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 Highland (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 Highland. 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 and hospitals 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.
Highland 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 Highland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Highland:
- Westmoreland County (The home county of Highland)
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Crabtree
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Congruity
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Congruity is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congruity
- Luxor
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Luxor is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luxor
- Delmont
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Greensburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Southwest Greensburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Southwest Greensburg is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest Greensburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,002 people
- Grapeville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Grapeville is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grapeville
- Radebaugh
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Radebaugh is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radebaugh
- Nihil
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Nihil is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nihil
- South Greensburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- South Greensburg is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Greensburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,977 people
- Jeannette
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Claridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Pitcairn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Wall
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Wall is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
- Garden City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Garden City is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- East McKeesport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Monroeville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- North Versailles
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Leechburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Leechburg is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leechburg
- New Texas
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- New Texas is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Texas
- Plum
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- 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>
- Buena Vista
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Buena Vista is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- White Oak
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Wilmerding
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Edmon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Edmon is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
- Apollo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Orchard Hills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Orchard Hills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
- North Apollo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Olivet
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Olivet is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Spring Church
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Leechburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Cochrans Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Cochrans Mills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrans Mills
- Aladdin
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Aladdin is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aladdin
- Freeport
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Neale
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Neale is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neale
- Tunnelville ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Tunnelville is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnelville
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Monroe
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Ekastown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ekastown is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekastown
- Leasureville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Leasureville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leasureville
- Dennys Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Dennys Mills is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennys Mills
- Saxonburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cambria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Westmont
(30 miles [48.3 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
- Wilmore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Laurelville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Laurelville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelville
- Bear Rocks
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Bear Rocks is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Rocks
- Everson
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Everson is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 744 people
- White
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- White is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Banning
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Banning is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banning
- Champion
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fuller
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fuller is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Whitsett
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Whitsett is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitsett
- Dawson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Lynn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lynn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
- Perryopolis
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Arnold City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Arnold City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold City
- Indiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- White
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- White is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Bow
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Blairsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Clarksburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Saltsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jacksonville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jacksonville is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Black Lick
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Black Lick is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Lick
- West Lebanon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- West Lebanon is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- Aultman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Aultman is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aultman
- Josephine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Josephine is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Josephine
- Palmertown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Coral
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Laurel Mountain Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bakersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bakersville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakersville
- Jennerstown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Roytown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Roytown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roytown
- Jenners Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners Crossroads is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners Crossroads
- Thomas Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Thomas Mill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Mill
- Jenners
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners
- Sipesville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sipesville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipesville
- Jerome
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Jerome is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Lavansville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lavansville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavansville
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Donora
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Black Diamond
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Black Diamond is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Diamond
- Monongahela
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Riverview
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Riverview is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Ellsworth
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Ellsworth is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellsworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 960 people
- New Eagle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- North Charleroi
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- North Charleroi is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Charleroi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,258 people
- Charleroi
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlevy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Roscoe
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Roscoe is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 791 people
- Twilight
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Twilight is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Gastonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Gastonville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Highland, see our County-by-County Page for Highland.
Cemeteries Near Highland ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Highland.
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 Highland - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Highland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Steels Monument Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Union Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Greek Orthodox Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greek Orthodox Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greek Orthodox Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Jeannette.
- The Greek Orthodox Cemetery has also been known as:
- Greek Cemetery
- Russian Orthodox Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44967 <2>
- Sacred Heart Cemetery (Old)
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Holy Sacrament Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Calvary Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jeannette Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Clair Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Twin Valley Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- East View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- East View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- St. Barbaras Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Continue List (392 more) ...
- Westmoreland County Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hillview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Craig 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.<3>
While we didn't find Highland in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Highland.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Highland, with the one closest to Highland listed first.
- Crabtree
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Congruity
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Congruity is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congruity
- Georges Station
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Georges Station is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georges Station
- Grapeville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Grapeville is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grapeville
- Radebaugh
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Radebaugh is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radebaugh
- Greensburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Delmont
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Boquet
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Boquet is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boquet
- Jeannette
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Denison
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Denison is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denison
- Carney
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Carney is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
- Nihil
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Nihil is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nihil
- Continue List (23 more) ...
- Claridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Beatty
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Beatty is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beatty
- New Alexandria
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Highland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Highland.
Newspapers Published in Highland ...
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 75 newspapers that have been published in the area around Highland.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Highland, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Highland.
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 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 Highland:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Westmoreland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Butler County
- Cambria County
- Fayette County
- Indiana County
- Somerset County
- Washington 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 Highland, 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' (or 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- Highland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |