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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 Erie (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 Erie. 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.

Erie is located in Manatee County.

To see how the shape of Florida's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Manatee County: DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Polk & Sarasota.

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

  • Manatee County     (The home county of Erie)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Erie, with the one closest to Erie listed first.
    • Parrish
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Ellenton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Memphis
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Memphis is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis
    • Palmetto
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Terra Ceia
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Bradenton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Samoset
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Samoset is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoset
    • West Samoset
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • West Samoset is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Samoset
    • Oneco
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • South Bradenton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • South Bradenton is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bradenton
    • West Bradenton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • West Bradenton is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bradenton
    • Palma Sola
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Lakewood Ranch
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Hillsborough County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Erie, with the one closest to Erie listed first.
    • Sun City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Gulf City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Gulf City is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulf City
    • Manatee Harbor
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Manatee Harbor is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manatee Harbor
    • Park Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Park Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Village
    • Ruskin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Bayou Pass Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bayou Pass Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Pass Village
    • Montero Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Montero Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montero Village
    • Cypress Creek Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cypress Creek Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress Creek Village
    • Freedom Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Freedom Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freedom Village
    • Sun City Center
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Golf and Sea Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Golf and Sea Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golf and Sea Village
    • Apollo Beach
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Apollo Key Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Apollo Key Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apollo Key Village
  • Pinellas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Erie, with the one closest to Erie listed first.
    • Saint Petersburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Tierra Verde
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gulfport
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Pete Beach
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Petersburg Beach
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • South Pasadena
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • South Pasadena is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pasadena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,067 people
    • Lealman
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Lealman is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lealman
    • Gandy
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Gandy is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gandy
    • Kenneth City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Pinellas Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Treasure Island
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Bay Pines
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Madeira Beach
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Sarasota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Erie, with the one closest to Erie listed first.
    • Desoto Lakes
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Desoto Lakes is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desoto Lakes
    • North Sarasota
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • North Sarasota is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sarasota
    • Kensington Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Kensington Park is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensington Park
    • The Meadows
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • The Meadows is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Meadows
    • Fruitville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Sarasota
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Pinecraft
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Sarasota Springs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Sarasota Springs is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarasota Springs
    • Southgate
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Southgate is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southgate
    • Bee Ridge
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Bee Ridge is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee Ridge
    • Lake Sarasota
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Lake Sarasota is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Sarasota
    • Ridge Wood Heights
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Ridge Wood Heights is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge Wood Heights
    • South Gate Ridge
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • South Gate Ridge is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gate Ridge

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

Cemeteries Near Erie ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Erie.

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

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

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

  • Mansion Memorial Park
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Fortner Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Skyway Memorial Gardens
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Skyway Memorial Gardens
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Major Adams Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Fogartyville Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Braden River Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Ruskin Memorial Gardens
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Ruskin Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Adams & Rogers Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams & Rogers Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Adams & Rogers Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Bradenton.
    • The Adams & Rogers Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Adams Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1989096 <2>
  • Manatee Memorial Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Palma Sola Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (56 more) ...
    • Galilee Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Woodlawn Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Palms Memorial Park Gardens
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Erie had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Ellenton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Palmetto
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Manatee
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Manatee is located in Manatee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manatee
  • Terra Ceia
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Bradenton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Rye
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Rye is located in Manatee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rye
  • Gulf City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Gulf City is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulf City
  • Palma Sola
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Port Tampa
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Port Tampa is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Tampa
  • Peru ‑ Historic
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Peru is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
  • Bloomingdale
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bloomingdale is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
  • Brandon
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (5 more) ...
    • Limona
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Limona is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limona
    • Ybor City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Ybor City is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ybor City
    • Tampa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Tampa is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tampa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 407,599 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tampa <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Erie ...

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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Erie.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Erie, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Erie.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Erie:

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