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 Ray (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 Ray. 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 doctors and 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.
Ray is located in Genesee 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 Genesee County: Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Orleans & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near Ray. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ray:
- Genesee County (The home county of Ray)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Sawens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Sawens is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawens
- Alexander
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Griswold
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Griswold is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
- Brookville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Brookville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookville
- East Alexander
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- East Alexander is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Alexander
- West Bethany
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- West Bethany is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bethany
- Bushville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bushville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushville
- Ridgewood Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Ridgewood Village is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgewood Village
- Corfu
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- North Pembroke
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- North Pembroke is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pembroke
- Batavia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Linden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Linden is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Cattaraugus County
- Yorkshire
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Yorkshire is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
- Erie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Crittenden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Alden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Akron
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Alden Center
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Alden Center is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alden Center
- Akron Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Akron Junction is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron Junction
- Williston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Looneyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Looneyville is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Looneyville
- Town Line
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Porterville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Porterville is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterville
- Elma Center
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Elma Center is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elma Center
- Clarence Center
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Elma
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Craigs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Craigs is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigs
- Inverness
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Inverness is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
- York
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- York is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Caledonia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Pine Tavern
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Tavern is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Tavern
- Leicester
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Leicester is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leicester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 441 people
- Former names for Leicester:
- Leister
- Moscow
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leicester <1>
- Cuylerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cuylerville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuylerville
- Mount Morris
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Geneseo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Avon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Avon is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,294 people
- Lewis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lewis is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewis
- East Groveland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- East Groveland is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Groveland
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Mumford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Riga
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Riga is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riga
- Belcoda
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Belcoda is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belcoda
- Churchville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Sweden Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Sweden Center is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweden Center
- Clifton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Clifton is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Garbutt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Garbutt is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garbutt
- Brockport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Clarkson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- North Chili
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- North Chili is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chili
- Redman Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Redman Corners is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redman Corners
- Adams Basin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Niagara County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Dysinger
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Dysinger is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dysinger
- Rapids
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rapids is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapids
- Middleport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Raymond
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Raymond is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Reynales Basin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Reynales Basin is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynales Basin
- Gasport
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Johnson Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Johnson Creek is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson Creek
- Hartland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hartland is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Lockport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- South Lockport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- South Lockport is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lockport
- Pendleton Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Pendleton Center is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pendleton Center
- Lockport Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lockport Junction is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockport Junction
- Orleans County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- West Barre
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- West Barre is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Barre
- South Barre
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Barre is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barre
- Lakewood Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Lakewood Village is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Village
- Medina
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Manning
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Manning is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manning
- Albion
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Clarendon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Eagle Harbor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Eagle Harbor is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Harbor
- Jeddo
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Jeddo is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
- Gaines
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Gaines is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaines
- Brockville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Brockville is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockville
- Holley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Attica
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Dale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Folsomdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Folsomdale is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsomdale
- Varysburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Wyoming
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Johnsonburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Johnsonburg is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonburg
- Harris Corners
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Harris Corners is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Corners
- Covington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Covington is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
- Warsaw
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Java
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Peoria
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Peoria is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
- Newburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Newburg is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ray, see our County-by-County Page for Ray.
Cemeteries Near Ray ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ray.
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 Ray - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ray covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Maple Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Darien Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Alexander Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hillside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Our Lady of Good Counsel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Bennington German Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Summit View Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Forest Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Hill Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Attica.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #64568 <2>
- Forest Hills Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Vincent Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- West Bethany Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (418 more) ...
- West Bethany Rural Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Old Towne Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- North Pembroke Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
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 in 1895, Ray had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ray, with the one closest to Ray listed first.
- Sawens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Sawens is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawens
- Darien
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Darien is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darien
- Griswold
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Griswold is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
- Alexander
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- West Batavia
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- West Batavia is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Batavia
- Attica
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- East Pembroke
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Darien Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- West Bethany
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- West Bethany is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bethany
- East Alexander
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- East Alexander is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Alexander
- Corfu
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- North Pembroke
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- North Pembroke is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pembroke
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Sierks
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sierks is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sierks
- Linden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Linden is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Batavia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ray. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ray.
Newspapers Published in Ray ...
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 72 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ray.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ray, 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 Ray.
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 helpful 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 Ray:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Genesee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cattaraugus County
- Erie County
- Livingston County
- Monroe County
- Niagara County
- Orleans County
- Wyoming 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 Ray, 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- Ray) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |