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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 Chaffee (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 Chaffee. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Chaffee is located in Erie 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 Erie County: Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Niagara & Wyoming.

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

  • Erie County     (The home county of Chaffee)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chaffee, with the one closest to Chaffee listed first.
    • Protection
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Protection is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Protection
    • Dutchtown
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Dutchtown is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutchtown
    • Holland
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Footes
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Footes is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Footes
    • Springville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • West Falls
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • West Falls is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Falls
    • Boston
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Concord
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Concord is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Griffins Mills
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Griffins Mills is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffins Mills
    • Jewettville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Jewettville is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewettville
    • Patchin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Patchin is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patchin
    • Wyandale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Wyandale is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyandale
  • Allegany County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chaffee, with the one closest to Chaffee listed first.
    • Fairview
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairview is located in Allegany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • Rushford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Hume
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Fillmore
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Houghton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Wiscoy
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Wiscoy is located in Allegany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiscoy
    • Caneadea
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Oramel
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Oramel is located in Allegany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oramel
    • Black Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Lyons Corners
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Lyons Corners is located in Allegany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons Corners
    • Belfast
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • West Allen
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • West Allen is located in Allegany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Allen
  • Cattaraugus County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chaffee, with the one closest to Chaffee listed first.
    • Yorkshire
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Yorkshire is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
    • Delevan
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Delevan is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delevan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,039 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Delevan <1>
    • Elton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Elton is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elton
    • Machias
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Bird
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Bird is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bird
    • Franklinville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Brooklyn
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Brooklyn is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
    • Eddyville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Eddyville is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddyville
    • Abbotts
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Abbotts is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbotts
    • Ischua
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Ischua is located in Cattaraugus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ischua
    • Ellicottville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Otto
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
  • Genesee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chaffee, with the one closest to Chaffee listed first.
    • Griswold
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Griswold is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
    • Sawens
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Sawens is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawens
    • Alexander
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Linden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Linden is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
    • Corfu
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Brookville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Brookville is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookville
    • West Bethany
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • West Bethany is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bethany
    • East Alexander
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • East Alexander is located in Genesee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Alexander
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chaffee, with the one closest to Chaffee listed first.
    • Lewis
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Lewis is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewis
    • Dalton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Nunda
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Nunda is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nunda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,274 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nunda <1>
    • Pine Tavern
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Pine Tavern is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Tavern
  • Wyoming County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chaffee, with the one closest to Chaffee listed first.
    • Arcade
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Curriers
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Curriers is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curriers
    • Java Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Java Center
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • North Java
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Bliss
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Smiths Corner
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Smiths Corner is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Corner
    • Harris Corners
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Harris Corners is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Corners
    • Johnsonburg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Johnsonburg is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonburg
    • Hardys
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Hardys is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardys
    • Varysburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Pike
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Chaffee ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chaffee.

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

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

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

  • Sardinia Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Yorkshire Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Protection Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • St.s Peter & Paul's Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Punkshire Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Arcade Rural Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Curriers Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Delavan Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan Cemetery
    • The Delavan Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Maple Dale Cemetery
    • Maplehurst Cemetery
    • Yorkshire Center Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #65204 <2>
  • St. Mary's Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Pratham Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • McKinstry Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (320 more) ...

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 Chaffee had a population of 112 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Sardinia
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Protection
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Protection is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Protection
  • Yorkshire
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Yorkshire is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
  • Arcade
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Curriers
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Curriers is located in Wyoming County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curriers
  • Holland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Sandusky
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Sandusky is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
  • East Arcade
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • East Arcade is located in Wyoming County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Arcade
  • Java Center
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Java Village
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Elton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Elton is located in Cattaraugus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elton
  • East Concord
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Freedom
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Eagle
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Eagle is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle
    • Strykersville
      (9 miles [14.5 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 Chaffee. See our List of 1890's Communities around Chaffee.

Newspapers Published in Chaffee ...

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 88 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chaffee.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Chaffee, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Chaffee.

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 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 Chaffee:

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