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 Grays (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 Grays. 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 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.
Grays 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 Grays. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Grays:
- Westmoreland County (The home county of Grays)
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Burrell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Burrell is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrell
- Bolivar
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Derry
(5 miles [8 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
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Livermore
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Livermore is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- West Fairfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Fairfield is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fairfield
- New Florence
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Kingston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- McChesneytown - Loyalhanna
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Darlington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Darlington is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlington
- Latrobe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- New Alexandria
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- New Texas
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- New Texas is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Texas
- Plum
(27 miles [43.5 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>
- Garden City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Garden City is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Leechburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Leechburg is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leechburg
- Pitcairn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wall
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wall is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
- Karns
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Karns is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Karns
- Natrona
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Natrona is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Sligo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sligo is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sligo
- East McKeesport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Monroeville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- North Versailles
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Olivet
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Olivet is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Edmon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Edmon is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
- Spring Church
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- North Apollo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Orchard Hills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Orchard Hills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
- Elderton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Apollo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cochrans Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cochrans Mills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrans Mills
- Atwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Atwood is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- Leechburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Whitesburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Whitesburg is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitesburg
- Tunnelville ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tunnelville is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnelville
- Cambria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Wilmore
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Brownstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Cambria City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Cambria City is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria City
- Lilly
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Lilly is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 873 people
- Southmont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- 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 east)
- Westmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,625 people
- Johnstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Elim
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elim is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elim
- Conemaugh
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Conemaugh is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conemaugh
- Daisytown
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Daisytown is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 290 people
- Dale
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Dale is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,110 people
- East Conemaugh
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- East Conemaugh is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Conemaugh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,090 people
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Laurelville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Laurelville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelville
- Bear Rocks
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bear Rocks is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Rocks
- Champion
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- White
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- White is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Seven Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Indian Head
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Indian Head is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Head
- Everson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Everson is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 744 people
- Indiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Blairsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Robinson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Robinson is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Black Lick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Black Lick is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Lick
- Josephine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Josephine is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Josephine
- Palmertown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bow
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Coral
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Graceton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Graceton is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceton
- Heshbon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Heshbon is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heshbon
- Jacksonville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Jacksonville is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Claghorn ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Claghorn is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claghorn
- Homer City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Laurel Mountain Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Thomas Mill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Thomas Mill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Mill
- Jennerstown
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Davidsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners Crossroads
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners Crossroads is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners Crossroads
- Tire Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Tire Hill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tire Hill
- Hollsopple
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners
- Roytown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Roytown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roytown
- Sipesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Sipesville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipesville
- Benson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- 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 Grays, see our County-by-County Page for Grays.
Cemeteries Near Grays ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grays.
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 Grays - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Grays covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Blairsville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Coles Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Westview Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Rose Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Legat Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Coral Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Bethel Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Union Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (268 more) ...
- Craig Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Grays had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Cokeville ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Cokeville is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokeville
- Hillside
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hillside is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillside
- Blairsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Burrell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Burrell is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrell
- Millwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Millwood is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
- Smith
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Smith is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Bolivar
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Snyder
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Snyder is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snyder
- New Derry
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- West Fairfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Fairfield is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fairfield
- Lockport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lockport is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockport
- Livermore
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Livermore is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Bradenville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bradenville is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradenville
- Bow
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Loyalhanna
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Loyalhanna is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyalhanna
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Grays. See our List of 1890's Communities around Grays.
Newspapers Published in Grays ...
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 35 newspapers that have been published in the area around Grays.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grays, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grays.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Grays:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Westmoreland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong 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 Grays, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Grays) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |