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 Riders (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 Riders. 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 Riders ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
While the name of this community is Riders, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Riders may originally have been Rider's.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Riders. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Riders.
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 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.
Riders 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 Riders. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Riders:
- Columbia County (The home county of Riders)
- The following are listed by their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders 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 southeast)
- New Britain is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Britain
- 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
- New Concord
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- New Concord is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Concord
- Rock City
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Rock City is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Chatham Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Chatham Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham Center
- Canaan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Niverville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Canaan Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Canaan Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan Center
- Valatie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Chatham
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- 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 Riders, with the one closest to Riders listed first.
- Coeymans
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Ravena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Selkirk
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Glenmont
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Beckers Corners
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Beckers Corners is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckers Corners
- Bethlehem Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bethlehem Center is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem Center
- Aquetuck
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Aquetuck is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aquetuck
- South Bethlehem
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- South Bethlehem is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bethlehem
- Albany
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Delmar
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Menands
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Coeymans Hollow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders 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)
- Gayhead
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Gayhead is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayhead
- 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)
- 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
- Greenville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- South Cairo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- South Cairo is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Cairo
- 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)
- Rensselaer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders 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
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hoag Corners
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hoag Corners is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoag Corners
- East Schodack
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- West Stephentown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- West Stephentown is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Stephentown
- Schodack Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Schodack Center is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schodack Center
- Wyomanock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Wyomanock is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyomanock
- Sliters
(9 miles [14.5 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)
- Best
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Best is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Best
- Luther
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Luther is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Saratoga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders listed first.
- Waterford
(22 miles [35.4 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)
- Clifton Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- 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
- Mechanicville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Schenectady County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders listed first.
- Niskayuna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rotterdam
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Litchfield County (CT)
- Taconic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Berkshire County (MA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders 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
(11 miles [17.7 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 southeast)
- 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
(13 miles [20.9 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
(15 miles [24.1 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
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rockdale Mills is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale Mills
- 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
- Glendale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Glendale is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Coltsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Coltsville is located in Berkshire County (MA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coltsville
- Alford
(17 miles [27.4 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
- 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 Riders, with the one closest to Riders listed first.
- 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
- 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 Riders, with the one closest to Riders listed first.
- Pownal Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pownal Center is located in Bennington County (VT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pownal Center
- 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
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Riders, see our County-by-County Page for Riders.
Cemeteries Near Riders ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Riders.
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 Riders - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Riders covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders listed first.
- The Maples Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Nassau - Schodack Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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<3> to the southwest of Nassau.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #65404 <4>
- North Chatham Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mountain View Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Gilbert Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lovejoy - Beebe Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cornwall - Tilden Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Larkin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Tucker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Valatie Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clarks Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (421 more) ...
- Canaan Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Prospect Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
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.<5>
While we didn't find Riders in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Riders.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Riders, with the one closest to Riders listed first.
- Rayville
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Rayville is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rayville
- 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
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- East Chatham is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Chatham
- West Lebanon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- West Lebanon is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- 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
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Chatham Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Chatham Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham Center
- New Concord
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- New Concord is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Concord
- Hoag Corners
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hoag Corners is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoag Corners
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Niverville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Canaan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Lebanon Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- New Lebanon Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon Center
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Riders. See our List of 1890's Communities around Riders.
Newspapers Published in Riders ...
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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around Riders.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Riders, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Riders.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Riders:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Columbia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Albany County
- Greene County
- Rensselaer County
- Saratoga County
- Schenectady County
- Litchfield County
- Berkshire County
- Franklin County
- Hampshire County
- Bennington County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for New York
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Riders) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |
| <5> | 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 Riders, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |