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 Spike Island (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 Spike Island. 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.
Name Variations for Spike Island ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Spike Island: Spike Is. (in Canada, 'Isld.' is the more common abbreviation.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Spike Island. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Spike Island.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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.
Spike Island is located in Centre 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 Centre County: Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, Clinton, Huntingdon, Mifflin & Union.
Below are the counties that are near Spike Island. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Spike Island:
- Centre County (The home county of Spike Island)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- New Town
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- New Town is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Sandy Ridge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sandy Ridge is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Ridge
- Glass City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Glass City is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glass City
- South Philipsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- South Philipsburg is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Philipsburg
- Philipsburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- North Philipsburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- North Philipsburg is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Philipsburg
- Casanova
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Casanova is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casanova
- Port Matilda
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Stormstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Stormstown is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stormstown
- Marengo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Marengo is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marengo
- Musser
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Musser is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Musser
- Julian
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Scotia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Scotia is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotia
- Blair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- Tyrone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Tyrone Forge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Tyrone Forge is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone Forge
- Grazierville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Grazierville is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grazierville
- Tipton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Bellwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Culp
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Culp is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culp
- Highland Fling
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Fling is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Fling
- Altoona
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Point View
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Point View is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point View
- Covedale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Covedale is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covedale
- Flowing Spring
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Flowing Spring is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flowing Spring
- Franklin Forge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Franklin Forge is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin Forge
- Springfield Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Cambria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- Lloydville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lloydville is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lloydville
- Flinton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fallentimber
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dean
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dean is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dean
- Dysart
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dysart is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dysart
- Buckhorn
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Buckhorn is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
- Ashville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Thomas Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Thomas Mills is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Mills
- Chest Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Chest Springs is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chest Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 138 people
- Patton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Amsbry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Amsbry is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsbry
- Hastings
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Spindley City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Spindley City is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spindley City
- Clearfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- Osceola Mills
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Chester Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Chester Hill is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 820 people
- Ashland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ashland is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Parsonsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Parsonsville is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsonsville
- Brisbin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Brisbin is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 385 people
- West Decatur
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- West Decatur is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Decatur
- West Decatur has also been known as:
- Blue Ball
- Decatur
- Houtzdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Morrisdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Sanborn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sanborn is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanborn
- Ginter
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ginter is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ginter
- Ramey
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ramey is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 425 people
- Wallaceton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Wallaceton is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallaceton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
- Belsena
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Belsena is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belsena
- Belsena has also been known as:
- Belsena Mills
- Elk County
- Scattertown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Scattertown is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scattertown
- Huntingdon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- Pennington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pennington is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington
- Dungarvin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Dungarvin is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dungarvin
- Birmingham
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Birmingham is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birmingham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 87 people
- Huntingdon Furnace
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Huntingdon Furnace is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntingdon Furnace
- Seven Stars
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Seven Stars is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Stars
- Water Street
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Water Street is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Street
- Alexandria
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Neffs Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Neffs Mills is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neffs Mills
- Petersburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Donation
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Donation is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donation
- Ennisville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ennisville is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ennisville
- Huntingdon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- McConnellstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- McConnellstown is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnellstown
- Indiana County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- Glen Campbell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Urey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Urey is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urey
- Hooverhurst
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hooverhurst is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooverhurst
- Uniontown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Uniontown is located in Indiana County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Spike Island, see our County-by-County Page for Spike Island.
Cemeteries Near Spike Island ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Spike Island.
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 Spike Island - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Spike Island covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Umbria Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Umbria Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Umbria Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Osceola Mills.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #449527 <2>
- Centre UMC Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centre UMC Cemetery
- The Centre UMC Cemetery has also been known as:
- Centre Cemetery
- Centre United Methodist Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44557 <2>
- St. Johns Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Philipsburg Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- IOOF Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mokes Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Barbara Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Goss Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Henderson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Calvary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Beulah Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (215 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Emigh Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- St. Agnes Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
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 Spike Island in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Spike Island.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Spike Island, with the one closest to Spike Island listed first.
- Osceola Mills
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Sandy Ridge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sandy Ridge is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Ridge
- Victor
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Victor is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victor
- Goss Run Junction
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Goss Run Junction is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goss Run Junction
- Sterling
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sterling is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling
- Gearhartville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Gearhartville is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gearhartville
- Graham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Graham is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Brisbin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Brisbin is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 385 people
- West Decatur
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- West Decatur is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Decatur
- West Decatur has also been known as:
- Blue Ball
- Decatur
- Kendrick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Kendrick is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendrick
- Houtzdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Morann
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Morann is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morann
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Loch Lomond Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Loch Lomond Junction is located in Centre County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loch Lomond Junction
- Ramey
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ramey is located in Clearfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 425 people
- Morrisdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Spike Island. See our List of 1890's Communities around Spike Island.
Newspapers Published in Spike Island ...
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 14 newspapers that have been published in the area around Spike Island.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Spike Island, 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 Spike Island.
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 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 Spike Island:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Centre County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blair County
- Cambria County
- Clearfield County
- Elk County
- Huntingdon County
- Indiana 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 Spike Island, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Spike Island) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |