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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 Meridian (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 Meridian. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

Meridian is located in Cayuga 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 Cayuga County: Cortland, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, Tompkins & Wayne.

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

  • Cayuga County     (The home county of Meridian)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Meridian, with the one closest to Meridian listed first.
    • Cato
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Ira
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Ira is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • Victory
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Victory is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
    • North Victory
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • North Victory is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Victory
    • Weedsport
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Port Byron
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • 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 <1>
    • Sennett
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Throop
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Throop is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throop
    • Sterling Valley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Sterling Valley is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Valley
    • Fair Haven
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • North Sterling
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • North Sterling is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sterling
    • Auburn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Madison County
  • Onondaga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Meridian, with the one closest to Meridian listed first.
    • Plainville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Lysander
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Lysander is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
    • Jacksonville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Little Utica
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Little Utica is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Utica
    • Jacks Reef
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jacks Reef is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Reef
    • Jordan
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Wrights Corners
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Wrights Corners is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights Corners
    • Elbridge
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Memphis
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Baldwinsville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Village Green
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Village Green is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village Green
    • Halfway
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Halfway is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfway
  • Ontario County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Meridian, with the one closest to Meridian listed first.
    • Thompson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Thompson is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
    • West Junius
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • West Junius is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Junius
    • Dobbins Corner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Dobbins Corner is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobbins Corner
    • Phelps
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Geneva
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Oswego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Meridian, with the one closest to Meridian listed first.
    • Bowens Corners
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Bowens Corners is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowens Corners
    • South Granby
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • South Granby is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Granby
    • Fairdale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Fairdale is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
    • Granby Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Granby Center is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby Center
    • Hannibal
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Hinmansville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hinmansville is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinmansville
    • Phoenix
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Fulton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Ingalls Crossing
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Ingalls Crossing is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls Crossing
    • Pennellville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Furniss
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Furniss is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniss
    • Minetto
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Seneca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Meridian, with the one closest to Meridian listed first.
    • Tyre
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Tyre is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
    • Seneca Falls
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Canoga
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Canoga is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canoga
    • Waterloo
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Kuneytown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Kuneytown is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuneytown
    • Border City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Border City is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border City
    • East Varick
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • East Varick is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Varick
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Meridian, with the one closest to Meridian listed first.
    • Red Creek
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • South Butler
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • South Butler is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Butler
    • Wolcott
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Furnace Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Furnace Village is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
    • Clyde
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Huron
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
    • North Huron
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • North Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Huron
    • York
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • York is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
    • Wayne Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Wayne Center is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayne Center
    • South Sodus
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • South Sodus is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sodus
    • Lyons
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Sodus Point
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Meridian ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Meridian.

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

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

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

  • Meridian Village Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Marble Ridge Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Ferris Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Dutton Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Union Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • La Due Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Crosman Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Plainville Rural Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Old Presbyterian Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Lysander Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Emerson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Smith Road Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (431 more) ...
    • Adams Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • White Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Cummings Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)

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 Meridian had a population of 511 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Meridian had a population of 285 people.

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

  • Cato
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Ira
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Ira is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
  • Plainville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Lysander
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Lysander is located in Onondaga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
  • Emerson
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Emerson is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson
  • Floridaville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Floridaville is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floridaville
  • Conquest
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Conquest is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conquest
  • Bethel Corners
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Bethel Corners is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Corners
  • South Hannibal
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • South Hannibal is located in Oswego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hannibal
  • Victory
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Victory is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
  • Spring Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Spring Lake is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
  • Jordan
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Jacks Reef
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jacks Reef is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Reef
    • Little Utica
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Little Utica is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Utica
    • Weedsport
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Meridian ...

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 100 newspapers that have been published in the area around Meridian.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Meridian. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Meridian and those printed in the larger area surrounding Meridian.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4> of Meridian.

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 Meridian:

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