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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 Higgins Bay (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 Higgins Bay. 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 Higgins Bay ...

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.

While the name of this community is Higgins Bay, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Higgins Bay may originally have been Higgin's Bay.

Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Higgins Bay might be written as Higgin Bay.

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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Higgins Bay is located in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County: Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Herkimer, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga & Warren.

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

  • Hamilton County     (The home county of Higgins Bay)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Bay, with the one closest to Higgins Bay listed first.
    • Piseco
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Blackbridge ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Blackbridge is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackbridge
    • Gilmantown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Gilmantown is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmantown
    • Arietta
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Arietta is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arietta
    • Wells
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Speculator
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Morehouseville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Morehouseville is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morehouseville
    • Benson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Benson is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benson
    • Hope
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Sabael
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Inlet
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Raquette Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Indian Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Bay, with the one closest to Higgins Bay listed first.
    • Emmonsburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Emmonsburg is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmonsburg
    • Middle Sprite
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Middle Sprite is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Sprite
    • Jackson Summit
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Jackson Summit is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Summit
    • Northville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Cranberry Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Cranberry Creek is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranberry Creek
    • Rockwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Rockwood is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
    • Garoga
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Garoga is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garoga
    • Lassellsville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Lassellsville is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lassellsville
    • Meco
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Meco is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meco
    • Mayfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Gloversville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Crum Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Crum Creek is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crum Creek
    • Berkshire
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Berkshire is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkshire
  • Herkimer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Bay, with the one closest to Higgins Bay listed first.
    • Gray
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Gray is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray
    • Salisbury Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Salisbury
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Salisbury is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
    • Dolgeville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Norway
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Norway is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway
    • Cold Brook
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Grant
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Grant is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
    • Northwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Northwood is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwood
    • Middleville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Newport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Old City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Old City is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old City
    • Poland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Russia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Russia is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russia
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Bay, with the one closest to Higgins Bay listed first.
    • Saint Johnsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Mindenville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Mindenville is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mindenville
  • Saratoga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Bay, with the one closest to Higgins Bay listed first.
    • Edinburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Day Center
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Day Center is located in Saratoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Day Center
    • Batchellerville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Batchellerville is located in Saratoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batchellerville
    • Allentown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Allentown is located in Saratoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allentown
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Bay, with the one closest to Higgins Bay listed first.
    • Harrisburg
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Harrisburg is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
    • Bakers Mills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Stony Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Higgins Bay ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Higgins Bay.

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 Higgins Bay - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Fish Mtn. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • South Side Lake Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Spruce Hill Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Wadswarth Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Stratford Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Roundtop Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Five Point Cemetery
    (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
  • Bleeker Cemetery
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Willard Cemetery
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Bleecker Center Cemetery
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (107 more) ...
    • Peck Cemetery
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • St. Bridgett's Cemetery
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Middle Sprite Cemetery
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)

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

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

  • Rudeston
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Rudeston is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudeston
  • Piseco
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Arietta
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Arietta is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arietta
  • Wells
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Morehouseville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Morehouseville is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morehouseville
  • Benson
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Benson is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benson
  • Hope
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Hope is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
  • Griffin
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Griffin is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
  • Stratford
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Emmonsburg
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Emmonsburg is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmonsburg
  • Middle Sprite
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Middle Sprite is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Sprite
  • Lotville
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Lotville is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lotville
  • Continue List   (19 more) ...
    • Bleecker
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Bleecker is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bleecker
    • Sacandaga Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sacandaga Park is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sacandaga Park
    • Gray
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Gray is located in Herkimer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray

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

Newspapers Published in Higgins Bay ...

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 110 newspapers that have been published in the area around Higgins Bay.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Higgins Bay, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Higgins Bay.

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 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 Higgins Bay:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>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.
<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 Higgins Bay, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>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- Higgins Bay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.