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 Bowmansville (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 Bowmansville. 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 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 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.
Bowmansville 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 Bowmansville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bowmansville:
- Lancaster County (The home county of Bowmansville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Terre Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Red Run
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Red Run is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Run
- Weaverland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Weaverland is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaverland
- Blue Ball
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- East Earl
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Churchtown
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Reamstown
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Beartown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Beartown is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beartown
- Hinkletown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hinkletown is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinkletown
- Denver
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- New Holland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Stevens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Berks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Alleghenyville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Alleghenyville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleghenyville
- Adamstown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- 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>
- Plowville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Plowville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plowville
- Angelica
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Angelica is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelica
- New Morgan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- New Morgan is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Morgan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 76 people
- Mohnton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Tallowyck
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Tallowyck is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallowyck
- Beckersville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beckersville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckersville
- Morgantown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Flying Hills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Flying Hills is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flying Hills
- Freemanville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Freemanville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freemanville
- Deerfield Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Deerfield Village is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield Village
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Cambridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cambridge is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Dampman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dampman is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dampman
- Honey Brook
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Suplee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Suplee is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suplee
- Elverson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Isabella
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Isabella is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isabella
- Birdell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Birdell is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birdell
- Cupola
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cupola is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cupola
- Loag
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Loag is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loag
- Rockville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rockville is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Compass
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Compass is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compass
- Cedar Knoll
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Knoll is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Knoll
- Dauphin County
- Bachmanville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bachmanville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bachmanville
- Lebanon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Newmanstown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Stricklerstown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Stricklerstown is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stricklerstown
- Sheridan
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sheridan is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Richland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Schaefferstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Johnstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Johnstown is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnstown
- Myerstown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Prescott
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Prescott is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott
- Miners Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Miners Village is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miners Village
- Avon Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Avon Heights is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon Heights
- Burd Coleman Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Burd Coleman Village is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burd Coleman Village
- Cornwall
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Lehigh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Alburtis
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hensingersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hensingersville is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hensingersville
- New Smithville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Smithville is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Smithville
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Bramcote
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Bramcote is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bramcote
- Stowe
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- West Pottsgrove
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- West Pottsgrove is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pottsgrove
- Pottstown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Halfway House
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Halfway House is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfway House
- Pottsgrove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Pottsgrove is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottsgrove
- Sanatoga
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Gilbertsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fagleysville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Fagleysville is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fagleysville
- New Hanover
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Royersford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Congo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Congo is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congo
- Schuylkill County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Port Clinton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Auburn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Aucheys
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Aucheys is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheys
- Jefferson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Jefferson is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
- Summit Station
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Summit Station is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit Station
- Moyers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Moyers is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moyers
- Lake Wynonah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lake Wynonah is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Wynonah
- Deer Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Deer Lake is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 645 people
- Landingville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Landingville is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landingville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Schuylkill Haven
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Friedensburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Marstown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Marstown is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marstown
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- East Prospect
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- East Prospect is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Prospect
- Population from the 2020 Census: 912 people
- Wrightsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Goram
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Goram is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goram
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bowmansville, see our County-by-County Page for Bowmansville.
Cemeteries Near Bowmansville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bowmansville.
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 Bowmansville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bowmansville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Allegheny Union Cemetery (Old)
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lichty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Alleghenyville Mennonite Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Allegheny Union Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Weaverland Mennonite Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Churchtown UMC Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wyomissing Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Salem Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Reams Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mast Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Conestoga Mennonite Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (333 more) ...
- Robeson Lutheran Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robeson Lutheran Church Cemetery
- The Robeson Lutheran Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Plow Church Cemetery
- Robeson Cemetery
- Mohnsville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Fairview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Cemetery
- The Fairview Cemetery has also been known as:
- Faith United Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44832 <2>
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bowmansville had a population of 264 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bowmansville, with the one closest to Bowmansville listed first.
- Red Run
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Red Run is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Run
- Terre Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Adamstown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- 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>
- Knauers
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Knauers is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knauers
- Martindale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Martindale is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martindale
- Weaverland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Weaverland is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaverland
- Goodville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Goodville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodville
- Swartzville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Swartzville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swartzville
- Gouglersville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Gouglersville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gouglersville
- Hahnstown
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hahnstown is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hahnstown
- Blue Ball
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- East Earl
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Churchtown
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Angelica
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Angelica is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelica
- Reamstown
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bowmansville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bowmansville.
Newspapers Published in Bowmansville ...
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 125 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bowmansville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bowmansville, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bowmansville.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Bowmansville:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Lancaster County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Berks County
- Chester County
- Dauphin County
- Lebanon County
- Lehigh County
- Montgomery County
- Schuylkill County
- York 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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bowmansville) 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 Bowmansville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |