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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 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.
Bethel is located in Lancaster County.
To see how the shape of Pennsylvania's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lancaster County: Cecil (MD), Harford (MD), Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lebanon & York.
Below are the counties that are near Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:
- Lancaster County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Mechanic Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Mechanic Grove is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanic Grove
- Little Britain
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Little Britain is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Britain
- Furniss
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Furniss is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniss
- Kirks Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kirks Mills is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirks Mills
- Oak Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
- McSparran
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- McSparran is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McSparran
- Quarryville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Buck
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Buck is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
- Summerhill
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Summerhill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerhill
- Benton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Benton is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Truce
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Truce is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truce
- New Providence
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Berks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Morgantown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Kenneys
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kenneys is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenneys
- New Morgan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- New Morgan is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Morgan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 76 people
- Adamstown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Adamstown is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,905 people
- Adamstown has also been known as:
- Adamschteddel
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Adamstown <1>
- Joanna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Joanna is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joanna
- Alleghenyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Alleghenyville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleghenyville
- Plowville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Plowville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plowville
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Mount Vernon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mount Vernon is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Tweedale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Tweedale is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tweedale
- Glen Roy
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Glen Roy is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Roy
- Hopewell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Hopewell is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Barnsley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Barnsley is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnsley
- Oxford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Chrome
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Chrome is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chrome
- Elkview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Elkview is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkview
- Atglen
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Daleville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Daleville is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daleville
- Lenover
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lenover is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenover
- Jennersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Jennersville is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennersville
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Slate Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Slate Hill is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slate Hill
- Castle Fin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Castle Fin is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Fin
- Slab
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Slab is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab
- Delta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bryansville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bryansville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryansville
- Susquehanna Trails
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Susquehanna Trails is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Susquehanna Trails
- Kyleville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Kyleville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyleville
- Airville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Goram
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Goram is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goram
- Bruce
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Bruce is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruce
- Fawn Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- New Freedom
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- New Castle County (DE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- York Towne
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- York Towne is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Towne
- North Star
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- North Star is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Star
- Southwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Southwood is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwood
- Vintage Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Vintage Village is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vintage Village
- Newark
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Newark is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newark
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33,849 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Newark <1>
- Hockessin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Mendenhall Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Mendenhall Village is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendenhall Village
- Pike Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Pike Creek is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pike Creek
- The Village of Drummond Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Windy Hills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Windy Hills is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windy Hills
- Brookside
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Brookside is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
- Wilson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Wilson is located in New Castle County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Baltimore County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Gorsuch Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Gorsuch Mills is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gorsuch Mills
- Shane
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Shane is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shane
- Trump
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Trump is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trump
- Baldwin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jerusalem Mills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jerusalem Mills is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerusalem Mills
- Stablersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Stablersville is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stablersville
- Maryland Line
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Maryland Line is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryland Line
- Fork
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Franklinville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Franklinville is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklinville
- Kingsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- White Hall
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bradshaw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cecil County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Rock Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rock Springs is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Springs
- Bald Friar ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Bald Friar is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Friar
- Oakwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Oakwood is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Mason Dixon Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Mason Dixon Village is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason Dixon Village
- Conowingo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Rising Sun
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sylmar
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sylmar is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylmar
- Colora
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rowlandsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rowlandsville is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowlandsville
- Liberty Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Liberty Grove is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Grove
- Calvert
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Calvert is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvert
- Winchester Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Winchester Village is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester Village
- Harford County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Conowingo Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Conowingo Village is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conowingo Village
- Darlington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Cambria
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cambria is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria
- Dublin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dublin is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dublin
- Whiteford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Stafford ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Stafford is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
- Poole
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Poole is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poole
- Scarboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Scarboro is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scarboro
- Glenville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Glenville is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenville
- Pylesville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Garland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Garland is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Lapidum
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Lapidum is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapidum
- Montgomery County (MD)
- High Point Estates
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- High Point Estates is located in Montgomery County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Point Estates
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.
Cemeteries Near Bethel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.
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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. Catherines Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Drumore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- New Providence Church of God Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Coopers Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Nottingham Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bethesda Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethesda Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bethesda Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the northwest of Conowingo (MD).
- The Bethesda Cemetery has also been known as:
- Oakwood Bethesda Methodist Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #80777 <2>
- Calvary Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Zoar Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Conowingo Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New Bridge Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (303 more) ...
- Krauss Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rising Sun Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oxford Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Bethel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethel.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Unicorn
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Unicorn is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unicorn
- Eldora
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Eldora is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldora
- Goshen
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Goshen is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Mechanic Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Mechanic Grove is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanic Grove
- Hensel
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hensel is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hensel
- Furniss
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Furniss is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniss
- Wakefield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wakefield is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
- Little Britain
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Little Britain is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Britain
- White Rock
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- White Rock is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
- Chestnut Level
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Chestnut Level is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Level
- McSparran
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- McSparran is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McSparran
- Wrightsdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Wrightsdale is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrightsdale
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Kirks Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kirks Mills is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirks Mills
- Oak Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
- Spruce Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Spruce Grove is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spruce Grove
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.
Newspapers Published in Bethel ...
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 23 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethel.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Bethel:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Lancaster County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Berks County
- Chester County
- York County
- New Castle County
- Baltimore County
- Cecil County
- Harford County
- Montgomery County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Pennsylvania
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> | 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- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Bethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |