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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 Montezuma (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 Montezuma. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Montezuma is located in Tuolumne 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 Tuolumne County: Alpine, Calaveras, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono & Stanislaus.

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

  • Tuolumne County     (The home county of Montezuma)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Montezuma, with the one closest to Montezuma listed first.
    • Stent
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Stent is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stent
    • Chinese Camp
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Yosemite Junction
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Yosemite Junction is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yosemite Junction
    • Jamestown
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Rawhide
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Rawhide is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawhide
    • Tuttletown
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Tuttletown is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuttletown
    • Sonora
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • East Sonora
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • East Sonora is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sonora
    • Greenley Oaks
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Greenley Oaks is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenley Oaks
    • Jacksonville ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jacksonville is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
    • Columbia Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Columbia Village is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia Village
    • Mono Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Mono Village is located in Tuolumne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mono Village
  • Calaveras County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Montezuma, with the one closest to Montezuma listed first.
    • Melones ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Melones is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melones
    • The Shores of Poker Flat
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Copper Cove Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Copper Cove Village is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copper Cove Village
    • Copperopolis
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Vallecito
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Angels Camp
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Angels City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Angels City is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angels City
    • Angels
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Angels is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angels
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,963 people
    • Altaville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Douglas Flat
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Murphys
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Telegraph City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Telegraph City is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telegraph City
  • Mariposa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Montezuma, with the one closest to Montezuma listed first.
    • Coulterville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Dogtown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Dogtown is located in Mariposa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogtown
    • Bagby ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Bagby is located in Mariposa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagby
    • Bear Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bear Valley is located in Mariposa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
    • Hornitos
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Merced County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Montezuma, with the one closest to Montezuma listed first.
    • Snelling
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Merced Falls
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Merced Falls is located in Merced County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merced Falls
  • San Joaquin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Montezuma, with the one closest to Montezuma listed first.
    • Cometa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Cometa is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cometa
    • Trigo ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Trigo is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trigo
    • Farmington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Escalon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Escalon is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Escalon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,580 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Escalon <1>
  • Stanislaus County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Montezuma, with the one closest to Montezuma listed first.
    • Knights Ferry
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • La Grange
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • East Oakdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • East Oakdale is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Oakdale
    • Oakdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Adela
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Adela is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adela
    • Waterford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Hickman
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Riverbank
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Empire
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Hughson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Montezuma ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Montezuma.

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

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

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

  • Stent Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stent Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Stent Cemetery is located in the vicinity of Stent
    • The Stent Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Poverty Hill Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2229117 <2>
  • Jamestown Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Masonic Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • IOOF Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Jewish Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Sonora Hebrew Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonora Hebrew Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Sonora Hebrew Cemetery is located in Sonora.
    • The Sonora Hebrew Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Pioneer Jewish Cemetery
  • Sonora City Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Mountain Shadow Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Catholic Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Shaws Flat Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Public Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Catholic Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (33 more) ...
    • Copperopolis Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Carter's Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carter's Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Carter's Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Tuolumne.
      • The Carter's Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Tuolumne City Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1103592 <2>
    • Tuolumne Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 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.<3>

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

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

  • Chinese Camp
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Jamestown
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Sonora
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Tuttletown
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Tuttletown is located in Tuolumne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuttletown
  • Columbia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Soulsbyville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Copperopolis
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Angels Camp
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Big Oak Flat
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Groveland
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Tuolumne
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Knights Ferry
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Douglas Flat
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Murphys
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Telegraph City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Telegraph City is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telegraph City

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

Newspapers Published in Montezuma ...

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 47 newspapers that have been published in the area around Montezuma.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Montezuma, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Montezuma.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Montezuma:

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 Montezuma, 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' (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- Montezuma) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.