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 Providence (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 Providence. 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 and hospitals 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.
Providence is located in Lackawanna 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 Lackawanna County: Luzerne, Monroe, Susquehanna, Wayne & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near Providence. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Providence:
- Lackawanna County (The home county of Providence)
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Scranton
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Dunmore
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Green Ridge
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Green Ridge is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Ridge
- Dickson City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Throop
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Olyphant
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Taylor
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clarks Green
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Clarks Green is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Green
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,383 people
- Justus
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Justus is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Justus
- Blakely
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Clarks Summit
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Minooka
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Minooka is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minooka
- Edella
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Edella is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edella
- Carbon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- East Side
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- East Side is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Side
- Population from the 2020 Census: 301 people
- Albrightsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Leslie Run
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Leslie Run is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leslie Run
- Meckesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Meckesville is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meckesville
- Mud Run
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mud Run is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mud Run
- Luzerne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Avoca
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Duryea
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Houston City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Houston City is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston City
- Dupont
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Langdon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Langdon is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langdon
- Hughestown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hughestown is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughestown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,356 people
- Pittston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- West Pittston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Yatesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Yatesville is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yatesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Exeter
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Carverton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Carverton is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carverton
- Laflin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Laflin is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laflin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,435 people
- Orange
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Orange is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Locust Lakes Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Locust Lakes Village is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Lakes Village
- Mount Pocono
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tobyhanna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pocono Pines
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pocono Summit
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mountainhome
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Long Pond
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Paradise Valley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Paradise Valley is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise Valley
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Ledgedale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Ledgedale is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledgedale
- South Sterling
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- La Anna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- La Anna is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Anna
- Panther
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Panther is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
- Paupack
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Tafton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Wilsonville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Wilsonville is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsonville
- Blooming Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Blooming Grove is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blooming Grove
- Kimble
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Kimble is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimble
- Susquehanna County
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Lenoxville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lenoxville is located in Susquehanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenoxville
- Royal
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Royal is located in Susquehanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
- Forest City
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Hop Bottom
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- South Gibson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Union Dale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Springville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsley
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Tyler
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Tyler is located in Susquehanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyler
- Burnwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Burnwood is located in Susquehanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwood
- Gibson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Gibson is located in Susquehanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson
- Auburn Four Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Auburn Four Corners is located in Susquehanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn Four Corners
- Alford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Alford is located in Susquehanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alford
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Hollisterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hollisterville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollisterville
- Maplewood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Maplewood is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maplewood
- South Canaan
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- South Canaan is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Canaan
- Tresslarville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Tresslarville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tresslarville
- Sterling
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Waymart
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Forest City Station
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Forest City Station is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City Station
- Keen
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Keen is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keen
- Lakeville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Prompton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Prompton is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prompton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
- Uswick
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Uswick is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uswick
- Aldenville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Aldenville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldenville
- Bethany
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Factoryville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Winola
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Osterhout
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Osterhout is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osterhout
- South Eaton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- South Eaton is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Eaton
- Dixon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dixon is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Nicholson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Vernon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Vernon is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Marcy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Marcy is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcy
- Tunkhannock
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jenks
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Jenks is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenks
- Mill City ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Mill City is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill City
- Beaumont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Beaumont is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaumont
- Evans Falls
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Evans Falls is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans Falls
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Providence, see our County-by-County Page for Providence.
Cemeteries Near Providence ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Providence.
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 Providence - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Providence covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Cathedral Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Dunmore Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Forest Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- McDonnell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDonnell Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the McDonnell Cemetery is located in Scranton.
- St. Stanislaus Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Washburn Street Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washburn Street Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Washburn Street Cemetery is located in Scranton.
- The Washburn Street Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hyde Park Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #46584 <2>
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- St. Anthonys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Stratford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Leach Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (244 more) ...
- Shady Lane Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Adalbert Polish National Catholic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Mary's Old Visitation Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
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>
While we didn't find Providence in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Providence.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
- Scranton
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Green Ridge
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Green Ridge is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Ridge
- Dunmore
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Chinchilla
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Throop
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dickson City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Olyphant
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Minooka
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Minooka is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minooka
- Clarks Green
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Clarks Green is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Green
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,383 people
- Nay Aug
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Nay Aug is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nay Aug
- Clarks Summit
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Justus
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Justus is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Justus
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Old Forge
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Moosic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Peckville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Providence. See our List of 1890's Communities around Providence.
Newspapers Published in Providence ...
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 153 newspapers that have been published in the area around Providence.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Providence, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Providence.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Providence:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Lackawanna County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carbon County
- Luzerne County
- Monroe County
- Pike County
- Susquehanna County
- Wayne County
- Wyoming 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 Providence, 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- Providence) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |