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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 Cliffside (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 Cliffside. 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.

Cliffside is located in Otsego 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 Otsego County: Chenango, Delaware, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery & Schoharie.

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

  • Otsego County     (The home county of Cliffside)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cliffside, with the one closest to Cliffside listed first.
    • Portlandville
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Colliersville
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Maryland
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Milford
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Mount Vision
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Oneonta
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Laurens
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • West End
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • West End is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West End
    • West Oneonta
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • West Oneonta is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oneonta
    • Schenevus
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Hartwick Seminary
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Hartwick Seminary is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick Seminary
    • Westville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Westville is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
    • Lena
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Lena is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lena
  • Chenango County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cliffside, with the one closest to Cliffside listed first.
    • New Berlin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Lathams Corners
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Lathams Corners is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lathams Corners
    • Mount Upton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Button City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Button City is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Button City
    • Columbus
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Columbus is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus
    • East Guilford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • East Guilford is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Guilford
    • Guilford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Norwich
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Sherburne
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Haynes
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Haynes is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
    • North Norwich
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • North Norwich is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Norwich
    • Yaleville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Yaleville is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yaleville
    • Bainbridge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Delaware County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cliffside, with the one closest to Cliffside listed first.
    • Davenport Center
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Shackport
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Shackport is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shackport
    • North Franklin
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • North Franklin is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Franklin
    • Simpsonville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Simpsonville is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpsonville
    • North Kortright
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • North Kortright is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Kortright
    • Harpersfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Bloomville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Franklin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Delhi
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Delhi is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,871 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Delhi <1>
    • South Kortright
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Mundale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Mundale is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mundale
    • Hobart
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Merrickville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Merrickville is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrickville
  • Herkimer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cliffside, with the one closest to Cliffside listed first.
    • Cullen
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Cullen is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullen
    • South Columbia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • South Columbia is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Columbia
    • West Winfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Chepachet
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Chepachet is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chepachet
    • Millers Mills
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Millers Mills is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Mills
    • Cedarville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Cedarville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
    • Starkville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Starkville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starkville
    • Deck
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Deck is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deck
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cliffside, with the one closest to Cliffside listed first.
    • Brookfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • South Hamilton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • South Hamilton is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hamilton
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cliffside, with the one closest to Cliffside listed first.
    • Sprout Brook
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Buel
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Buel is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buel
    • Ames
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ames is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ames <1>
    • Brookman Corners
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Brookman Corners is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookman Corners
  • Oneida County
    • Bridgewater
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Schoharie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cliffside, with the one closest to Cliffside listed first.
    • Jefferson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Summit
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Summit is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,081 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Summit <1>
    • South Jefferson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • South Jefferson is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jefferson
    • Beards Hollow
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Beards Hollow is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beards Hollow
    • Richmondville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Seward
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Seward is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seward
    • Janesville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Janesville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janesville
    • Leesville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Leesville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
    • Vintonton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Vintonton is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vintonton
    • Sharon Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Warnerville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Cobleskill
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lawyersville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Lawyersville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawyersville

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

Cemeteries Near Cliffside ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cliffside.

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

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

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

  • Milford Center Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Cooperstown Junction Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Portlandville Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Spencer Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Glenwood Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Charlotte Valley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Maryland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Babcock Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • McMinn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Davenport Center Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (399 more) ...
    • Platt Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Milford Village Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Sherman Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)

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

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

  • Colliersville
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Portlandville
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • West Davenport
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • West Davenport is located in Delaware County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Davenport
  • Oneonta
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Davenport Center
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Maryland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Milford
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Mount Vision
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Laurens
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Chaseville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Chaseville is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaseville
  • West Oneonta
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • West Oneonta is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oneonta
  • Davenport
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • East Meredith
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Schenevus
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • South Hartwick
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • South Hartwick is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hartwick

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

Newspapers Published in Cliffside ...

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 94 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cliffside.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cliffside, 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 Cliffside.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Cliffside:

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 Cliffside, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Cliffside) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.