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 Liberty (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 Liberty. 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.
Liberty is located in McKean 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 McKean County: Allegany (NY), Cattaraugus (NY), Cameron, Elk, Forest, Potter & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Liberty. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Liberty:
- McKean County (The home county of Liberty)
- The following are listed by their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Gardeau
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Gardeau is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardeau
- Port Allegany
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Crosby
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Crosby is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosby
- Sartwell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Sartwell is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartwell
- Smethport
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Clermont
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Clermont is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clermont
- Larabee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Larabee is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larabee
- Myrtle
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Myrtle is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Wrights Corners
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Wrights Corners is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights Corners
- Eldred
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Rixford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rixford is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rixford
- Aiken
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Aiken is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
- Allen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Allen is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
- Cameron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Emporium
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Weber City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Weber City is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber City
- Cameron
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Cameron is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Beechwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Beechwood is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
- Huntley
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Huntley is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Driftwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Mix Run
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Mix Run is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mix Run
- Wyside
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Wyside is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyside
- Clinton County
- Hammersley Fork
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hammersley Fork is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammersley Fork
- Elk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Instanter
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Instanter is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Instanter
- Streights
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Streights is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Streights
- Dents Run
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Dents Run is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dents Run
- Grant
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Grant is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
- Saint Marys
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wilcox
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Benezette
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Johnsonburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Johnsonburg is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,264 people
- Potter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Roulette
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Williston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Williston is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Austin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Inez
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Inez is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inez
- Coudersport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hebron
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hebron is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Ayers Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Ayers Hill is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ayers Hill
- Sweden Valley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Sweden Valley is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweden Valley
- Millport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Millport is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millport
- Coneville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Coneville is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coneville
- Shinglehouse
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Oswayo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Oswayo is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswayo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- East Sharon
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- East Sharon is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sharon
- Allegany County (NY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Bowler
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Bowler is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowler
- Little Genesee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Alma
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Alma is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Bolivar
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Kossuth
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Kossuth is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kossuth
- Pikeville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Pikeville is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikeville
- Sawyer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Sawyer is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer
- Vosburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Vosburg is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vosburg
- Richburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Allentown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Petrolia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Petrolia is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petrolia
- West Clarksville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- West Clarksville is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Clarksville
- Paynesville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Paynesville is located in Allegany County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paynesville
- Cattaraugus County (NY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Portville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Four Mile
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Four Mile is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Mile
- Rock City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Rock City is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Weston Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Weston Mills is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston Mills
- Westons Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Harrisburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harrisburg is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Olean
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Olean is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,371 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olean <1>
- Saint Bonaventure
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Allegany
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chipmunk
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Chipmunk is located in Cattaraugus County (NY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipmunk
- Limestone
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Liberty, see our County-by-County Page for Liberty.
Cemeteries Near Liberty ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Liberty.
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 Liberty - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Liberty covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Card Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lyman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Forksville Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- St. Gabriels Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lewis Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- St. Eulalias Catholic Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Eulalias Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Eulalias Catholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Coudersport.
- The St. Eulalias Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Eulalias Cemetery
- Norwich Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Eulalia Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Costello Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (87 more) ...
- Rees Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rich Valley Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Moores Run Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 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.<3>
While we didn't find Liberty in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Liberty.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Liberty, with the one closest to Liberty listed first.
- Wrights
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wrights is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrights
- Roulette
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Burtville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Burtville is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burtville
- Gardeau
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Gardeau is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardeau
- Odin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Odin is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
- Knowlton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Knowlton is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knowlton
- Mina
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Mina is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mina
- Norwich
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Norwich is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwich
- Sizerville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sizerville is located in Cameron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sizerville
- Austin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Port Allegany
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Olmsted
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Olmsted is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmsted
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Williston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Williston is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Colegrove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Colegrove is located in McKean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colegrove
- Inez
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Inez is located in Potter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inez
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Liberty. See our List of 1890's Communities around Liberty.
Newspapers Published in Liberty ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Liberty.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Liberty, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Liberty.
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 Liberty:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to McKean County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cameron County
- Clinton County
- Elk County
- Potter County
- Allegany County
- Cattaraugus 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 Liberty, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Liberty) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |