contra Costa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Collegeville, with the one closest to Collegeville listed first.
    • Discovery Bay
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Bixler
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Bixler is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixler
    • Byron
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Bethel Island
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Knightsen
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Brentwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Sacramento County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Collegeville, with the one closest to Collegeville listed first.
    • Galt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • 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>
    • Herald
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Isleton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Locke
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Locke is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locke
    • Walnut Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Stanislaus County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Collegeville, with the one closest to Collegeville listed first.
    • Del Rio
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Del Rio is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rio
    • Salida
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Stewart
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Stewart is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
    • Riverbank
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Adela
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Adela is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adela
    • Oakdale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakdale is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,228 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oakdale <1>
    • Modesto
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Modesto is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modesto
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 215,666 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Modesto <1>
    • East Oakdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • East Oakdale is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Oakdale
    • Tuolumne City ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Tuolumne City is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuolumne City
    • West Modesto
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • West Modesto is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Modesto
    • Riverdale Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Riverdale Park is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverdale Park
    • Bystrom
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Bystrom is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bystrom
    • Shackelford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Shackelford is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shackelford

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

Cemeteries Near Collegeville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Collegeville.

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

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

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

  • Collegeville Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Park View Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Atlanta Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Chinese Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinese Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Chinese Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Stockton.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #7905 <2>
  • Congregation Adas Yeshuran of Stockton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Congregation of Ahavas Achim Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Ahayas Achim Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • East Union Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Johns Catholic Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Highland View Memorial Gardens
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Hebrew Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (32 more) ...
    • Temple Israel Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Stockton Rural Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton Rural Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Stockton Rural Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Stockton.
      • The Stockton Rural Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Rural Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8382 <2>
    • Ripon Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Collegeville had a population of 67 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Walthal
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Walthal is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walthal
  • Charleston ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Charleston is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
  • Holden ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Holden is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holden
  • French Camp
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Atlanta
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Atlanta is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlanta
  • Peters
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Farmington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Linden
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Stockton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Stockton is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 312,716 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stockton <1>
  • Lathrop
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Lathrop is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lathrop
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,373 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lathrop <1>
  • Trigo ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Trigo is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trigo
  • Ripon
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Ripon is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripon
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,774 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ripon <1>
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Cometa
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Cometa is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cometa
    • Bellota
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bellota is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellota
    • Salida
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in Collegeville ...

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 177 newspapers that have been published in the area around Collegeville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Collegeville, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Collegeville.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Collegeville:

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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Collegeville) 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 Collegeville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.