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 Solvay (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 Solvay. 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 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.
Solvay is located in Onondaga 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 Onondaga County: Cayuga, Cortland, Madison & Oswego.
Below are the counties that are near Solvay. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Solvay:
- Onondaga County (The home county of Solvay)
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Westvale
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Westvale is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westvale
- Fairmount
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Fairmount is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
- Lakeland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeland is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeland
- Syracuse
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Liverpool
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Galeville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Galeville is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galeville
- Lakeside
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Orchard Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Orchard Village is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Village
- Lyncourt
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lyncourt is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyncourt
- Mattydale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Camillus
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Eastwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Eastwood is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Cards Corners
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Cards Corners is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cards Corners
- Cayuga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Sennett
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Meridian
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Weedsport
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Niles
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Niles is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niles
- Throop
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Throop is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throop
- New Hope
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- New Hope is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Auburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Melrose Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Melrose Park is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose Park
- Cato
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Ira
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ira is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Kelloggsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Kelloggsville is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelloggsville
- Port Byron
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Port Byron is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Byron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,181 people
- Former name for Port Byron:
- Bucksville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Port Byron <1>
- Austin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Austin is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austin
- Cortland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Cummings Crossing
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Cummings Crossing is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummings Crossing
- Preble
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Scott
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Scott is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott
- East Scott
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- East Scott is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Scott
- Slab City
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Slab City is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab City
- Little York
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Little York is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little York
- Pratt Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Pratt Corners is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt Corners
- Truxton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Crains Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Crains Mills is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crains Mills
- East Homer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- East Homer is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Homer
- East River
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- East River is located in Cortland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East River
- Homer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Bridgeport
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bolivar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bolivar is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
- Chittenango
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Sullivan
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sullivan is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Sulphur Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Sulphur Springs has also been known as:
- Chittenango Springs
- Chittenango Falls
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Chittenango Falls is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chittenango Falls
- Bingley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Bingley is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingley
- Cazenovia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rippleton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rippleton is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippleton
- Cottons
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Cottons is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottons
- Whitelaw
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Whitelaw is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitelaw
- Union
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Union is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Canastota
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Oneida County
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Jewell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Jewell is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Elpis
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Elpis is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elpis
- North Bay
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Bay is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bay
- Sylvan Beach
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Vienna
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Vienna is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
- Oneida Castle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Oneida Castle is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida Castle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Sconondoa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Sconondoa is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sconondoa
- Sherrill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Camden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- McConnellsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- McConnellsville is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnellsville
- Oswego County
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Phoenix
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sand Ridge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Sand Ridge is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Caughdenoy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Caughdenoy is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caughdenoy
- Hinmansville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hinmansville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinmansville
- Pennellville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Central Square
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Constantia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Granby
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- South Granby is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Granby
- West Monroe
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- West Monroe is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
- Ingalls Crossing
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Ingalls Crossing is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls Crossing
- Mallory
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Gayville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Gayville is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayville
- Bowens Corners
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bowens Corners is located in Oswego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowens Corners
- Seneca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Canoga
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Canoga is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canoga
- Tyre
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Tyre is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
- Tompkins County
- Groton City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Groton City is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groton City
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Red Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Butler
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- South Butler is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Butler
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Solvay, see our County-by-County Page for Solvay.
Cemeteries Near Solvay ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Solvay.
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 Solvay - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Solvay covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Myrtle Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Fairmont Rural Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Most Holy Rosary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Loomis Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Walnut Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Agnes Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- First Ward Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Liverpool Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Belle Isle Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Isle Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Belle Isle Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<3> to the west of Syracuse.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1978175 <2>
- Frumah Packard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (485 more) ...
- Temple Adath Yeshurun Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Sinai Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Syracuse.
- The Oakwood Cemetery has also been known as:
- Morningside Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #65510 <2>
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 Solvay had a population of 563 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Solvay had a population of 6,256 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Solvay, with the one closest to Solvay listed first.
- Lakeland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeland is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeland
- Syracuse
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Lakeside
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Liverpool
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Amboy
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Amboy is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amboy
- Camillus
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Howlett Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Howlett Hill is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howlett Hill
- Eastwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Eastwood is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Woodard
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Woodard is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodard
- Stiles
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Stiles is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stiles
- Van Buren
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Van Buren is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Buren
- Cedarvale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cedarvale is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarvale
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Onondaga Castle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Onondaga Castle is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onondaga Castle
- North Syracuse
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Syracuse is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Syracuse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,595 people
- Warners
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Warners is located in Onondaga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warners
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Solvay. See our List of 1890's Communities around Solvay.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Solvay ...
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 231 newspapers that have been published in the area around Solvay.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Solvay. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Solvay and those printed in the larger area surrounding Solvay.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<3> of Solvay.
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 Solvay:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Onondaga County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cayuga County
- Cortland County
- Madison County
- Oneida County
- Oswego County
- Seneca County
- Tompkins County
- Wayne 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Solvay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Solvay, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |