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 Durham (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 Durham. 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 Durham ...
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 West Durham: W. Durham
You might be interested in other communities that are also named West Durham. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for West Durham.
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 and 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.
West Durham is located in Greene 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 Greene County: Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Rensselaer, Schoharie & Ulster.
Below are the counties that are near West Durham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Durham:
- Greene County (The home county of West Durham)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Cornwallville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Oak Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Windham
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Brooksburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Brooksburg is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooksburg
- Norton Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Norton Hill is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norton Hill
- Jewett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Red Falls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Red Falls is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Falls
- Greenville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Jewett Center
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Jewett Center is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewett Center
- Woodstock
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Woodstock is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
- Hunter
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lexington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Albany County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Potter Hollow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Potter Hollow is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter Hollow
- Preston - Potter Hollow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Cooksburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cooksburg is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooksburg
- Preston Hollow
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Medusa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rensselaerville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- South Westerlo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- South Westerlo is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Westerlo
- Westerlo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- South Berne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- South Berne is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Berne
- Dormansville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dormansville is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dormansville
- Alcove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Reidsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Reidsville is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reidsville
- Columbia County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Hudson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Germantown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Germantown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Germantown is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Germantown
- Lorenz Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lorenz Park is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorenz Park
- Rossman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Rossman is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossman
- Stottville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Burden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Burden is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burden
- Greenport Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Greenport Center is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenport Center
- Kinderhook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Valatie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Niverville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Churchtown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Churchtown is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchtown
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Grand Gorge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Roxbury
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Stamford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Denver
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fleischmanns
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Halcottsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hobart
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Harpersfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- South Kortright
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- New Kingston
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Kingston is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kingston
- North Kortright
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- North Kortright is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Kortright
- Bovina
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bovina is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bovina
- Dutchess County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Tivoli
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cruger Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cruger Village is located in Dutchess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruger Village
- Montgomery County
- Burtonsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Burtonsville is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burtonsville
- Otsego County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Calcutta
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Calcutta is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calcutta
- Worcester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Decatur
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Decatur is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
- Rensselaer County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Schodack Landing
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Castleton-on-Hudson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Schodack Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Schodack Center is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schodack Center
- East Greenbush
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hampton Manor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hampton Manor is located in Rensselaer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton Manor
- Rensselaer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Schenectady County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Delanson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Duane Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Duane Lake is located in Schenectady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duane Lake
- Duanesburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Duanesburg is located in Schenectady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duanesburg
- Braman Corners
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Braman Corners is located in Schenectady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braman Corners
- Princetown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Princetown is located in Schenectady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princetown
- Mariaville Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mariaville Lake is located in Schenectady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mariaville Lake
- Mariaville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rynex Corners
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rynex Corners is located in Schenectady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rynex Corners
- Rotterdam
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Schoharie County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Bates
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bates is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
- Manorkill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Manorkill is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manorkill
- Livingstonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Livingstonville is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livingstonville
- Broome Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Broome Center is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broome Center
- Franklinton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Franklinton is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklinton
- West Conesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- West Conesville is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Conesville
- North Blenheim
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Breakabeen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Breakabeen is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breakabeen
- Middleburgh
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- South Jefferson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- South Jefferson is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jefferson
- Gallupville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Schoharie
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Ulster County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Bushnellsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Bushnellsville is located in Ulster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnellsville
- Shandaken
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Phoenicia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Willow
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Highmount
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Shady
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Shady is located in Ulster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady
- Quarryville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Quarryville is located in Ulster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quarryville
- Big Indian
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bearsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Daisy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Daisy is located in Ulster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisy
- Woodstock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Durham, see our County-by-County Page for West Durham.
Cemeteries Near West Durham ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Durham.
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 Durham - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Durham covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- West Durham Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Potters Hollow Rural Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potters Hollow Rural Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Potters Hollow Rural Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southwest of Preston Hollow.
- The Potters Hollow Rural Cemetery has also been known as:
- Potter Hollow Rural Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2273277 <3>
- Durham Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hayes Baldwin Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brookside Rural Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside Rural Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Brookside Rural Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Preston Hollow.
- The Brookside Rural Cemetery has also been known as:
- Brookside Cemetery
- Preston Hollow Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #64047 <3>
- North Settlement Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Scott Patent Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cornwallville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bates Hollow Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Manorkill Rural Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Freese Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (443 more) ...
- Windham Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Union Society Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Peter Van Orden Rural Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<4>
While we didn't find West Durham in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Durham.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Durham, with the one closest to West Durham listed first.
- Cooksburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cooksburg is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooksburg
- Potter Hollow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Potter Hollow is located in Albany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter Hollow
- Durham
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Durham is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Preston Hollow
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cornwallville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bates
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bates is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
- Oak Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Manorkill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Manorkill is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manorkill
- Windham
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- East Windham
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- East Windham is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Windham
- Livingstonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Livingstonville is located in Schoharie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livingstonville
- Medusa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Ashland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hensonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- East Durham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Durham. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Durham.
Newspapers Published in West Durham ...
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 71 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Durham.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Durham, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Durham.
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 Durham:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Greene County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Albany County
- Columbia County
- Delaware County
- Dutchess County
- Montgomery County
- Otsego County
- Rensselaer County
- Schenectady County
- Schoharie County
- Ulster 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> | 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 Durham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 West Durham, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |