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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 Bowen (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 Bowen. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Bowen 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 Bowen. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bowen:

  • Cattaraugus County     (The home county of Bowen)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bowen, with the one closest to Bowen listed first.
    • Randolph
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • East Randolph
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • East Randolph is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Randolph
      • Estimated population in 2012: 615 people
    • Conewango
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Conewango is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conewango
    • Napoli
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Napoli is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napoli
    • Onoville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Onoville is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoville
    • Cold Spring
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Cold Spring is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Spring
    • Axeville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Axeville is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Axeville
    • Quaker Bridge ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Quaker Bridge is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Bridge
      • Quaker Bridge has also been known as:
      • Tunesassa
    • Elko ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Elko is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko
      • Elko has also been known as:
      • Wolf Run
    • Leon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Little Valley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Elkdale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Elkdale is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkdale
  • Chautauqua County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bowen, with the one closest to Bowen listed first.
    • Kennedy
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Ivory
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ivory is located in Chautauqua County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivory
    • Poland Center
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Poland Center is located in Chautauqua County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poland Center
    • Frewsburg
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Falconer
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Ross Mills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Ross Mills is located in Chautauqua County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross Mills
    • Kiantone
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Kiantone is located in Chautauqua County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiantone
    • Jamestown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Cherry Creek
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Gerry
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Celoron
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Fluvanna
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Fluvanna is located in Chautauqua County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fluvanna
  • Erie County
    • Morton Corners
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Morton Corners is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton Corners
  • McKean County (PA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bowen, with the one closest to Bowen listed first.
    • Bradford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Foster Brook
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Foster Brook is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Brook
    • Tuna
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Tuna is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuna
    • Degolia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Degolia is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Degolia
    • Custer City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Derrick City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Gilmore
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Gilmore is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
    • Lewis Run
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Sawyer City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Sawyer City is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer City
    • Dallas City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Dallas City is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas City
    • Big Shanty
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Big Shanty is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Shanty
    • Summit
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Summit is located in McKean County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
  • Warren County (PA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bowen, with the one closest to Bowen listed first.
    • Sugar Run ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Sugar Run is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Run
    • Putnamville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Putnamville is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnamville
    • Kinzua ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Kinzua is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinzua
    • Big Bend
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Big Bend is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
    • Hemlock
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Hemlock is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemlock
    • Sugar Grove
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • East Warren
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • East Warren is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Warren
    • Warren
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Warren is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,974 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Warren <1>
    • Stoneham
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Stoneham is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneham
    • Irvine
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Clarendon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Lottsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Lottsville is located in Warren County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottsville

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

Cemeteries Near Bowen ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bowen.

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

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

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

  • Sample Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Randolph Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Randolph Cemetery is located outside and to the west of Randolph.
    • The Randolph Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Maple Grove Cemetery
    • Maple Hill Cemetery
    • Randolph Rural Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #253726 <2>
  • St. Patricks Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Maple Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Myrtle Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Ivory Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Steamburg Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Thayer Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • South Valley Catholic Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Bunker Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (210 more) ...
    • Tucker Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Little Clear Creek Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Oldtown Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)

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 Bowen in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bowen.

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

  • Randolph
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • East Randolph
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • East Randolph is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Randolph
    • Estimated population in 2012: 615 people
  • Waterboro
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Waterboro is located in Chautauqua County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterboro
  • Kennedy
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Steamburg
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Poland Center
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Poland Center is located in Chautauqua County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poland Center
  • Clear Creek
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Clear Creek is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Creek
  • Onoville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Onoville is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoville
  • Napoli
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Napoli is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napoli
  • Ellington
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Conewango
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Conewango is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conewango
  • Frewsburg
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Conewango Valley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Quaker Bridge ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Quaker Bridge is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Bridge
      • Quaker Bridge has also been known as:
      • Tunesassa
    • Cold Spring
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Cold Spring is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Spring

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

Newspapers Published in Bowen ...

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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bowen.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bowen, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bowen.

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 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 Bowen:

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 Bowen, 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- Bowen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.