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 Gibbs Hill (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 Gibbs Hill. 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 Gibbs Hill ...
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.
While the name of this community is Gibbs Hill, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Gibbs Hill may originally have been Gibb's Hill.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Gibbs Hill might be written as Gibb Hill.
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 northwest 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 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.
Gibbs Hill is located in McKean 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 McKean County: Allegany (NY), Cattaraugus (NY), Cameron, Elk, Forest, Potter & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Gibbs Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gibbs Hill:
- McKean County (The home county of Gibbs Hill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Westline
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Kane
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Tallyho
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Tallyho is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallyho
- Kanesholm
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kanesholm is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanesholm
- Timbuck
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Timbuck is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timbuck
- Coontown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Coontown is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coontown
- Freeman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Freeman is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Mount Jewett
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Big Shanty
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Big Shanty is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Shanty
- Hutchins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Hutchins is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchins
- Lewis Run
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Custer City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Degolia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Degolia is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Degolia
- Clarion County
- Crown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Crown is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
- Elk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Windy City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Windy City is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windy City
- James City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- McKinley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- McKinley is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKinley
- Russell City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Russell City is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell City
- Wilcox
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Streights
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Streights is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Streights
- Instanter
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Instanter is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Instanter
- Johnsonburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Johnsonburg is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,264 people
- Whistletown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Whistletown is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whistletown
- Hallton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Hallton is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallton
- Ridgway
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Lake City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Millstone
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Millstone is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millstone
- Forest County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Sheffield Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Sheffield Junction is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield Junction
- Iron City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Iron City is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron City
- Balltown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Balltown is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balltown
- Marienville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Marienville is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marienville
- Roses
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Roses is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roses
- Gilfoyle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gilfoyle is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilfoyle
- Trunkeyville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Trunkeyville is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trunkeyville
- Redclyffe
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Redclyffe is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redclyffe
- Fagundus
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Fagundus is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fagundus
- Clarington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jefferson County
- Schoffner Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Schoffner Corner is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schoffner Corner
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Roystone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Roystone is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roystone
- Sheffield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Barnes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Barnes is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes
- Donaldson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Donaldson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Hoover
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hoover is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoover
- Saybrook
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Saybrook is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saybrook
- Kinzua ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Kinzua is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinzua
- Big Bend
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Big Bend is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
- Henrys Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Henrys Mills is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrys Mills
- Clarendon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Sugar Run ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Sugar Run is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Run
- Hemlock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hemlock is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemlock
- Stoneham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Stoneham is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneham
- Cattaraugus County (NY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Elko ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Elko is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko
- Elko has also been known as:
- Wolf Run
- Onoville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Onoville is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoville
- Quaker Bridge ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Quaker Bridge is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Bridge
- Quaker Bridge has also been known as:
- Tunesassa
- Cold Spring
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Cold Spring is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Spring
- Limestone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- New Ireland ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- New Ireland is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Ireland
- New Ireland has also been known as:
- Irish Town
- Little Ireland
- Harrisburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Harrisburg is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Chipmunk
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Chipmunk is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipmunk
- Carrollton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Carrollton is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
- East Randolph
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- East Randolph is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Randolph
- Estimated population in 2012: 615 people
- Randolph
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Four Mile
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Four Mile is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Mile
- Rock City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rock City is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Chautauqua County (NY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Frewsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ivory
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ivory is located in Chautauqua County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivory
- Kiantone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Kiantone is located in Chautauqua County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiantone
- Busti
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Busti is located in Chautauqua County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busti
- Poland Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Poland Center is located in Chautauqua County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poland Center
- Falconer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jamestown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kennedy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Gibbs Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Gibbs Hill.
Cemeteries Near Gibbs Hill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gibbs Hill.
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 Gibbs Hill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Gibbs Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Moriah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lone Pine Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lone Pine Cemetery is located 8 miles [12.9 km]<3> to the northwest of Kane.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2198998 <4>
- Forest Lawn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. Callistus Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Tabor Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Brookston Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Greendale Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cherry Grove Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- McKean Memorial Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Smith Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Highland Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bridge View Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (86 more) ...
- Snyder Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Irvine Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 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.<5>
While we didn't find Gibbs Hill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Gibbs Hill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Gibbs Hill, with the one closest to Gibbs Hill listed first.
- Ludlow
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Wetmore
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wetmore is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetmore
- Roystone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Roystone is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roystone
- Morrison ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Morrison is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison
- Sheffield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saybrook
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Saybrook is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saybrook
- Barnes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Barnes is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes
- Donaldson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Donaldson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Kane
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Westline
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Tiona
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Kinzua ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Kinzua is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinzua
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Greendale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Greendale is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
- Brookston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Brookston is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookston
- Clarendon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Gibbs Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Gibbs Hill.
Newspapers Published in Gibbs Hill ...
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 30 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gibbs Hill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gibbs Hill, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gibbs Hill.
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 Gibbs Hill:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to McKean County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarion County
- Elk County
- Forest County
- Jefferson County
- Warren County
- Cattaraugus County
- Chautauqua County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Pennsylvania
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Gibbs Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |
| <5> | 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 Gibbs Hill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |