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 Barnum (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 Barnum. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
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 north 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.
Barnum is located in Cattaraugus 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 Cattaraugus County: Allegany, Chautauqua, Erie, Wyoming, McKean (PA) & Warren (PA).
Below are the counties that are near Barnum. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Barnum:
- Cattaraugus County (The home county of Barnum)
- The following are listed by their distance from Barnum, with the one closest to Barnum listed first.
- Four Mile
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Four Mile is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Mile
- Rock City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Rock City is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Westons Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Portville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Olean
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Olean is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,371 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olean <1>
- Weston Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Weston Mills is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston Mills
- Saint Bonaventure
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Harrisburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Harrisburg is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Allegany
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Chipmunk
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chipmunk is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipmunk
- Limestone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- New Ireland ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- New Ireland is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Ireland
- New Ireland has also been known as:
- Irish Town
- Little Ireland
- Allegany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Barnum, with the one closest to Barnum listed first.
- Bowler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bowler is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowler
- Little Genesee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- West Clarksville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- West Clarksville is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Clarksville
- Bolivar
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Kossuth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Kossuth is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kossuth
- Richburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cuba
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sawyer
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Sawyer is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer
- Vosburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Vosburg is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vosburg
- Allentown
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Alma
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Alma is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Friendship
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Elk County (PA)
- Instanter
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Instanter is located in Elk County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Instanter
- McKean County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Barnum, with the one closest to Barnum listed first.
- Eldred
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Duke Center
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Duke Center is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke Center
- Larabee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Larabee is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larabee
- Rixford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rixford is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rixford
- Summit
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Summit is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
- Myrtle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Myrtle is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Dallas City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas City is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas City
- Derrick City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Gilmore
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Gilmore is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Sartwell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sartwell is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartwell
- Rew
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rew is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rew
- Wrights Corners
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wrights Corners is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights Corners
- Potter County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Barnum, with the one closest to Barnum listed first.
- Shinglehouse
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Sharon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- East Sharon is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sharon
- Honeoye
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Honeoye is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honeoye
- Millport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Millport is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millport
- Williston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Williston is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Chrystal
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Chrystal is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chrystal
- Coneville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Coneville is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coneville
- Oswayo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Oswayo is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswayo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Hebron
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hebron is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Roulette
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Coudersport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ellisburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ellisburg is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellisburg
- Warren County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Barnum, with the one closest to Barnum listed first.
- Sugar Run ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Sugar Run is located in Warren County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Run
- Kinzua ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Kinzua is located in Warren County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinzua
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Barnum, see our County-by-County Page for Barnum.
Cemeteries Near Barnum ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Barnum.
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 Barnum - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Barnum covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Barnum, with the one closest to Barnum listed first.
- Lamphier Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Chestnut Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rixford Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Portville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Portville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portville Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Portville Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Weston Mills.
- The Portville Cemetery has also been known as:
- Haskell Cemetery
- Oakley Hill Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #65704 <2>
- Evergreen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- St. Bonaventure Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Moody Hollow Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Allegany Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allegany Cemetery
- The Allegany Cemetery has also been known as:
- Allegany Protestant Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #63838 <2>
- B'nai B'rith Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (145 more) ...
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- West Genesee Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Smith Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<3>
While we didn't find Barnum in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Barnum.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Barnum, with the one closest to Barnum listed first.
- Haymaker
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Haymaker is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haymaker
- Four Mile
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Four Mile is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Mile
- Eldred
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bullis Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bullis Mills is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullis Mills
- Duke Center
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Duke Center is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke Center
- Prentisvale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Prentisvale is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentisvale
- Portville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Westons Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Olean
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Olean is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,371 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olean <1>
- Rixford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rixford is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rixford
- Larabee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Larabee is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larabee
- Bells Camp
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bells Camp is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Camp
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Red Rock
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Red Rock is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Rock
- Summit
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Summit is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
- Ceres
(7 miles [11.3 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 Barnum. See our List of 1890's Communities around Barnum.
Newspapers Published in Barnum ...
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 94 newspapers that have been published in the area around Barnum.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Barnum, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Barnum.
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 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 Barnum:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Cattaraugus County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegany County
- Elk County
- McKean County
- Potter County
- Warren 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> | 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 Barnum, 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 from Point A (ie- Barnum) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |