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 Big Bay (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 Big Bay. 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 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.
Big Bay is located in Oswego 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 Oswego County: Cayuga, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida & Onondaga.
Below are the counties that are near Big Bay. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Bay:
- Oswego County (The home county of Big Bay)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Central Square
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- West Monroe
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Monroe is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
- Caughdenoy
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Caughdenoy is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caughdenoy
- Constantia
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mallory
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sand Ridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sand Ridge is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Gayville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gayville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayville
- Pennellville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Nicholsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Nicholsville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholsville
- Hastings
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Phoenix
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Cleveland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hinmansville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hinmansville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinmansville
- Cayuga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Meridian
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Ira
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Ira is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Cato
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Weedsport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- North Sterling
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- North Sterling is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sterling
- North Victory
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- North Victory is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Victory
- Sterling Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Sterling Valley is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Valley
- Sennett
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Victory
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Victory is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
- Port Byron
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- 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>
- Throop
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Throop is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throop
- Fair Haven
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Osceola
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Osceola is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Leisher Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Leisher Mill is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisher Mill
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Bridgeport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bolivar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bolivar is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
- Chittenango
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Whitelaw
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Whitelaw is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitelaw
- Sullivan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sullivan is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Sulphur Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Sulphur Springs has also been known as:
- Chittenango Springs
- Oneida Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Oneida Valley is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida Valley
- Canastota
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cottons
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cottons is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottons
- Chittenango Falls
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Chittenango Falls is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chittenango Falls
- Clockville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Wampsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Bingley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bingley is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingley
- Oneida County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Elpis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Elpis is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elpis
- Jewell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Jewell is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- North Bay
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- North Bay is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bay
- Camden
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Sylvan Beach
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- McConnellsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- McConnellsville is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnellsville
- Vienna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Vienna is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
- Blossvale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Leisure Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Leisure Village is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure Village
- Taberg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Agnes Corners
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Agnes Corners is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes Corners
- Humaston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Humaston is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humaston
- Oneida Castle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oneida Castle is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida Castle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Onondaga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Brewerton
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Clay
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Euclid
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Euclid is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euclid
- North Syracuse
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Syracuse is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Syracuse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,595 people
- Mattydale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Liverpool
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Galeville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Galeville is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galeville
- Lyncourt
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Lyncourt is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyncourt
- Lakeside
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lakeside is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- East Syracuse
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- East Syracuse is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Syracuse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,907 people
- Eastwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Eastwood is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Baldwinsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lakeland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lakeland is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeland
- Wayne County
- Red Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Bay, see our County-by-County Page for Big Bay.
Cemeteries Near Big Bay ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Bay.
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 Big Bay - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Bay covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Shepards Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Riverside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- McAllister Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Toad Harbor Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- West Monroe Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Fancher Family Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hillside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cicero Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Allen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Caughdenoy Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Plains Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Cicero Center Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (394 more) ...
- Trinity Episcopal Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pine Grove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Mallory.
- The Pine Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mallory Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2192896 <2>
- Sand Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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 Big Bay in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Bay.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Bay, with the one closest to Big Bay listed first.
- Brewerton
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Central Square
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- West Monroe
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Monroe is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
- Clay
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cicero
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Caughdenoy
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Caughdenoy is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caughdenoy
- Hastings Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hastings Center is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastings Center
- Constantia
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mallory
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Euclid
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Euclid is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euclid
- Cicero Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cicero Center is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicero Center
- Gayville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gayville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayville
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- North Syracuse
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Syracuse is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Syracuse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,595 people
- Little France
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Little France is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little France
- Hastings
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Bay. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Bay.
Newspapers Published in Big Bay ...
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 186 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Bay.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Bay, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Bay.
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 Big Bay:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Oswego County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cayuga County
- Lewis County
- Madison County
- Oneida County
- Onondaga County
- Wayne 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 Big Bay, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Big Bay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |