RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Oregon >> Marion County >> Orville >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Orville (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 Orville. 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 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.

Orville 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 Orville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Orville:

  • Marion County     (The home county of Orville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orville, with the one closest to Orville listed first.
    • Salem
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Salem is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 175,891 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Salem <1>
    • Turner
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Four Corners
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Four Corners is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Corners
    • Santiam City ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Santiam City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiam City
    • Badger Corner
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Badger Corner is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Badger Corner
    • Keizer
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jefferson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Chemawa
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Chemawa is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chemawa
    • Hayesville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hayesville is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayesville
    • Marion
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Aumsville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Macleay
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Macleay is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macleay
    • Labish Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Labish Village is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Labish Village
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orville, with the one closest to Orville listed first.
    • Wellsdale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Wellsdale is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellsdale
    • Adair Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Adair Village is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adair Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 872 people
    • North Albany
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • North Albany is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Albany
    • Lewisburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Lewisburg is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
    • Kings Valley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Corvallis
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Wren
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Wren is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren
    • Flynn
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Flynn is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flynn
    • Philomath
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Blodgett
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Summit
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Summit is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
    • Jennyopolis ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Jennyopolis is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennyopolis
  • Clackamas County
    • Needy ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Needy is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needy
  • Linn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orville, with the one closest to Orville listed first.
    • Millersburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Millersburg is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,757 people
    • Draperville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Draperville is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draperville
    • Albany
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • West Scio
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • West Scio is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Scio
    • Scio
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Crabtree
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Tangent
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Irvinville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Irvinville is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvinville
    • Jordan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Jordan is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Oakville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Oakville is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
    • Lebanon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Lyons
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • South Lebanon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • South Lebanon is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lebanon
  • Polk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orville, with the one closest to Orville listed first.
    • Independence
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Monmouth
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Eola
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Eola is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola
    • Buena Vista
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Buena Vista is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
    • Rickreall
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Crowley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Crowley is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crowley
    • Salemtowne
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Salemtowne is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salemtowne
    • Dallas
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Zena
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Zena is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zena
    • Dolph Corner
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Dolph Corner is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dolph Corner
    • Smithfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Smithfield is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithfield
    • Lewisville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lewisville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
    • Airlie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Airlie is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airlie
  • Yamhill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orville, with the one closest to Orville listed first.
    • Hopewell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Amity
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Amity is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,722 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Amity <1>
    • Bellevue
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Bellevue is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
    • Whiteson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Whiteson is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteson
    • Sheridan
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Eola Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Eola Village is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola Village
    • Willamina
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • McMinnville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Dayton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Saint Joseph
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Saint Joseph is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
    • Lafayette
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Dundee
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Carlton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Orville, see our County-by-County Page for Orville.

Cemeteries Near Orville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Orville.

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 Orville - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Orville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Orville, with the one closest to Orville listed first.

  • Halls Ferry Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Cemetery Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Jory Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Fircrest Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Cox Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Rosedale Friends Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Buena Vista Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Rest Lawn Memory Gardens
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Belcrest Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Butler Davidson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • St. Barbara Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (202 more) ...
    • Pioneer Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • City View Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Salem Pioneer Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)

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 Orville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Orville.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Orville, with the one closest to Orville listed first.

  • Independence
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Dencer ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Dencer is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dencer
  • Cochrane ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cochrane is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrane
  • Monmouth
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Buena Vista
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Buena Vista is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
  • Eola
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Eola is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola
  • Derry
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Derry is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derry
  • Rickreall
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Suver
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Suver is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suver
  • Salem
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Salem is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 175,891 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Salem <1>
  • Simpson
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Simpson is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
  • Crowley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Crowley is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crowley
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Turner
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Dallas
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Lewisville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lewisville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Orville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Orville.

Newspapers Published in Orville ...

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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around Orville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Orville, 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 Orville.

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 helpful 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 Orville:

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 Orville, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Orville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.