RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of California >> Butte County >> Swedes Flat >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Swedes Flat. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Swedes Flat to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Swedes Flat, please Contact Us.

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 Swedes 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 Swedes 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 Swedes 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.

  • A typical abbreviation for Swedes Flat: Swedes Flt.
  • While the name of this community is Swedes Flat, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<2>. So Swedes Flat may originally have been Swede's Flat.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Swedes Flat might be written as Swede Flat.

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 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.

Although our information shows that the community of Swedes Flat is historic, it would have been located within present day Butte 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 Butte County: Colusa, Glenn, Plumas, Sutter, Tehama & Yuba.

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

  • Butte County     (The home county of Swedes Flat)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swedes Flat, with the one closest to Swedes Flat listed first.
    • Robinson Mill
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Robinson Mill is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Mill
    • Bangor
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Wyandotte
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Wyandotte is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyandotte
    • South Fork ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • South Fork is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Fork
    • Evansville ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Evansville is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
    • Forbestown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Bidwell Bar ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Bidwell Bar is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bidwell Bar
    • Palermo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Bidwell ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bidwell is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bidwell
    • Lynchburg ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Lynchburg is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
    • Longs Bar ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Longs Bar is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longs Bar
    • Oroville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Nevada County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swedes Flat, with the one closest to Swedes Flat listed first.
    • Birchville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Birchville is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birchville
    • Bridgeport
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Bridgeport is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
    • North San Juan
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Lake Wildwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Lake Wildwood is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Wildwood
    • Newtown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Newtown is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
    • Penn Valley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Rough and Ready
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Bitney Corner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bitney Corner is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bitney Corner
    • North Columbia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • North Columbia is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Columbia
    • Nevada City Rancheria
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Grass Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Nevada City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Plumas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swedes Flat, with the one closest to Swedes Flat listed first.
    • La Porte
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Little Grass Valley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Little Grass Valley is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Grass Valley
    • Bucks Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Bucks Lake is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucks Lake
  • Santa Cruz County
  • Sierra County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swedes Flat, with the one closest to Swedes Flat listed first.
    • Brandy City ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Brandy City is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandy City
    • Goodyears Bar
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Forest
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Forest is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
    • Queen City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Queen City is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
    • Alleghany
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Downieville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Sutter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swedes Flat, with the one closest to Swedes Flat listed first.
    • Live Oak
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Live Oak is located in Sutter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Live Oak
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,048 people
    • Pennington
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Pennington is located in Sutter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington
    • Yuba City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Tierra Buena
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Tierra Buena is located in Sutter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tierra Buena
    • South Yuba City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • South Yuba City is located in Sutter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Yuba City
    • Bogue
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Bogue is located in Sutter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogue
    • Sutter
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Yuba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swedes Flat, with the one closest to Swedes Flat listed first.
    • Rackerby
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Brownsville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Challenge
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Oregon House
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Loma Rica
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Loma Rica is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loma Rica
    • Dobbins
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Bullards Bar ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Bullards Bar is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullards Bar
    • Iowa City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Iowa City is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa City
    • Foster Bar ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Foster Bar is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Bar
    • Garden Valley ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Garden Valley is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
    • Browns Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Strawberry Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Swedes Flat ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Swedes 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 Swedes Flat - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Upham Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Bangor Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Bangor Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Bangor.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2220275 <4>
  • Brownsville Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Brownsville Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Honcut Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Memorial Park
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Oroville.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8154 <4>
  • Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Indian Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Thompson Flat Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Peoria Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (59 more) ...
    • Peoria Memorial Park
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Butte County Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Oroville Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 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.

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

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

  • Hurleton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Hurleton is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurleton
  • Bangor
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Brownsville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Wyandotte
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Wyandotte is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyandotte
  • Enterprise ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Enterprise is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
  • Forbestown
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Oregon House
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Palermo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Dobbins
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Oroville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Honcut
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Bullards Bar ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Bullards Bar is located in Yuba County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullards Bar
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Clipper Mills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Honcut
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Honcut is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honcut
    • Browns Valley
      (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 Swedes Flat. See our List of 1890's Communities around Swedes Flat.

Newspapers Published in Swedes 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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Swedes Flat.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Swedes Flat, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Swedes 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 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 Swedes Flat:

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Swedes Flat, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<2>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>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.
<5>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 from Point A (ie- Swedes Flat) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.