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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 Browns Point (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 Browns Point. 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 Browns Point ...

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 occur.

  • A typical abbreviation for Browns Point: Browns Pt.
  • While the name of this community is Browns Point, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Browns Point may originally have been Brown's Point.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Browns Point might be written as Brown Point.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Browns Point. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Browns Point.

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 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.

Browns Point is located in Pierce County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Pierce County: King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Thurston & Yakima.

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

  • Pierce County     (The home county of Browns Point)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Browns Point, with the one closest to Browns Point listed first.
    • Dash Point
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Dash Point is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dash Point
    • Northeast Tacoma
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Northeast Tacoma is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northeast Tacoma
    • Tacoma
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Ruston
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Ruston is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
    • Fife
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Fife is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fife
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,458 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fife <2>
    • Gardenville ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Gardenville is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardenville
    • Fircrest
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • University Place
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Gig Harbor
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Edgewood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Waller
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Waller is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waller
    • Artondale
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Artondale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
    • Cromwell
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Cromwell is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
  • King County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Browns Point, with the one closest to Browns Point listed first.
    • Tahlequah
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Tahlequah is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tahlequah
    • Buenna
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Buenna is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buenna
    • Federal Way
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Magnolia Beach
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Magnolia Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Beach
    • Redondo
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Redondo is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redondo
    • Woodmont Beach
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodmont Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmont Beach
    • Milton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Des Moines
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Star Lake
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Star Lake is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Lake
    • Zenith
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Zenith is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenith
    • Algona
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Pacific
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • North Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • North Hill is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hill
  • Kitsap County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Browns Point, with the one closest to Browns Point listed first.
    • Olalla
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Burley
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Southworth
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Southworth is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southworth
    • South Colby
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • South Colby is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Colby
    • Colby
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Colby is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colby
    • Bethel
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Colchester
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Colchester is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colchester
    • South Park Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • East Port Orchard
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • East Port Orchard is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Port Orchard
    • Parkwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Parkwood is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
    • Manchester
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Port Orchard
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Retsil
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Retsil is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retsil
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Browns Point, with the one closest to Browns Point listed first.
    • Grapeview
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Allyn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Belfair
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Bayshore
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Bayshore is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
    • Tahuya
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Thurston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Browns Point, with the one closest to Browns Point listed first.
    • Puget
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
    • Nisqually Indian Community
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Tanglewilde
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Tanglewilde is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewilde
    • North Yelm
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • North Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yelm
    • Yelm
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yelm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,591 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yelm <2>
    • Lacey
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Lacey is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,178 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacey <2>
    • Kellys Korner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Kellys Korner is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Korner
    • Olympia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • East Olympia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Tumwater
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Rainier
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Browns Point ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Browns Point.

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 Browns Point - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Puyallup Tribal Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puyallup Tribal Cemetery
    • The Puyallup Tribal Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Cushman Cemetery
    • Indian Mission Cemetery
    • Puyallup Indian Cemetery
  • Georges Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Gethsemane Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Penbrock Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Oakwood Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hill Cemetery
    • The Oakwood Hill Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Oak Wood Cemetery
    • Oak Wood Hill Cemetery
    • Oakwood Cemetery
    • Prairie Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1996538 <3>
  • Tacoma Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tacoma Cemetery
    • The Tacoma Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Oaklawn Cemetery
    • Old Tacoma Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #77080 <3>
  • Pauper Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Gig Harbor Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gig Harbor Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Gig Harbor Cemetery is located outside and to the north of Gig Harbor.
    • The Gig Harbor Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Cresent Valley Cemetery
  • Haven of Rest Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haven of Rest Cemetery
    • Former name for Haven of Rest Cemetery:
    • Perkins Cemetery
  • New Tacoma Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Old Pioneer Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Pioneer Cemetery
    • The Old Pioneer Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Rigney Cemetery
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (103 more) ...

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 Browns Point in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Browns Point.

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

  • Tacoma
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Buenna
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Buenna is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buenna
  • Excelsior
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Excelsior is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
  • Maury
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Maury is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maury
  • Gig Harbor
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Wollochet
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Wollochet is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wollochet
  • Fern Hill
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Fern Hill is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern Hill
  • Midland
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Midland is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland
  • Des Moines
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Chautauqua
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Chautauqua is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
  • Artondale
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Artondale is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
  • Fox Island
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Lakeview
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Lakeview is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
    • Parkland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Puyallup
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Browns Point ...

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 53 newspapers that have been published in the area around Browns Point.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Browns Point, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Browns Point.

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 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 Browns Point:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<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 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 Browns Point, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Browns Point) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.