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 Sylvan Beach (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 Sylvan Beach. 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 Sylvan Beach ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Sylvan Beach: Sylvan Bch.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Sylvan Beach. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Sylvan Beach.
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 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.
Sylvan Beach is located in Steuben 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 Steuben County: Allegany, Chemung, Livingston, Ontario, Schuyler, Yates, Potter (PA) & Tioga (PA).
Below are the counties that are near Sylvan Beach. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sylvan Beach:
- Steuben County (The home county of Sylvan Beach)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Keuka
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Keuka is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keuka
- Catawba
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Catawba is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catawba
- Urbana
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Urbana is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbana
- South Pulteney
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Pulteney is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pulteney
- Bradford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Hammondsport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sonora
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sonora is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonora
- Pleasant Valley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Valley is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
- Prattsburgh
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Prattsburgh is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prattsburgh
- Cold Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cold Springs is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Springs
- Hermitage
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hermitage is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermitage
- Mitchellsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mitchellsville is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchellsville
- Cayuga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Atwaters
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Atwaters is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwaters
- Willets
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Willets is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willets
- Aurora
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Black Rock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Black Rock is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Rock
- Ledyard
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ledyard is located in Cayuga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledyard
- Chemung County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Post Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Post Creek is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Creek
- Millport
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Big Flats
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Pioneer Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pioneer Village is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer Village
- Sullivanville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sullivanville is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivanville
- Horseheads
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Elmira Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Erin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Elmira
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Elmira is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Elmira
- Elmira
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Springwater
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Websters Crossing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dansville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Ontario County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Naples
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Woodville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Woodville is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Hall
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Gorham
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Gulick
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Gulick is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulick
- Billsboro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Billsboro is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billsboro
- Cottage City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Cottage City is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage City
- Flint
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Flint is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
- Bristol Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bristol Center is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol Center
- Geneva
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Canadice
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Canadice is located in Ontario County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadice
- Seneca Castle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Schuyler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Wayne
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- North Reading
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- North Reading is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Reading
- Reading Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Townsend
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Townsend is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Townsend
- Hector
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Burdett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Watkins Glen
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Watkins Glen is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins Glen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,851 people
- Former names for Watkins Glen:
- Jefferson
- Salubria
- Watkins
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Watkins Glen <1>
- Logan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Logan is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan
- Beaver Dams
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Moreland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Moreland is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moreland
- Wedgewood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wedgewood is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wedgewood
- Bennettsburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Bennettsburg is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennettsburg
- Seneca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Lodi
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Willard
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ovid
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Interlaken
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Interlaken is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interlaken
- Population from the 2020 Census: 599 people
- Former names for Interlaken:
- Farmer Village
- Farmer
- Farmerville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Interlaken <1>
- Kidders
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Kidders is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kidders
- Romulus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- East Varick
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- East Varick is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Varick
- Border City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Border City is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border City
- Kuneytown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Kuneytown is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuneytown
- Tompkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Trumansburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Jacksonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Jacksonville is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Taughannock Falls
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Taughannock Falls is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taughannock Falls
- Lake Ridge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Lake Ridge is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ridge
- Newfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Myers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Myers is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myers
- Ithaca
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Yates County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Barrington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Barrington is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington
- Dundee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Glenora
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Glenora is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenora
- Keuka Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Himrod
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Penn Yan
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Italy
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Italy is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italy
- Seneca Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Seneca Mills is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca Mills
- Yatesville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Yatesville is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yatesville
- Benton Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Benton Center is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Center
- Potter
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Potter is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter
- Dresden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sylvan Beach, see our County-by-County Page for Sylvan Beach.
Cemeteries Near Sylvan Beach ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sylvan Beach.
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 Sylvan Beach - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sylvan Beach covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- McDowell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Gobel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Chestnut Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jacobus Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tyrone Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beach Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Altay Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Shuart Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Glenview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Thomas Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Depew Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bradford Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (406 more) ...
- Old Presbyterian Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Barrington Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Free Baptist Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
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 Sylvan Beach in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sylvan Beach.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sylvan Beach, with the one closest to Sylvan Beach listed first.
- Wayne
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Keuka
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Keuka is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keuka
- Grove Springs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Grove Springs is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Springs
- Urbana
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Urbana is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbana
- Weston
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Weston is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Crystal Spring
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Crystal Spring is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Spring
- Catawba
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Catawba is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catawba
- North Urbana
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- North Urbana is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Urbana
- Tyrone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Altay
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Altay is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altay
- South Pulteney
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Pulteney is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pulteney
- Crosby
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Crosby is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosby
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Pulteney
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bradford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- North Reading
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- North Reading is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Reading
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sylvan Beach. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sylvan Beach.
Newspapers Published in Sylvan Beach ...
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 94 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sylvan Beach.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sylvan Beach, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sylvan Beach.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Sylvan Beach:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Steuben County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cayuga County
- Chemung County
- Livingston County
- Ontario County
- Schuyler County
- Seneca County
- Tompkins County
- Yates 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 Sylvan Beach, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Sylvan Beach) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |