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 Old Chatham (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 Old Chatham. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.
Old Chatham is located in Columbia 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 Columbia County: Litchfield (CT), Berkshire (MA), Albany, Dutchess, Greene, Rensselaer & Ulster.
Below are the counties that are near Old Chatham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Old Chatham:
- Columbia County (The home county of Old Chatham)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Riders Mills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Riders Mills is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riders Mills
- Rock City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Rock City is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- New Britain ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- New Britain is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Britain
- New Concord
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- New Concord is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Concord
- Chatham Center
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chatham Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham Center
- North Chatham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- North Chatham is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chatham
- Chatham
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Niverville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Canaan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Moorhouse Corner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Moorhouse Corner is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorhouse Corner
- Canaan Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Canaan Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan Center
- Red Rock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Red Rock is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Rock
- Valatie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Albany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Coeymans
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Ravena
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Selkirk
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Beckers Corners
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Beckers Corners is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckers Corners
- Aquetuck
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Aquetuck is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aquetuck
- Glenmont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Bethlehem
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Bethlehem is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bethlehem
- Bethlehem Center
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bethlehem Center is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem Center
- Normansville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Normansville is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normansville
- Coeymans Hollow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Albany
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Delmar
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Alcove
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dutchess County
- Jackson Corners
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jackson Corners is located in Dutchess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Corners
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Coxsackie
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Medway
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Medway is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medway
- Athens
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Surprise
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Jefferson Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jefferson Heights is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Heights
- Leeds
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gayhead
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Gayhead is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayhead
- Catskill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Catskill is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catskill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
- South Cairo
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- South Cairo is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Cairo
- Greenville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Cairo Junction
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Cairo Junction is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo Junction
- Cairo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Woodstock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Woodstock is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
- Rensselaer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Brainard
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Nassau
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- East Nassau
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- East Nassau is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Nassau
- Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
- Hoag Corners
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Hoag Corners is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoag Corners
- East Schodack
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Schodack Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Schodack Center is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schodack Center
- West Stephentown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Stephentown is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Stephentown
- Schodack Landing
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Sliters
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Sliters is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sliters
- Wyomanock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wyomanock is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyomanock
- Castleton-on-Hudson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Best
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Best is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Best
- East Greenbush
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saratoga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Waterford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Halfmoon Beach
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Halfmoon Beach is located in Saratoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfmoon Beach
- Halfmoon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Groom Corners
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Groom Corners is located in Saratoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groom Corners
- Schenectady County
- Niskayuna
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ulster County
- Malden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Malden is located in Ulster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malden
- Malden has also been known as:
- Malden-on-Hudson
- Litchfield County (CT)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Taconic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Twin Lakes
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Twin Lakes is located in Litchfield County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Canaan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Clayton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Clayton is located in Litchfield County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton
- Wangum Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wangum Village is located in Litchfield County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangum Village
- Berkshire County (MA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Richmond
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Richmond is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,410 people
- Shaker Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Shaker Village is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaker Village
- Stevens Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Stevens Corner is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens Corner
- West Stockbridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- West Stockbridge is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Stockbridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,250 people
- Rockdale Mills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Rockdale Mills is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale Mills
- Hancock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hancock is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 695 people
- Lenox
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lenox is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,933 people
- Pittsfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Pittsfield is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41,834 people
- Glendale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Glendale is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Alford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Alford is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 485 people
- Housatonic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Housatonic is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Housatonic
- Stockbridge
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stockbridge is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockbridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,883 people
- Lanesborough
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Lanesborough is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesborough
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,925 people
- Hampshire County (MA)
- Middlefield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Middlefield is located in Hampshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 538 people
- Bennington County (VT)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- Pownal
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pownal is located in Bennington County (VT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pownal
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,386 people
- Pownal Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pownal Center is located in Bennington County (VT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pownal Center
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Old Chatham, see our County-by-County Page for Old Chatham.
Cemeteries Near Old Chatham ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Old Chatham.
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 Old Chatham - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Old Chatham covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- The Maples Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain View Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lovejoy - Beebe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- North Chatham Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Valatie Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Chatham Rural Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Nassau - Schodack Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nassau - Schodack Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Nassau - Schodack Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southwest of Nassau.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #65404 <3>
- Prospect Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Red Rock Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Canaan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kinderhook Reformed Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Shufelt Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (398 more) ...
- St. James Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cornwall - Tilden Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Old Chatham had a population of 246 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Old Chatham, with the one closest to Old Chatham listed first.
- East Chatham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- East Chatham is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Chatham
- Malden Bridge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rayville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rayville is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rayville
- Riders Mills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Riders Mills is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riders Mills
- Chatham Center
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chatham Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham Center
- New Concord
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- New Concord is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Concord
- Brainard
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Chatham
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Nassau
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- West Lebanon
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- West Lebanon is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- Niverville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Valatie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Red Rock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Red Rock is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Rock
- Canaan Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Canaan Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan Center
- Canaan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Old Chatham. See our List of 1890's Communities around Old Chatham.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Old Chatham ...
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 55 newspapers that have been published in the area around Old Chatham.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Old Chatham. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Old Chatham and those printed in the larger area surrounding Old Chatham.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<2> of Old Chatham.
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 either 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 Old Chatham:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Columbia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Albany County
- Dutchess County
- Greene County
- Rensselaer County
- Saratoga County
- Schenectady County
- Ulster County
- Litchfield County
- Berkshire County
- Hampshire County
- Bennington County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for New York
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> | 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- Old Chatham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Old Chatham, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |