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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 Wilmer (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 Wilmer. 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.

Wilmer is located in Elk 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 Elk County: Cameron, Clearfield, Forest, Jefferson, McKean & Warren.

Below are the counties that are near Wilmer. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wilmer:

  • Elk County     (The home county of Wilmer)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Grant
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Grant is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
    • Benezette
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Dents Run
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Dents Run is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dents Run
    • Caledonia
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Caledonia is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
    • Byrnedale
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Scattertown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Scattertown is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scattertown
    • Saint Marys
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Dagus Mines
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Dagus Mines is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dagus Mines
    • Kylers Corners
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Kylers Corners is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kylers Corners
    • Challenge
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Challenge is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Challenge
    • Instanter
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Instanter is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Instanter
    • Johnsonburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Johnsonburg is located in Elk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,264 people
    • Brockport
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
  • Cameron County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Mix Run
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Mix Run is located in Cameron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mix Run
    • Beechwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Beechwood is located in Cameron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
    • Huntley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Huntley is located in Cameron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
    • Cameron
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cameron is located in Cameron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
    • Weber City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Weber City is located in Cameron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber City
    • Driftwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Emporium
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Wyside
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Wyside is located in Cameron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyside
  • Centre County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Pine Glen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Pine Glen is located in Centre County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Glen
    • Moshannon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Moshannon is located in Centre County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moshannon
    • Casanova
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Casanova is located in Centre County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casanova
    • Clarence
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Pancake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Pancake is located in Centre County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pancake
    • Poorman Side
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Poorman Side is located in Centre County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poorman Side
    • Snow Shoe
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Clearfield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Tyler
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tyler is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyler
    • Winterburn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Winterburn is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterburn
    • Keewaydin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Keewaydin is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keewaydin
    • Pottersdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Pottersdale is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottersdale
    • Mount Joy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Mount Joy is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Joy
    • Plymptonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Plymptonville is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymptonville
    • Shiloh
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Shiloh is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
    • Clearfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Treasure Lake
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Treasure Lake is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Treasure Lake
    • Barrett
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Barrett is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrett
    • Hyde
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Hyde is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyde
    • Woodland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Rockton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Rockton is located in Clearfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockton
  • Clinton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Hammersley Fork
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Hammersley Fork is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammersley Fork
    • Bitumen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Bitumen is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bitumen
    • Cooks Run
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Cooks Run is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Run
    • Keating
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Keating is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keating
    • Westport
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Crenshaw
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Crenshaw is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crenshaw
    • Brockway
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Falls Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Red Mill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Red Mill is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Mill
    • Pancoast
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Pancoast is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pancoast
    • Schoffner Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Schoffner Corner is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schoffner Corner
  • McKean County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Gardeau
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Gardeau is located in McKean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardeau
    • Clermont
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Clermont is located in McKean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clermont
    • Hutchins
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Hutchins is located in McKean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchins
    • Crosby
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Crosby is located in McKean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosby
    • Freeman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Freeman is located in McKean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
    • Coontown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Coontown is located in McKean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coontown
    • Kanesholm
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Kanesholm is located in McKean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanesholm
    • Mount Jewett
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Potter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Austin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Inez
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Inez is located in Potter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inez
    • Roulette
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wilmer, see our County-by-County Page for Wilmer.

Cemeteries Near Wilmer ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wilmer.

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 Wilmer - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wilmer covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.

  • Johnson Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Hicks Run Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Gray Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mix Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Mason Hill Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Zion Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Zion Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the northeast of Byrnedale.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2135193 <3>
  • Pine St. Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Wyle Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Grove Hill Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • St. Marks Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Newton Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Rich Valley Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (99 more) ...
    • St. Marys Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Kooker Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)

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>

While we didn't find Wilmer in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wilmer.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.

  • Grant
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Grant is located in Elk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
  • Benezette
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Dents Run
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Dents Run is located in Elk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dents Run
  • Caledonia
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Caledonia is located in Elk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
  • Beechwood
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Beechwood is located in Cameron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
  • Mix Run
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Mix Run is located in Cameron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mix Run
  • Sterling Run
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Sterling Run is located in Cameron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Run
  • Truman
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Truman is located in Cameron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
  • Weedville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Huntley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Huntley is located in Cameron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
  • Rathbun
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Rathbun is located in Elk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rathbun
  • Cameron
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cameron is located in Cameron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Driftwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Emporium
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Saint Marys
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wilmer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wilmer.

Newspapers Published in Wilmer ...

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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wilmer.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wilmer, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wilmer.

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 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 Wilmer:

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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Wilmer) 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 Wilmer, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.