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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 Damascus (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 Damascus. 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.

Damascus is located in Broome 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 Broome County: Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Tioga, Susquehanna (PA) & Wayne (PA).

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

  • Broome County     (The home county of Damascus)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
    • Windsor
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Windsor is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 853 people
    • Edson
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Edson is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edson
    • East Windsor
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • East Windsor is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Windsor
    • Gulf Summit
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Gulf Summit is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulf Summit
    • Ouaquaga
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Center Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Center Village is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Village
    • Creekside Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Creekside Village is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creekside Village
    • Harpursville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Riverside
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Riverside is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
    • Deposit
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Conklin Station
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Conklin Station is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conklin Station
    • Corbettsville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Kirkwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Chenango County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
    • Nineveh Junction
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Nineveh Junction is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nineveh Junction
    • Afton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Bainbridge
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Union Valley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Union Valley is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Valley
    • West Bainbridge
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • West Bainbridge is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bainbridge
    • Greene
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Yaleville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Yaleville is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yaleville
    • East Guilford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • East Guilford is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Guilford
    • Guilford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Smithville Flats
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Adams Corner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Adams Corner is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams Corner
    • Oxford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Haynes
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Haynes is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
  • Delaware County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
    • Hambletville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Hambletville is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hambletville
    • China
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • China is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for China
    • Barbourville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Barbourville is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barbourville
    • Masonville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cadosia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Cadosia is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadosia
    • Hancock
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Sidney
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Tacoma
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Tacoma is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tacoma
    • Sidney Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Harvard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Harvard is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
    • Walton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Merrickville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Merrickville is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrickville
    • Pea Brook
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Pea Brook is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pea Brook
  • Otsego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
    • Unadilla
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Wells Bridge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Copes Corner
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Copes Corner is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copes Corner
    • Youmans Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Youmans Corner is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youmans Corner
  • Sullivan County
  • Tioga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
    • Apalachin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Campville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Campville is located in Tioga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campville
    • Ketchumville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Ketchumville is located in Tioga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ketchumville
    • Gaskill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Gaskill is located in Tioga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaskill
    • Hullsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Hullsville is located in Tioga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hullsville
  • Bradford County (PA)
    • Warren Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Warren Center is located in Bradford County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren Center
  • Susquehanna County (PA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
    • Lanesboro
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Lanesboro is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesboro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 501 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lanesboro <1>
    • Oakland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Oakland is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 556 people
    • Susquehanna Depot
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Susquehanna Depot is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Susquehanna Depot
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,444 people
    • Susquehanna
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Brandt
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Brandt is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandt
    • Great Bend
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Hallstead
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Hallstead is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallstead
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,195 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hallstead <1>
    • North Jackson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • North Jackson is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Jackson
    • Lakeview
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Lakeview is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
    • Thompson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Thompson is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 267 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Thompson <1>
    • Lawsville Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Lawsville Center is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsville Center
    • New Milford
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Jackson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Wayne County (PA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
    • Sherman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Sherman is located in Wayne County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
    • Starrucca
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Wrighter Corner
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wrighter Corner is located in Wayne County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrighter Corner
    • Lakewood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Poyntelle
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Poyntelle is located in Wayne County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poyntelle
    • High Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • High Lake is located in Wayne County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Lake
    • Forest City Station
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Forest City Station is located in Wayne County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City Station

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

Cemeteries Near Damascus ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Damascus.

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

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

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

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.<4>

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

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

  • Windsor
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Windsor is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 853 people
  • Flowers
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Flowers is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flowers
  • Cascade Valley
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Cascade Valley is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade Valley
  • Gulf Summit
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Gulf Summit is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulf Summit
  • East Windsor
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • East Windsor is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Windsor
  • Lester
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Lester is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lester
  • Hickory Grove
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Hickory Grove is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
  • Lanesboro
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Lanesboro is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesboro
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 501 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lanesboro <1>
  • McClure
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • McClure is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClure
  • Doraville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Doraville is located in Broome County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doraville
  • Susquehanna
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Jefferson Junction
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Jefferson Junction is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Junction
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Brandt
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Brandt is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandt
    • Stevens Point
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Stevens Point is located in Susquehanna County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens Point
    • Sanford
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Sanford is located in Broome County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanford

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

Newspapers Published in Damascus ...

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 104 newspapers that have been published in the area around Damascus.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Damascus, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Damascus.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Damascus:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Damascus) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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 Damascus, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.