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 West Alabama (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 West Alabama. 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 West Alabama ...
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 West Alabama: W. Alabama
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and 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.
West Alabama is located in Genesee 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 Genesee County: Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Orleans & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near West Alabama. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Alabama:
- Genesee County (The home county of West Alabama)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- Alabama
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Alabama is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alabama
- Basom
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wheatville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wheatville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatville
- Indian Falls
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Falls is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Falls
- North Pembroke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- North Pembroke is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pembroke
- Oakfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Corfu
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ridgewood Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgewood Village is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgewood Village
- Bushville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bushville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushville
- Elba
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Sawens
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Sawens is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawens
- Batavia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Erie County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- Akron
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Akron Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Akron Junction is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron Junction
- Wolcottsburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wolcottsburg is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolcottsburg
- Crittenden
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Clarence Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Swormville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Swormville is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swormville
- Looneyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Looneyville is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Looneyville
- Alden Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Alden Center is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alden Center
- Alden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Harris Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Harris Hill is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Hill
- Bowmansville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Getzville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- Brockport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Redman Corners
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Redman Corners is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redman Corners
- Sweden Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Sweden Center is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweden Center
- Clarkson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Churchville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Riga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Riga is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riga
- Hamlin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Adams Basin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Otis
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Otis is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Niagara County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- Dysinger
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dysinger is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dysinger
- Middleport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Gasport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Reynales Basin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Reynales Basin is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynales Basin
- Johnson Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Johnson Creek is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson Creek
- Hartland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hartland is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Rapids
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Rapids is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapids
- Raymond
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Raymond is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Ridgewood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wrights Corners
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wrights Corners is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights Corners
- Lockport
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- South Lockport
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- South Lockport is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lockport
- Orleans County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- Lakewood Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lakewood Village is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Village
- Medina
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jeddo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jeddo is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
- West Barre
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- West Barre is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Barre
- Eagle Harbor
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Eagle Harbor is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Harbor
- Lyndonville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- South Barre
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- South Barre is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barre
- Albion
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kenyonville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kenyonville is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenyonville
- Gaines
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gaines is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaines
- Shadigee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Shadigee is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shadigee
- Kuckville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Kuckville is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuckville
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- Folsomdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Folsomdale is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsomdale
- Attica
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Harris Corners
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Harris Corners is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Corners
- Dale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Varysburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Johnsonburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Johnsonburg is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonburg
- Wyoming
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Covington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Covington is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Alabama, see our County-by-County Page for West Alabama.
Cemeteries Near West Alabama ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Alabama.
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 West Alabama - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Alabama covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Weatherwax Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. Michaels Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Long House Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Alabama Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Letts Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ketchem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gilbert Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Four Corners Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Fletcher Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (353 more) ...
- St. Stephens Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Reed Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Swart Culver Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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.<2>
While we didn't find West Alabama in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Alabama.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Alabama, with the one closest to West Alabama listed first.
- West Shelby
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Shelby is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Shelby
- Wolcottsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wolcottsville is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolcottsville
- Alabama
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Alabama is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alabama
- Dysinger
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dysinger is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dysinger
- Wheatville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wheatville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatville
- Shelby Basin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Shelby Basin is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby Basin
- McNalls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- McNalls is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNalls
- Middleport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Akron
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Indian Falls
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Falls is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Falls
- South Alabama
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Alabama is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Alabama
- East Shelby
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- East Shelby is located in Orleans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Shelby
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Medina
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Reynales Basin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Reynales Basin is located in Niagara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynales Basin
- Gasport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Alabama. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Alabama.
Newspapers Published in West Alabama ...
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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Alabama.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Alabama, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Alabama.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 West Alabama:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Genesee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Erie County
- Monroe County
- Niagara County
- Orleans County
- Wyoming 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> | 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 West Alabama, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- West Alabama) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |