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 McMurray (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 McMurray. 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.
McMurray is located in Washington 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 Washington County: Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Westmoreland, Brooke (WV), Hancock (WV), Marshall (WV) & Ohio (WV).
Below are the counties that are near McMurray. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to McMurray:
- Washington County (The home county of McMurray)
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Thompsonville
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Thompsonville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Finleyville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Gastonville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Gastonville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonville
- Gilkeson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gilkeson is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilkeson
- Canonsburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dunningsville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Dunningsville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunningsville
- Cokeburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Cokeburg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokeburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Houston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Strabane
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ellsworth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Ellsworth is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellsworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 960 people
- Eighty Four
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- McGovern
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- McGovern is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGovern
- Baidland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Baidland is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baidland
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Library
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Upper Saint Clair
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bethel Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bridgeville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Essen
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Essen is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essen
- Mount Lebanon
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brightwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Brightwood is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brightwood
- Cochrans Mill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cochrans Mill is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrans Mill
- Castle Shannon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Morgan is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Heidelberg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Heidelberg is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,199 people
- Pleasant Hills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Whitehall
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver County
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- South Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- South Heights is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 437 people
- Ambridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Gringo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gringo is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gringo
- Crestmont Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Crestmont Village is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crestmont Village
- New Sheffield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- New Sheffield is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sheffield
- Aliquippa
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Comettsburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Comettsburg is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comettsburg
- Frankfort Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Frankfort Springs is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Harshaville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Harshaville is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harshaville
- Baden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Economy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Economy is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,022 people
- Kendall
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kendall is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
- Conway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Fernway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Fernway is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernway
- Seven Fields
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Seven Fields is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Fields
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,740 people
- Valencia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Fox Run
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Fox Run is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Run
- Mars
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Ogle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Ogle is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogle
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Belle Vernon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lynnwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lynnwood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnwood
- Arnold City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Arnold City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold City
- Brownstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brownstown is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownstown
- Fairhope
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Fairhope is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhope
- Fayette City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Fayette City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 569 people
- Newell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Newell is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 492 people
- Chamouni
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Chamouni is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamouni
- La Belle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- La Belle is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Belle
- Kenneth
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kenneth is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenneth
- Alicia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Alicia is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alicia
- Banning
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Banning is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banning
- Brownsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Chartiers
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Chartiers is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chartiers
- Clarksville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- West Union
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- West Union is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
- Jefferson
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Jefferson is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Lippincott
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Lippincott is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lippincott
- Rices Landing
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Swarts
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Swarts is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swarts
- Carmichaels
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Cumberland Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Cumberland Village is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland Village
- Morrisville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Morrisville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrisville
- Stringtown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Stringtown is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Waynesburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Fairdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Fairdale is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
- Westmoreland County
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Monessen
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Webster
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Webster is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Gibsonton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gibsonton is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonton
- Sutersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- North Belle Vernon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Belle Vernon is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Belle Vernon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,842 people
- Blackburn ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Blackburn is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackburn
- Shaner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Shaner is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaner
- West Newton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Rillton
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Herminie
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Larimer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Larimer is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larimer
- Trafford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Irwin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Irwin is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,716 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Irwin <1>
- Jefferson County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Mingo Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Brilliant
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Brilliant is located in Jefferson County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brilliant
- Deandale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Deandale is located in Jefferson County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deandale
- Georges Run
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Georges Run is located in Jefferson County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georges Run
- Alikanna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Alikanna is located in Jefferson County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alikanna
- Steubenville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Toronto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Gould
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gould is located in Jefferson County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Brooke County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Bethany
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hooverson Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hooverson Heights is located in Brooke County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooverson Heights
- Dutch Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Dutch Town is located in Brooke County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Town
- Follansbee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Lower Ferry ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Lower Ferry is located in Brooke County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Ferry
- Middle Ferry ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Middle Ferry is located in Brooke County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Ferry
- Shank Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Shank Town is located in Brooke County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shank Town
- Wellsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Beech Bottom
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Beech Bottom is located in Brooke County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Bottom
- Population from the 2020 Census: 462 people
- Hancock County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Weirton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Zalia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Zalia is located in Hancock County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zalia
- Marshall County (WV)
- Dallas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas is located in Marshall County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Ohio County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Potomac
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Potomac is located in Ohio County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potomac
- Valley Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- West Liberty
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Point Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Point Mills is located in Ohio County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Mills
- Clinton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Clinton is located in Ohio County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to McMurray, see our County-by-County Page for McMurray.
Cemeteries Near McMurray ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McMurray.
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 McMurray - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for McMurray covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Lawn Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Munntown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Finleyville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Vladimer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Agatha Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Georges Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- National Cemetery of the Alleghenies
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Chartiers Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chartiers Hill Cemetery
- The Chartiers Hill Cemetery has also been known as:
- Chartiers Hill Presbyterian Cemetery
- Hill Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44570 <2>
- Melrose Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (440 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Polish Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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, McMurray had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
- Bower Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Bower Hill is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bower Hill
- Thompsonville
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Thompsonville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Thomas
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Thomas is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
- Lawrence
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lawrence is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
- Venetia
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Clifton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Clifton is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Van Emman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Van Emman is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Emman
- Morganza
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Morganza is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morganza
- Gilkeson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gilkeson is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilkeson
- Finleyville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Gastonville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Gastonville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonville
- Library
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (22 more) ...
- Upper Saint Clair
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Canonsburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bridgeville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around McMurray. See our List of 1890's Communities around McMurray.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of McMurray ...
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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around McMurray.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of McMurray. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of McMurray and those printed in the larger area surrounding McMurray.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4> of McMurray.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 McMurray:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Washington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Beaver County
- Butler County
- Fayette County
- Greene County
- Westmoreland County
- Jefferson County
- Brooke County
- Hancock County
- Marshall County
- Ohio 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 McMurray, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- McMurray) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |