RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of New York >> Otsego County >> Five Points >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Five Points (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 Five Points. 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 Five Points ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Five Points: Five Pts.

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

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 hospitals and doctors 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.

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

  • Otsego County     (The home county of Five Points)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Middlefield
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Middlefield is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
    • Westford
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Pleasant Brook
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Pleasant Brook is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Brook
    • Roseboom
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Westville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Westville is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
    • South Valley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • South Valley is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Valley
    • Decatur
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Decatur is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
    • Bowerstown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Bowerstown is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerstown
    • Middlefield Center
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Middlefield Center is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield Center
    • Worcester
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Cooperstown
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Phoenix Mills
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Phoenix Mills is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix Mills
  • Chenango County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Button City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Button City is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Button City
    • New Berlin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Columbus
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Columbus is located in Chenango County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus
  • Delaware County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Simpsonville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Simpsonville is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpsonville
    • Davenport Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Harpersfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • North Kortright
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • North Kortright is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Kortright
    • Shackport
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Shackport is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shackport
    • Stamford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hobart
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Bloomville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • South Kortright
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • North Franklin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • North Franklin is located in Delaware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Franklin
    • Grand Gorge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Bovina Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Crum Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Crum Creek is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crum Creek
    • Ephratah
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ephratah is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephratah
    • Lassellsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Lassellsville is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lassellsville
    • Sammonsville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Sammonsville is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sammonsville
    • Garoga
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Garoga is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garoga
    • Rockwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Rockwood is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
  • Herkimer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Cullen
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cullen is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullen
    • Starkville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Starkville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starkville
    • South Columbia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • South Columbia is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Columbia
    • Deck
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Deck is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deck
    • Fort Plain
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Edicks
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Edicks is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edicks
    • Newville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Newville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newville
    • Paines Hollow
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Paines Hollow is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paines Hollow
    • Millers Mills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Millers Mills is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Mills
    • Chepachet
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Chepachet is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chepachet
    • Jacksonburg
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Jacksonburg is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonburg
    • Cedarville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedarville is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
  • Madison County
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Sprout Brook
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Buel
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Buel is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buel
    • Ames
      (15 miles [24.1 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
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Brookman Corners is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookman Corners
    • Hallsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Hallsville is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsville
    • Canajoharie
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Flat Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Flat Creek is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Creek
    • Lykers
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Lykers is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lykers
    • Nelliston
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Palatine Bridge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Mindenville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Mindenville is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mindenville
    • Saint Johnsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
  • Oneida County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Bridgewater
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • North Bridgewater
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • North Bridgewater is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bridgewater
    • Pine Village Estates
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Pine Village Estates is located in Oneida County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Village Estates
    • Cassville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Clayville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Schoharie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Five Points, with the one closest to Five Points listed first.
    • Seward
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Seward is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seward
    • Leesville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Leesville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
    • Janesville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Janesville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janesville
    • Richmondville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Sharon Springs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • 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
    • Summit
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Lawyersville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Lawyersville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawyersville
    • Warnerville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Cobleskill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Argusville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Argusville is located in Schoharie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argusville
    • Jefferson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Five Points ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Five Points.

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 Five Points - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Westford Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Middlefield Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Draper Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Westville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Decatur Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Roseboom Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Old Middlefield Center Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Westville Baptist Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • South Valley Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Winnie Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Lakewood Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Lakewood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Cooperstown.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #65055 <2>
  • Elk Creek Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (467 more) ...
    • Maple Grove Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • St. Joseph's RC Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Ferris Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)

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

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

  • Middlefield
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Middlefield is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
  • Westford
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Brook
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Pleasant Brook is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Brook
  • Westville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Westville is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
  • Roseboom
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Decatur
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Decatur is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
  • Lentsville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Lentsville is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lentsville
  • South Valley
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • South Valley is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Valley
  • Middlefield Center
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Middlefield Center is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield Center
  • Elk Creek
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Elk Creek is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Creek
  • Worcester
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Cooperstown
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Phoenix Mills
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Phoenix Mills is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix Mills
    • Toddsville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Toddsville is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toddsville
    • Hartwick Seminary
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Hartwick Seminary is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick Seminary

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

Newspapers Published in Five Points ...

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 107 newspapers that have been published in the area around Five Points.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Five Points, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Five Points.

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 helpful 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 Five Points:

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