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 West End (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 West End. 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 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.
West End is located in Bedford 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 Bedford County: Allegany (MD), Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon & Somerset.
Below are the counties that are near West End. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West End:
- Bedford County (The home county of West End)
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Kegg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kegg is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kegg
- Hyndman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Schellsburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Manns Choice
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- New Paris
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Charlesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Charlesville is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesville
- Rainsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Rainsburg is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Wolfsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Wolfsburg is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfsburg
- Stringtown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Stringtown is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Bedford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Cooks Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Cooks Mills is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
- Beans Cove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Beans Cove is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Cove
- Blair County
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Cotton Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cotton Town is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Town
- Claysburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Knob
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Blue Knob is located in Blair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Knob
- Cambria County
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Scalp Level
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Scalp Level is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scalp Level
- Population from the 2020 Census: 691 people
- Ingleside
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ingleside is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
- Dunlo
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Dunlo is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlo
- Belmont
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Belmont is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Ferndale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Geistown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Geistown is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geistown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,242 people
- Salix
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Salix is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salix
- Beaverdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Beaverdale is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverdale
- Lorain
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lorain is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 680 people
- Elim
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Elim is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elim
- Daisytown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Daisytown is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 290 people
- Dale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Dale is located in Cambria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,110 people
- Fayette County
- Seven Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Emmaville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Emmaville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmaville
- Crystal Spring
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Crystal Spring is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Spring
- Akersville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Akersville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akersville
- Valley-Hi
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Valley-Hi is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley-Hi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15 people
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- New Baltimore
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- New Baltimore is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Baltimore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Downey
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Downey is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downey
- Johnsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Indian Lake is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 375 people
- Fairhope
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Shanksville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Buckstown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Buckstown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckstown
- Berlin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Central City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Boswell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Coleman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Coleman is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- Callimont
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Callimont is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callimont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 38 people
- Westmoreland County
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Laughlintown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Laurel Mountain
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Laurel Mountain is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 153 people
- Laurel Mountain has also been known as:
- Laurel Mountain Park
- Rector
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Allegany County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Ellerslie
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ellerslie is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellerslie
- Barrelville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Barrelville is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrelville
- Corriganville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Corriganville is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corriganville
- Mount Savage Junction
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Mount Savage Junction is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Savage Junction
- Mount Savage
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Flintstone
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cumberland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- La Vale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Rush
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Rush is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush
- Shanty Town ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Shanty Town is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
- Zihlman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Zihlman is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zihlman
- Clarysville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Clarysville is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
- Garrett County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Avilton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Avilton is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avilton
- Grantsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mineral County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Ridgeley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Carpendale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Carpendale is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpendale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 900 people
- Wiley Ford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Short Gap
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Short Gap is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Gap
- Morgan County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Orleans Cross Roads
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Orleans Cross Roads is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans Cross Roads
- Doe Gully
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Doe Gully is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doe Gully
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West End, see our County-by-County Page for West End.
Cemeteries Near West End ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West End.
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 West End - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West End covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- Old Union Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Camp Run Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sarver Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Schellsburg Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schellsburg Cemetery
- The Schellsburg Cemetery has also been known as:
- Chestnut Ridge Cemetery
- Old Log Church Cemetery
- Union Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1964953 <3>
- Walker Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fellowship & Union Cemeteries
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lebanon Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pike Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Mispah Lutheran Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mispah Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mispah Lutheran Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the west of Shanksville.
- The Mispah Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mispah Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2188400 <3>
- Growden Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Pugh Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Mt. Zion Reformed Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Zion Reformed Cemetery
- The Mt. Zion Reformed Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hays Reformed Cemetery
- Mt. Zion - Hays Cemetery
- Mt. Zion United Church of Christ (UCC) Cemetery
- Continue List (167 more) ...
- Porter Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Bedford Memorial Gardens
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Fishertown Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
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 West End had a population of 165 people in 1895 with no post office or railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West End, with the one closest to West End listed first.
- New Baltimore
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- New Baltimore is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Baltimore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Kegg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kegg is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kegg
- Glen Savage
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Glen Savage is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Savage
- New Buena Vista
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Buena Vista is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Buena Vista
- Madley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Madley is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madley
- Bard
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Bard is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bard
- Buffalo Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Buffalo Mills is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Mills
- Fossilville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fossilville is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossilville
- Boone
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Boone is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boone
- Glade
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Glade is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glade
- Downey
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Downey is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downey
- Johnsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Hyndman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Fairhope
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Williams
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Williams is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West End. See our List of 1890's Communities around West End.
Newspapers Published in West End ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around West End.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West End, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West End.
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 professional and volunteer 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 West End:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Bedford County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blair County
- Cambria County
- Fayette County
- Fulton County
- Somerset County
- Westmoreland County
- Allegany County
- Garrett County
- Mineral 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- West End) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 West End, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |