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 Shearersburg (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 Shearersburg. 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 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.
Shearersburg 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 Shearersburg. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shearersburg:
- Westmoreland County (The home county of Shearersburg)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Weinel Crossroads
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Weinel Crossroads is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weinel Crossroads
- Bagdad
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Bagdad is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagdad
- West Leechburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Leechburg is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leechburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,211 people
- Hyde Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Lower Burrell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- East Vandergrift
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- East Vandergrift is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Vandergrift
- Population from the 2020 Census: 631 people
- Vandergrift
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Oklahoma
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Oklahoma is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oklahoma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 739 people
- North Washington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Washington is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
- Arnold
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Kensington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Parnassus
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Parnassus is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnassus
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Sligo
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sligo is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sligo
- Karns
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Karns is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Karns
- Natrona
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Natrona is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Brackenridge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Tarentum
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Springdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cheswick
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harwick
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harwick is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwick
- Leechburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Leechburg is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leechburg
- New Texas
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- New Texas is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Texas
- Plum
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Plum is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,993 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plum <1>
- Rural Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Leechburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Freeport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Aladdin
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Aladdin is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aladdin
- Apollo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- North Apollo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Orchard Hills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Orchard Hills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
- Neale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Neale is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neale
- McVille
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- McVille is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McVille
- Spring Church
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Cochrans Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cochrans Mills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrans Mills
- Rosston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rosston is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosston
- Edmon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Edmon is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
- Beaver County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Economy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Economy is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,022 people
- Knob
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Knob is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knob
- Wallace City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wallace City is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallace City
- Ambridge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Baden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Conway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- South Heights
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- South Heights is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 437 people
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Monroe
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Leasureville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Leasureville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leasureville
- Ekastown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ekastown is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekastown
- Dennys Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Dennys Mills is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennys Mills
- Saxonburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Frazier Mill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Frazier Mill is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frazier Mill
- Great Belt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Great Belt is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Great Belt
- Glade Mills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Glade Mills is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glade Mills
- Herman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Valencia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Fenelton
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Nixon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Nixon is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixon
- Clarion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- East Brady
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Phillipston
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Phillipston is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipston
- Catfish
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Catfish is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catfish
- Lawsonham
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lawsonham is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonham
- Bela
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bela is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bela
- Rimersburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Indiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Clarksburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- West Lebanon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- West Lebanon is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- White
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- White is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Saltsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Parkwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Parkwood is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
- Shelocta
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Bow
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Aultman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Aultman is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aultman
- Jacksonville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Jacksonville is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Shado-Wood Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Shado-Wood Village is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shado-Wood Village
- Smathers
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Smathers is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smathers
- Blairsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Ellsworth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ellsworth is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellsworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 960 people
- Gastonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gastonville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shearersburg, see our County-by-County Page for Shearersburg.
Cemeteries Near Shearersburg ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shearersburg.
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 Shearersburg - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shearersburg covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Greenwood Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bethesda Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Brookland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Pine Run Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Leechburg Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Keppel Burial Ground
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- St. Catherine Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Catherines Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (367 more) ...
- Mt. Airy Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Freeport Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeport Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Freeport Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Freeport.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44888 <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.<3>
While we didn't find Shearersburg in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shearersburg.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shearersburg, with the one closest to Shearersburg listed first.
- Metcalf
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Metcalf is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metcalf
- Markle
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Markle is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Markle
- Leechburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bagdad
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Bagdad is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagdad
- Sligo
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sligo is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sligo
- Karns
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Karns is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Karns
- Garvers Ferry
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Garvers Ferry is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garvers Ferry
- Natrona
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Natrona is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Braeburn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Braeburn is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeburn
- Milligantown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Milligantown is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milligantown
- Freeport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Vandergrift
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Brackenridge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Paulton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Paulton is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paulton
- Apollo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shearersburg. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shearersburg.
Newspapers Published in Shearersburg ...
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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shearersburg.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shearersburg, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shearersburg.
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 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 Shearersburg:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Westmoreland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Beaver County
- Butler County
- Clarion County
- Indiana 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 Shearersburg, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Shearersburg) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |