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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 Jonestown (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 Jonestown. 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 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.

Jonestown is located in Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill County: Berks, Carbon, Columbia, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne & Northumberland.

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

  • Schuylkill County     (The home county of Jonestown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Minersville
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Heckscherville
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Heckscherville is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heckscherville
    • Llewellyn
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Marlin
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Marlin is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlin
    • Forrestville
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Forrestville is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forrestville
    • Forestville
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Forestville is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forestville
    • Seltzer
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Seltzer is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seltzer
    • Buck Run
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Buck Run is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Run
    • Glendower
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Glendower is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendower
    • New Castle ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • New Castle is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Castle
    • Branchdale
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Branchdale is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchdale
    • Mechanicsville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Gordon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Berks County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Schubert
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Schubert is located in Berks County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schubert
    • Bethel
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Strausstown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Shartlesville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Meckville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Meckville is located in Berks County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meckville
    • Rehrersburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Rehrersburg is located in Berks County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehrersburg
    • New Schaefferstown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • New Schaefferstown is located in Berks County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Schaefferstown
    • Wintersville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Wintersville is located in Berks County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wintersville
    • Berne
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Berne is located in Berks County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
    • Ededburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Ededburg is located in Berks County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ededburg
    • Hamburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Aetna
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Bernville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Carbon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Tresckow
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Tresckow is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tresckow
    • Lansford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Beaver Meadows
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Coxes Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Coxes Village is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coxes Village
      • Coxes Village has also been known as:
      • Cross Village
    • New Mahoning
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • New Mahoning is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Mahoning
    • Hudsondale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hudsondale is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsondale
    • Nesquehoning
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Summit Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Germans
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Germans is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germans
    • Mertz Town
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Mertz Town is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mertz Town
    • Weatherly
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Ashfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Ashfield is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashfield
    • Jim Thorpe
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Jim Thorpe is located in Carbon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jim Thorpe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,650 people
      • Former names for Jim Thorpe:
      • East Mauch Chunk
      • Mauch Chunk
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jim Thorpe <1>
  • Columbia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Locustdale
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Centralia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Aristes
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Aristes is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aristes
    • Newlin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Newlin is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newlin
    • Numidia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Numidia is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Numidia
    • Slabtown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Slabtown is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slabtown
    • Shumans
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Shumans is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumans
    • Queen City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Queen City is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
    • Mainville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Mainville is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainville
    • Catawissa
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Hetlerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Hetlerville is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hetlerville
    • Almedia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Almedia is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almedia
    • Espy
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Espy is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Espy
  • Dauphin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Williamstown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Dayton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Dayton is located in Dauphin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
    • Erdman
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Erdman is located in Dauphin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erdman
    • Gratz
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Lykens
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Loyalton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Loyalton is located in Dauphin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyalton
    • Pillow
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Carsonville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Carsonville is located in Dauphin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carsonville
    • Grantville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Berrysburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Elizabethville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Lancaster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Cocalico
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Cocalico is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cocalico
    • Blainsport
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Blainsport is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blainsport
  • Lebanon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Gold Mine
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Gold Mine is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Mine
    • Greble
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Greble is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greble
    • Fredericksburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Murray
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Murray is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray
    • Inwood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Inwood is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inwood
    • Mount Zion
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Mount Zion is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
    • Green Point
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Green Point is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Point
    • Lickdale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lickdale is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickdale
    • Myerstown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Jonestown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Richland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Sheridan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Sheridan is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
    • Bunker Hill
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Bunker Hill is located in Lebanon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
  • Lehigh County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Jacksonville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Jacksonville is located in Lehigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
    • Stines Corner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Stines Corner is located in Lehigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stines Corner
    • Lochland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Lochland is located in Lehigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochland
    • New Smithville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • New Smithville is located in Lehigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Smithville
    • Hynemansville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Hynemansville is located in Lehigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hynemansville
    • Weisenberg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Weisenberg is located in Lehigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weisenberg
  • Luzerne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Newtown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Newtown is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
    • Mountain Grove
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Mountain Grove is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Grove
    • Tomhicken
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Tomhicken is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomhicken
    • Harwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Harwood is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood
    • Conyngham
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • West Hazleton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • West Hazleton is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hazleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,318 people
    • Hazleton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Sybertsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Nescopeck
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Harleigh
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Beach Haven
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Beach Haven is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach Haven
    • East Berwick
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • East Berwick is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Berwick
    • Ebervale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ebervale is located in Luzerne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ebervale
  • Montour County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Mechanicsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Mechanicsville is located in Montour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsville
    • Danville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Mooresburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Mooresburg is located in Montour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooresburg
  • Northumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Alaska
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Alaska is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
    • Dooleyville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Dooleyville is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooleyville
    • Locust Gap
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Locust Gap is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Gap
    • Mount Carmel
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Natalie
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Natalie is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natalie
    • Gowen City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Gowen City is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowen City
    • Bear Gap
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Bear Gap is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Gap
    • Marshallton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Marshallton is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshallton
    • Bear Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Bear Valley is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
    • Edgewood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Edgewood is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood
    • Shamokin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Shamokin is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamokin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,909 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Shamokin <1>
    • Kulpmont
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Kulpmont is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kulpmont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,735 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kulpmont <1>
    • Elysburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • Snyder County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Jonestown, with the one closest to Jonestown listed first.
    • Dundore
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Dundore is located in Snyder County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundore
    • Hummels Wharf
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Shamokin Dam
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Jonestown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Jonestown.

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

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

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

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 Jonestown in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Jonestown.

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

  • Minersville
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Llewellyn
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Heckscherville
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Heckscherville is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heckscherville
  • Steins
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Steins is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steins
  • Silverton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Silverton is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silverton
  • Glendower
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Glendower is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendower
  • Branchdale
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Branchdale is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchdale
  • New Castle ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • New Castle is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Castle
  • Blackwood
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Blackwood is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwood
  • Mount Carbon
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Carbon is located in Schuylkill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carbon
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
  • Pottsville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Saint Clair
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Gordon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Swatara
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Swatara is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swatara
    • Palo Alto
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Palo Alto is located in Schuylkill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo Alto
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 975 people

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

Newspapers Published in Jonestown ...

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 112 newspapers that have been published in the area around Jonestown.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Jonestown, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Jonestown.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Jonestown:

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 Jonestown, 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- Jonestown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.