RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Oregon >> Multnomah County >> Watson >> 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 Watson (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 Watson. 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 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.

Watson is located in Multnomah 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 Multnomah County: Clackamas, Columbia, Hood River, Washington, Clark (WA) & Skamania (WA).

Below are the counties that are near Watson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Watson:

  • Multnomah County     (The home county of Watson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Woodstock
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
    • Montavilla
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
    • Russellville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Russellville is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
    • Hazelwood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hazelwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
    • Milwaukie
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Laurelhurst
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Laurelhurst is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelhurst
    • Maywood Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Rockwood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Rockwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
    • Fulton ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Fulton is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
    • Gresham
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Gresham is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 110,031 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gresham <1>
    • Portland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hillsdale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Hillsdale is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
  • Clackamas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Happy Valley
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Sunnyside
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sunnyside is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
    • Clackamas
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Johnson City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Johnson City is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 627 people
    • Oatfield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Oatfield is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatfield
    • Jennings Lodge
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Jennings Lodge is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings Lodge
    • Oak Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Gladstone
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Carver
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Damascus
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Christie ‑ Historic
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Christie is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
    • Marylhurst
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Columbia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Scappoose
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Warren
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Helens
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Butteville Station ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Butteville Station is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville Station
    • Aurora
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Butteville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Butteville is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville
    • Donald
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Champoeg ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Champoeg is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champoeg
    • Hubbard
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Paul
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Woodburn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • McKee
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • McKee is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKee
    • Mount Angel
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Gervais
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Scotts Mills
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Metzger
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Metzger is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metzger
    • Raleigh Hills
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Raleigh Hills is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh Hills
    • West Slope
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • West Slope is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Slope
    • Durham
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Durham is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,908 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Durham <1>
    • Progress
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Progress is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
    • Tigard
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Tigard is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tigard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56,049 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tigard <1>
    • Cedar Hills
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • King City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Beaverton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Mill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Marlene Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Marlene Village is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlene Village
    • Aloha
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Yamhill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Newberg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Dundee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Cove Orchard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Cove Orchard is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Orchard
    • Dayton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Lafayette
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Clark County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Fisher
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Fisher is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
    • Cascade Park East
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Cascade Park West
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Cascade Park West is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade Park West
    • Camas
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Camas is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,981 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Camas <1>
    • Mill Plain
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Mill Plain is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Plain
    • Vancouver
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Washougal
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Minnehaha
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Minnehaha is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnehaha
    • Walnut Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Walnut Grove is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
    • Five Corners
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Five Corners is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
    • Hazel Dell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Fern Prairie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Fern Prairie is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern Prairie
  • Skamania County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
    • Cruzatt
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Cruzatt is located in Skamania County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruzatt
    • Skamania
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Skamania is located in Skamania County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skamania

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

Cemeteries Near Watson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Watson.

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

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

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

  • Congregation Shaarie Torah Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Keser Israel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Lincoln Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Lincoln Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located in Portland.
    • The Lincoln Memorial Park has also been known as:
    • Lincoln Memorial Cemetery
    • Mt. Scott Park Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #39045 <2>
  • Williamette National Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Willamette National Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Multnomah Park Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Chimes Memorial Gardens
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chimes Memorial Gardens
    • The Chimes Memorial Gardens has also been known as:
    • Little Chapel Of The Chimes
    • Sunnyside Little Chapel Of The Chimes
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2156227 <2>
  • Gethsemane Catholic Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Clackamas Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Sunnyside Pioneer Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Deardorf Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Brainerd Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (215 more) ...
    • Milwaukie Pioneer Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Rose City 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.<3>

While we didn't find Watson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Watson.

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

  • Lents
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Lents is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lents
  • Sycamore
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Sycamore is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
  • Woodstock
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
  • Milwaukie
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Sunnyside
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Sunnyside is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
  • Russellville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Russellville is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
  • Montavilla
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
  • Clackamas
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Sellwood
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Sellwood is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellwood
  • Rockwood
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Rockwood is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
  • Clarnie
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Clarnie is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarnie
  • East Portland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • East Portland is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Portland
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • South Portland ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • South Portland is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Portland
    • Fulton ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Fulton is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
    • Gladstone
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in Watson ...

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 234 newspapers that have been published in the area around Watson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Watson, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Watson.

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 Watson:

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 Watson, 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- Watson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.