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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 Mays Point (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 Mays Point. 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 Mays Point ...

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.

  • A typical abbreviation for Mays Point: Mays Pt.
  • While the name of this community is Mays Point, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Mays Point may originally have been May's Point.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Mays Point might be written as May Point.

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 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.

Mays Point is located in Seneca 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 Seneca County: Cayuga, Ontario, Schuyler, Tompkins, Wayne & Yates.

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

  • Seneca County     (The home county of Mays Point)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Tyre
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Tyre is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
    • Seneca Falls
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Waterloo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Canoga
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Canoga is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canoga
    • Kuneytown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Kuneytown is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuneytown
    • Border City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Border City is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border City
    • East Varick
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • East Varick is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Varick
    • Romulus
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Ovid
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Willard
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Kidders
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Kidders is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kidders
    • Interlaken
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Interlaken is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interlaken
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 599 people
      • Former names for Interlaken:
      • Farmer Village
      • Farmer
      • Farmerville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Interlaken <2>
  • Cayuga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Cayuga
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Port Byron
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Port Byron is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Byron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,181 people
      • Former name for Port Byron:
      • Bucksville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Port Byron <2>
    • Throop
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Throop is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throop
    • Cross Roads
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Cross Roads is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Roads
    • Oakwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakwood is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
    • Weedsport
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Auburn
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Sennett
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Union Springs
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Melrose Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Melrose Park is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose Park
    • Victory
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Victory is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
    • Cato
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Onondaga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Jordan
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Elbridge
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Mottville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Skaneateles
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Halfway
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Halfway is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfway
    • Jacks Reef
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Jacks Reef is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Reef
    • Plainville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Memphis
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Mandana
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Mandana is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mandana
    • Marcellus Falls
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Marcellus Falls is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcellus Falls
    • Marcellus
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Lysander
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Lysander is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
  • Ontario County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Thompson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Thompson is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
    • Dobbins Corner
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Dobbins Corner is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobbins Corner
    • West Junius
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • West Junius is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Junius
    • Geneva
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Phelps
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Melvin Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Melvin Hill is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin Hill
    • Billsboro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Billsboro is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billsboro
    • Seneca Castle
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Clifton Springs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Flint
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Flint is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
    • Port Gibson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Hall
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Oswego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Hannibal
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Bowens Corners
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Bowens Corners is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowens Corners
    • Fairdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Fairdale is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
    • South Granby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • South Granby is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Granby
    • Granby Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Granby Center is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby Center
    • Hinmansville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hinmansville is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinmansville
    • Fulton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Phoenix
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Furniss
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Furniss is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniss
    • Ingalls Crossing
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ingalls Crossing is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls Crossing
    • Southwest Oswego
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Southwest Oswego is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest Oswego
  • Tompkins County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Lake Ridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Lake Ridge is located in Tompkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ridge
    • North Lansing
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • North Lansing is located in Tompkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lansing
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Clyde
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • South Butler
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • South Butler is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Butler
    • Lyons
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Wayne Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Wayne Center is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayne Center
    • Wolcott
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • South Sodus
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • South Sodus is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sodus
    • York
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • York is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
    • Mud Mills
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Mud Mills is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mud Mills
    • Furnace Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Furnace Village is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
    • Huron
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
    • Fairville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairville is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairville
    • Newark
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Yates County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Point, with the one closest to Mays Point listed first.
    • Angus
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Angus is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angus
    • Bellona
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Dresden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Benton Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Benton Center is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Center
    • Seneca Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Seneca Mills is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca Mills
    • Penn Yan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Rushville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Himrod
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Yatesville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Yatesville is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yatesville
    • Potter
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Potter is located in Yates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter

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

Cemeteries Near Mays Point ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mays Point.

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 Mays Point - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Crusoe Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Harvey Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Traver Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Wiley Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Tyre City Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Montezuma Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Old Montezuma Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Fox Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Springbrook Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Fairchild Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • McArthur Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Mentz Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (466 more) ...
    • Lockpit Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Dutch Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • St. Columbkille Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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.<3>

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

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

  • Tyre
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Tyre is located in Seneca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
  • Montezuma
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Savannah
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Cayuga
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Fosterville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Fosterville is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fosterville
  • Fox Ridge
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Fox Ridge is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Ridge
  • Seneca Falls
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Port Byron
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Port Byron is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Byron
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,181 people
    • Former name for Port Byron:
    • Bucksville
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Port Byron <2>
  • Marengo
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Marengo is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marengo
  • Waterloo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Throopsville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Throopsville is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throopsville
  • Clyde
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • South Butler
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • South Butler is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Butler
    • Canoga
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Canoga is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canoga
    • Cayuga Junction
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Cayuga Junction is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga Junction

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

Newspapers Published in Mays Point ...

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 122 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mays Point.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mays Point, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mays Point.

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 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 Mays Point:

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>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 Mays Point, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Mays Point) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.