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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 Otisville (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 Otisville. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Otisville is located in Orange 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 Orange County: Passaic (NJ), Sussex (NJ), Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster & Pike (PA).

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

  • Orange County     (The home county of Otisville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • Port Orange
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Port Orange is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Orange
    • Cuddebackville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Finchville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Finchville is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchville
    • Paradise
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Paradise is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
    • Middletown
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Washington Heights
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Washington Heights is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Heights
    • South Centerville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • South Centerville is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Centerville
    • Huguenot
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Shin Hollow
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Shin Hollow is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shin Hollow
    • East Middletown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • East Middletown is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Middletown
    • New Hampton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • New Hampton is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hampton
    • Mechanicstown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Mechanicstown is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicstown
    • Michigan Corners
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Michigan Corners is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michigan Corners
  • Dutchess County
    • Beacon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Beacon is located in Dutchess County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beacon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,930 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Beacon <1>
  • Greene County
    • Cornwall-on-Hudson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Cornwall-on-Hudson is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwall-on-Hudson
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • Cold Spring
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Nelsonville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Nelsonville is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelsonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 632 people
  • Rockland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • Sloatsburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Ramapo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Ramapo is located in Rockland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramapo
    • Doodletown ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Doodletown is located in Rockland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doodletown
    • Hillburn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Sullivan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • Wurtsboro
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Yankee Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Yankee Lake is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankee Lake
    • Bloomingburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Rock Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Summitville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Glen Wild
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Thompsonville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Monticello
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Squirrels Corners
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Squirrels Corners is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Squirrels Corners
    • Pond Eddy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Woodridge
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • South Fallsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Eldred
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Ulster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • Walker Valley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Glen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Ulsterville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Ulsterville is located in Ulster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ulsterville
    • Cragsmoor
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cragsmoor is located in Ulster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cragsmoor
    • Crawford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Crawford is located in Ulster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
    • Dwaarkill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Dwaarkill is located in Ulster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwaarkill
    • Ellenville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Bruynswick
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Bruynswick is located in Ulster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruynswick
    • Napanoch
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Rutsonville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Rutsonville is located in Ulster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutsonville
    • Wallkill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Port Ben
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Port Ben is located in Ulster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Ben
    • Wawarsing
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Morris County (NJ)
    • Newfoundland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Newfoundland is located in Morris County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newfoundland
  • Passaic County (NJ)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • West Milford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • West Milford is located in Passaic County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Milford
    • Macopin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Macopin is located in Passaic County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macopin
  • Sussex County (NJ)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • Colesville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Colesville is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colesville
    • Vernon Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Vernon Valley is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Valley
    • Libertyville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Libertyville is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Libertyville
    • McCoys Corner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • McCoys Corner is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCoys Corner
    • Highland Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Highland Lake is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Lake
    • Roys
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Roys is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roys
    • Beaver Run
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Beaver Run is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Run
    • Hardistonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Hardistonville is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardistonville
    • Pellettown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Pellettown is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pellettown
    • Wykertown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Wykertown is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wykertown
    • Armstrong
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Armstrong is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
    • Layton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Layton is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layton
    • Normanook
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Normanook is located in Sussex County (NJ)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normanook
  • Pike County (PA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisville, with the one closest to Otisville listed first.
    • Matamoras
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Millrift
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Millrift is located in Pike County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millrift
    • Milford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Parkers Glen
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Parkers Glen is located in Pike County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkers Glen
    • Conashaugh
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Conashaugh is located in Pike County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conashaugh
    • Lackawaxen
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Westcolang
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Westcolang is located in Pike County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westcolang
    • Masthope
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Masthope is located in Pike County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masthope
    • Rowland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Delaware
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Delaware is located in Pike County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaware
    • Lords Valley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Kimble
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Kimble is located in Pike County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimble
  • Wayne County (PA)
    • Milanville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Milanville is located in Wayne County (PA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milanville

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

Cemeteries Near Otisville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Otisville.

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

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

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

  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Belle Terre Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • New Vernon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Union Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Old School Baptist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Pinehill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Joseph Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Pine Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Stewartown Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Ridgebury Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bloomingburg Rural Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (194 more) ...

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 Otisville had a population of 500 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Otisville had a population of 1,057 people.

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

  • Mount Hope
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Hope is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hope
  • Westbrookville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Port Orange
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Port Orange is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Orange
  • Cuddebackville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Roses Point
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Roses Point is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roses Point
  • Howells
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Godeffroy
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Guymard
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Guymard is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guymard
  • Haven
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Haven is located in Sullivan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haven
  • Winterton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Winterton is located in Sullivan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterton
  • Paradise
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Paradise is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
  • Huguenot
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • South Centerville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • South Centerville is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Centerville
    • Slate Hill
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Middletown
      (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 Otisville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Otisville.

Newspapers Published in Otisville ...

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 141 newspapers that have been published in the area around Otisville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Otisville, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Otisville.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Otisville:

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 Otisville, 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- Otisville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.