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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 Brownsville (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 Brownsville. 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.

Brownsville is located in Ontario 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 Ontario County: Livingston, Monroe, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne & Yates.

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

  • Ontario County     (The home county of Brownsville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
    • Victor
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Manchester
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Village of Bloomfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Holcomb
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Shortsville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • East Bloomfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • East Bloomfield is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bloomfield
    • Centerfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Centerfield is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerfield
    • Canandaigua
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Canandaigua is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canandaigua
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,152 people
      • Canandaigua has also been known as:
      • Canadaigua
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Canandaigua <1>
    • Port Gibson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Bristol
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Bristol is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
    • Hopewell Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hopewell Center is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell Center
    • North Bloomfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • North Bloomfield is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bloomfield
  • Genesee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
    • Limerock
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Limerock is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limerock
    • Bergen
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Fort Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Fort Hill is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
    • Lima
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Lima is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lima
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,008 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lima <1>
    • Livonia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Avon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Avon is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,294 people
    • Sleggs Landing
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sleggs Landing is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleggs Landing
    • Foots Corners
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Foots Corners is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foots Corners
    • Caledonia
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Maple Beach
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Maple Beach is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Beach
    • Inverness
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Inverness is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
    • East Groveland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • East Groveland is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Groveland
    • Geneseo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Websters Crossing
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • York
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • York is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
    • Fairport
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Mendon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Ford Corner
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Ford Corner is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ford Corner
    • East Rochester
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • East Rochester is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Rochester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,458 people
    • Penfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Pittsford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Brighton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Brighton is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
    • Henrietta
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Honeoye Falls
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Ridgeland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Ridgeland is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeland
    • Moran Corner
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Moran Corner is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moran Corner
    • Rush
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Seneca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
    • Border City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Border City is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border City
    • Waterloo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Tyre
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Tyre is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
    • Seneca Falls
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
    • Macedon
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Macedon Center
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Macedon Center is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedon Center
    • Yellow Mills
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Yellow Mills is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Mills
    • Palmyra
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Marquart Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Marquart Village is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquart Village
    • Huddle
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Huddle is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huddle
    • Walworth
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lincoln
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Lincoln is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
    • East Palmyra
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • East Palmyra is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Palmyra
    • Marion
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Newark
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Fruitland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Fruitland is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruitland
  • Yates County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
    • Rushville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Vine Valley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Vine Valley is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vine Valley
    • Potter
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Potter is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter
    • Bellona
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Benton Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Benton Center is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Center
    • Yatesville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Yatesville is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yatesville
    • Angus
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Angus is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angus
    • Italy
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Italy is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italy
    • Penn Yan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Dresden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Keuka Park
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Seneca Mills
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Seneca Mills is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca Mills

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

Cemeteries Near Brownsville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brownsville.

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

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

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

  • Victor Village Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • South Perinton Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • North Farmington Friends Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Salem Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Patrick Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hathaway Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Power Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Parks Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Boughton Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Mason Road Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Tilton Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • South Farmington Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (401 more) ...
    • St. Patricks Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Union Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Rice 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.<2>

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

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

  • Farmington
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Victor
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mertensia
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Mertensia is located in Ontario County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mertensia
  • Egypt
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Egypt is located in Monroe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
  • Fishers
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Padelford
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Padelford is located in Ontario County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Padelford
  • Macedon
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Macedon Center
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Macedon Center is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedon Center
  • Bushnell Basin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Bushnell Basin is located in Monroe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell Basin
  • Manchester
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Palmyra
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Walworth Station
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Walworth Station is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walworth Station
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Fairport
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Mendon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • East Bloomfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • East Bloomfield is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bloomfield

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

Newspapers Published in Brownsville ...

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 271 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brownsville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brownsville, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brownsville.

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 Brownsville:

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 Brownsville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Brownsville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.