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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 Rayville (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 Rayville. 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 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.

Rayville 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 Rayville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rayville:

  • Columbia County     (The home county of Rayville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Riders Mills
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Riders Mills is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riders Mills
    • New Britain ‑ Historic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • New Britain is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Britain
    • New Concord
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • New Concord is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Concord
    • Chatham Center
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Chatham Center is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham Center
    • Rock City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Rock City is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
    • North Chatham
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • North Chatham is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chatham
    • Canaan
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • 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
    • Niverville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Red Rock
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Red Rock is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Rock
    • Chatham
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Valatie
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Moorhouse Corner
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Moorhouse Corner is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorhouse Corner
  • Albany County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Coeymans
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Ravena
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Selkirk
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Glenmont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Aquetuck
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Aquetuck is located in Albany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aquetuck
    • Beckers Corners
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Beckers Corners is located in Albany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckers Corners
    • 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
    • South Bethlehem
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • South Bethlehem is located in Albany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bethlehem
    • Albany
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Normansville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Normansville is located in Albany County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normansville
    • Delmar
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Menands
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Coeymans Hollow
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Greene County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Coxsackie
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Medway
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Medway is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medway
    • Athens
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Surprise
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Jefferson Heights
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Jefferson Heights is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Heights
    • Leeds
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Gayhead
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Gayhead is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayhead
    • Catskill
      (24 miles [38.6 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
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • South Cairo is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Cairo
    • Greenville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Cairo Junction
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Cairo Junction is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo Junction
    • Cairo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Woodstock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Woodstock is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
  • Rensselaer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Brainard
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • East Nassau
      (4 miles [6.4 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
    • Nassau
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Nassau is located in Rensselaer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nassau
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nassau <1>
    • Hoag Corners
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Hoag Corners is located in Rensselaer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoag Corners
    • West Stephentown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • West Stephentown is located in Rensselaer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Stephentown
    • East Schodack
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Wyomanock
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Wyomanock is located in Rensselaer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyomanock
    • 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
    • Sliters
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Sliters is located in Rensselaer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sliters
    • Stephentown
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Averill Park
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Best
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Best is located in Rensselaer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Best
    • Castleton-on-Hudson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Saratoga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Waterford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Halfmoon Beach
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Halfmoon Beach is located in Saratoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfmoon Beach
    • Halfmoon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Groom Corners
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Groom Corners is located in Saratoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groom Corners
    • Clifton Park
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Schenectady County
  • Litchfield County (CT)
    • Taconic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Berkshire County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Shaker Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Shaker Village is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaker Village
    • 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
    • Stevens Corner
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Stevens Corner is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens Corner
    • Hancock
      (12 miles [19.3 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
    • 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
    • Pittsfield
      (14 miles [22.5 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
    • Lenox
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Lenox is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,933 people
    • Rockdale Mills
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Rockdale Mills is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale Mills
    • Glendale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Glendale is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Lanesborough
      (16 miles [25.7 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
    • Housatonic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Housatonic is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Housatonic
    • Lenox Station
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lenox Station is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox Station
    • 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
  • Franklin County (MA)
    • West Hawley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • West Hawley is located in Franklin County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hawley
  • Hampshire County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Middlefield
      (27 miles [43.5 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
    • Worthington Corners
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Worthington Corners is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington Corners
    • Worthington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Worthington is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,176 people
  • Bennington County (VT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rayville, with the one closest to Rayville listed first.
    • Pownal
      (27 miles [43.5 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
      (28 miles [45.1 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 Rayville, see our County-by-County Page for Rayville.

Cemeteries Near Rayville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rayville.

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

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

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

  • The Maples Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Nassau - Schodack Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • North Chatham Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Lovejoy - Beebe Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Gilbert Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Canaan Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Cornwall - Tilden Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Larkin Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Valatie Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Chatham Rural Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (415 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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Rayville had a population of 36 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Riders Mills
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Riders Mills is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riders Mills
  • Old Chatham
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Brainard
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Malden Bridge
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • East Chatham
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • East Chatham is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Chatham
  • West Lebanon
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • West Lebanon is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
  • Chatham Center
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Chatham Center is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham Center
  • New Concord
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • New Concord is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Concord
  • East Nassau
    (4 miles [6.4 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
  • Canaan
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • New Lebanon Center
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • New Lebanon Center is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon Center
  • Nassau
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Nassau is located in Rensselaer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nassau
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nassau <1>
  • Continue List   (20 more) ...
    • Niverville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • 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
    • Hoag Corners
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Hoag Corners is located in Rensselaer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoag Corners

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

Newspapers Published in Rayville ...

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 53 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rayville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rayville, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rayville.

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 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 Rayville:

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' (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- Rayville) 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 Rayville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.