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 Shirksville (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 Shirksville. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Shirksville is located in Lebanon 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 Lebanon County: Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster & Schuylkill.
Below are the counties that are near Shirksville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shirksville:
- Lebanon County (The home county of Shirksville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Fredericksburg
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mount Zion
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Zion is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
- Greble
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Greble is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greble
- Jonestown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sand Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Sand Hill is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Hill
- Bunker Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bunker Hill is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Lickdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lickdale is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickdale
- Avon
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Avon is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- West Lebanon
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- West Lebanon is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- Avon Heights
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Avon Heights is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon Heights
- Heilmandale
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Heilmandale is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heilmandale
- Cornwall Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cornwall Junction is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwall Junction
- Cleona
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Berks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Meckville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Meckville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meckville
- Mount Aetna
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bethel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wintersville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Wintersville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wintersville
- Rehrersburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Rehrersburg is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehrersburg
- Schubert
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Schubert is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schubert
- New Schaefferstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- New Schaefferstown is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Schaefferstown
- Strausstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Womelsdorf
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- North Heidelberg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- North Heidelberg is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Heidelberg
- Bernville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Robesonia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Shartlesville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Columbia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Locustdale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Centralia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Aristes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Aristes is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aristes
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- New Cumberland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lemoyne
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lower Allen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lower Allen is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Allen
- West Fairview
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- West Fairview is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fairview
- Wormleysburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Enola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Westwood Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Westwood Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
- Camp Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dauphin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Grantville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Shellsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Shellsville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shellsville
- Williamstown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Bachmanville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bachmanville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bachmanville
- Hershey
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Union Deposit
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Union Deposit is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Deposit
- Manadahill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Manadahill is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manadahill
- Lykens
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Skyline View
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Skyline View is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline View
- Hummelstown
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Carsonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Carsonville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carsonville
- Ritzie Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Ritzie Village is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritzie Village
- Lancaster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Mount Hope
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Mount Hope is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hope
- Poplar Grove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Poplar Grove is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Grove
- Elm
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Elm is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm
- Elstonville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Elstonville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elstonville
- Brickerville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cocalico
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cocalico is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cocalico
- Hopeland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hopeland is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeland
- Mastersonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Mastersonville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mastersonville
- Clay
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clay is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay
- Manheim
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Naumanstown
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Naumanstown is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naumanstown
- Blainsport
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Blainsport is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blainsport
- Brunnerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Luzerne County
- Newtown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Newtown is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
- Northumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Leck Kill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Leck Kill is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leck Kill
- Gowen City
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Gowen City is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowen City
- Locust Gap
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Locust Gap is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Gap
- Alaska
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Alaska is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Dooleyville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Dooleyville is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooleyville
- Bear Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bear Valley is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Marshallton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Marshallton is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshallton
- Shamokin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Edgewood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Edgewood is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood
- Mount Carmel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Natalie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Natalie is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natalie
- Mandata
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mandata is located in Northumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mandata
- Trevorton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Marysville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- New Buffalo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- New Buffalo is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Buffalo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Perdix
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Perdix is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdix
- Cove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Cove is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove
- Schuylkill County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Irving
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Irving is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Suedberg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Suedberg is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suedberg
- Beuchler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Beuchler is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beuchler
- Marstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Marstown is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marstown
- Pine Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Paradise
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Paradise is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
- Ravine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ravine is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravine
- Echo Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Echo Valley is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Echo Valley
- Lorberry Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lorberry Junction is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorberry Junction
- Joliett
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Joliett is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joliett
- Keffers
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Keffers is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keffers
- Moyers
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Moyers is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moyers
- Orwin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Orwin is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orwin
- Snyder County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Chapman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Chapman is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Dundore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dundore is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundore
- McKees Half Falls
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- McKees Half Falls is located in Snyder County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKees Half Falls
- Port Trevorton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Goldsboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Goldsboro is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 938 people
- Marsh Run
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Marsh Run is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Run
- New Market
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- New Market is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Market
- Redland Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Redland Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redland Village
- York Haven
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Valley Green
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Valley Green is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Green
- Wrightsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- East Prospect
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- East Prospect is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Prospect
- Population from the 2020 Census: 912 people
- Manchester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Wolf
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Quaker Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Quaker Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
- Rudytown ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rudytown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudytown
- Starview
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Starview is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starview
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shirksville, see our County-by-County Page for Shirksville.
Cemeteries Near Shirksville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shirksville.
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 Shirksville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shirksville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Wenger Meetinghouse Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Meyer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hamlin Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Union-Salem Evangelical Congregational Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kimmerlings Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimmerlings Cemetery
- The Kimmerlings Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Jacob's Kimmerlings Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #292170 <2>
- Bethel Moravian Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Holy Cross Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Cross Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Holy Cross Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Lebanon.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #45105 <2>
- Mt. Lebanon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Fairland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hebron Moravian Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Union Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (273 more) ...
- St. Johns UCC Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bethel Mennonite Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Bellegrove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bellegrove Cemetery
- The South Bellegrove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
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 Shirksville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shirksville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shirksville, with the one closest to Shirksville listed first.
- Fredericksburg
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mount Zion
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Zion is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
- Hamlin
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hamlin is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
- Jonestown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Greble
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Greble is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greble
- Crosskill Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Crosskill Mills is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosskill Mills
- Meckville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Meckville is located in Berks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meckville
- Bunker Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bunker Hill is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Lickdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lickdale is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickdale
- Heilmandale
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Heilmandale is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heilmandale
- Coheva
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Coheva is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coheva
- West Lebanon
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- West Lebanon is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Avon
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Avon is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Ono
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Westmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Westmont is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmont
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shirksville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shirksville.
Newspapers Published in Shirksville ...
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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shirksville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shirksville, 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 Shirksville.
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 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 Shirksville:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Lebanon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Berks County
- Columbia County
- Cumberland County
- Dauphin County
- Lancaster County
- Luzerne County
- Northumberland County
- Perry County
- Schuylkill County
- Snyder County
- York 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 Shirksville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Shirksville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |