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 Chain (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 Chain. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Chain is located in Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill County: Berks, Carbon, Columbia, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne & Northumberland.
Below are the counties that are near Chain. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Chain:
- Schuylkill County (The home county of Chain)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Tamaqua
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rene Mont
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Rene Mont is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rene Mont
- New Ringgold
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mantz
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mantz is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantz
- Tuscarora
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Tuscarora is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuscarora
- McKeansburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- McKeansburg is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKeansburg
- Rauschs
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rauschs is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rauschs
- Coaldale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hometown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hometown is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hometown
- Middleport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Middleport is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 377 people
- Andreas
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Grier City - Park Crest
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Berks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Quaker City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Quaker City is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker City
- Stony Run
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Stony Run is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Run
- Ededburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ededburg is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ededburg
- Lenhartsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Hamburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Windsor Castle
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Windsor Castle is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor Castle
- Grimville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Grimville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grimville
- Krumsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Krumsville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Krumsville
- Berne
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Berne is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
- Moselem
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Moselem is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moselem
- Shoemakersville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Eagle Point
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Eagle Point is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Point
- Carbon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Lansford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Mahoning
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- New Mahoning is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Mahoning
- Germans
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Germans is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germans
- Summit Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mertz Town
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mertz Town is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mertz Town
- Nesquehoning
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ashfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Ashfield is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashfield
- Tresckow
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Tresckow is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tresckow
- Beaver Meadows
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Coxes Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Coxes Village is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coxes Village
- Coxes Village has also been known as:
- Cross Village
- Hudsondale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hudsondale is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsondale
- Lehighton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Columbia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Aristes
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Aristes is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aristes
- Centralia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Locustdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Shumans
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Shumans is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumans
- Hetlerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hetlerville is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hetlerville
- Newlin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Newlin is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newlin
- Numidia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Numidia is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Numidia
- Berwick
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Slabtown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Slabtown is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slabtown
- Briar Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Briar Creek is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 672 people
- Foundryville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Foundryville is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foundryville
- Mainville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mainville is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainville
- Lebanon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Greble
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Greble is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greble
- Newmanstown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Richland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sheridan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sheridan is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Lehigh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Jacksonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jacksonville is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Lochland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Lochland is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochland
- Stines Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stines Corner is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stines Corner
- Slatedale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Slatedale is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slatedale
- Hynemansville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hynemansville is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hynemansville
- New Smithville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Smithville is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Smithville
- Weisenberg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Weisenberg is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weisenberg
- Custer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Custer is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer
- Emerald
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Emerald is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald
- Newside
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Newside is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newside
- Friedens
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Friedens is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friedens
- Seipstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Seipstown is located in Lehigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seipstown
- Luzerne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Harwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Harwood is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood
- Hazleton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- West Hazleton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- West Hazleton is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hazleton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,318 people
- Harleigh
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Ebervale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Ebervale is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ebervale
- Jeddo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jeddo is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Tomhicken
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tomhicken is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomhicken
- Conyngham
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Eckley ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Eckley is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eckley
- Eckley has also been known as:
- Eckley Miners Village
- Freeland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Highlands
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Highlands is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highlands
- Sybertsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Kresgeville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Gilbert
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rossland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Rossland is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossland
- Montgomery County
- Palm
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Northampton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Berlinsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Berlinsville is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlinsville
- Lockport
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Lockport is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockport
- Walnutport
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Cherryville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Danielsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Kreidersville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Kreidersville is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kreidersville
- Northampton
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Arndts
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Arndts is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arndts
- Howertown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Howertown is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howertown
- Howertown has also been known as:
- Hauertown
- Howardtown
- Howartown
- Howeton
- North Catasauqua
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- North Catasauqua is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Catasauqua
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,825 people
- Weaversville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Weaversville is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaversville
- Franks Corner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Franks Corner is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks Corner
- Northumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Alaska
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Alaska is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Dooleyville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Dooleyville is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooleyville
- Mount Carmel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Locust Gap
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Locust Gap is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Gap
- Natalie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Natalie is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natalie
- Bear Gap
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bear Gap is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Gap
- Gowen City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gowen City is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowen City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Chain, see our County-by-County Page for Chain.
Cemeteries Near Chain ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chain.
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 Chain - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Chain covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- Friedens Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friedens Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Friedens Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of New Ringgold.
- The Friedens Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Friedens Cemetery
- Friedens Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Friedens Union Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #333895 <2>
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Christ Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Bertha Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Steigerwalts Church of God Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Drehersville Evangelical Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drehersville Evangelical Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Drehersville Evangelical Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the northeast of Deer Lake.
- The Drehersville Evangelical Cemetery has also been known as:
- Drehersville Cemetery
- Drejersville Evangelical United Brethren Cemetery
- Salem Evangelical Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2267244 <2>
- New Bethel Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- St. Joseph's RC Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery
- The Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Christ Church Cemetery
- White Church Cemetery
- White Church Reformed Cemetery
- St. Peters United Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Zions Red Church Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zions Red Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Zions Red Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the southeast of Orwigsburg.
- The Zions Red Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Red Church Cemetery
- Zions Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #171238 <2>
- Continue List (261 more) ...
- St. Nicholas Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Friedens Lutheran Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friedens Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Friedens Lutheran Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Stony Run.
- The Friedens Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Friedens Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #335558 <2>
- German Protestant Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
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>
While we didn't find Chain in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Chain.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Chain, with the one closest to Chain listed first.
- West Penn
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- West Penn is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Penn
- Reynolds
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Reynolds is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynolds
- Hecla
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hecla is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hecla
- Kepner
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kepner is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kepner
- Leibeyville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Leibeyville is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leibeyville
- New Ringgold
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rene Mont
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Rene Mont is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rene Mont
- Dorset
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dorset is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorset
- Newkirk
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Newkirk is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newkirk
- Tamaqua
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Reevesdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Reevesdale is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reevesdale
- McKeansburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- McKeansburg is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKeansburg
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Rauschs
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rauschs is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rauschs
- Mantz
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mantz is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantz
- Tuscarora
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Tuscarora is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuscarora
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Chain. See our List of 1890's Communities around Chain.
Newspapers Published in Chain ...
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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chain.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Chain, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Chain.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Chain:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Schuylkill County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Berks County
- Carbon County
- Columbia County
- Lebanon County
- Lehigh County
- Luzerne County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Northampton County
- Northumberland 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Chain) 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 Chain, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |