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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 Big Brook (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 Brook. 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.

Name Variations for Big Brook ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Big Brook: Big Brk.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Big Brook. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Big Brook.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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.

Big Brook is located in Oneida 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 Oneida County: Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oswego & Otsego.

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

  • Oneida County     (The home county of Big Brook)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Brook, with the one closest to Big Brook listed first.
    • Frenchville
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Frenchville is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchville
    • Westernville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • East Floyd
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • East Floyd is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Floyd
    • Camroden
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Camroden is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camroden
    • Holland Patent
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Remsen
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Floyd
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Floyd is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floyd
    • Barneveld
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Trenton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Trenton is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
    • Prospect
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Air City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Air City is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Air City
    • Rome
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Rome is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 32,145 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rome <1>
  • Hamilton County
    • Morehouseville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Morehouseville is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morehouseville
  • Herkimer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Brook, with the one closest to Big Brook listed first.
    • Northwood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Northwood is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwood
    • Grant
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Grant is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
    • Russia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Russia is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russia
    • Poland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Cold Brook
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Newport
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Gray
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Gray is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray
    • Norway
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Norway is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway
    • Old City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Old City is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old City
    • Middleville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Norwich Corners
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Norwich Corners is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwich Corners
    • Corrado Corners
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Corrado Corners is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corrado Corners
  • Lewis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Brook, with the one closest to Big Brook listed first.
    • West Leyden
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mohawk Hill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Mohawk Hill is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mohawk Hill
    • Constableville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Port Leyden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Leisher Mill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Leisher Mill is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisher Mill
    • Collinsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Collinsville is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collinsville
    • Lyons Falls
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Lyonsdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Lyonsdale is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyonsdale
    • Turin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Michigan Mills
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Michigan Mills is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michigan Mills
    • Osceola
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Osceola is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • Greig
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Brook, with the one closest to Big Brook listed first.
    • Oneida Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Oneida Valley is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida Valley
    • Oneida
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Kenwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Kenwood is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenwood
    • Valley Mills
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Valley Mills is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Mills
    • Wampsville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Munns
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Munns is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munns
    • Whitelaw
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Whitelaw is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitelaw
    • Canastota
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Munnsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Clockville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Siloam
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Siloam is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siloam
    • Cottons
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cottons is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottons
  • Oswego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Brook, with the one closest to Big Brook listed first.
    • Redfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Cleveland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Big Brook ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Brook.

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

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

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

  • Nisbet Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Stone Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Steuben Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Carmichael Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Frenchville Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Ward Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Steuben Valley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Cobin Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Sixty Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Penn Mtn. Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • North Steuben Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Rogers Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (274 more) ...
    • Fuller Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Capel Isaf Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • French Road Church Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Big Brook had a population of 52 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Steuben
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Steuben is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steuben
  • North Western
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • North Western is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Western
  • Westernville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Camroden
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Camroden is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camroden
  • Dunn Brook
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Dunn Brook is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn Brook
  • Holland Patent
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • East Steuben
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • East Steuben is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Steuben
  • Ridge Mills
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Ridge Mills is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge Mills
  • Floyd
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Floyd is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floyd
  • Stittville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Trenton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Trenton is located in Oneida County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
  • Remsen
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Prospect
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Alder Creek
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • West Branch
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • West Branch is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Branch

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

Newspapers Published in Big Brook ...

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 181 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Brook.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Brook, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Brook.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Brook:

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 Big Brook, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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- Big Brook) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.