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 California Furnace (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 California Furnace. 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.
California Furnace is located in Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland County: Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana & Somerset.
Below are the counties that are near California Furnace. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to California Furnace:
- Westmoreland County (The home county of California Furnace)
- The following are listed by their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Laughlintown
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Laurel Mountain
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Laurel Mountain is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 153 people
- Laurel Mountain has also been known as:
- Laurel Mountain Park
- Rector
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Ligonier
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Oak Grove is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Darlington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Darlington is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlington
- Stahlstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kingston is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Youngstown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Donegal
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Derry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Derry is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,495 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Derry <1>
- Lawson Heights
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lawson Heights is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson Heights
- Lycippus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Lycippus is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lycippus
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Edmon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Edmon is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
- Olivet
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Olivet is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Bedford County
- Kegg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kegg is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kegg
- Cambria County
- The following are listed by their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Elim
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Elim is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elim
- Ferndale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Southmont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Southmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,048 people
- Westmont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Westmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,625 people
- Ingleside
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Ingleside is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
- Brownstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cambria City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cambria City is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria City
- Dale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dale is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,110 people
- Johnstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lilly
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lilly is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 873 people
- Belmont
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Belmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Conemaugh
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Conemaugh is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conemaugh
- Daisytown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Daisytown is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 290 people
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Champion
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Seven Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- White
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- White is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Bear Rocks
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bear Rocks is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Rocks
- Laurelville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Laurelville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelville
- Indian Head
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Head is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Head
- Everson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Everson is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 744 people
- Connellsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- South Connellsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dawson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rogerstown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rogerstown is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogerstown
- Sitka
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sitka is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitka
- Dickerson Run
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dickerson Run is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickerson Run
- Indiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Robinson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Robinson is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Blairsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Black Lick
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Black Lick is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Lick
- Palmertown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Heshbon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Heshbon is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heshbon
- Josephine
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Josephine is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Josephine
- Armagh
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bow
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Claghorn ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Claghorn is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claghorn
- Coral
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Graceton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Graceton is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceton
- Dilltown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- White
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- White is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Laurel Mountain Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jennerstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Roytown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Roytown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roytown
- Jenners Crossroads
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jenners Crossroads is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners Crossroads
- Sipesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sipesville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipesville
- Jenners
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jenners is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners
- Bakersville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bakersville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakersville
- Jerome
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Jerome is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Thomas Mill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Thomas Mill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Mill
- Gideon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gideon is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gideon
- Husband
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Husband is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Husband
- Lavansville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lavansville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavansville
- Benson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Benson is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to California Furnace, see our County-by-County Page for California Furnace.
Cemeteries Near California Furnace ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of California Furnace.
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 California Furnace - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for California Furnace covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Cole Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- St. Michael's Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Michael's Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Michael's Cemetery is located outside and to the north of Rector.
- The St. Michael's Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Michael's of the Valley Episcopal Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2267682 <2>
- Laughlintown Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ligonier Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ligonier Valley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ligonier Valley Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Ligonier.
- The Ligonier Valley Cemetery has also been known as:
- Valley Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1921576 <2>
- Penrod Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Snowball Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Green Mtn. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Keltz Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Friedline Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jenners Crossroads Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (216 more) ...
- Porch Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Garden of Memories Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- St. Marys 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.<3>
While we didn't find California Furnace in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of California Furnace.
These communities are listed based on their distance from California Furnace, with the one closest to California Furnace listed first.
- Laughlintown
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Ligonier
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bells
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bells is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells
- Hillsview
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hillsview is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsview
- Darlington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Darlington is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlington
- Stahlstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jennerstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- McCance
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- McCance is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCance
- Edie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Edie is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edie
- Sipesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sipesville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipesville
- Jenners Crossroads
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jenners Crossroads is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners Crossroads
- Glessner
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Glessner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glessner
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Jones Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kingston is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Donegal
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around California Furnace. See our List of 1890's Communities around California Furnace.
Newspapers Published in California Furnace ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around California Furnace.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of California Furnace, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for California Furnace.
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 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 California Furnace:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Westmoreland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Armstrong County
- Bedford County
- Cambria County
- Fayette County
- Indiana County
- Somerset 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 California Furnace, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- California Furnace) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |