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 Rand (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 Rand. 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 hospitals and 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.
Rand is located in Union 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 Union County: Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland & Snyder.
Below are the counties that are near Rand. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rand:
- Union County (The home county of Rand)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Mifflinburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Red Bank
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Red Bank is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bank
- Hartleton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hartleton is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartleton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
- Millmont
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- New Berlin
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mazeppa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mazeppa is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazeppa
- Glen Iron
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Glen Iron is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Iron
- Laurelton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Laurelton is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelton
- Dry Valley Crossroads
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Linntown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Linntown is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linntown
- Pardee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pardee is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pardee
- Lewisburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Centre County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Livonia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Livonia is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livonia
- Woodward
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Fiedler
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fiedler is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiedler
- Wolfs Store
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Wolfs Store is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfs Store
- Aaronsburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Ingleby
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Ingleby is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleby
- Rebersburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Coburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Millheim
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Madisonburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Madisonburg is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madisonburg
- Zerby
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Zerby is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zerby
- Penn Hall
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Penn Hall is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn Hall
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Loganton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Greenburr
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Greenburr is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenburr
- Rauchtown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rauchtown is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rauchtown
- Tylersville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Tylersville is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tylersville
- Rote
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Rote is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rote
- McElhattan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Youngdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Youngdale is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngdale
- Avis
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Castanea
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Salona
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Salona is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salona
- Cedar Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Springs is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Springs
- Dunnstown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dunnstown is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnstown
- Columbia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Grovania
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Grovania is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grovania
- Jerseytown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jerseytown is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerseytown
- Dauphin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Paxton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Paxton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxton
- Pillow
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Millersburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Berrysburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rife
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rife is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rife
- Erdman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Erdman is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erdman
- Gratz
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elizabethville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Loyalton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Loyalton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyalton
- Juniata County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Richfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Knousetown
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Knousetown is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knousetown
- Swales
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Swales is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swales
- Seven Stars
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Seven Stars is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Stars
- McAlisterville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Thompsontown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Locust Run
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Locust Run is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Run
- Mifflin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mifflin is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mifflin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 606 people
- Mifflintown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mexico
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mexico is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexico
- Lycoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Collomsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Collomsville is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collomsville
- Maple Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Hill is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Hill
- Antes Fort
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Antes Fort is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antes Fort
- Duboistown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Duboistown is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duboistown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,170 people
- Linden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Montgomery
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jersey Shore
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Grimesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Grimesville is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grimesville
- Newberry
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Newberry is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newberry
- South Williamsport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Garden View
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Garden View is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden View
- Williamsport
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mifflin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Alfarata
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Alfarata is located in Mifflin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alfarata
- Paintersville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Paintersville is located in Mifflin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paintersville
- Honey Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Honey Creek is located in Mifflin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
- Milroy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Montour County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Mooresburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Mooresburg is located in Montour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooresburg
- Washingtonville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Washingtonville is located in Montour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washingtonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
- Exchange
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Exchange is located in Montour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exchange
- Danville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Mechanicsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mechanicsville is located in Montour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsville
- Northumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Milton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Milton is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,550 people
- Northumberland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Potts Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Sunbury
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Dewart
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Watsontown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Selinsgrove Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Selinsgrove Junction is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selinsgrove Junction
- McEwensville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Asherton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Asherton is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asherton
- Keefers
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Keefers is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keefers
- Mile Run
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Mile Run is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mile Run
- Augustaville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Augustaville is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augustaville
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Pfoutz Valley
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Pfoutz Valley is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pfoutz Valley
- Liverpool
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Reward
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Reward is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reward
- Millerstown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Schuylkill County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Klingerstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rough and Ready
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rough and Ready is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rough and Ready
- Snyder County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Penns Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Coon Hunter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Coon Hunter is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coon Hunter
- Middleburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Globe Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Globe Mills is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe Mills
- Troxelville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Troxelville is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troxelville
- Paxtonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Paxtonville is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxtonville
- Kratzerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kratzerville is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kratzerville
- Kreamer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Beavertown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Benfer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Benfer is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benfer
- Freeburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Freeburg is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
- Beaver Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Beaver Springs is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Springs
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rand, see our County-by-County Page for Rand.
Cemeteries Near Rand ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rand.
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 Rand - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rand covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Old Cedars Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lewis Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Long Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hartleton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Emmanuel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- New Berlin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sierer Cemetery
- The Sierer Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sierer Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2143727 <2>
- Union Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Boyer Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Luntz Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Stoltzfus Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (158 more) ...
- Union Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Glendale Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hassingers Old Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
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, Rand had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rand, with the one closest to Rand listed first.
- Mifflinburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hartleton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hartleton is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartleton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
- Millmont
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Swengel
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Swengel is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swengel
- Forest Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Forest Hill is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Cowan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cowan is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowan
- Penns Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- New Berlin
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Vicksburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Laurelton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Laurelton is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelton
- Glen Iron
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Glen Iron is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Iron
- Mazeppa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mazeppa is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazeppa
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Lochiel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Lochiel is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochiel
- Buffalo Crossroads
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Buffalo Crossroads is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Crossroads
- Dry Valley Crossroads
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rand. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rand.
Newspapers Published in Rand ...
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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rand.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rand, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rand.
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 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 Rand:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Union County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Centre County
- Clinton County
- Columbia County
- Dauphin County
- Juniata County
- Lycoming County
- Mifflin County
- Montour County
- Northumberland County
- Perry County
- Schuylkill County
- Snyder 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 Rand, 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- Rand) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |