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 Port Royal (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 Port Royal. 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.
Name Variations for Port Royal ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Port Royal: Prt. Royal
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Port Royal. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Port Royal.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Port Royal is located in Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland County: Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana & Somerset.
Below are the counties that are near Port Royal. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Port Royal:
- Westmoreland County (The home county of Port Royal)
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Smithton
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- West Newton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Sutersville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Wyano
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wyano is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyano
- Webster
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Webster is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Blackburn ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Blackburn is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackburn
- Yukon
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- North Belle Vernon
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- 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
- Gibsonton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Gibsonton is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonton
- Monessen
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Herminie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Shaner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Shaner is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaner
- Madison
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Sunny Side
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sunny Side is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunny Side
- Buena Vista
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Buena Vista is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Elizabeth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- West Elizabeth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Boston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Versailles
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Versailles is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Versailles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,452 people
- Clairton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lincoln
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lincoln is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,013 people
- Liberty
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,438 people
- Mendelssohn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mendelssohn is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendelssohn
- Coal Valley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Coal Valley is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Valley
- Glassport
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson Hills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson Hills is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,136 people
- Jefferson Hills has also been known as:
- Jefferson
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Edmon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Edmon is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
- Apollo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Banning
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Banning is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banning
- Whitsett
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Whitsett is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitsett
- Arnold City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Arnold City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold City
- Fuller
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Fuller is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Lynn
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Lynn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
- Perryopolis
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Belle Vernon
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Brownstown
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Brownstown is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownstown
- Fairhope
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Fairhope is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhope
- Lynnwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Lynnwood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnwood
- Redstone
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Redstone is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redstone
- Fayette City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fayette City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 569 people
- Kenneth
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Kenneth is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenneth
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Clarksville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Rices Landing
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Stringtown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Stringtown is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Chartiers
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Chartiers is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chartiers
- Nemacolin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Nemacolin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemacolin
- Carmichaels
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cumberland Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cumberland Village is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland Village
- Fairdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fairdale is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
- Jefferson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jefferson is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Ceylon
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Ceylon is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceylon
- Khedive
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Khedive is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Khedive
- Lippincott
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lippincott is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lippincott
- Fordyce
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fordyce is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fordyce
- Indiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- White
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- White is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Bow
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Bakersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Bakersville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakersville
- Draketown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Draketown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draketown
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Donora
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Allenport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlevy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Roscoe
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Roscoe is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 791 people
- Twilight
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Twilight is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Black Diamond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Black Diamond is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Diamond
- Charleroi
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- North Charleroi
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- North Charleroi is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Charleroi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,258 people
- Riverview
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Riverview is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Elco
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Elco is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elco
- Population from the 2020 Census: 305 people
- Long Branch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Long Branch is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Population from the 2020 Census: 431 people
- Speers
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Speers is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,061 people
- Monongahela
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Port Royal, see our County-by-County Page for Port Royal.
Cemeteries Near Port Royal ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Port Royal.
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 Port Royal - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Port Royal covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- East Salem Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- St. Timothys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- West Newton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Hoffman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoffman Cemetery
- The Hoffman Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hope Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Old Brick Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #45096 <2>
- Markle Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Weaver & Waddell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Milbell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Guffey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Belle Vernon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Auburn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Auburn Cemetery
- The Mt. Auburn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Fayette City Cemetery
- Yukon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Gilmore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Gilmore Cemetery is located outside and to the north of Donora.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44920 <2>
- Continue List (430 more) ...
- St. Domanick Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Memorial Park
(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, Port Royal had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Port Royal, with the one closest to Port Royal listed first.
- Fitz Henry
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Fitz Henry is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitz Henry
- Smithton
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jacobs Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jacobs Creek is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacobs Creek
- West Newton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Banning
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Banning is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banning
- Whitsett
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Whitsett is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitsett
- Sutersville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mendon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mendon is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendon
- Webster
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Webster is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Belle Vernon
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Blythedale
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Blythedale is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blythedale
- Perryopolis
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (21 more) ...
- Fuller
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Fuller is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Layton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Layton is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layton
- Douglass
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Douglass is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Port Royal. See our List of 1890's Communities around Port Royal.
Newspapers Published in Port Royal ...
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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Port Royal.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Port Royal, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Port Royal.
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 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 Port Royal:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Westmoreland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Fayette County
- Greene County
- Indiana County
- Somerset County
- Washington 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 Port Royal, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Port Royal) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |