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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 Mossdale (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 Mossdale. 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 southwest 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 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.

Mossdale 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 Mossdale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Mossdale:

  • San Joaquin County     (The home county of Mossdale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mossdale, with the one closest to Mossdale listed first.
    • Lathrop
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • 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>
    • Banta
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Manteca
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Manteca is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manteca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84,445 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Manteca <1>
    • Manteca Junction
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Manteca Junction is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manteca Junction
    • Lyoth
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lyoth is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyoth
    • Wainwright Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Wainwright Village is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wainwright Village
    • French Camp
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Tracy
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tracy is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 95,025 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tracy <1>
    • Ortega ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Ortega is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ortega
    • Five Corners
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Five Corners is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
    • Taft Mosswood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Taft Mosswood is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taft Mosswood
    • Ellis ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Ellis is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
    • Atlanta
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Atlanta is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlanta
  • Alameda County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mossdale, with the one closest to Mossdale listed first.
    • Tesla ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Tesla is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tesla
    • Altamont
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Altamont is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
    • Laddville ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Laddville is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laddville
    • Livermore
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Calaveras County
    • Milton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Milton is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
  • Contra Costa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mossdale, with the one closest to Mossdale listed first.
    • Discovery Bay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Byron
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Bixler
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Bixler is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixler
    • Brentwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Knightsen
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Bethel Island
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Oakley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Oakley is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 42,710 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oakley <1>
    • Marsh Creek Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Marsh Creek Springs is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Creek Springs
    • Tassajara
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Tassajara is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tassajara
  • Sacramento County
    • Isleton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Stanislaus County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mossdale, with the one closest to Mossdale listed first.
    • Salida
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Tuolumne City ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Tuolumne City is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuolumne City
    • Del Rio
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Del Rio is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rio
    • Stewart
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Stewart is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
    • Grayson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Grayson is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
    • Westley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Riverdale Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Riverdale Park is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverdale Park
    • 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>
    • West Modesto
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • West Modesto is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Modesto
    • Riverbank
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Bret Harte
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bret Harte is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bret Harte
    • Bystrom
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bystrom is located in Stanislaus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bystrom
    • Shackelford
      (20 miles [32.2 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 Mossdale, see our County-by-County Page for Mossdale.

Cemeteries Near Mossdale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mossdale.

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

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

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

  • East Union Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Congregation Adas Yeshuran of Stockton Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Ahayas Achim Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Congregation of Ahavas Achim Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Chinese Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • 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>
  • Tracy Public Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Park View Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Atlanta Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Ripon Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Brichetto Tomb
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brichetto Tomb
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Brichetto Tomb is located 8 miles [12.9 km]<3> to the south of Tracy.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #7862 <2>
  • Collegeville Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Hebrew Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (29 more) ...

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

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

  • Lathrop
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • 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>
  • Banta
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Tracy
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Tracy is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 95,025 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tracy <1>
  • Yarmouth ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Yarmouth is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth
  • French Camp
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Ellis ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Ellis is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
  • Vernalis
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Ripon
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • 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>
  • Atlanta
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Atlanta is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlanta
  • Stockton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • 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>
  • Collegeville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Collegeville is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collegeville
  • Salida
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Midway
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Midway is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Walthal
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Walthal is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walthal
    • Charleston ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Charleston is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston

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

Newspapers Published in Mossdale ...

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 168 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mossdale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mossdale, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mossdale.

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 websites either 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 Mossdale:

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