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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 Sterling (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 Sterling. 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 and hospitals 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.

Sterling is located in Cayuga 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 Cayuga County: Cortland, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, Tompkins & Wayne.

Below are the counties that are near Sterling. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sterling:

  • Cayuga County     (The home county of Sterling)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sterling, with the one closest to Sterling listed first.
    • Sterling Valley
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Sterling Valley is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Valley
    • Fair Haven
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • North Sterling
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • North Sterling is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sterling
    • North Victory
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • North Victory is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Victory
    • Victory
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Victory is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victory
    • Ira
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Ira is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • Cato
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Meridian
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Weedsport
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Port Byron
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • 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>
    • Sennett
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Throop
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Throop is located in Cayuga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throop
    • Auburn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Onondaga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sterling, with the one closest to Sterling listed first.
    • Lysander
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Lysander is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lysander
    • Jacksonville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Little Utica
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Little Utica is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Utica
    • Plainville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Wrights Corners
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wrights Corners is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights Corners
    • Baldwinsville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Jacks Reef
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Jacks Reef is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Reef
    • Jordan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Memphis
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Village Green
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Village Green is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village Green
    • Elbridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Seneca Knolls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Seneca Knolls is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca Knolls
    • Van Buren
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Van Buren is located in Onondaga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Buren
  • Ontario County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sterling, with the one closest to Sterling listed first.
    • Thompson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Thompson is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
    • West Junius
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • West Junius is located in Ontario County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Junius
  • Oswego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sterling, with the one closest to Sterling listed first.
    • Hannibal
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Fairdale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Fairdale is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
    • Southwest Oswego
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Southwest Oswego is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest Oswego
    • Furniss
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Furniss is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniss
    • Granby Center
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Granby Center is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby Center
    • Oswego Center
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Oswego Center is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswego Center
    • Bowens Corners
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Bowens Corners is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowens Corners
    • Minetto
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Fulton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Oswego
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • South Granby
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • South Granby is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Granby
    • Ingalls Crossing
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Ingalls Crossing is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls Crossing
    • Mount Pleasant
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
  • Seneca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sterling, with the one closest to Sterling listed first.
    • Tyre
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Tyre is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
    • Seneca Falls
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sterling, with the one closest to Sterling listed first.
    • Red Creek
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Furnace Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Furnace Village is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
    • Wolcott
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • North Huron
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • North Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Huron
    • Huron
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Huron is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
    • South Butler
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • South Butler is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Butler
    • York
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • York is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
    • Sodus Point
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Wayne Center
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Wayne Center is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayne Center
    • Clyde
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • South Sodus
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • South Sodus is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sodus
    • Sodus
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Lyons
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sterling, see our County-by-County Page for Sterling.

Cemeteries Near Sterling ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sterling.

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

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

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

  • Springbrook Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Forscutt Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Martville Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Hannibal Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Livingston Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • McArthur Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Phillips Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Overacre Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Hannibal Center Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Fairdale Rural Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Stevens Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (289 more) ...
    • Ford Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Fairmont Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Southside Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Sterling had a population of 351 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Sterling Valley
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Sterling Valley is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Valley
  • Fair Haven
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • North Fair Haven
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • North Fair Haven is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fair Haven
  • Martville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Hannibal
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • North Sterling
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • North Sterling is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sterling
  • North Victory
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • North Victory is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Victory
  • Hannibal Center
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hannibal Center is located in Oswego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannibal Center
  • Fairdale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Fairdale is located in Oswego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
  • North Hannibal
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • North Hannibal is located in Oswego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hannibal
  • Red Creek
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Bethel Corners
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bethel Corners is located in Cayuga County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Corners
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Southwest Oswego
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Southwest Oswego is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest Oswego
    • North Wolcott
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • North Wolcott is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wolcott
    • South Hannibal
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • South Hannibal is located in Oswego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hannibal

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

Newspapers Published in Sterling ...

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 149 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sterling.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sterling, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sterling.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Sterling:

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 Sterling, 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 from Point A (ie- Sterling) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.