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 Sand Spring (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 Sand Spring. 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 Sand Spring ...
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 Sand Spring: Sand Spg. (or less commonly used: Sand Spng. or Sand Sprng.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Sand Spring. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Sand Spring.
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 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.
Sand Spring is located in Garrett County.
To see how the shape of Maryland's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Garrett County: Allegany, Fayette (PA), Somerset (PA), Grant (WV), Mineral (WV) & Preston (WV).
Below are the counties that are near Sand Spring. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sand Spring:
- Garrett County (The home county of Sand Spring)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Friendsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Accident
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- McHenry
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bittinger
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Grantsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Hutton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Hutton is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutton
- Oakland
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Oakland is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,803 people
- Deer Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Loch Lynn Heights
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Loch Lynn Heights is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loch Lynn Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 525 people
- Mountain Lake Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Mountain Lake Park is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Lake Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,065 people
- Altamont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Altamont is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
- Swanton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Allegany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Barton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Barton is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 419 people
- Moscow
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Moscow is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- Nikep
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Nikep is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nikep
- Luke
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Luke is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luke
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Westernport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Klondike
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Klondike is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klondike
- Lonaconing
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Borden Shaft
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Borden Shaft is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borden Shaft
- Gilmore
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Gilmore is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Midland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Midland is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Midlothian
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Midlothian is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midlothian
- Ocean
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Ocean is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocean
- Fayette County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Markleysburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Farmington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Elliottsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elliottsville is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliottsville
- Mount Washington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Washington is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Washington
- Ohiopyle
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Haydentown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Haydentown is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haydentown
- Hutchinson
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Hutchinson is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchinson
- Hopwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lemont Furnace
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- East Uniontown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- East Uniontown is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Uniontown
- Evans
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Evans is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Leith
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Leith is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leith
- Greene County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Dilliner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Dilliner is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dilliner
- Greensboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Dunkard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Dunkard is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkard
- Nemacolin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Nemacolin is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemacolin
- Ceylon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ceylon is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceylon
- Fairdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fairdale is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
- Stringtown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Stringtown is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Somerset County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Addison
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ursina
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ursina is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ursina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
- Listonburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Listonburg is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Listonburg
- Confluence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Draketown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Draketown is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draketown
- Markleton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Casselman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Casselman is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casselman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Salisbury
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- West Salisbury
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- West Salisbury is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Salisbury
- Boynton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Boynton is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Coal Run
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Coal Run is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Run
- New Lexington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- New Lexington is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lexington
- Westmoreland County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Donegal
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Scottdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Grant County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Bayard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bayard is located in Grant County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
- Wilson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Wilson is located in Grant County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Dobbin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Dobbin is located in Grant County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobbin
- Mineral County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Harrison
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Harrison is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Shaw
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Shaw is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw
- Windom ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Windom is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
- Elk Garden
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Piedmont
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Schell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Schell is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schell
- Sulphur City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sulphur City is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur City
- Hartmansville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hartmansville is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartmansville
- Keyser
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- New Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Monongalia County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Cheat Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Cheat Lake is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheat Lake
- Canyon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Canyon is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon
- Brookhaven
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Brookhaven is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhaven
- Baker Ridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Baker Ridge is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker Ridge
- Morgantown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Westover
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Granville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Granville is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,156 people
- Maidsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Maidsville is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maidsville
- Star City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Star City is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,984 people
- Bowlby
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bowlby is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlby
- Laurel Point
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Laurel Point is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Point
- Little Falls
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Little Falls is located in Monongalia County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Falls
- Preston County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Hazelton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Brandonville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Brandonville is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Clifton Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Clifton Mills is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton Mills
- Morgans Glade
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Morgans Glade is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Glade
- Orr
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Orr is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orr
- Bruceton Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lenox
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lenox is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox
- Little Sandy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Little Sandy is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Sandy
- Rockville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Rockville is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Albright
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Terra Alta
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Kingwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sand Spring, see our County-by-County Page for Sand Spring.
Cemeteries Near Sand Spring ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sand Spring.
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 Sand Spring - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sand Spring covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Sand Spring Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Webb Chapel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Blooming Rose Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blooming Rose Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Blooming Rose Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the west of Friendsville.
- The Blooming Rose Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Blooming Rose Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #80787 <3>
- Emberson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Asher Glade Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Savage Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Steel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Great Crossings Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sisler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Thomas Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Teets Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (313 more) ...
- Parnell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sang Run Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hoyes Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
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 Sand Spring in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sand Spring.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sand Spring, with the one closest to Sand Spring listed first.
- Friendsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Selbysport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Selbysport is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selbysport
- Markleysburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Glade Farms
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Glade Farms is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glade Farms
- Mineral Spring
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mineral Spring is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Spring
- Somerfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Somerfield is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerfield
- Cuzzart
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cuzzart is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuzzart
- Hoyes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hoyes is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoyes
- Cranesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cranesville is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranesville
- Addison
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ursina
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ursina is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ursina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
- Gibbon Glade
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Gibbon Glade is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibbon Glade
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Clifton Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Clifton Mills is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton Mills
- Brandonville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Brandonville is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Morgans Glade
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Morgans Glade is located in Preston County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Glade
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sand Spring. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sand Spring.
Newspapers Published in Sand Spring ...
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 19 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sand Spring.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sand Spring, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sand Spring.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Sand Spring:
- Websites specific to Maryland
- Pages specific to Garrett County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegany County
- Fayette County
- Greene County
- Somerset County
- Westmoreland County
- Grant County
- Mineral County
- Monongalia County
- Preston County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Maryland
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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Sand Spring) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Sand Spring, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |