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 Niles (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 Niles. 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.
Niles is located in Venango 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 Venango County: Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Forest, Mercer & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Niles. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Niles:
- Venango County (The home county of Niles)
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Nicklin
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Nicklin is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicklin
- Sugarcreek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sugarcreek is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugarcreek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,868 people
- Polk
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Polk is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Uniontown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Uniontown is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Utica
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Utica is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Franklin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cooperstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Cooperstown is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooperstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 417 people
- Coal City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Coal City is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Pearl
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pearl is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl
- Henderson Station
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Henderson Station is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Station
- Woodland Heights
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Woodland Heights is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Heights
- Wilson Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Wilson Mills is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson Mills
- Bullion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bullion is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullion
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Parker
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Fredericksburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fredericksburg is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredericksburg
- Queenstown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Queenstown is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queenstown
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Cherry Valley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Cherry Valley is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
- Murrinsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Murrinsville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murrinsville
- Harrisville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Eau Claire
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Ferris
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Ferris is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferris
- Forestville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Forestville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forestville
- Bovard
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Bovard is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bovard
- Branchton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Branchton is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchton
- Slippery Rock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Bruin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bruin is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 489 people
- Hallston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Hallston is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallston
- West Sunbury
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Fairview
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Fairview is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 186 people
- Clarion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Lamartine
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Lamartine is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamartine
- Foxburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Monroe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Monroe is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Saint Petersburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Turkey City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Turkey City is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey City
- Pine City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Pine City is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine City
- Venus
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Venus is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venus
- Alum Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Alum Rock is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Rock
- Beaver City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
- Knox
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elk City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Elk City is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk City
- Iron City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Iron City is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron City
- Jefferson
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Deckard
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Deckard is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deckard
- Cochranton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Black Ash
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Black Ash is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Ash
- Fauncetown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Fauncetown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fauncetown
- Frenchtown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Frenchtown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchtown
- Guys Mills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Wayland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wayland is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
- Gresham
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Gresham is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Townville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Townville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Townville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 306 people
- Geneva
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Geneva is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
- Blooming Valley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Blooming Valley is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blooming Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Hydetown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hydetown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
- Kerrtown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kerrtown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerrtown
- Forest County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Tionesta
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Jamison
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Jamison is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
- Fagundus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fagundus is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fagundus
- Trunkeyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Trunkeyville is located in Forest County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trunkeyville
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Volant
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Harlansburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Harlansburg is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlansburg
- New Wilmington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- North Sandy
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- North Sandy is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sandy
- New Lebanon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- New Lebanon is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Milledgeville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Milledgeville is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milledgeville
- Sandy Lake
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Kilgore
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kilgore is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilgore
- Stoneboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- New Vernon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- New Vernon is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Vernon
- Perrine Corners
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Perrine Corners is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrine Corners
- Clarks Mills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Clarks Mills is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Mills
- Jackson Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sheakleyville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sheakleyville is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheakleyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- Perrys Corners
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Perrys Corners is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrys Corners
- Hadley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Enterprise
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Enterprise is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
- Selkirk
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Selkirk is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selkirk
- York County
- Adamsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Adamsville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Niles, see our County-by-County Page for Niles.
Cemeteries Near Niles ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Niles.
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 Niles - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Niles covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Old Sandy Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Morrison Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Franklin Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Franklin Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Franklin.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44879 <2>
- St. Patrick Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Forest Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Millcreek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Millcreek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Graham Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (180 more) ...
- New Lebanon Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Rocky Springs Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Peters Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
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 in 1895, Niles had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Niles, with the one closest to Niles listed first.
- Polk
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Polk is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Sugarcreek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sugarcreek is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugarcreek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,868 people
- Utica
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Utica is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Franklin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- North Sandy
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- North Sandy is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sandy
- Raymilton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Raymilton is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymilton
- Brandon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brandon is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Mason
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mason is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason
- Coal City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Coal City is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Foster
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Foster is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster
- Cooperstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Cooperstown is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooperstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 417 people
- Carlton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Carlton is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlton
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Pearl
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pearl is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl
- East Sandy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- East Sandy is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sandy
- Astral
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Astral is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astral
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Niles. See our List of 1890's Communities around Niles.
Newspapers Published in Niles ...
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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Niles.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Niles, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Niles.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Niles:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Venango County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Armstrong County
- Butler County
- Clarion County
- Crawford County
- Forest County
- Lawrence County
- Mercer County
- Warren County
- York 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Niles) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Niles, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |