RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> Commonwealth of Pennsylvania >> Schuylkill County >> Zion Grove >> Genealogy HelperIndex...










Learn About
The Commemorative
Quarter for
Pennsylvania

The Commemorative Quarter for Pennsylvania





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 Zion Grove (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 Zion Grove. 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 Zion Grove ...

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 have occurred.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Zion Grove: Zion Grv.

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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and 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.

Zion Grove is located in Schuylkill County.

To see how the shape of Pennsylvania's counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Schuylkill County: Berks, Carbon, Columbia, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne & Northumberland.

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

  • Schuylkill County     (The home county of Zion Grove)
  • Berks County
  • Carbon County
  • Columbia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion Grove, with the one closest to Zion Grove listed first.
    • Shumans
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Shumans. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumans
      • Shumans is located in Columbia County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Shumans
      • From Zion Grove to Shumans
    • Hetlerville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Aristes
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Aristes have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aristes
      • Aristes is located in Columbia County
    • Mainville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mainville have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainville
      • Mainville is located in Columbia County
    • Centralia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Newlin
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Berwick
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Briar Creek
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Lime Ridge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lime Ridge have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime Ridge
      • Lime Ridge is located in Columbia County
    • Mifflinville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mifflinville have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mifflinville
      • Mifflinville is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mifflinville <2>
    • Numidia
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Slabtown
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Slabtown have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slabtown
      • Slabtown is located in Columbia County
  • Dauphin County
  • Lehigh County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion Grove, with the one closest to Zion Grove listed first.
    • Jacksonville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Lochland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Lochland. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochland
      • Lochland is located in Lehigh County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Lochland
      • From Zion Grove to Lochland
    • Slatedale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Stines Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Luzerne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion Grove, with the one closest to Zion Grove listed first.
    • Mountain Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Tomhicken
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Tomhicken. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomhicken
      • Tomhicken is located in Luzerne County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Tomhicken
      • From Zion Grove to Tomhicken
    • Conyngham
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Conyngham have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conyngham
      • Conyngham is located in Luzerne County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,858 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Conyngham <2>
    • Sybertsville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Harwood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Nescopeck
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Nescopeck have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nescopeck
      • Nescopeck is located in Luzerne County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,522 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nescopeck <2>
    • West Hazleton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for West Hazleton. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hazleton
      • West Hazleton is located in Luzerne County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,318 people
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to West Hazleton
      • From Zion Grove to West Hazleton
    • Beach Haven
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • East Berwick
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Berwick have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Berwick
      • East Berwick is located in Luzerne County
    • Hazleton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Harleigh
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Ebervale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Lycoming County
  • Montour County
  • Northumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion Grove, with the one closest to Zion Grove listed first.
    • Mount Carmel
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mount Carmel have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
      • Mount Carmel is located in Northumberland County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,708 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mount Carmel <2>
    • Dooleyville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Natalie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Locust Gap
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Bear Gap
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Elysburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Elysburg have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elysburg
      • Elysburg is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elysburg <2>
    • Kulpmont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Kulpmont have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kulpmont
      • Kulpmont is located in Northumberland County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,735 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kulpmont <2>
    • Marion Heights
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Marion Heights have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion Heights
      • Marion Heights is located in Northumberland County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 573 people
    • Gowen City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gowen City have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowen City
      • Gowen City is located in Northumberland County
    • Marshallton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Marshallton have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshallton
      • Marshallton is located in Northumberland County
    • Shamokin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Edgewood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Edgewood have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood
      • Edgewood is located in Northumberland County

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

Cemeteries Near Zion Grove ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Zion Grove.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

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.<6>

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

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

  • Raricks
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Raricks have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raricks
    • Raricks is located in Schuylkill County
  • Ferndale
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Ferndale. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferndale
    • Ferndale is located in Schuylkill County
    • Google driving directions:
    • From your current location to Ferndale
    • From Zion Grove to Ferndale
  • Ringtown
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Krebs
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Krebs. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Krebs
    • Krebs is located in Schuylkill County
    • Google driving directions:
    • From your current location to Krebs
    • From Zion Grove to Krebs
  • Brandonville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Nuremberg
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Gowen
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gowen have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowen
    • Gowen is located in Luzerne County
  • Oneida
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Weston
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Weston have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
    • Weston is located in Luzerne County
  • Derringer
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Derringer have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derringer
    • Derringer is located in Luzerne County
  • Fern Glen
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fern Glen have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern Glen
    • Fern Glen is located in Luzerne County
  • Rock Glen
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rock Glen have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Glen
    • Rock Glen is located in Luzerne County
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Beaver Valley
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Beaver Valley have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Valley
      • Beaver Valley is located in Columbia County
    • Shenandoah
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Mountain Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Zion Grove ...

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 Zion Grove.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Zion Grove, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Zion Grove.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Zion Grove:

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Zion Grove. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for Schuylkill County: www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/

The official website for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: https://www.pa.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>An 'estimated' location is one where we have been given GPS coordinates, but are unable to verify the accuracy of those coordinates. That said, we have some confidence that we have placed the marker near the actual location. A typical reason for being unable to verify a location is that it might be on private property or maybe historic and gone without an obvious trace.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Zion Grove) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Zion Grove. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 40.9027, Longitude: -76.2090    
<5>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.
<6>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 Zion Grove, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

Copyright 2025
All Rights Reserved

Thank you for visiting our website.

In closing, please keep in mind that we can not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the information on this website, so use with care. We encourage you to double-check the information that is critical to you.

If you've found an error or have additional information that you would like to share, please don't hesitate to write: Click here to contact us.

This page was last modified/updated: 29 Apr 2025