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 Sunbury (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 Sunbury. 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.
West Sunbury is located in Butler 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 Butler County: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Clarion, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango & Westmoreland.
Below are the counties that are near West Sunbury. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Sunbury:
- Butler County (The home county of West Sunbury)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Hooker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hooker is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Greece City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Greece City is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greece City
- Hallston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hallston is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallston
- Unionville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Unionville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
- Ferris
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Ferris is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferris
- Bovard
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bovard is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bovard
- Branchton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Branchton is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchton
- West Liberty
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- West Liberty is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 328 people
- Fairview
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Fairview is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 186 people
- Forestville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Forestville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forestville
- Millerstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Millerstown is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerstown
- North Oakland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- North Oakland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Oakland
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Culmerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Culmerville is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culmerville
- Curtisville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Curtisville is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtisville
- Gibsonia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bradford Woods
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Bradford Woods is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford Woods
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,135 people
- Russellton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Wexford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sligo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sligo is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sligo
- Brackenridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Karns
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Karns is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Karns
- Natrona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Natrona is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Wildwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Rural Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Fredericksburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Fredericksburg is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredericksburg
- Kaylor
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Kaylor is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaylor
- Parker
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Queenstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Queenstown is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queenstown
- Bradys Bend
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Bradys Bend is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradys Bend
- Laird Crossing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Laird Crossing is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laird Crossing
- Wattersonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Wattersonville is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattersonville
- Cowansville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Shadyside Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Shadyside Village is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shadyside Village
- Shadyside Village has also been known as:
- Buffalo Creek
- Yellow Dog Village
- Worthington
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Rimer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Rimer is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rimer
- Walkchalk
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Walkchalk is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkchalk
- Beaver County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Goehring
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Goehring is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goehring
- Lillyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lillyville is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lillyville
- Wurtemburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wurtemburg is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wurtemburg
- Ellwood City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Frisco
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Frisco is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- North Sewickley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- North Sewickley is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sewickley
- Barrisville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Barrisville is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrisville
- Koppel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Homewood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Homewood is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homewood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Knob
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Knob is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knob
- Big Beaver
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Big Beaver is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,827 people
- Clarion County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Foxburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- East Brady
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- West Freedom
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Freedom is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Freedom
- Bela
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bela is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bela
- Catfish
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Catfish is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catfish
- Phillipston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Phillipston is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipston
- Saint Petersburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Toby
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Toby is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toby
- Alum Rock
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Alum Rock is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Rock
- Callensburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Callensburg is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callensburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Turkey City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Turkey City is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey City
- Lamartine
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lamartine is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamartine
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Grant City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Grant City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
- Harlansburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Harlansburg is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlansburg
- Rose Point
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Rose Point is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Point
- McCaslin
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- McCaslin is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCaslin
- Altman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Altman is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altman
- Energy
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Energy is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Energy
- Volant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Ellport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ellport is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,102 people
- New Castle
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- New Wilmington
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- South New Castle
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- South New Castle is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South New Castle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 659 people
- Mahoningtown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Mahoningtown is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahoningtown
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Courtneys Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Courtneys Mills is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Courtneys Mills
- North Liberty
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Liberty is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Liberty
- Enterprise
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Enterprise is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
- Swamproot
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Swamproot is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swamproot
- Perrys Corners
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Perrys Corners is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrys Corners
- Kilgore
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Kilgore is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilgore
- Leesburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Leesburg is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesburg
- Millburn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Millburn is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millburn
- Perrine Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Perrine Corners is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrine Corners
- Jackson Center
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mercer
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Sandy Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Venango County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Eakin Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Eakin Corner is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eakin Corner
- Barkeyville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Clintonville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Nectarine
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Nectarine is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nectarine
- Bullion
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bullion is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullion
- Saint George
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Saint George is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Emlenton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pearl
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Pearl is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl
- Henderson Station
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Henderson Station is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Station
- Coal City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Coal City is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Nickleville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Nickleville is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nickleville
- Polk
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Polk is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Westmoreland County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Bagdad
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bagdad is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagdad
- West Leechburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Leechburg is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leechburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,211 people
- Arnold
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Lower Burrell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hyde Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Weinel Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Weinel Crossroads is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weinel Crossroads
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Sunbury, see our County-by-County Page for West Sunbury.
Cemeteries Near West Sunbury ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Sunbury.
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 Sunbury - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Sunbury covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- West Sunbury Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Whitmire Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Snyder Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- McCandless Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Annandale Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mt. Chestnut Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bear Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- West Liberty Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Greenlawn Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Rose Hill Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Butler.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #45919 <2>
- Butler Memorial Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (237 more) ...
- North Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- North Side Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Side Cemetery
- The North Side Cemetery has also been known as:
- Calvary Cemetery
- Northside Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44515 <2>
- St. Peters Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Peters Cemetery
- The St. Peters Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Peter's Parish Family RC Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #46247 <2>
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, West Sunbury had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, West Sunbury had a population of 180 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Sunbury, with the one closest to West Sunbury listed first.
- Euclid
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Euclid is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euclid
- Moniteau
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Moniteau is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moniteau
- Hooker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hooker is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Elora
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Elora is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elora
- Greece City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Greece City is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greece City
- Coaltown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Coaltown is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaltown
- Hallston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hallston is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallston
- Annandale
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Annandale is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annandale
- Hilliards
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Boyers
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Bovard
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bovard is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bovard
- Branchton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Branchton is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchton
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Keisters
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Keisters is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keisters
- Argentine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Argentine is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argentine
- Wick
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wick is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wick
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Sunbury. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Sunbury.
Newspapers Published in West Sunbury ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Sunbury.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Sunbury, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Sunbury.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Sunbury:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Butler County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Beaver County
- Clarion County
- Lawrence County
- Mercer County
- Venango County
- Westmoreland 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 West Sunbury, 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- West Sunbury) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |