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 Branchville (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 Branchville. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Branchville is located in Erie 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 Erie County: Chautauqua (NY), Ashtabula (OH), Crawford (OH) & Warren (OH).
Below are the counties that are near Branchville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Branchville:
- Erie County (The home county of Branchville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Branchville, with the one closest to Branchville listed first.
- McKean
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- McKean is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 366 people
- McKean has also been known as:
- Middleboro
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for McKean <1>
- Franklin Center
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Edinboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Francis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Francis is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Francis
- Kearsarge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Kearsarge is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kearsarge
- West Millcreek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- West Millcreek is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Millcreek
- Borough of Fairview
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Little Elk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Little Elk is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Elk
- LeBoeuf Garden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- LeBoeuf Garden is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LeBoeuf Garden
- Waterford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Avonia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Avonia is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avonia
- Lakewood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Lakewood is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
- Girard
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Girard is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,897 people
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Branchville, with the one closest to Branchville listed first.
- Crossingville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Crossingville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crossingville
- Cambridge Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Venango
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Mosiertown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Mosiertown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosiertown
- Woodcock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Woodcock is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Brown Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Brown Hill is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Hill
- Saegertown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Saegertown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saegertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 938 people
- Springboro Station
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Springboro Station is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springboro Station
- Springboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Coons Corners
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Coons Corners is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coons Corners
- Norrisville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Norrisville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norrisville
- Canadohta Lake
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Canadohta Lake is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadohta Lake
- Conneautville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Venango County
- Wilson Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wilson Mills is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson Mills
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Branchville, with the one closest to Branchville listed first.
- Colza
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Colza is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colza
- Columbus
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- West Spring Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- West Spring Creek is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Spring Creek
- Chautauqua County (NY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Branchville, with the one closest to Branchville listed first.
- French Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- French Creek is located in Chautauqua County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for French Creek
- Findley Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Slab City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Slab City is located in Chautauqua County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab City
- North Clymer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- North Clymer is located in Chautauqua County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Clymer
- Ripley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ashtabula County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Branchville, with the one closest to Branchville listed first.
- Conneaut
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Kelloggsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Kelloggsville is located in Ashtabula County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelloggsville
- Kingsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- North Kingsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Gould
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gould is located in Ashtabula County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Richmond Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Richmond Center is located in Ashtabula County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond Center
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Branchville, see our County-by-County Page for Branchville.
Cemeteries Near Branchville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Branchville.
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 Branchville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Branchville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Branchville, with the one closest to Branchville listed first.
- Golden Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Cemetery
- The Valley Cemetery has also been known as:
- Dunn Valley Cemetery
- Tallmadge Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #46556 <2>
- Sharpes Corners Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpes Corners Cemetery
- The Sharpes Corners Cemetery has also been known as:
- Sharpe Cemetery
- St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ruhl Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Francis Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sherrod Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Laurel Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Calvary Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Waterford Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Fairview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- St. James Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (137 more) ...
- Lewis Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Trow Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mitchell Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
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 Branchville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Branchville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Branchville, with the one closest to Branchville listed first.
- McLane
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- McLane is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLane
- McKean
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- McKean is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 366 people
- McKean has also been known as:
- Middleboro
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for McKean <1>
- Sterrettania
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sterrettania is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrettania
- Edinboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Francis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Francis is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Francis
- Ivarea
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ivarea is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivarea
- Lavery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lavery is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavery
- Swanville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Swanville is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swanville
- McLallen Corners
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- McLallen Corners is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLallen Corners
- Kearsarge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Kearsarge is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kearsarge
- Borough of Fairview
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Little Elk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Little Elk is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Elk
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- West Millcreek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- West Millcreek is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Millcreek
- Waterford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jackson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jackson is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Branchville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Branchville.
Newspapers Published in Branchville ...
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 155 newspapers that have been published in the area around Branchville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Branchville, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Branchville.
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 Branchville:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Erie County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crawford County
- Venango County
- Warren County
- Chautauqua County
- Ashtabula 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 Branchville, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Branchville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |