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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 Alton (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 Alton. 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 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.

Alton is located in Wayne County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Wayne County: Cayuga, Monroe, Ontario & Seneca.

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

  • Wayne County     (The home county of Alton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
    • York
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • York is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
    • South Sodus
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • South Sodus is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sodus
    • Sodus Point
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Sodus
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Wayne Center
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Wayne Center is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayne Center
    • Huron
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
    • North Huron
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • North Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Huron
    • Furnace Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Furnace Village is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
    • Wolcott
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Fairville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairville is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairville
    • Lyons
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Clyde
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Cayuga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
    • Fair Haven
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Victory
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Victory is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
    • North Victory
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • North Victory is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Victory
    • Cato
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Sterling Valley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Sterling Valley is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Valley
    • Ira
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Ira is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • North Sterling
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • North Sterling is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sterling
    • Port Byron
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Port Byron is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Byron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,181 people
      • Former name for Port Byron:
      • Bucksville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Port Byron <1>
    • Meridian
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Cayuga
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Weedsport
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Throop
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Throop is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throop
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
    • Webster
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Fairport
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Penfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • East Rochester
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • East Rochester is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Rochester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,458 people
    • German Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • German Village is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Village
    • Glen Haven
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Glen Haven is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Haven
    • Pittsford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Mendon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Brighton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Brighton is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
    • Irondequoit
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • White City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • White City is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
  • Onondaga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
    • Lysander
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Lysander is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
    • Jordan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Plainville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Jacksonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Jacks Reef
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Jacks Reef is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Reef
    • Little Utica
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Little Utica is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Utica
    • Elbridge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Ontario County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
    • Thompson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Thompson is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
    • Port Gibson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Phelps
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • West Junius
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • West Junius is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Junius
    • Clifton Springs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Melvin Hill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Melvin Hill is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin Hill
    • Manchester
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Dobbins Corner
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Dobbins Corner is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobbins Corner
    • Shortsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Geneva
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Seneca Castle
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Hopewell Center
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Hopewell Center is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell Center
  • Oswego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
    • Hannibal
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Fairdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Fairdale is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
    • Southwest Oswego
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Southwest Oswego is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest Oswego
    • Furniss
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Furniss is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniss
    • Bowens Corners
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Bowens Corners is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowens Corners
    • Oswego Center
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Oswego Center is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswego Center
    • Granby Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Granby Center is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby Center
    • Minetto
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Fulton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • South Granby
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • South Granby is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Granby
    • Oswego
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Seneca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
    • Tyre
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Tyre is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
    • Waterloo
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Border City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Border City is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border City
    • Seneca Falls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Kuneytown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Kuneytown is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuneytown
    • Canoga
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Canoga is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canoga

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

Cemeteries Near Alton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alton.

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

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

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

  • Espenschied Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Brick Church Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • York Settlement Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Kitchen Burial Plot
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • South Sodus Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • North Rose Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bushnell Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. John's Episcopal Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Old Mill Street Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Sodus Rural Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Joy Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Zurich Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (332 more) ...
    • Barton Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Swales Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Glerum Farm Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Alton had a population of 305 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Wallington
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Wallington is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallington
  • Sodus Center
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Sodus Center is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sodus Center
  • South Sodus
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • South Sodus is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sodus
  • Wayne Center
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Wayne Center is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayne Center
  • North Rose
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Sodus Point
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Lummisville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Lummisville is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lummisville
  • Sodus
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Joy
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Joy is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joy
  • Zurich
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Zurich is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zurich
  • Huron
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Huron is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
  • Rose
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • North Huron
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • North Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Huron
    • Fairville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairville is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairville
    • Wolcott
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)

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

Newspapers Published in Alton ...

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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alton.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alton, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Alton.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Alton:

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 Alton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Alton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.