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 Columbia (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 Columbia. 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 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.
Columbia is located in Stark County.
To see how the shape of Ohio's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Stark County: Carroll, Columbiana, Holmes, Mahoning, Portage, Summit, Tuscarawas & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Columbia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Columbia:
- Stark County (The home county of Columbia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Massillon
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mayflower Village
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Mayflower Village is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayflower Village
- Westarado
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Westarado is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westarado
- Perry Heights
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Perry Heights is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perry Heights
- Rolling Hills Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- West Brookfield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- West Brookfield is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Brookfield
- Forty Corners Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Navarre Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Navarre Village is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navarre Village
- Richville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Richville is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richville
- Sippo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sippo is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sippo
- Navarre
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gambrinus
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Gambrinus is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gambrinus
- East Greenville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- East Greenville is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Greenville
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Malvern
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Pekin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Pekin is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pekin
- Atwood Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Atwood Village is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood Village
- New Harrisburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Harrisburg is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Harrisburg
- Valleyview
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Valleyview is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valleyview
- Dellroy
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hibbetts
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hibbetts is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hibbetts
- Queensboro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Queensboro is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queensboro
- Sherrodsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Leavittsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Leavittsville is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavittsville
- Wyncrest
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wyncrest is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyncrest
- Carrollton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Augusta
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Columbiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Chambersburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Chambersburg is located in Columbiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chambersburg
- East Rochester
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Reading
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Reading is located in Columbiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reading
- New Alexander
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- New Alexander is located in Columbiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Alexander
- North Georgetown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Adair
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Adair is located in Columbiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adair
- Kensington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hanoverton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Coshocton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- New Bedford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chili
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Chili is located in Coshocton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chili
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Bowerston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Station Fifteen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Station Fifteen is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Station Fifteen
- Holmes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Mount Hope
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Berlin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Benton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Benton is located in Holmes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Charm
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Farmerstown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Farmerstown is located in Holmes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmerstown
- Holmesville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Millersburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mahoning County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Alliance Junction
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Alliance Junction is located in Mahoning County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alliance Junction
- Maple Ridge
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Maple Ridge is located in Mahoning County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Ridge
- Sebring
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Westville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Westville is located in Mahoning County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
- Beloit
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Damascus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Medina County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Wadsworth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Acme
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Acme is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- River Styx
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- River Styx is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Styx
- Seville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Sharon Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Poe
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Poe is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poe
- Youngs Corners
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Youngs Corners is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngs Corners
- Gloria Glens Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Gloria Glens Park is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gloria Glens Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Granger
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Granger is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granger
- Westfield Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Westfield Center is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,188 people
- Windfall
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Windfall is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windfall
- Briarwood Beach ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Briarwood Beach is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarwood Beach
- Chippewa Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chippewa Lake is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chippewa Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 749 people
- Former name for Chippewa Lake:
- Chippewa-on-the-Lake
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Chippewa Lake <1>
- Portage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Mishler
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mishler is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mishler
- Suffield Station
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Suffield Station is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suffield Station
- Brimfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Kent
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Rootstown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Brady Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Brady Lake is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brady Lake
- Estimated population in 2018: 464 people
- Campbellsport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Campbellsport is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbellsport
- Pine Gate Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Gate Village is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Gate Village
- Ravenna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Yale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Yale is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
- Sugar Bush Knolls
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Sugar Bush Knolls is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Bush Knolls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Summit County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Comet
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Comet is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Greensburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Greensburg is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greensburg
- Green
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Clinton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- New Franklin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- New Franklin is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Franklin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,101 people
- Myersville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Myersville is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myersville
- Portage Lakes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Portage Lakes is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portage Lakes
- Barberton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Lakemore
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Lakemore is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakemore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,061 people
- East Akron
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- East Akron is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Akron
- North Springfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- North Springfield is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Springfield
- Norton
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Thomastown
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Thomastown is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomastown
- Tuscarawas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Bolivar
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Strasburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Zoar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dundee
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Parral
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Parral is located in Tuscarawas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parral
- Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
- Mineral City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Zoarville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Zoarville is located in Tuscarawas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zoarville
- Heritage Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Heritage Village is located in Tuscarawas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heritage Village
- Barrs Mills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Barrs Mills is located in Tuscarawas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrs Mills
- Somerdale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Somerdale is located in Tuscarawas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerdale
- Dover
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- New Philadelphia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Shanesville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Shanesville is located in Tuscarawas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanesville
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Dalton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Burton City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Burton City is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton City
- Mount Eaton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Marshallville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Orrville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Doylestown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- East Union
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- East Union is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Union
- Apple Creek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Smithville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Weilersville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Weilersville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weilersville
- Rittman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Fredericksburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Boys Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Boys Village is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boys Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Columbia, see our County-by-County Page for Columbia.
Cemeteries Near Columbia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Columbia.
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 Columbia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Columbia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Massillon Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massillon Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Massillon Cemetery is located outside and to the south of Massillon.
- The Massillon Cemetery has also been known as:
- Massillon City Cemetery
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Massillon.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2176355 <2>
- St. Joseph Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Joseph Church Cemetery is located outside and to the south of Massillon.
- The St. Joseph Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Joseph Cemetery
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Mary Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Myers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Old Kendal Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Old Quaker Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Calvary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
- The Calvary Cemetery has also been known as:
- Calvary Catholic Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #40152 <2>
- West Brookfield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- St. Barbaras Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Continue List (674 more) ...
- Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pigeon Run Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Armstrong Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 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>
While we didn't find Columbia in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Columbia.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Massillon
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- West Brookfield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- West Brookfield is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Brookfield
- Pigeon Run
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pigeon Run is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon Run
- Richville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Richville is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richville
- Newman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Newman is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newman
- Navarre
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pauls ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pauls is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pauls
- Sippo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sippo is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sippo
- Crystal Springs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Crystal Springs is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Springs
- Gambrinus
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Gambrinus is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gambrinus
- East Greenville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- East Greenville is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Greenville
- Elton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Elton is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elton
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Justus
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Justus is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Justus
- North Lawrence
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Summit ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Summit is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Columbia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Columbia.
Newspapers Published in Columbia ...
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 83 newspapers that have been published in the area around Columbia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Columbia, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Columbia.
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 Columbia:
- Websites specific to Ohio
- Pages specific to Stark County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carroll County
- Columbiana County
- Coshocton County
- Harrison County
- Holmes County
- Mahoning County
- Medina County
- Portage County
- Summit County
- Tuscarawas County
- Wayne County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Ohio
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 Columbia, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Columbia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |