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 Port Ontario (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 Port Ontario. 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 Port Ontario ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Port Ontario: Prt. Ontario
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 doctors 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.
Port Ontario is located in Oswego 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 Oswego County: Cayuga, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida & Onondaga.
Below are the counties that are near Port Ontario. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Port Ontario:
- Oswego County (The home county of Port Ontario)
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- Daysville Corner
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Daysville Corner is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daysville Corner
- Daysville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Daysville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daysville
- Pulaski
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Texas
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Texas is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas
- Arthur
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Arthur is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Richland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lacona
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sandy Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mexico
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Prattham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Prattham is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prattham
- Graftons Square
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Graftons Square is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graftons Square
- Albion Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Albion Center is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
- Cayuga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- North Sterling
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- North Sterling is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sterling
- Sterling Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sterling Valley is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Valley
- Ira
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ira is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- Ellisburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Mannsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Woodville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Woodville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Jefferson Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Jefferson Park is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Park
- Belleville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lorraine
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Adams
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Henderson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Lyon Corner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Lyon Corner is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyon Corner
- Worth Center
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Worth Center is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worth Center
- Worth
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Worth is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worth
- Adams Center
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- Osceola
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Osceola is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Barnes Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Barnes Corners is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes Corners
- New Boston
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- New Boston is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Boston
- Leisher Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Leisher Mill is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisher Mill
- Parkers
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Parkers is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkers
- Rector
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rector is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rector
- Michigan Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Michigan Mills is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michigan Mills
- Madison County
- Bridgeport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Oneida County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- Elpis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elpis is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elpis
- Camden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jewell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jewell is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Onondaga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- Brewerton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Wrights Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Wrights Corners is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights Corners
- Clay
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Euclid
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Euclid is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euclid
- Jacksonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Little Utica
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Little Utica is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Utica
- Lysander
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lysander is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
- Baldwinsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- North Syracuse
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- North Syracuse is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Syracuse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,595 people
- Village Green
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Village Green is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village Green
- Plainville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Port Ontario, see our County-by-County Page for Port Ontario.
Cemeteries Near Port Ontario ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Port Ontario.
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 Port Ontario - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Port Ontario covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- Brown's Landing Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Daysville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Pulaski Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- North Street Road Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Parker - Ramsey Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- South Richland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Riverside Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- McClelland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Arthur Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Richland Village Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Noyes Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Scripture Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (193 more) ...
- Mexico Village Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Mexico Primitive Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Maple View Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Port Ontario had a population of 317 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Port Ontario, with the one closest to Port Ontario listed first.
- Daysville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Daysville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daysville
- Pulaski
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Texas
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Texas is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas
- Arthur
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Arthur is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Richland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mexico
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Prattham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Prattham is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prattham
- Lacona
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sandy Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Haven
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- New Haven is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
- Dugway
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dugway is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dugway
- Orwell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Lycoming
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Colosse
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Colosse is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colosse
- South New Haven
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- South New Haven is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South New Haven
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Port Ontario. See our List of 1890's Communities around Port Ontario.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Port Ontario ...
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 102 newspapers that have been published in the area around Port Ontario.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Port Ontario. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Port Ontario and those printed in the larger area surrounding Port Ontario.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4> of Port Ontario.
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 Port Ontario:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Oswego County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cayuga County
- Jefferson County
- Lewis County
- Madison County
- Oneida County
- Onondaga 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> | 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 Port Ontario, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Port Ontario) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |