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 Spring Plains (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 Spring Plains. 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 Spring Plains ...
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 Spring Plains: Spring Plns.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Spring Plains. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Spring Plains.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Spring Plains is located in York 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 York County: Baltimore (MD), Carroll (MD), Harford (MD), Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin & Lancaster.
Below are the counties that are near Spring Plains. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Spring Plains:
- York County (The home county of Spring Plains)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Stonybrook
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Stonybrook is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonybrook
- Hallam
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hallam is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallam
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,634 people
- East York
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- East York is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East York
- Yorkana
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Yorkana is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Holtz
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Holtz is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holtz
- Avondale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Avondale is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Valley View
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Valley View is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley View
- Spry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Spry is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spry
- Emigsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- North York
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- North York is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North York
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,254 people
- Park Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Park Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Village
- York
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- East Berlin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Abbottstown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lake Meade
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Lake Meade is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Meade
- McSherrystown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Midway
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Midway is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Hampton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Hampton is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- Edgegrove
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Edgegrove is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgegrove
- New Oxford
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Newchester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Newchester is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newchester
- York Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Brush Run
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Brush Run is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Run
- Latimore
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Latimore is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimore
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Lisburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lisburn is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisburn
- Allenview
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Allenview is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenview
- Lower Allen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lower Allen is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Allen
- New Cumberland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Camp Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lemoyne
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Shiremanstown
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Shiremanstown is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiremanstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,641 people
- Wormleysburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mechanicsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sporting Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sporting Hill is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sporting Hill
- West Fairview
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- West Fairview is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fairview
- Trindle Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Trindle Springs is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trindle Springs
- Dauphin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Royalton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Royalton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royalton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,019 people
- Middletown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Clifton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Clifton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Highspire
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bachmanville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Bachmanville is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bachmanville
- Hummelstown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hershey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Rutherford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Rutherford is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherford
- Lawnton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lawnton is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawnton
- Steelton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Union Deposit
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Union Deposit is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Deposit
- Paxtang
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Paxtang is located in Dauphin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxtang
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,546 people
- Lancaster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Billmeyer ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Billmeyer is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billmeyer
- Marietta
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Maytown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Columbia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Washington Borough
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Washington Borough is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Borough
- Falmouth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Falmouth is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
- Rheems
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Rheems is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rheems
- Florin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Florin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florin
- Ironville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ironville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironville
- Central Manor
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Central Manor is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Manor
- Creswell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Creswell is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creswell
- Mount Joy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lebanon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Lawn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Colebrook
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Colebrook is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colebrook
- Campbelltown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Mount Gretna Heights
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Gretna Heights is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gretna Heights
- Mount Gretna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Timber Hills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Timber Hills is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timber Hills
- Fontana
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Fontana is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana
- Palmyra
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Burd Coleman Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Burd Coleman Village is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burd Coleman Village
- Miners Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Miners Village is located in Lebanon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miners Village
- Quentin
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Annville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Marysville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Perdix
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Perdix is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdix
- Baltimore County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Maryland Line
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Maryland Line is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryland Line
- Oakland
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Oakland is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Freeland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Gorsuch Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Gorsuch Mills is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gorsuch Mills
- Trump
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Trump is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trump
- Eklo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Eklo is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eklo
- Shane
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Shane is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shane
- Stablersville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Stablersville is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stablersville
- Walker
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Walker is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Parkton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Shamburg ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Shamburg is located in Baltimore County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamburg
- White Hall
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Carroll County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Young Mans Fancy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Young Mans Fancy is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young Mans Fancy
- Lineboro
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lineboro is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineboro
- Roller
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Roller is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roller
- Rockbrook Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Rockbrook Village is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockbrook Village
- Manchester
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Reeds Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Reeds Village is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Village
- Hampstead
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Cecil County (MD)
- Bald Friar ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bald Friar is located in Cecil County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Friar
- Harford County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Shawsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Shawsville is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawsville
- Cambria
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cambria is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria
- Pylesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Whiteford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Federal Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Federal Hill is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Federal Hill
- Street
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jarrettsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sharon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sharon is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Chestnut Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chestnut Hill is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Hill
- Coopstown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Coopstown is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopstown
- Scarboro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Scarboro is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scarboro
- Dublin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dublin is located in Harford County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dublin
- Montgomery County (MD)
- High Point Estates
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- High Point Estates is located in Montgomery County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Point Estates
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Spring Plains, see our County-by-County Page for Spring Plains.
Cemeteries Near Spring Plains ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Spring Plains.
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 Spring Plains - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Spring Plains covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Strickler - Miller Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Locust Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Kreutz Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Rose Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dietz Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dietz Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Dietz Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Hallam.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1963492 <2>
- St. Mary's - St. Patrick's Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Susquehanna Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Heiland View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Freysville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freysville Cemetery
- The Freysville Cemetery has also been known as:
- Emmanuel UCC Cemetery
- Freysville Evangelical Cemetery
- Freysville Reform and Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #208585 <2>
- Zion UMC Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Canadochly Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lebanon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Continue List (307 more) ...
- Prospect Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Stump Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Red Lion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
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 Spring Plains in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Spring Plains.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Spring Plains, with the one closest to Spring Plains listed first.
- Stonybrook
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Stonybrook is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonybrook
- Ore Valley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ore Valley is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ore Valley
- Relay
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Relay is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Relay
- Holtz
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Holtz is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holtz
- Yorkana
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Yorkana is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Stoner
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Stoner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoner
- York
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Spry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Spry is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spry
- Emigsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Grantley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Grantley is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantley
- Dallastown
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Yoe
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Yoe is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yoe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,011 people
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Windsor
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Starview
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Starview is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starview
- Strickler
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Strickler is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strickler
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Spring Plains. See our List of 1890's Communities around Spring Plains.
Newspapers Published in Spring Plains ...
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 94 newspapers that have been published in the area around Spring Plains.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Spring Plains, there are papers which were published within 7 miles [11.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Spring Plains.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Spring Plains:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to York County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Cumberland County
- Dauphin County
- Lancaster County
- Lebanon County
- Perry County
- Baltimore County
- Carroll County
- Cecil County
- Harford County
- Montgomery 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 Spring Plains, 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' (or 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- Spring Plains) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |