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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 Johnsburg (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 Johnsburg. 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.

Johnsburg is located in Somerset 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 Somerset County: Allegany (MD), Garrett (MD), Bedford, Cambria, Fayette & Westmoreland.

Below are the counties that are near Johnsburg. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Johnsburg:

  • Somerset County     (The home county of Johnsburg)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Fairhope
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Berlin
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Callimont
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Callimont is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callimont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 38 people
    • Downey
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Downey is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downey
    • Wittenberg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Wittenberg is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittenberg
    • Hays Mill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Hays Mill is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hays Mill
    • Pine Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Pine Hill is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill
    • New Baltimore
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • New Baltimore is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Baltimore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
    • Glade City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Glade City is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glade City
    • Wellersburg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Wellersburg is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellersburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
    • Beachdale
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Beachdale is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beachdale
    • Althouse
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Althouse is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Althouse
  • Bedford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Hyndman
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Cooks Mills
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Cooks Mills is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
    • Stringtown
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Stringtown is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
    • Kegg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Kegg is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kegg
    • Beans Cove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Beans Cove is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Cove
    • Manns Choice
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Schellsburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Rainsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Rainsburg is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
    • Charlesville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Charlesville is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesville
    • New Paris
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Bedford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Wolfsburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Wolfsburg is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfsburg
  • Cambria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Scalp Level
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Scalp Level is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scalp Level
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 691 people
    • Ingleside
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Ingleside is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
    • Belmont
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Belmont is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Ferndale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Geistown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Geistown is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geistown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,242 people
    • Lorain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Lorain is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 680 people
    • Dale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Dale is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,110 people
    • Dunlo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Dunlo is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlo
    • Elim
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Elim is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elim
    • Salix
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Salix is located in Cambria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salix
    • Southmont
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • 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 Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Seven Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Champion
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Westmoreland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Laurel Mountain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Laurel Mountain is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Mountain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 153 people
      • Laurel Mountain has also been known as:
      • Laurel Mountain Park
    • Laughlintown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Rector
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Allegany County (MD)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Ellerslie
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Ellerslie is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellerslie
    • Barrelville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Barrelville is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrelville
    • Corriganville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Corriganville is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corriganville
    • Mount Savage Junction
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Mount Savage Junction is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Savage Junction
    • Mount Savage
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • La Vale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Zihlman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Zihlman is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zihlman
    • Clarysville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Clarysville is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
    • Cumberland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Eckhart Mines
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Eckhart Mines is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eckhart Mines
    • Frostburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Shanty Town ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Shanty Town is located in Allegany County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
  • Garrett County (MD)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Avilton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Avilton is located in Garrett County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avilton
    • Grantsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Bittinger
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Bloomington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bloomington is located in Garrett County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomington
    • Accident
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Hampshire County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Donaldson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Donaldson is located in Hampshire County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
    • Okonoko
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Okonoko is located in Hampshire County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okonoko
    • Springfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Mineral County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Carpendale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Carpendale is located in Mineral County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpendale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 900 people
    • Ridgeley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Wiley Ford
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Short Gap
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Short Gap is located in Mineral County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Gap
    • Fort Ashby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Piedmont
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Keyser
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Keyser is located in Mineral County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyser
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,863 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Keyser <1>
  • Morgan County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.
    • Orleans Cross Roads
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Orleans Cross Roads is located in Morgan County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans Cross Roads
    • Doe Gully
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Doe Gully is located in Morgan County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doe Gully
    • Hansrote
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hansrote is located in Morgan County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hansrote
    • Magnolia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Magnolia is located in Morgan County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Johnsburg, see our County-by-County Page for Johnsburg.

Cemeteries Near Johnsburg ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Johnsburg.

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 Johnsburg - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Johnsburg covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.

  • Lebanon Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Sarver Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Camp Run Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Mt. Zion Reformed Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Zion Reformed Cemetery
    • The Mt. Zion Reformed Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hays Reformed Cemetery
    • Mt. Zion - Hays Cemetery
    • Mt. Zion United Church of Christ (UCC) Cemetery
  • Old Union Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Reformed Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Porter Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Pike Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Union Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Walker Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Fellowship & Union Cemeteries
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (176 more) ...
    • Finzel Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Old Coney Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Growden Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)

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 Johnsburg had a population of 46 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Johnsburg, with the one closest to Johnsburg listed first.

  • Glencoe
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Glencoe is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glencoe
  • Foley
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Foley is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foley
  • Fairhope
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Philson
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Philson is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philson
  • Williams
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Williams is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams
  • Glen Savage
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Glen Savage is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Savage
  • Hoblitzell
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hoblitzell is located in Bedford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoblitzell
  • Hyndman
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Berlin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Hays Mill
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Hays Mill is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hays Mill
  • Wittenberg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Wittenberg is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittenberg
  • Downey
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Downey is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downey
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Fossilville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Fossilville is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossilville
    • West End
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • West End is located in Bedford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West End
    • Pine Hill Station
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Pine Hill Station is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill Station

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Johnsburg. See our List of 1890's Communities around Johnsburg.

Newspapers Published in Johnsburg ...

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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Johnsburg.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Johnsburg, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Johnsburg.

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 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 Johnsburg:

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>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- Johnsburg) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 Johnsburg, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.