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 Oley Furnace (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 Oley Furnace. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
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 north 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.
Oley Furnace is located in Berks 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 Berks County : Chester , Lancaster , Lebanon , Lehigh , Montgomery & Schuylkill .
Below are the counties that are near Oley Furnace. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oley Furnace:
Berks County (The home county of Oley Furnace)
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Oley (Less than 2 miles to the south)
Lobachsville (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
Lobachsville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lobachsville Pikeville (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
Pikeville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikeville Fleetwood (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
Manatawny (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
Manatawny is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manatawny Dryville (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
Dryville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryville Limekiln (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
Limekiln is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limekiln Griesemersville (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
Griesemersville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griesemersville Lyon Station (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
Lyon Station is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyon Station Sally Ann ‑ Historic(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
Sally Ann is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sally Ann Kirbyville (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
Kirbyville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirbyville South Temple (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
South Temple is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Temple Georgetown Village (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
Georgetown Village is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown Village Bucks County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Steinsburg (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
Steinsburg is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steinsburg Milford Square (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
Milford Square is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford Square Argus (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
Argus is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argus Trumbauersville (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
Zionhill (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
Zionhill is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zionhill Hilltop (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
Hilltop is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilltop Shelly (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
Shelly is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelly Quakertown (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
Rich Hill (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
Rich Hill is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Hill Richlandtown (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
Derstines (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
Derstines is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derstines Passer (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
Passer is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passer Richland Center (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
Richland Center is located in Bucks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland Center Carbon County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Germans (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
Germans is located in Carbon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germans Ashfield (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
Ashfield is located in Carbon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashfield New Mahoning (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
New Mahoning is located in Carbon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Mahoning Hazard (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
Hazard is located in Carbon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazard Kittatinny (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
Kittatinny is located in Carbon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kittatinny Bowmanstown (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
Mertz Town (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
Mertz Town is located in Carbon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mertz Town Palmerton (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
Palmerton is located in Carbon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmerton Population from the 2020 Census: 5,321 people
Lansford (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
Lehighton (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
Parryville (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
Weissport (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
Chester County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Pottstown Landing (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
Pottstown Landing is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown Landing South Pottstown (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
South Pottstown is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pottstown Kenilworth (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
Kenilworth is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenilworth Knauertown (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
Knauertown is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knauertown Fricks Lock (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
Fricks Lock is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fricks Lock Coventryville (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
Coventryville is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coventryville Elverson (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
Pughtown (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
Pughtown is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pughtown Bucktown (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
Bucktown is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown Parker Ford (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
Parker Ford is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker Ford Slonaker (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
Slonaker is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slonaker Nantmeal Village (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
Nantmeal Village is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nantmeal Village Loag (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
Loag is located in Chester County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loag Lancaster County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Blainsport (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
Blainsport is located in Lancaster County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blainsport Churchtown (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
Red Run (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
Red Run is located in Lancaster County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Run Beartown (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
Beartown is located in Lancaster County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beartown Denver (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
Reamstown (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
Terre Hill (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
Stevens (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
Weaverland (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
Weaverland is located in Lancaster County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaverland Cocalico (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
Cocalico is located in Lancaster County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cocalico Blue Ball (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
East Earl (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
Ephrata (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
Lebanon County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Newmanstown (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
Sheridan (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
Sheridan is located in Lebanon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan Stricklerstown (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
Stricklerstown is located in Lebanon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stricklerstown Richland (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
Myerstown (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
Schaefferstown (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
Greble (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
Greble is located in Lebanon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greble Johnstown (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
Johnstown is located in Lebanon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnstown Prescott (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
Prescott is located in Lebanon County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott Lehigh County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
New Smithville (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
New Smithville is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Smithville Alburtis (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
Hensingersville (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
Hensingersville is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hensingersville Hynemansville (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
Hynemansville is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hynemansville Weisenberg (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
Weisenberg is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weisenberg Seipstown (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
Seipstown is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seipstown Wallner ‑ Historic(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
Wallner is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallner Powder Valley (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
Powder Valley is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powder Valley Stines Corner (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
Stines Corner is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stines Corner Ancient Oaks (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
Ancient Oaks is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ancient Oaks Macungie (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
Hosensack (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
Hosensack is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hosensack Chapman (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
Chapman is located in Lehigh County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman Montgomery County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Congo (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
Congo is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congo Gilbertsville (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
Halfway House (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
Halfway House is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfway House West Pottsgrove (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
West Pottsgrove is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pottsgrove Bramcote (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
Bramcote is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bramcote Stowe (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
Fruitville (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
Fruitville is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruitville Palm (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
Pleasant Run (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
Pleasant Run is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Run New Hanover (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
Pottsgrove (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
Pottsgrove is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottsgrove Pottstown (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
Anise (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
Anise is located in Montgomery County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anise Northampton County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
North Catasauqua (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
North Catasauqua is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Catasauqua Population from the 2020 Census: 2,825 people
Northampton (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
Seidersville (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
Seidersville is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seidersville Star Village (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
Star Village is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Village Leithsville (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
Leithsville is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leithsville Lockport (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
Lockport is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockport Bethlehem (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
Hanover (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
Hanover is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanover Hellertown (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
Howertown (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
Howertown is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howertown Howertown has also been known as:
Hauertown Howardtown Howartown Howeton Kreidersville (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
Kreidersville is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kreidersville Walnutport (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
Weaversville (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
Weaversville is located in Northampton County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaversville Schuylkill County
The following are listed by their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Port Clinton (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
Auburn (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
Deer Lake (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
Deer Lake is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Lake Population from the 2020 Census: 645 people
Rauschs (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
Rauschs is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rauschs Rene Mont (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
Rene Mont is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rene Mont Jefferson (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
Jefferson is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Mantz (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
Mantz is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantz Landingville (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
Landingville is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landingville Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
McKeansburg (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
McKeansburg is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKeansburg New Ringgold (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
Andreas (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
Aucheys (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
Aucheys is located in Schuylkill County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheys Orwigsburg (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oley Furnace, see our County-by-County Page for Oley Furnace .
Cemeteries Near Oley Furnace ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oley Furnace.
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 Oley Furnace - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oley Furnace covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Friedens Church Cemetery (Less than 2 miles to the south)
Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friedens Church Cemetery To give a relative sense of its location, the Friedens Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Oley . The Friedens Church Cemetery has also been known as:
Friedens Cemetery Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2211517 <2>
Lesher Cemetery (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
Union Cemetery (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
St. Johns Cemetery (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
Spies Zion Cemetery (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spies Zion Cemetery To give a relative sense of its location, the Spies Zion Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<3> Laureldale . The Spies Zion Cemetery has also been known as:
Zions Spies Evangelical Reformed Church Cemetery Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1323059 <2>
Zion Cemetery (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
Hoch - DeTurk - Schenkel Cemetery (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
Oley Cemetery (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
Fleetwood Cemetery (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
St. Pauls Cemetery (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
St. Pauls Cemetery (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
Continue List (367 more) ...
Salem Shalters Cemetery (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
Mountain Marys Grave (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
Maidencreek Cemetery (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
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>
While we didn't find Oley Furnace in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oley Furnace.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oley Furnace, with the one closest to Oley Furnace listed first.
Oley (Less than 2 miles to the south)
Basket (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
Basket is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basket Lobachsville (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
Lobachsville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lobachsville Pricetown (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
Pricetown is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pricetown Manatawny (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
Manatawny is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manatawny Pikeville (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
Pikeville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikeville Fleetwood (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
New Jerusalem (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
New Jerusalem is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Jerusalem Limekiln (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
Limekiln is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limekiln Griesemersville (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
Griesemersville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griesemersville Spangsville (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
Spangsville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spangsville Dryville (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
Dryville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryville Continue List (18 more) ...
Walnuttown (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
Walnuttown is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnuttown Shanesville (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
Shanesville is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanesville Moselem Springs (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
Moselem Springs is located in Berks County Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moselem Springs
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oley Furnace. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oley Furnace .
Newspapers Published in Oley Furnace ...
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 133 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oley Furnace.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oley Furnace, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<3> Extended Newspaper List for Oley Furnace.
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 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 Oley Furnace:
Websites specific to Pennsylvania Pages specific to Berks County Genealogy information for nearby counties
Bucks County Carbon County Chester County Lancaster County Lebanon County Lehigh County Montgomery County Northampton County Schuylkill County Cemetery Information and Directories for Pennsylvania Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Oley Furnace. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page .
The official website for Berks County: https://www.berkspa.gov/
The official website for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: https://www.pa.gov/
Footnotes ...
<1> While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. 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 . 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- Oley Furnace) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. 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 Oley Furnace, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.