RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of California >> Sierra County >> Grass Flat >> 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 Grass Flat (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 Grass Flat. 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 Grass Flat ...

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 Grass Flat: Grass Flt.

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 and 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.

Grass Flat is located in Sierra 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 Sierra County: Lassen, Nevada, Plumas, Yuba & Washoe (NV).

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

  • Sierra County     (The home county of Grass Flat)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grass Flat, with the one closest to Grass Flat listed first.
    • Queen City
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Queen City is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
    • Gibsonville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Gibsonville is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonville
    • Poker Flat
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Poker Flat is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poker Flat
    • Goodyears Bar
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Downieville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Brandy City ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Brandy City is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandy City
    • Forest
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Forest is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
    • Alleghany
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Loganville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Loganville is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loganville
    • Sierra City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Calpine
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Sattley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Butte County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grass Flat, with the one closest to Grass Flat listed first.
    • Clipper Mills
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Lumpkin ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Lumpkin is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
    • Oroleve
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Oroleve is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oroleve
    • Feather Falls
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Evansville ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Evansville is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
    • Forbestown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Merrimac
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Merrimac is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimac
    • Brush Creek
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Brush Creek is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
    • Robinson Mill
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Robinson Mill is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Mill
    • Berry Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Big Bend
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Big Bend is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
    • South Fork ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • South Fork is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Fork
  • Nevada County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grass Flat, with the one closest to Grass Flat listed first.
    • Graniteville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Graniteville is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graniteville
    • Marsh Mill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Marsh Mill is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Mill
    • Lake City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Lake City is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
    • North Bloomfield ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • North Bloomfield is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bloomfield
    • North Columbia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • North Columbia is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Columbia
    • North San Juan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Washington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Blue Tent
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Blue Tent is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Tent
    • Birchville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Birchville is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birchville
    • Scotts Flat
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Scotts Flat is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Flat
    • Nevada City Rancheria
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Baltimore Town
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Baltimore Town is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltimore Town
  • Placer County
  • Plumas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grass Flat, with the one closest to Grass Flat listed first.
    • La Porte
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Little Grass Valley
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Little Grass Valley is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Grass Valley
    • Plumas Eureka
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Plumas Eureka is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumas Eureka
    • Johnsville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • East Quincy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • East Quincy is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Quincy
    • Mohawk
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Mohawk is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mohawk
    • Spring Garden
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Spring Garden is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Garden
    • Graeagle
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Blairsden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Cromberg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Greenhorn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Greenhorn is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenhorn
    • Bucks Lake
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Bucks Lake is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucks Lake
  • Shasta County
    • Bear Valley ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Bear Valley is located in Shasta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
  • Yuba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grass Flat, with the one closest to Grass Flat listed first.
    • Strawberry Valley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Depot Hill ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Depot Hill is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Depot Hill
    • Camptonville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Garden Valley ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Garden Valley is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
    • Foster Bar ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Foster Bar is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Bar
    • Bullards Bar ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Bullards Bar is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullards Bar
    • Challenge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Brownsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Dobbins
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Rackerby
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Oregon House
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Grass Flat ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grass Flat.

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 Grass Flat - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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

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

  • Saint Louis
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Saint Louis is located in Sierra County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Louis
  • La Porte
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Gibsonville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Gibsonville is located in Sierra County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonville
  • Scales ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Scales is located in Sierra County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scales
  • Goodyears Bar
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Downieville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Strawberry Valley
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Johnsville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Lumpkin ‑ Historic
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Lumpkin is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
  • Clipper Mills
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Alleghany
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Camptonville
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Pike
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Pike is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pike
      • Pike has also been known as:
      • Pike City
    • Sierra City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Mohawk
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Mohawk is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mohawk

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

Newspapers Published in Grass Flat ...

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 21 newspapers that have been published in the area around Grass Flat.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grass Flat, 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 Grass Flat.

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 Grass Flat:

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