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 Shieldsburg (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 Shieldsburg. 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 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 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.
Shieldsburg 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 Shieldsburg. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shieldsburg:
- Westmoreland County (The home county of Shieldsburg)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- New Alexandria
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Crabtree
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Nihil
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Nihil is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nihil
- Congruity
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Congruity is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congruity
- Luxor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Luxor is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luxor
- Latrobe
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Slickville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Slickville is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slickville
- Beatty
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Beatty is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beatty
- McChesneytown - Loyalhanna
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Livermore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Livermore is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Lawson Heights
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lawson Heights is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson Heights
- New Derry
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Delmont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Plum
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- 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>
- Pitcairn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Leechburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Leechburg is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leechburg
- New Texas
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- New Texas is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Texas
- Garden City
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Garden City is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Monroeville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Wall
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Wall is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
- East McKeesport
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- North Versailles
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Unity
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Unity is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity
- Universal
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Universal is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Universal
- Wilmerding
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Buena Vista
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Buena Vista is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Edmon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Edmon is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
- Olivet
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Olivet is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Orchard Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Orchard Hills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
- Apollo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- North Apollo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Spring Church
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Leechburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cochrans Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cochrans Mills is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrans Mills
- Elderton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Neale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Neale is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neale
- Tunnelville ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Tunnelville is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnelville
- Aladdin
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Aladdin is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aladdin
- Freeport
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Monroe
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Ekastown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ekastown is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekastown
- Leasureville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Leasureville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leasureville
- Dennys Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dennys Mills is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennys Mills
- Cambria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Wilmore
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Brownstown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cambria City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cambria City is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria City
- Elim
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Elim is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elim
- Lilly
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Lilly is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 873 people
- Southmont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Southmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,048 people
- Westmont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Westmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,625 people
- Johnstown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Conemaugh
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Conemaugh is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conemaugh
- Daisytown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Daisytown is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 290 people
- Dale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Dale is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,110 people
- Ferndale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Vintondale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Vintondale is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vintondale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 367 people
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Laurelville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Laurelville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelville
- Bear Rocks
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Bear Rocks is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Rocks
- Champion
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Everson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Everson is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 744 people
- White
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- White is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Indian Head
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Indian Head is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Head
- Banning
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Banning is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banning
- Whitsett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Whitsett is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitsett
- Dawson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dickerson Run
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dickerson Run is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickerson Run
- Fuller
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fuller is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Lynn
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lynn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
- Perryopolis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Indiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- White
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- White is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Bow
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Blairsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Clarksburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Saltsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Black Lick
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Black Lick is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Lick
- Jacksonville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jacksonville is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Josephine
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Josephine is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Josephine
- Palmertown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Robinson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Robinson is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Aultman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Aultman is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aultman
- Coral
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Smathers
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Smathers is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smathers
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Laurel Mountain Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jennerstown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Roytown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Roytown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roytown
- Bakersville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bakersville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakersville
- Jenners Crossroads
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners Crossroads is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners Crossroads
- Thomas Mill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Thomas Mill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Mill
- Jenners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jenners is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenners
- Jerome
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Sipesville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sipesville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipesville
- Tire Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Tire Hill is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tire Hill
- Davidsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Benson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Benson is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Hollsopple
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Donora
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Black Diamond
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Black Diamond is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Diamond
- Monongahela
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Riverview
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Riverview is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- New Eagle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- North Charleroi
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- North Charleroi is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Charleroi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,258 people
- Ellsworth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Ellsworth is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellsworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 960 people
- Charleroi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlevy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Roscoe
(30 miles [48.3 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
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Twilight is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Gastonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gastonville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shieldsburg, see our County-by-County Page for Shieldsburg.
Cemeteries Near Shieldsburg ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shieldsburg.
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 Shieldsburg - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shieldsburg covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- Craig Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Union Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Calvary Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Steels Monument Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Unity Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity Cemetery
- The Unity Cemetery has also been known as:
- Unity Presbyterian Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #46551 <2>
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Union Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Holy Sacrament Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Edgewood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rose Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- East View Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (360 more) ...
- East View Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- St. Clair Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Shirey Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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>
While we didn't find Shieldsburg in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shieldsburg.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shieldsburg, with the one closest to Shieldsburg listed first.
- New Alexandria
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Crabtree
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Nihil
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Nihil is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nihil
- Congruity
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Congruity is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congruity
- Georges Station
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Georges Station is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georges Station
- Carney
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Carney is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
- Latrobe
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Tunnelton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Tunnelton is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnelton
- Beatty
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Beatty is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beatty
- Loyalhanna
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Loyalhanna is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyalhanna
- Bow
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bow is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- White
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- White is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Denison
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Denison is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denison
- Osburn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Osburn is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osburn
- Bradenville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bradenville is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradenville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shieldsburg. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shieldsburg.
Newspapers Published in Shieldsburg ...
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 76 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shieldsburg.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shieldsburg, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shieldsburg.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Shieldsburg:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Westmoreland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Butler County
- Cambria County
- Fayette 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 Shieldsburg, 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- Shieldsburg) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |