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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 Belle Terre (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 Belle Terre. 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 and doctors 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.

Belle Terre is located in Suffolk County.

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

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

  • Suffolk County     (The home county of Belle Terre)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belle Terre, with the one closest to Belle Terre listed first.
    • Port Jefferson
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Poquott
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Poquott is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poquott
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 929 people
    • Mount Sinai
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Port Jefferson Station
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • East Setauket
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Setauket
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Miller Place
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Terryville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Terryville is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville
    • Old Field
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Stony Brook
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Sound Beach
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Selden
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Head-of-the-Harbor
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Head-of-the-Harbor is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Head-of-the-Harbor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,452 people
  • Nassau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belle Terre, with the one closest to Belle Terre listed first.
    • Woodbury
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Laurel Hollow
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Laurel Hollow is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Hollow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,027 people
    • Cove Neck
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Cove Neck is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Neck
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Oyster Bay Cove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Oyster Bay Cove is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oyster Bay Cove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,243 people
    • Old Bethpage
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Plainview
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Syosset
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Centre Island
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Centre Island is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centre Island
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 404 people
    • Farmingdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • South Farmingdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • South Farmingdale is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Farmingdale
    • Swedetown Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Swedetown Village is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swedetown Village
    • East Norwich
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • East Norwich is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Norwich
    • Oyster Bay
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Westchester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belle Terre, with the one closest to Belle Terre listed first.
    • Scotts Corners
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Scotts Corners is located in Westchester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Corners
    • Lewisboro
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Fairfield County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belle Terre, with the one closest to Belle Terre listed first.
    • Stratford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Black Rock
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Black Rock is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Rock
    • Fairfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bridgeport
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bridgeport is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 143,525 people
    • Bridgeport
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bridgeport is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 143,525 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bridgeport <1>
    • Southport
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Stratford
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Stratford is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51,660 people
    • Greens Farms
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Compo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Compo is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compo
    • Fairfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairfield is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 62,215 people
    • Greenfield Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenfield Hill is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield Hill
    • Melville Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Melville Village is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melville Village
    • Westport
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Westport is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 28,444 people
  • New Haven County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belle Terre, with the one closest to Belle Terre listed first.
    • Milford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Milford is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,781 people
    • Milford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Milford is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 53,259 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milford <1>
    • Orange
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Orange is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,882 people
    • Orange
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • West Haven
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • West Haven is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Haven
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,367 people
    • West Haven
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Allingtown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Short Beach
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Short Beach is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Beach
    • East Haven
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Derby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Derby is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,257 people
    • Derby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Derby is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,257 people
      • Former name for Derby:
      • Birmingham
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Derby <1>
    • Branford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Branford is located in New Haven County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 27,736 people
    • Branford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Belle Terre ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Belle Terre.

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 Belle Terre - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Cedar Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Caroline Episcopal Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caroline Episcopal Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Caroline Episcopal Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Setauket.
    • The Caroline Episcopal Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Caroline Churchyard
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #249765 <2>
  • Setauket Presbyterian Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Methodist Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • St. James Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Bethel African-American Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Laurel Hill African-American Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Agudat Achim Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Nassakeage - Hawkins Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Methodist Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (352 more) ...
    • Mills Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Union Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Roe Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<3>

While we didn't find Belle Terre in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Belle Terre.

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

  • Port Jefferson
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Setauket
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • East Setauket
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Mount Sinai
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Terryville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Terryville is located in Suffolk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville
  • Stony Brook
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Selden
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Saint James
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Lake Grove
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Coram
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Rocky Point
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Middle Island
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in Belle Terre ...

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 206 newspapers that have been published in the area around Belle Terre.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Belle Terre, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Belle Terre.

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 helpful 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 Belle Terre:

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