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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 Elk Creek (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 Elk Creek. 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.

Name Variations for Elk Creek ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Elk Creek: Elk Crk. (or less commonly used: Elk Ck. or Elk Cr.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Elk Creek. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Elk Creek.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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.

Elk Creek 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 Elk Creek. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Elk Creek:

  • Otsego County     (The home county of Elk Creek)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Creek, with the one closest to Elk Creek listed first.
    • Schenevus
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Worcester
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Westville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Westville is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
    • Westford
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Maryland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Middlefield
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Middlefield is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
    • Decatur
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Decatur is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
    • Milford
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Phoenix Mills
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Phoenix Mills is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix Mills
    • Calcutta
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Calcutta is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calcutta
    • Bowerstown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Bowerstown is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerstown
    • Hartwick Seminary
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Hartwick Seminary is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick Seminary
  • Chenango County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Creek, with the one closest to Elk Creek listed first.
    • New Berlin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Button City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Button City is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Button City
    • Columbus
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Columbus is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus
    • Lathams Corners
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Lathams Corners is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lathams Corners
    • Mount Upton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Delaware County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Creek, with the one closest to Elk Creek listed first.
    • Simpsonville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Simpsonville is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpsonville
    • North Kortright
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • North Kortright is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Kortright
    • Davenport Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Harpersfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Shackport
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Shackport is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shackport
    • Stamford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bloomville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • South Kortright
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Hobart
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • North Franklin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • North Franklin is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Franklin
    • Bovina Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Bovina
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Bovina is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bovina
  • Greene County
    • Red Falls
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Red Falls is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Falls
  • Herkimer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Creek, with the one closest to Elk Creek listed first.
    • Cullen
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Cullen is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullen
    • Starkville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Starkville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starkville
    • South Columbia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • South Columbia is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Columbia
    • Deck
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Deck is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deck
    • Fort Plain
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Paines Hollow
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Paines Hollow is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paines Hollow
    • Edicks
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Edicks is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edicks
    • Newville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Newville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newville
    • Chepachet
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Chepachet is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chepachet
    • Millers Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Millers Mills is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Mills
    • Cedarville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedarville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
    • West Winfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Madison County
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Creek, with the one closest to Elk Creek listed first.
    • Sprout Brook
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Buel
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Buel is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buel
    • Ames
      (20 miles [32.2 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
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Brookman Corners is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookman Corners
    • Flat Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Flat Creek is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Creek
    • Lykers
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Lykers is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lykers
    • Hallsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Hallsville is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsville
    • Canajoharie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Nelliston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Palatine Bridge
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Mindenville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Mindenville is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mindenville
    • Randall
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Randall is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
  • Oneida County
    • Bridgewater
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Schoharie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Creek, with the one closest to Elk Creek listed first.
    • Summit
      (12 miles [19.3 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>
    • Beards Hollow
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Beards Hollow is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beards Hollow
    • Richmondville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Jefferson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Janesville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Janesville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janesville
    • Seward
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Seward is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seward
    • South Jefferson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • South Jefferson is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jefferson
    • Warnerville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Leesville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Leesville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
    • Vintonton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Vintonton is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vintonton
    • Lawyersville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Lawyersville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawyersville
    • Sharon Springs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Elk Creek ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Elk Creek.

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 Elk Creek - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Elk Creek Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Schenevus Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Platt Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Joseph's RC Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Westville Baptist Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Draper Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Westford Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Westville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Waters Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Maryland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bliven Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (454 more) ...
    • Decatur Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Simpson Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Strain Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

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 Elk Creek had a population of 52 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Schenevus
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Chaseville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Chaseville is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaseville
  • Worcester
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Westville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Westville is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
  • Maryland
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Westford
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Fergusonville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Fergusonville is located in Delaware County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fergusonville
  • South Worcester
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • South Worcester is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Worcester
  • Decatur
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Decatur is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
  • Middlefield
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Middlefield is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
  • Milford
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Phoenix Mills
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Phoenix Mills is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix Mills
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Elk Creek ...

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 71 newspapers that have been published in the area around Elk Creek.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Elk Creek. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Elk Creek and those printed in the larger area surrounding Elk Creek.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4> of Elk Creek.

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 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 Elk Creek:

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 Elk Creek, 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- Elk Creek) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.