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 Grafton (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 Grafton. 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 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 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.
Grafton is located in Indiana 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 Indiana County: Armstrong, Cambria, Clearfield, Jefferson & Westmoreland.
Below are the counties that are near Grafton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Grafton:
- Indiana County (The home county of Grafton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Black Lick
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Black Lick is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Lick
- Palmertown
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Josephine
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Josephine is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Josephine
- Coral
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Graceton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Graceton is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceton
- Blairsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Smathers
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Smathers is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smathers
- Heshbon
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Heshbon is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heshbon
- Homer City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Waterman
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Waterman is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterman
- Aultman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Aultman is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aultman
- Jacksonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jacksonville is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Sligo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sligo is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sligo
- Karns
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Karns is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Karns
- Natrona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Natrona is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- New Texas
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- New Texas is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Texas
- Plum
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Plum is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,993 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plum <1>
- Brackenridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Leechburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Leechburg is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leechburg
- Unity
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Unity is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity
- Garden City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Garden City is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Monroeville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pitcairn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Springdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Olivet
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Olivet is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Edmon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Edmon is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
- Elderton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Church
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cochrans Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cochrans Mills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrans Mills
- Orchard Hills
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Orchard Hills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
- Atwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Atwood is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- North Apollo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Apollo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Whitesburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Whitesburg is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitesburg
- Blanco
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Blanco is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanco
- Tunnelville ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tunnelville is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnelville
- Butler County
- Monroe
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Cambria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Wilmore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Vintondale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Vintondale is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vintondale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 367 people
- White Mill Crossing
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- White Mill Crossing is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Mill Crossing
- Brownstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cambria City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cambria City is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria City
- Lilly
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lilly is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 873 people
- Westmont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Westmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,625 people
- Belsano
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Belsano is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belsano
- Conemaugh
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Conemaugh is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conemaugh
- Elim
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Elim is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elim
- Johnstown
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Southmont
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Southmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,048 people
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Bear Rocks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bear Rocks is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Rocks
- Laurelville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Laurelville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelville
- Champion
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- White
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- White is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Thomas Mill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Thomas Mill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Mill
- Tire Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tire Hill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tire Hill
- Laurel Mountain Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Jerome
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Jennerstown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Davidsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners Crossroads
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Jenners Crossroads is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners Crossroads
- Benson
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Benson is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Hollsopple
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Jenners is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners
- Paint
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Paint is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paint
- Population from the 2020 Census: 930 people
- Roytown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Roytown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roytown
- Westmoreland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Burrell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Burrell is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrell
- Bolivar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Livermore
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Livermore is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- New Florence
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- West Fairfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- West Fairfield is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fairfield
- Seward
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Robb
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Robb is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robb
- Derry
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- 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>
- New Derry
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- New Alexandria
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Latrobe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- McChesneytown - Loyalhanna
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Grafton, see our County-by-County Page for Grafton.
Cemeteries Near Grafton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grafton.
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 Grafton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Grafton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Coral Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coral Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Coral Lutheran Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Coral.
- The Coral Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lutheran Chapel Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2129169 <2>
- Kunkle Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Blairsville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Smathers Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- McIntire Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Westview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bethel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Frye Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Union Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (256 more) ...
- Evans Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Robinson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Conemaugh Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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 Grafton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Grafton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Grafton, with the one closest to Grafton listed first.
- Smith
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Smith is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Blairsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Graceton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Graceton is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceton
- Smathers
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Smathers is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smathers
- Snyder
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Snyder is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snyder
- Burrell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Burrell is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrell
- Cokeville ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cokeville is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokeville
- Grays
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Grays is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays
- Heshbon
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Heshbon is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heshbon
- Homer City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Bolivar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Two Lick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Two Lick is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Two Lick
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Livermore
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Livermore is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Hillside
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hillside is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillside
- Lockport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lockport is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockport
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Grafton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Grafton.
Newspapers Published in Grafton ...
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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around Grafton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grafton, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grafton.
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 Grafton:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Indiana County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Butler County
- Cambria County
- Fayette County
- Somerset County
- Westmoreland 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 Grafton, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Grafton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |