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 Sylvan (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 Sylvan. 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 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.
Sylvan is located in Franklin 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 Franklin County: Frederick (MD), Washington (MD), Adams, Cumberland, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata & Perry.
Below are the counties that are near Sylvan. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sylvan:
- Franklin County (The home county of Sylvan)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Claylick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Claylick is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claylick
- Cove Gap
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cove Gap is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Gap
- Mercersburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Welsh Run
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Welsh Run is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welsh Run
- Dickey
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dickey is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickey
- Markes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Markes is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Markes
- Fort Loudon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rockdale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rockdale is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Williamson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Williamson is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamson
- Milnor
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Milnor is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milnor
- Greencastle
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Saint Thomas
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cashtown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bedford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Robinsonville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Robinsonville is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinsonville
- Purcell
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Purcell is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purcell
- Breezewood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Everett
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Graceville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Graceville is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceville
- Hopewell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Coaldale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Coaldale is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 151 people
- Mount Dallas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Dallas is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Dallas
- Ott Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ott Town is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ott Town
- Rainsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Rainsburg is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Charlesville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Charlesville is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesville
- Langdondale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Langdondale is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langdondale
- Penn Wood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Penn Wood is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn Wood
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Websters Mill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Websters Mill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Websters Mill
- Covalt
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Covalt is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covalt
- Warfordsburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Dott
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dott is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dott
- Needmore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- McConnellsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Ridge is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge
- Sipes Mill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sipes Mill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipes Mill
- Harrisonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Harrisonville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisonville
- Emmaville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Emmaville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmaville
- Knobsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Knobsville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knobsville
- Crystal Spring
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Crystal Spring is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Spring
- Akersville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Akersville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akersville
- Huntingdon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Maddensville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Maddensville is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maddensville
- Selea
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Selea is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selea
- Neelyton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Neelyton is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neelyton
- Robertsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Robertsdale is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robertsdale
- Shade Gap
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Three Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Allegany County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Little Orleans
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Green Ridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Green Ridge is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Ridge
- Keifers
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Keifers is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keifers
- Flintstone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Town Creek ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Town Creek is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek
- Frederick County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Pleasant Walk
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Walk is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Walk
- Frostown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Frostown is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frostown
- Myersville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sabillasville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Bolivar
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bolivar is located in Frederick County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
- Washington County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Big Pool
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Clear Spring
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fairview
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fairview is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Hancock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wilson - Conococheague
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wilson - Conococheague is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson - Conococheague
- Huyett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Huyett is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huyett
- Maugansville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Williamsport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fountainhead - Orchard Hills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Halfway
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Halfway is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfway
- Williamsport Station
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Williamsport Station is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsport Station
- Long Meadow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Long Meadow is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Meadow
- Hagerstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hagerstown is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagerstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39,918 people
- Former name for Hagerstown:
- Hager's Town
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hagerstown <1>
- Berkeley County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Little Georgetown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Little Georgetown is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Georgetown
- Hedgesville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Falling Waters
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bedington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Bedington is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bedington
- Martinsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Swan Pond
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Swan Pond is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Pond
- Scrabble
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Scrabble is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scrabble
- Arden
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Arden is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arden
- Baker Heights
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Baker Heights is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker Heights
- Darkesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Darkesville is located in Berkeley County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darkesville
- Gerrardstown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Inwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Bunker Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Jefferson County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Shepherdstown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bardane
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bardane is located in Jefferson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bardane
- Jefferson Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jefferson Village is located in Jefferson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Village
- Morgan County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Sleepy Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sleepy Creek is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleepy Creek
- Cherry Run
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cherry Run is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Run
- Hancock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hancock is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Holton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Holton is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holton
- Bath
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bath is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
- Population from the 2020 Census: 587 people
- Berkeley Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Berryville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Berryville is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Woodmont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Woodmont is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmont
- Stotlers Crossroads
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Stotlers Crossroads is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotlers Crossroads
- Orleans Cross Roads
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Orleans Cross Roads is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans Cross Roads
- Doe Gully
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Doe Gully is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doe Gully
- Oakland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Oakland is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Hansrote
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hansrote is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hansrote
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sylvan, see our County-by-County Page for Sylvan.
Cemeteries Near Sylvan ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sylvan.
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 Sylvan - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sylvan covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Stone Bridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Cemetery
- The Pine Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Church of God Corners Cemetery
- Orchard Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Park Head Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Union Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cushwa Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Secrest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Riverview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Alpine Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Chestnut Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (251 more) ...
- Little Metropolitan Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. Peters Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Sylvan had a population of 190 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sylvan, with the one closest to Sylvan listed first.
- Dickeys Mountain
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dickeys Mountain is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickeys Mountain
- Plum Run
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Plum Run is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Run
- Big Cove Tannery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Big Cove Tannery is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Cove Tannery
- Sleepy Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sleepy Creek is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleepy Creek
- Claylick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Claylick is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claylick
- Indian Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Indian Springs is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
- Websters Mill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Websters Mill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Websters Mill
- Cherry Run
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cherry Run is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Run
- Ernstville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Ernstville is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ernstville
- Clear Spring
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Mercersburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Covalt
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Covalt is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covalt
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Warfordsburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Hancock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hancock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hancock is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sylvan. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sylvan.
Newspapers Published in Sylvan ...
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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sylvan.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sylvan, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sylvan.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Sylvan:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Franklin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bedford County
- Fulton County
- Huntingdon County
- Allegany County
- Frederick County
- Washington County
- Berkeley County
- Jefferson County
- Morgan 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 Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MIHP (for the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties). More information about the MHT and MIHP can be found on their website: mht.maryland.gov. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Sylvan, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Sylvan) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |