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 Dover (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 Dover. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Dover is located in York 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 York County: Baltimore (MD), Carroll (MD), Harford (MD), Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin & Lancaster.
Below are the counties that are near Dover. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dover:
- York County (The home county of Dover)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Weigelstown
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Weigelstown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weigelstown
- Shiloh
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shiloh is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Davidsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Davidsburg is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davidsburg
- Harmony Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Harmony Grove is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Grove
- Roler
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Roler is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roler
- Emigsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Alpine
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Alpine is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- Franklintown
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Franklintown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklintown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
- Zions View
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Zions View is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zions View
- Rossville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rossville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossville
- Thomasville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- West York
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Grove is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,179 people
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- East Berlin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Meade
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lake Meade is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Meade
- Abbottstown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hampton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hampton is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- New Oxford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Latimore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Latimore is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimore
- York Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Midway
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Midway is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Newchester
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Newchester is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newchester
- Brush Run
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brush Run is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Run
- Edgegrove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Edgegrove is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgegrove
- McSherrystown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Heidlersburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Heidlersburg is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidlersburg
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Lisburn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lisburn is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisburn
- Allenview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Allenview is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenview
- Lower Allen
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lower Allen is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Allen
- New Cumberland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Camp Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lemoyne
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Shiremanstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Shiremanstown is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiremanstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,641 people
- Mechanicsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Trindle Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Trindle Springs is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trindle Springs
- Wormleysburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Roxbury
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Roxbury is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxbury
- Sporting Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sporting Hill is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sporting Hill
- Boiling Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Dauphin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Highspire
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Middletown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Royalton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Royalton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royalton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,019 people
- Steelton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Clifton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Clifton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Lawnton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Lawnton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawnton
- Paxtang
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Paxtang is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxtang
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,546 people
- Penbrook
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Penbrook is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penbrook
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,976 people
- Rutherford
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Rutherford is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherford
- Edgemont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Harrisburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hillside Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hillside Village is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillside Village
- Hummelstown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Lancaster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Billmeyer ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Billmeyer is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billmeyer
- Falmouth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Falmouth is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
- Maytown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Marietta
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Aberdeen
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Aberdeen is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberdeen
- Elizabethtown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rheems
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rheems is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rheems
- Columbia
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Florin
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Florin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florin
- Washington Borough
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Washington Borough is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Borough
- Milton Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Milton Grove is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton Grove
- Mount Joy
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ironville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Ironville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironville
- Lebanon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Lawn
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Campbelltown
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Colebrook
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Colebrook is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colebrook
- Mount Gretna
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Palmyra
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Timber Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Timber Hills is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timber Hills
- Fontana
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fontana is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana
- Mount Gretna Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Gretna Heights is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gretna Heights
- Syner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Syner is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Syner
- Annville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Burd Coleman Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Burd Coleman Village is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burd Coleman Village
- Quentin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cornwall
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Marysville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Cove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Cove is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove
- Perdix
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Perdix is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdix
- Duncannon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Falling Spring
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Falling Spring is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Mecks Corner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mecks Corner is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mecks Corner
- Rose Glen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Glen is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Glen
- Baltimore County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Oakland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Freeland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Maryland Line
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Maryland Line is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryland Line
- Eklo
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Eklo is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eklo
- Gorsuch Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Gorsuch Mills is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gorsuch Mills
- Walker
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Walker is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Trump
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Trump is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trump
- Parkton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Shamburg ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Shamburg is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamburg
- Shane
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shane is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shane
- Stablersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stablersville is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stablersville
- White Hall
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Carmel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mount Carmel is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Carroll County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Lineboro
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Lineboro is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineboro
- Young Mans Fancy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Young Mans Fancy is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young Mans Fancy
- Roller
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Roller is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roller
- Manchester
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Reeds Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Reeds Village is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Village
- Rockbrook Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Rockbrook Village is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockbrook Village
- Hampstead
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Harney
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harney is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harney
- Fairground Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fairground Village is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairground Village
- Frizzellburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Frizzellburg is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frizzellburg
- Frizzellburg has also been known as:
- Frizels
- Taneytown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tyrone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tyrone is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Westminster
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Harford County (MD)
- Shawsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shawsville is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dover, see our County-by-County Page for Dover.
Cemeteries Near Dover ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dover.
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 Dover - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dover covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Strayers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Union Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Suburban Memorial Gardens
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh Cemetery
- The Shiloh Cemetery has also been known as:
- Shiloh Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #328782 <2>
- Neimans Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hershey Mennonite Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wolf Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Wolf Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Salem Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Salem Evangelical Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Markey Farm Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Altland's Meeting House Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (291 more) ...
- Greenmount Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Prospect Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lebanon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Dover had a population of 465 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Dover had a population of 1,981 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Dover, with the one closest to Dover listed first.
- Weigelstown
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Weigelstown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weigelstown
- Eastmont
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Eastmont is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmont
- Davidsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Davidsburg is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davidsburg
- Mount Royal
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Royal is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Royal
- Roler
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Roler is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roler
- Spring Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Grove is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,179 people
- Thomasville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Alpine
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Alpine is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- West York
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Emigsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Zions View
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Zions View is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zions View
- Rossville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rossville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossville
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Franklintown
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Franklintown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklintown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
- La Bott
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- La Bott is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Bott
- Bair
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bair is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bair
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dover. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dover.
Newspapers Published in Dover ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dover.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dover, 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 Dover.
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 Dover:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to York County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Cumberland County
- Dauphin County
- Lancaster County
- Lebanon County
- Perry County
- Baltimore County
- Carroll County
- Harford 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 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Dover) 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 Dover, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |