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 Canaan (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 Canaan. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and 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.
Canaan is located in Columbia 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 Columbia County: Clatsop, Multnomah, Washington, Clark (WA), Cowlitz (WA) & Wahkiakum (WA).
Below are the counties that are near Canaan. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Canaan:
- Columbia County (The home county of Canaan)
- The following are listed by their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Deer Island
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Reuben
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Reuben is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reuben
- Columbia City
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Goble
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Goble is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goble
- Saint Helens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Beaver Springs is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Springs
- Prescott
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Prescott is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott
- Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
- Warren
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Rainier
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Pittsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Pittsburg is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
- Scappoose
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Vernonia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Clatsop County
- The following are listed by their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Westport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jewell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Jewell is located in Clatsop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Vinemaple
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Vinemaple is located in Clatsop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinemaple
- Multnomah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Burlington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Burlington is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
- Vanport City ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Vanport City is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanport City
- Albina
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Albina is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albina
- Portland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Buxton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Manning
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mountaindale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Mountaindale is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountaindale
- Christie ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Christie is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
- Christie has also been known as:
- Carstens
- North Plains
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Banks
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Timber
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- West Union
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- West Union is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
- Kansas City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kansas City is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kansas City
- Bethany
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bethany is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany
- Rockcreek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Rockcreek is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockcreek
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Centerville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Clark County (WA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Woodland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Ridgefield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- La Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Pioneer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pioneer is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Etna
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Etna is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Sara
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sara is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sara
- King Corner
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- King Corner is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Corner
- Cherry Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Cherry Grove is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Grove
- Dollar's Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Dollar's Corner is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar's Corner
- Felida
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Felida is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felida
- Fargher Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Fargher Lake is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fargher Lake
- Lake Shore
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Shore is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shore
- Cowlitz County (WA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Kalama
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Carrolls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Rose Valley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Rose Valley is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Valley
- Kelso
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Kelso is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,438 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kelso <1>
- Longview
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Ariel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- West Longview
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- West Longview is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Longview
- Longview Heights
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Longview Heights is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview Heights
- Ostrander
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Ostrander is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ostrander
- Coal Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Coal Creek is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
- Pleasant Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Stella
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Stella is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
- Wahkiakum County (WA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Eagle Cliff
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Eagle Cliff is located in Wahkiakum County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Cliff
- East Cathlamet
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- East Cathlamet is located in Wahkiakum County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cathlamet
- Cathlamet
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Canaan, see our County-by-County Page for Canaan.
Cemeteries Near Canaan ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Canaan.
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 Canaan - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Canaan covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Gore Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jones Family Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kobel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Yankton - Hillcrest Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Old Yankton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kinder Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Martins Bluff Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilark Pioneer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Masonic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Neer City Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Kalama IOOF Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalama IOOF Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Kalama IOOF Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Kalama (WA).
- The Kalama IOOF Cemetery has also been known as:
- IOOF Cemetery
- IOOF Cemetery
- Kalama IOOF Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2146334 <2>
- Prescott Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (117 more) ...
- Welter Family Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Apiary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bethany Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<3>
While we didn't find Canaan in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Canaan.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Canaan, with the one closest to Canaan listed first.
- Deer Island
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Columbia City
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Caples
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Caples is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caples
- Reuben
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Reuben is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reuben
- Kalama
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Goble
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Goble is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goble
- Saint Helens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Apiary ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Apiary is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apiary
- Warren
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Woodland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Carrolls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Pittsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Pittsburg is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Ridgefield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hayes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hayes is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
- Rainier
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Canaan. See our List of 1890's Communities around Canaan.
Newspapers Published in Canaan ...
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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around Canaan.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Canaan, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Canaan.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Canaan:
- Websites specific to Oregon
- Pages specific to Columbia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clatsop County
- Multnomah County
- Washington County
- Clark County
- Cowlitz County
- Wahkiakum 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 Canaan, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Canaan) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |