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 Cato (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 Cato. 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 doctors and 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.
Cato is located in Cayuga 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 Cayuga County: Cortland, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, Tompkins & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Cato. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cato:
- Cayuga County (The home county of Cato)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Meridian
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Ira
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ira is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Victory
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Victory is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
- North Victory
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- North Victory is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Victory
- Weedsport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Port Byron
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- 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>
- Sterling Valley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sterling Valley is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Valley
- Fair Haven
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sennett
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Throop
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Throop is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throop
- North Sterling
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- North Sterling is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sterling
- Auburn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Melrose Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Melrose Park is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose Park
- Madison County
- Bridgeport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Onondaga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Plainville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lysander
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lysander is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
- Jacksonville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jacks Reef
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Jacks Reef is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Reef
- Jordan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Little Utica
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Little Utica is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Utica
- Wrights Corners
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Wrights Corners is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights Corners
- Elbridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Memphis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Baldwinsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Village Green
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Village Green is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village Green
- Halfway
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Halfway is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfway
- Warners
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Warners is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warners
- Ontario County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Thompson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- West Junius
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- West Junius is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Junius
- Dobbins Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dobbins Corner is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobbins Corner
- Phelps
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Geneva
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Melvin Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Melvin Hill is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin Hill
- Port Gibson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Oswego County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Bowens Corners
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bowens Corners is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowens Corners
- Fairdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Fairdale is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
- Hannibal
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- South Granby
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- South Granby is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Granby
- Granby Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Granby Center is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby Center
- Hinmansville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hinmansville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinmansville
- Fulton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Phoenix
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Ingalls Crossing
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ingalls Crossing is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls Crossing
- Furniss
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Furniss is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniss
- Minetto
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Southwest Oswego
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Southwest Oswego is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest Oswego
- Oswego Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Oswego Center is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswego Center
- Seneca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Tyre
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tyre is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
- Seneca Falls
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Canoga
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Canoga is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canoga
- Waterloo
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Kuneytown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kuneytown is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuneytown
- Border City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Border City is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border City
- East Varick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- East Varick is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Varick
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Red Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- South Butler
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- South Butler is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Butler
- Wolcott
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Furnace Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Furnace Village is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
- Clyde
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Huron
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Huron is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
- North Huron
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- North Huron is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Huron
- York
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- York is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Wayne Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Wayne Center is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayne Center
- South Sodus
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- South Sodus is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sodus
- Sodus Point
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Lyons
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Fairville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Fairville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cato, see our County-by-County Page for Cato.
Cemeteries Near Cato ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cato.
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 Cato - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cato covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Dutton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Union Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Meridian Village Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Ferris Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Marble Ridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cummings Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Conquest Village Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- La Due Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Victory Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Emerson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Smith Road Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Crosman Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (426 more) ...
- Lysander Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- French Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Lake Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Cato had a population of 714 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Cato had a population of 497 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Cato, with the one closest to Cato listed first.
- Meridian
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Ira
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ira is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Conquest
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Conquest is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conquest
- Victory
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Victory is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
- Emerson
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Emerson is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson
- Bethel Corners
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bethel Corners is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Corners
- Spring Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Lake is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
- Plainville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lysander
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lysander is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
- Floridaville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Floridaville is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floridaville
- South Hannibal
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- South Hannibal is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hannibal
- North Victory
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- North Victory is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Victory
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Westbury
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Westbury is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westbury
- Weedsport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Martville
(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 Cato. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cato.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Cato ...
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 123 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cato.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Cato. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Cato and those printed in the larger area surrounding Cato.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4> of Cato.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Cato:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Cayuga County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Madison County
- Onondaga County
- Ontario County
- Oswego County
- Seneca 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 Cato, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Cato) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |