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 Brown Mills (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 Brown Mills. 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.
Name Variations for Brown Mills ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Brown Mills: Brown Mls. (or less commonly used: Brown Mlls.)
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 and hospitals 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.
Brown Mills is located in Franklin 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 Franklin County: Frederick (MD), Washington (MD), Adams, Cumberland, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata & Perry.
Below are the counties that are near Brown Mills. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brown Mills:
- Franklin County (The home county of Brown Mills)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Kauffman
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Kauffman is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kauffman
- Marion
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Marion is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Clay Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Clay Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Hill
- Cashtown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Shady Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shady Grove is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Greencastle
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Guilford Springs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Guilford Springs is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guilford Springs
- New Franklin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Franklin is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Franklin
- Waynecastle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Waynecastle is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waynecastle
- Altenwald
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Altenwald is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altenwald
- Guilford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Guilford is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guilford
- Milnor
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Milnor is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milnor
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Jacks Mountain
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Jacks Mountain is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Mountain
- Carroll Valley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Fairfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Virginia Mills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Virginia Mills is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virginia Mills
- Trust
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Trust is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trust
- Cashtown
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Cashtown is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cashtown
- Orrtanna
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Zora
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Zora is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zora
- Cashtown - McKnightstown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- McKnightstown Station
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Seven Stars
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Seven Stars is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Stars
- Arendtsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Bedford County
- Breezewood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Shippensburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Lees Cross Roads
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lees Cross Roads is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lees Cross Roads
- Newburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Big Spring
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Big Spring is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Spring
- Huntsdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Huntsdale is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsdale
- Newville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Washington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Washington is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington
- Montsera
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Montsera is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montsera
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- McConnellsburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Websters Mill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Websters Mill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Websters Mill
- Knobsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Knobsville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knobsville
- Burnt Cabins
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Burnt Cabins is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Cabins
- Fort Littleton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harrisonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harrisonville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisonville
- Pleasant Ridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Ridge is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge
- Clear Ridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Clear Ridge is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Ridge
- Covalt
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Covalt is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covalt
- Needmore
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Laidig
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Laidig is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laidig
- Sipes Mill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sipes Mill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipes Mill
- Huntingdon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Neelyton
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Neelyton is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neelyton
- Maddensville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Maddensville is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maddensville
- Shade Gap
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Selea
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Selea is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selea
- Pogue
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pogue is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pogue
- Three Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Orbisonia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rockhill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rockhill is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockhill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Rockhill has also been known as:
- Rockhill Furnace
- Saltillo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saltillo is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saltillo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 328 people
- Carroll County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Harney
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Harney is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harney
- Keysville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Keysville is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keysville
- Bruceville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bruceville is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruceville
- Crabster ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Crabster is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crabster
- Keymar
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Taneytown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Frederick County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Sabillasville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Walk
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Walk is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Walk
- Thurmont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Emmitsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Catoctin Furnace
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Catoctin Furnace is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catoctin Furnace
- Jimtown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jimtown is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown
- Myersville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Frostown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Frostown is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frostown
- Creagerstown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Creagerstown is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creagerstown
- Bolivar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Bolivar is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
- Mountaindale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mountaindale is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountaindale
- Rocky Ridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Washington County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Long Meadow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Long Meadow is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Meadow
- Maugansville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hill Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hill Village is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Village
- Fountainhead - Orchard Hills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Paramount - Long Meadow
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Paramount - Long Meadow is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paramount - Long Meadow
- Leitersburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Leitersburg is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leitersburg
- Fairview
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Pen Mar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pen Mar is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pen Mar
- Pen Mar has also been known as:
- Pen Mar Park
- Bridgeport
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bridgeport is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Chewsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Chewsville is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chewsville
- Hagerstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hagerstown is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagerstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39,918 people
- Former name for Hagerstown:
- Hager's Town
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hagerstown <1>
- Highfield - Cascade
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Highfield - Cascade is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highfield - Cascade
- Berkeley County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Falling Waters
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Little Georgetown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Little Georgetown is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Georgetown
- Bedington
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Bedington is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bedington
- Scrabble
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Scrabble is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scrabble
- Hedgesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Swan Pond
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Swan Pond is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Pond
- Martinsburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Baker Heights
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Baker Heights is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker Heights
- Jefferson County (WV)
- Shepherdstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Morgan County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Cherry Run
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Run is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Run
- Sleepy Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sleepy Creek is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleepy Creek
- Holton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Holton is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holton
- Hancock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hancock is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brown Mills, see our County-by-County Page for Brown Mills.
Cemeteries Near Brown Mills ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brown Mills.
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 Brown Mills - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brown Mills covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Cedar Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- German Reformed Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Reformed Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the German Reformed Cemetery is located in Greencastle.
- The German Reformed Cemetery has also been known as:
- Reformed Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2261256 <2>
- State Line Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- State Line UMC Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Beautiful View Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Antietam Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antietam Church Cemetery
- The Antietam Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Prices Church Cemetery
- Trinity Fellowship Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1753915 <2>
- New Guilford Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Corpus Christi Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Paradise Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Green Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Welsh Run Brethren Church Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (277 more) ...
- Mt. Zion Graveyard
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Reiffs Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Millers Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
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 Brown Mills in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brown Mills.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brown Mills, with the one closest to Brown Mills listed first.
- Kauffman
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Kauffman is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kauffman
- Clay Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Clay Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Hill
- Marion
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Marion is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Greencastle
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Shady Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shady Grove is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Housum
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Housum is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Housum
- New Franklin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Franklin is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Franklin
- Guilford Springs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Guilford Springs is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guilford Springs
- Upton
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Upton is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upton
- Zullinger
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Zullinger is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zullinger
- Five Forks
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Five Forks is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Forks
- Altenwald
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Altenwald is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altenwald
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Williamson
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Williamson is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamson
- Wingerton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Wingerton is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wingerton
- Quincy
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brown Mills. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brown Mills.
Newspapers Published in Brown Mills ...
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 99 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brown Mills.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brown Mills, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brown Mills.
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 Brown Mills:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Franklin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Bedford County
- Cumberland County
- Fulton County
- Huntingdon County
- Carroll County
- Frederick County
- Washington County
- Berkeley County
- Jefferson County
- Morgan 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 Brown Mills, 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- Brown Mills) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |