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 South Olean (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 South Olean. 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 South Olean ...
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 South Olean: S. Olean
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 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.
South Olean is located in Cattaraugus 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 Cattaraugus County: Allegany, Chautauqua, Erie, Wyoming, McKean (PA) & Warren (PA).
Below are the counties that are near South Olean. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to South Olean:
- Cattaraugus County (The home county of South Olean)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Olean, with the one closest to South Olean listed first.
- Olean
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Olean is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,371 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olean <1>
- Saint Bonaventure
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Westons Mills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Allegany
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Weston Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Weston Mills is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston Mills
- Four Mile
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Four Mile is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Mile
- Rock City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Rock City is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Portville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Harrisburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Harrisburg is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Chipmunk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Chipmunk is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipmunk
- Humphrey
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Humphrey is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humphrey
- Limestone
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Carrollton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Carrollton is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
- Allegany County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Olean, with the one closest to South Olean listed first.
- West Clarksville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- West Clarksville is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Clarksville
- Bowler
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bowler is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowler
- Little Genesee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cuba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bolivar
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Richburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Kossuth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Kossuth is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kossuth
- Lyons Corners
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lyons Corners is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons Corners
- Sawyer
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Sawyer is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer
- Black Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Vosburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Vosburg is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vosburg
- Friendship
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Allentown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- McKean County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Olean, with the one closest to South Olean listed first.
- Duke Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Duke Center is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke Center
- Eldred
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Derrick City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gilmore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gilmore is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Rixford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rixford is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rixford
- Dallas City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas City is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas City
- Summit
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Summit is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
- Tuna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tuna is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuna
- Foster Brook
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Foster Brook is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Brook
- Sawyer City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sawyer City is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer City
- Larabee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Larabee is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larabee
- Myrtle
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Myrtle is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Rew
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rew is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rew
- Potter County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Olean, with the one closest to South Olean listed first.
- Shinglehouse
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Honeoye
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Honeoye is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honeoye
- East Sharon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- East Sharon is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sharon
- Millport
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Millport is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millport
- Williston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Williston is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Chrystal
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Chrystal is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chrystal
- Coneville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Coneville is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coneville
- Hebron
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hebron is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Oswayo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Oswayo is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswayo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Roulette
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ellisburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Ellisburg is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellisburg
- Genesee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Genesee is located in Potter County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genesee
- Coudersport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Warren County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Olean, with the one closest to South Olean listed first.
- Sugar Run ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sugar Run is located in Warren County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Run
- Kinzua ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kinzua is located in Warren County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinzua
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to South Olean, see our County-by-County Page for South Olean.
Cemeteries Near South Olean ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of South Olean.
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 South Olean - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for South Olean covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from South Olean, with the one closest to South Olean listed first.
- Mt. View Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Bonaventure Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Portville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portville Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Portville Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Weston Mills.
- The Portville Cemetery has also been known as:
- Haskell Cemetery
- Oakley Hill Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #65704 <2>
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- B'nai B'rith Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Allegany Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allegany Cemetery
- The Allegany Cemetery has also been known as:
- Allegany Protestant Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #63838 <2>
- Chestnut Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- East Portville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fivemile Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hinsdale Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinsdale Cemetery
- The Hinsdale Cemetery has also been known as:
- Maplehurst Cemetery
- Scotts Corners Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #64854 <2>
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (174 more) ...
- Rixford Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Lamphier Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
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>
While we didn't find South Olean in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of South Olean.
These communities are listed based on their distance from South Olean, with the one closest to South Olean listed first.
- Olean
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Olean is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,371 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olean <1>
- Westons Mills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Allegany
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Four Mile
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Four Mile is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Mile
- Haymaker
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Haymaker is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haymaker
- Portville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bullis Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bullis Mills is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullis Mills
- Hinsdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Vandalia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Vandalia is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- South Vandalia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- South Vandalia is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Vandalia
- Chipmunk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Chipmunk is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipmunk
- Bells Camp
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bells Camp is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Camp
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Duke Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Duke Center is located in McKean County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke Center
- Eldred
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Haskell Flats
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Haskell Flats is located in Cattaraugus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haskell Flats
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around South Olean. See our List of 1890's Communities around South Olean.
Newspapers Published in South Olean ...
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 107 newspapers that have been published in the area around South Olean.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of South Olean, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for South Olean.
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 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 South Olean:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Cattaraugus County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegany County
- McKean County
- Potter County
- Warren 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 South Olean, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- South Olean) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |