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 Ballina (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 Ballina. 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 doctors and 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.
Ballina is located in Madison 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 Madison County: Chenango, Cortland, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego & Otsego.
Below are the counties that are near Ballina. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ballina:
- Madison County (The home county of Ballina)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Rippleton
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Rippleton is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippleton
- Cazenovia
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Union
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Union is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- New Woodstock
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New Woodstock is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Woodstock
- Bingley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bingley is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingley
- Chittenango Falls
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Chittenango Falls is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chittenango Falls
- Puckerville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Puckerville is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puckerville
- Sulphur Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Sulphur Springs has also been known as:
- Chittenango Springs
- Peterboro
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- DeRuyter
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- DeRuyter is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeRuyter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 518 people
- Chittenango
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cottons
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cottons is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottons
- Cayuga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Sempronius
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sempronius is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sempronius
- New Hope
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Hope is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Dresserville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dresserville is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresserville
- Kelloggsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Kelloggsville is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelloggsville
- Niles
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Niles is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niles
- Summer Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Summer Hill is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summer Hill
- Summer Hill has also been known as:
- Plato
- Omro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Omro is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omro
- Chenango County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Otselic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Otselic is located in Chenango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otselic
- Otselic Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Otselic Center is located in Chenango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otselic Center
- South Otselic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Beaver Meadow
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver Meadow is located in Chenango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Meadow
- Smyrna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pitcher
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Kirk
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kirk is located in Chenango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirk
- Plymouth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sherburne
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- North Norwich
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- North Norwich is located in Chenango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Norwich
- Columbus
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Columbus is located in Chenango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus
- Button City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Button City is located in Chenango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Button City
- Cortland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Crains Mills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Crains Mills is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crains Mills
- Truxton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cummings Crossing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cummings Crossing is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummings Crossing
- Preble
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Slab City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Slab City is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab City
- East Homer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- East Homer is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Homer
- East Scott
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- East Scott is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Scott
- Little York
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Little York is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little York
- Pratt Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pratt Corners is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt Corners
- Solon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Solon is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solon
- East River
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- East River is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East River
- Scott
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Scott is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott
- Oneida County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Oneida Castle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oneida Castle is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida Castle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Sconondoa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Sconondoa is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sconondoa
- Sherrill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Augusta
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Augusta is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augusta
- Oriskany Falls
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Vernon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sylvan Beach
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Jewell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Jewell is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Agnes Corners
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Agnes Corners is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes Corners
- Cagwin Corners
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cagwin Corners is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cagwin Corners
- North Bay
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- North Bay is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bay
- Blackmans Corners
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Blackmans Corners is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackmans Corners
- Onondaga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Delphi Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Pompey Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Pompey Center is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pompey Center
- Watervale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Watervale is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watervale
- Fabius
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Log City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Log City is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log City
- Pompey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Eagle Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Eagle Village is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Village
- Manlius
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Berwyn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Berwyn is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwyn
- Mycenae
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Mycenae is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mycenae
- Apulia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Apulia is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apulia
- Fayetteville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oswego County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Cleveland
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Constantia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Nicholsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Nicholsville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholsville
- West Monroe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- West Monroe is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
- Gayville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Gayville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayville
- Central Square
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Otsego County
- South Edmeston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Edmeston is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Edmeston
- Tompkins County
- Groton City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Groton City is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groton City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ballina, see our County-by-County Page for Ballina.
Cemeteries Near Ballina ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ballina.
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 Ballina - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ballina covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- South Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Union Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lyons Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Nelson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Atwell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Delphi Falls Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Delphi Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- New Woodstock Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Weaver Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- St. Agnes Catholic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Pease Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (430 more) ...
- Beach Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Welsh Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lyons Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Ballina in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ballina.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ballina, with the one closest to Ballina listed first.
- Rippleton
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Rippleton is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippleton
- Cazenovia
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- New Woodstock
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New Woodstock is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Woodstock
- Nelson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Nelson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
- Bingley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bingley is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingley
- Erieville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Fenner
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Fenner is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenner
- Chittenango Falls
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Chittenango Falls is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chittenango Falls
- Pompey Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Pompey Center is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pompey Center
- Perryville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Perryville is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perryville
- Oran
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oran is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oran
- Watervale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Watervale is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watervale
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Fabius
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pompey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Keeney
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Keeney is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeney
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ballina. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ballina.
Newspapers Published in Ballina ...
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 48 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ballina.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ballina, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ballina.
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 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 Ballina:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Madison County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cayuga County
- Chenango County
- Cortland County
- Oneida County
- Onondaga County
- Oswego County
- Otsego County
- Tompkins County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for New York
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> | 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 Ballina, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ballina) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |