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 Birch (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 Birch. 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.
Birch is located in Clinton 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 Clinton County: Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Lycoming, Potter & Union.
Below are the counties that are near Birch. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Birch:
- Clinton County (The home county of Birch)
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Keating
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Keating is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keating
- Cooks Run
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cooks Run is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Run
- Bitumen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bitumen is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bitumen
- Westport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Renovo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- South Renovo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- South Renovo is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Renovo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 422 people
- Hammersley Fork
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Hammersley Fork is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammersley Fork
- Farwell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Farwell is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farwell
- North Bend
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Beech Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Farrandsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Farrandsville is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrandsville
- Abdera
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Abdera is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abdera
- Cameron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Wyside
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wyside is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyside
- Driftwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mix Run
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mix Run is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mix Run
- Huntley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Huntley is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Cameron
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cameron is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Emporium
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Weber City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Weber City is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber City
- Beechwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beechwood is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
- Centre County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Pine Glen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Glen is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Glen
- Poorman Side
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Poorman Side is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poorman Side
- Clarence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Pancake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Pancake is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pancake
- Moshannon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Moshannon is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moshannon
- Snow Shoe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Monument
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Monument is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument
- Romola
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Romola is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romola
- Central City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Central City is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Curtin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Curtin is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtin
- Wingate
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Wingate is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wingate
- Casanova
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Casanova is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casanova
- Clearfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Pottersdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pottersdale is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottersdale
- Keewaydin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Keewaydin is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keewaydin
- Kylertown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Morrisdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wallaceton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Wallaceton is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallaceton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
- Woodland
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Chester Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chester Hill is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 820 people
- West Decatur
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- West Decatur is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Decatur
- West Decatur has also been known as:
- Blue Ball
- Decatur
- Barrett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Barrett is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrett
- Mount Joy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Joy is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Joy
- Clearfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Elk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Dents Run
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Dents Run is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dents Run
- Grant
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Grant is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
- Benezette
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Caledonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Caledonia is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Byrnedale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Scattertown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Scattertown is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scattertown
- Potter County
- Austin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Birch, see our County-by-County Page for Birch.
Cemeteries Near Birch ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Birch.
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 Birch - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Birch covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Nelson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ganoe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Noyes Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Robbins Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Keewaydin Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Askey Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Miller Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shintown Methodist Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- St. Severin Old Log Church Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- St. Severins Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (93 more) ...
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Summerson Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- New Maple Grove Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 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 Birch in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Birch.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Pottersdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pottersdale is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottersdale
- Keating
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Keating is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keating
- Belford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Belford is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belford
- Cooks Run
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cooks Run is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Run
- Karthaus
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Glen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Glen is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Glen
- Bitumen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bitumen is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bitumen
- Wyside
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wyside is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyside
- Clarence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Westport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Keewaydin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Keewaydin is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keewaydin
- Moshannon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Moshannon is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moshannon
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Gillintown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Gillintown is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillintown
- Snow Shoe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Fountain
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Fountain is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Birch. See our List of 1890's Communities around Birch.
Newspapers Published in Birch ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Birch.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Birch, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Birch.
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 Birch:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Clinton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cameron County
- Centre County
- Clearfield County
- Elk County
- Potter 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> | 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 Birch, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Birch) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |