RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of California >> San Benito County >> Cottage Corners >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Cottage Corners (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 Cottage Corners. 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.

Name Variations for Cottage Corners ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Cottage Corners: Cottage Cors.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Cottage Corners. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Cottage Corners.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 hospitals 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.

Cottage Corners is located in San Benito 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 Benito County: Fresno, Merced, Monterey, Santa Clara & Santa Cruz.

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

  • San Benito County     (The home county of Cottage Corners)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cottage Corners, with the one closest to Cottage Corners listed first.
    • Hollister
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Dunneville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Dunneville is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunneville
    • Ridgemark
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Ridgemark is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgemark
    • Tres Pinos
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • San Juan Bautista
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • River Oaks
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • River Oaks is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Oaks
    • Paicines
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pinnacles
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Pinnacles is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinnacles
    • San Benito
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • San Benito is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Benito
  • Merced County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cottage Corners, with the one closest to Cottage Corners listed first.
    • Santa Nella Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Santa Nella
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Volta
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Volta is located in Merced County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volta
  • Monterey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cottage Corners, with the one closest to Cottage Corners listed first.
    • Aromas
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Prunedale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Vega ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Vega is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vega
    • Santa Rita
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Santa Rita is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Rita
    • Salinas
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Elkhorn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Elkhorn is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
    • Las Lomas
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Las Lomas is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Las Lomas
    • Boronda
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Boronda is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boronda
    • Pajaro
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Pajaro is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pajaro
    • Castroville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Chualar
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Spreckels
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Moss Landing
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
  • Santa Clara County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cottage Corners, with the one closest to Cottage Corners listed first.
    • Sargent ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Sargent is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargent
    • Bell Station
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bell Station is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell Station
      • Bell Station has also been known as:
      • Bell's Station
    • Gilroy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Gilroy is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilroy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,831 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gilroy <1>
    • Rucker
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Rucker is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rucker
    • San Martin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Morgan Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Madrone
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Madrone is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madrone
    • Sveadal
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sveadal is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sveadal
    • Coyote
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Santa Cruz County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cottage Corners, with the one closest to Cottage Corners listed first.
    • Interlaken
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Interlaken is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interlaken
    • Watsonville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Colache Town
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Colache Town is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colache Town
    • Strongs Mobile Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Amesti
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Amesti is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amesti
    • Freedom
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Corralitos
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Aptos Hills - Larkin Valley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • La Selva Beach
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Day Valley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Day Valley is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Day Valley
    • Rio del Mar
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Aptos
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Cottage Corners ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cottage Corners.

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 Cottage Corners - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • IOOF Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for IOOF Cemetery
    • The IOOF Cemetery has also been known as:
    • IOOF Cemetery
    • Odd Fellows Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #670325 <2>
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Calvary Sacred Heart Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • San Juan Bautista Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Paicines Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • IOOF Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Hambey Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Queen of Heaven Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Chinese Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinese Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Chinese Cemetery is located in Salinas.
  • Monterey County Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Pajaro Valley Memorial Park
    (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • IOOF Cemetery
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Yamat Cemetery
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • St. Francis Cemetery
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)

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 Cottage Corners in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Cottage Corners.

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

  • Hollister
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Tres Pinos
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Sargent ‑ Historic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Sargent is located in Santa Clara County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargent
  • Carnadero
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Carnadero is located in Santa Clara County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnadero
  • Paicines
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Bell Station
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Bell Station is located in Santa Clara County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell Station
    • Bell Station has also been known as:
    • Bell's Station
  • Gilroy
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Gilroy is located in Santa Clara County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilroy
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,831 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gilroy <1>
  • Natividad
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Natividad is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natividad
  • Vega ‑ Historic
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Vega is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vega
  • Santa Rita
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Santa Rita is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Rita
  • Salinas
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
  • Elkhorn
    (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Elkhorn is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Spence
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Spence is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spence
    • Watsonville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Pajaro
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Pajaro is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pajaro

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

Newspapers Published in Cottage Corners ...

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 70 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cottage Corners.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cottage Corners, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cottage Corners.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Cottage Corners:

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