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 Bethany (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 Bethany. 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 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.
Bethany is located in Marion County.
To see how the shape of Oregon's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Marion County: Benton, Clackamas, Deschutes, Linn, Polk, Wasco & Yamhill.
Below are the counties that are near Bethany. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethany:
- Marion County (The home county of Bethany)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Silverton
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Downs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Downs is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downs
- Mount Angel
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- McKee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- McKee is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKee
- Scotts Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Gervais
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Brooks
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Labish Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Labish Village is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Labish Village
- Macleay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Macleay is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macleay
- Chemawa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Chemawa is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chemawa
- Hayesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Hayesville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayesville
- Badger Corner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Badger Corner is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Badger Corner
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- North Albany
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- North Albany is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Albany
- Wellsdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wellsdale is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellsdale
- Adair Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Adair Village is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adair Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 872 people
- Clackamas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Wilhoit
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Wilhoit is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilhoit
- Needy ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Needy is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needy
- Molalla
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Macksburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Macksburg is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macksburg
- Glen Avon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Glen Avon is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Avon
- Liberal
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Liberal is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberal
- Barlow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Barlow is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Canby
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Mulino
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Wilsonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Carus
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Carus is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carus
- Colton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Linn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Lyons
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Jordan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Jordan is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Scio
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- West Scio
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- West Scio is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Scio
- Mill City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Millersburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Millersburg is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,757 people
- Crabtree
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Gates
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Draperville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Draperville is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draperville
- Lacomb
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lacomb is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacomb
- Albany
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Salemtowne
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Salemtowne is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salemtowne
- Lincoln
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Lincoln is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
- Eola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Eola is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola
- Zena
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Zena is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zena
- Crowley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Crowley is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crowley
- Rickreall
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Independence
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Smithfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Smithfield is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithfield
- Buena Vista
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Buena Vista is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Monmouth
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Dolph Corner
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Dolph Corner is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dolph Corner
- Dallas
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Middleton
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Middleton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
- Sherwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Durham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- King City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Scholls
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Kinton ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Kinton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinton
- Tigard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Farmington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Farmington is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington
- Metzger
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Metzger is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metzger
- Progress
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Progress is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
- Yamhill County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Hopewell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Eola Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Eola Village is located in Yamhill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola Village
- Dundee
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Whiteson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Whiteson is located in Yamhill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteson
- Amity
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Newberg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lafayette
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- McMinnville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Joseph
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Joseph is located in Yamhill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
- Bellevue
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Bellevue is located in Yamhill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Carlton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethany, see our County-by-County Page for Bethany.
Cemeteries Near Bethany ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethany.
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 Bethany - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethany covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Bethany Pioneer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Silverton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Paul Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Apostolic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Valley View Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Mt. Angel Abbey Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Benedictine Sister of Mt. Anglel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benedictine Sister of Mt. Anglel Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Benedictine Sister of Mt. Anglel Cemetery is located outside and to the south of Mount Angel.
- The Benedictine Sister of Mt. Anglel Cemetery has also been known as:
- Queen of Angels Monastery Cemetery
- St. Mary Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Essen Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pratum Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Miller Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Mount Angel.
- The Calvary Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Angel Calvary Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #39165 <2>
- Continue List (211 more) ...
- Mt. Angel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Howell Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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 Bethany in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethany.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Silverton
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Downs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Downs is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downs
- Willard ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Willard is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
- Mount Angel
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- McKee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- McKee is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKee
- Clymer ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Clymer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clymer
- Scotts Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Gervais
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Marquam
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Marquam is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquam
- Brooks
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Macleay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Macleay is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macleay
- Chemawa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Chemawa is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chemawa
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Woodburn
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Shaw
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Shaw is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw
- Salem
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethany. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethany.
Newspapers Published in Bethany ...
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 143 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethany.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethany, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethany.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Bethany:
- Websites specific to Oregon
- Pages specific to Marion County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- Clackamas County
- Linn County
- Polk County
- Washington County
- Yamhill County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Oregon
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 Bethany, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 from Point A (ie- Bethany) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |