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 Palmyra (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 Palmyra. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
Palmyra is located in Lebanon 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 Lebanon County: Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster & Schuylkill.
Below are the counties that are near Palmyra. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Palmyra:
- Lebanon County (The home county of Palmyra)
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Syner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Syner is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Syner
- Campbelltown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Annville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fontana
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Fontana is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana
- Cleona
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Westmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Westmont is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmont
- Colebrook
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Colebrook is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colebrook
- Fort Indiantown Gap
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Fort Indiantown Gap is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Indiantown Gap
- Bunker Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bunker Hill is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Heilmandale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Heilmandale is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heilmandale
- Lawn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Gretna
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Berks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Meckville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Meckville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meckville
- Mount Aetna
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wintersville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Wintersville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wintersville
- Bethel
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Rehrersburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rehrersburg is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehrersburg
- Womelsdorf
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Schubert
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Schubert is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schubert
- North Heidelberg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- North Heidelberg is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Heidelberg
- Robesonia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- New Schaefferstown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- New Schaefferstown is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Schaefferstown
- Strausstown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bernville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Lemoyne
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- New Cumberland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lower Allen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Lower Allen is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Allen
- West Fairview
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- West Fairview is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fairview
- Wormleysburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Camp Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Enola
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Westwood Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Westwood Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
- Lisburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lisburn is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisburn
- Good Hope
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Good Hope is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Good Hope
- Shiremanstown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Shiremanstown is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiremanstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,641 people
- Sporting Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Sporting Hill is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sporting Hill
- Dauphin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Hershey
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Grantville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Shellsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Shellsville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shellsville
- Bachmanville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bachmanville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bachmanville
- Union Deposit
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Union Deposit is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Deposit
- Manadahill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Manadahill is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manadahill
- Hummelstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Skyline View
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Skyline View is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline View
- Clifton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Clifton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Rutherford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Rutherford is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherford
- Springford Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Springford Village is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springford Village
- Linglestown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lancaster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Aberdeen
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Aberdeen is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberdeen
- Mastersonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mastersonville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mastersonville
- Elizabethtown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Milton Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Milton Grove is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton Grove
- Elstonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elstonville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elstonville
- Mount Hope
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Hope is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hope
- Rheems
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rheems is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rheems
- Naumanstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Naumanstown is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naumanstown
- Florin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Florin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florin
- Manheim
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Falmouth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Falmouth is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
- Elm
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Elm is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm
- Luzerne County
- Newtown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Newtown is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
- Northumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Malta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Malta is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malta
- Leck Kill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Leck Kill is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leck Kill
- Mandata
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mandata is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mandata
- Gowen City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Gowen City is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowen City
- Herndon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Marysville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Perdix
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Perdix is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdix
- Cove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Cove is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove
- New Buffalo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Buffalo is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Buffalo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Duncannon
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Rose Glen
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Rose Glen is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Glen
- Bailey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bailey is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Liverpool
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mecks Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Mecks Corner is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mecks Corner
- Pfoutz Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pfoutz Valley is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pfoutz Valley
- Reward
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Reward is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reward
- Newport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Schuylkill County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Suedberg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Suedberg is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suedberg
- Irving
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Irving is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Beuchler
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Beuchler is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beuchler
- Orwin
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Orwin is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orwin
- Tower City
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Marstown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Marstown is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marstown
- Pine Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lorberry Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lorberry Junction is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorberry Junction
- Paradise
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Paradise is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
- Ravine
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ravine is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravine
- Joliett
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Joliett is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joliett
- Keffers
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Keffers is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keffers
- Snyder County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Chapman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chapman is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- McKees Half Falls
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- McKees Half Falls is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKees Half Falls
- Hoffer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hoffer is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoffer
- Port Trevorton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Goldsboro
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Goldsboro is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 938 people
- Marsh Run
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Marsh Run is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Run
- New Market
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- New Market is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Market
- Redland Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Redland Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redland Village
- Valley Green
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Valley Green is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Green
- York Haven
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Quaker Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Quaker Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
- Strinestown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Strinestown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strinestown
- Manchester
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Mount Wolf
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Lewisberry
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Nauvoo
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Nauvoo is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nauvoo
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Palmyra, see our County-by-County Page for Palmyra.
Cemeteries Near Palmyra ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Palmyra.
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 Palmyra - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Palmyra covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Hershey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Siegrist Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Shirks UMC Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shirks UMC Cemetery
- The Shirks UMC Cemetery has also been known as:
- Sherks UMC Cemetery
- Evergreen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mt. Annville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- South Bellegrove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bellegrove Cemetery
- The South Bellegrove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
- St. John's UMC Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. John's UMC Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. John's UMC Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Grantville.
- The St. John's UMC Cemetery has also been known as:
- Grantville Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1980027 <2>
- Hostetter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- South Annville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Annville Cemetery
- The South Annville Cemetery has also been known as:
- Long's Cemetery
- Fairland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Moyer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Shearer Farm Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (252 more) ...
- Bachman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain View Mennonite Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Indiantown Gap National Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiantown Gap National Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Fort Indiantown Gap.
- The Indiantown Gap National Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ft. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #45182 <2>
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 Palmyra had a population of 768 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Palmyra had a population of 7,528 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Palmyra, with the one closest to Palmyra listed first.
- Campbelltown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Syner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Syner is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Syner
- Annville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bellegrove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bellegrove is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellegrove
- Grantville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Union Deposit
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Union Deposit is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Deposit
- Bachmanville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bachmanville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bachmanville
- Fontana
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Fontana is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana
- East Hanover
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- East Hanover is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hanover
- Colebrook
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Colebrook is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colebrook
- Cleona
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Westmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Westmont is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmont
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Ono
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Manadahill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Manadahill is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manadahill
- Hummelstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Palmyra. See our List of 1890's Communities around Palmyra.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Palmyra ...
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 Palmyra.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Palmyra. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Palmyra and those printed in the larger area surrounding Palmyra.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<3> of Palmyra.
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 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 Palmyra:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Lebanon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Berks County
- Cumberland County
- Dauphin County
- Lancaster County
- Luzerne County
- Northumberland County
- Perry County
- Schuylkill County
- Snyder 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 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Palmyra) 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 Palmyra, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |