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 Elmira (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 Elmira. 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 Elmira ...
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 Elmira: W. Elmira
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
West Elmira is located in Chemung 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 Chemung County: Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Bradford (PA) & Tioga (PA).
Below are the counties that are near West Elmira. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Elmira:
- Chemung County (The home county of West Elmira)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Elmira
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Southport
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Southport is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southport
- Elmira Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Pine City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Webb Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Webb Mills is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webb Mills
- Horseheads
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pioneer Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pioneer Village is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer Village
- Big Flats
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sagetown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sagetown is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagetown
- Wellsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sullivanville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sullivanville is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivanville
- Pine Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Erin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Schuyler County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Beaver Dams
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Catharine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Catharine is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catharine
- Moreland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Moreland is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moreland
- Alpine
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Montour Falls
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Odessa
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wedgewood
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wedgewood is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wedgewood
- Townsend
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Townsend is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Townsend
- Watkins Glen
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Cayutaville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Cayutaville is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayutaville
- Burdett
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bennettsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bennettsburg is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennettsburg
- Reading Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Steuben County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Caton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Caton is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caton
- South Corning
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- South Corning is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Corning
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,080 people
- Corning
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Painted Post
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Riverside
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Riverside is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Population from the 2020 Census: 467 people
- Gang Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Gang Mills is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gang Mills
- Hornby
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hornby is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornby
- Lindley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Presho
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Presho is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Presho
- Coopers Plains
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Campbell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- East Campbell is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Campbell
- Addison
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Campbell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tioga County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Lockwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Waverly
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Barton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Spencer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- North Spencer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Spencer is located in Tioga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Spencer
- Hoopers Valley
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hoopers Valley is located in Tioga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoopers Valley
- Smithboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- West Candor
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- West Candor is located in Tioga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Candor
- Nichols
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Lounsberry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Lounsberry is located in Tioga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lounsberry
- Candor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hamar Estates
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hamar Estates is located in Tioga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamar Estates
- East Nichols
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- East Nichols is located in Tioga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Nichols
- Tompkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Newfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- West Danby
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- West Danby is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Danby
- Danby
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Danby is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danby
- White Church
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- White Church is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Church
- Ithaca
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- South Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- South Hill is located in Tompkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hill
- Yates County
- Glenora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Glenora is located in Yates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenora
- Bradford County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Fassett
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fassett is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fassett
- Gillett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Gillett is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillett
- Bentley Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bentley Creek is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley Creek
- Coryland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Coryland is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coryland
- Middletown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Middletown is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middletown
- Berrytown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Berrytown is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berrytown
- Big Pond
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Big Pond is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Pond
- South Waverly
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- South Waverly is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Waverly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,006 people
- Austinville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Austinville is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austinville
- Columbia Cross Roads
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Columbia Cross Roads is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia Cross Roads
- Sayre
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sayre is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sayre
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,338 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sayre <1>
- East Smithfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- East Smithfield is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Smithfield
- Wetona
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Wetona is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetona
- Tioga County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Millerton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Millerton is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Roseville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Roseville is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Lawrenceville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Lawrenceville is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrenceville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 633 people
- Pritchard ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Pritchard is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pritchard
- Tioga
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Mainesburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Mainesburg is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainesburg
- Farmington Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Farmington Hill is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington Hill
- Hammond
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hammond is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
- Mansfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Elkland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Covington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Osceola
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Osceola is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Keeneyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Keeneyville is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Elmira, see our County-by-County Page for West Elmira.
Cemeteries Near West Elmira ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Elmira.
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 Elmira - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Elmira covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Fulton Street Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Second Street Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Woodland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Cemetery
- The Woodland Cemetery has also been known as:
- Woodland National Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #66781 <2>
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Woodlawn National Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Dutch Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Christian Hollow Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Miller Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Miller Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the southeast of Elmira.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2327442 <2>
- Mills Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- St. Nicholas Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Roushy Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (347 more) ...
- Scudder Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Lawn Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
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 Elmira in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Elmira.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Elmira, with the one closest to West Elmira listed first.
- Southport
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Southport is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southport
- Elmira
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pine City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Webb Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Webb Mills is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webb Mills
- Seeley Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Seeley Creek is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seeley Creek
- East Elmira
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- East Elmira is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Elmira
- Horseheads
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Big Flats
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fassett
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fassett is located in Bradford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fassett
- Wellsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lowman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- East Corning
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- East Corning is located in Steuben County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Corning
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Millerton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Millerton is located in Tioga County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- North Chemung
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- North Chemung is located in Chemung County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chemung
- Breesport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Elmira. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Elmira.
Newspapers Published in West Elmira ...
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 176 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Elmira.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Elmira, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Elmira.
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 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 Elmira:
- Websites specific to New York
- Pages specific to Chemung County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Schuyler County
- Steuben County
- Tioga County
- Tompkins County
- Yates County
- Bradford County
- Tioga 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- West Elmira) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Elmira, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |