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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 Charter Oak (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 Charter Oak. 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.

Charter Oak is located in Clark 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 Clark County: Columbia (OR), Multnomah (OR), Cowlitz & Skamania.

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

  • Clark County     (The home county of Charter Oak)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charter Oak, with the one closest to Charter Oak listed first.
    • Lewisville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Lewisville is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
    • Cherry Grove
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Cherry Grove is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Grove
    • King Corner
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • King Corner is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Corner
    • Heisson
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Battle Ground
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Kumtux
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Kumtux is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kumtux
    • Dollar's Corner
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Dollar's Corner is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar's Corner
    • Fargher Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Fargher Lake is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fargher Lake
    • Meadow Glade
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Meadow Glade is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Glade
    • Pioneer
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Pioneer is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
    • Brush Prairie
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Hockinson
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hockinson is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hockinson
  • Cowlitz County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charter Oak, with the one closest to Charter Oak listed first.
    • Ariel
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Kalama
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Cougar
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Carrolls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Rose Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Rose Valley is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Valley
    • Kelso
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Kelso is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,438 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kelso <1>
    • Longview
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Ostrander
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Ostrander is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ostrander
  • Skamania County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charter Oak, with the one closest to Charter Oak listed first.
    • Cruzatt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Cruzatt is located in Skamania County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruzatt
    • Skamania
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Skamania is located in Skamania County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skamania
  • Clackamas County (OR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charter Oak, with the one closest to Charter Oak listed first.
    • Happy Valley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Damascus
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Damascus is located in Clackamas County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damascus
      • Estimated population in 2017: 11,155 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Damascus <1>
    • Sunnyside
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Sunnyside is located in Clackamas County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
    • Boring
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Clackamas
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Oak Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Oatfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Oatfield is located in Clackamas County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatfield
    • Carver
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Christie ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Christie is located in Clackamas County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
    • Johnson City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Johnson City is located in Clackamas County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 627 people
    • Lake Oswego
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Aims
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Aims is located in Clackamas County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aims
  • Columbia County (OR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charter Oak, with the one closest to Charter Oak listed first.
    • Saint Helens
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Columbia City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Warren
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Deer Island
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Scappoose
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Reuben
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Reuben is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reuben
    • Goble
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Goble is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goble
    • Prescott
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Prescott is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
    • Beaver Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Beaver Springs is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Springs
    • Rainier
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Rainier is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,021 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rainier <1>
    • Pittsburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Pittsburg is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
    • Vernonia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Vernonia is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernonia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,295 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vernonia <1>
  • Multnomah County (OR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charter Oak, with the one closest to Charter Oak listed first.
    • Vanport City ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Vanport City is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanport City
    • Maywood Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Burlington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Burlington is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
    • Albina
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Albina is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albina
    • Fairview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Fairview is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,450 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fairview <1>
    • Laurelhurst
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Laurelhurst is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelhurst
    • Wood Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Hazelwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Hazelwood is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
    • Montavilla
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Montavilla is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
    • Portland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Portland is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 656,751 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Portland <1>
    • Rockwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Rockwood is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
    • Russellville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Russellville is located in Multnomah County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
  • Washington County (OR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charter Oak, with the one closest to Charter Oak listed first.
    • Bethany
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bethany is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany
    • Cedar Mill
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Hills
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Hills is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hills
    • Cedar Hills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Marlene Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Marlene Village is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlene Village
    • Rockcreek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Rockcreek is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockcreek
    • West Slope
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • West Slope is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Slope
    • West Union
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • West Union is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
    • Raleigh Hills
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Raleigh Hills is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh Hills
    • Beaverton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Beaverton is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98,957 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Beaverton <1>
    • Mountaindale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Mountaindale is located in Washington County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountaindale
    • North Plains
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Charter Oak ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Charter Oak.

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 Charter Oak - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Lewisville Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Dublin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Gravel Point Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain View Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mountain View Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the northwest of Fargher Lake.
    • The Mountain View Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hazen Cemetery
    • View Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #76951 <3>
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Bethel Evangelical Methodist Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Wilson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Elim Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Finn Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Highland Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (121 more) ...
    • Brush Prairie Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Frank Abel Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frank Abel Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Frank Abel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2229827 <3>
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 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 Charter Oak in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Charter Oak.

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

  • Lewisville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Lewisville is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
  • Battle Ground
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Pioneer
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Pioneer is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
  • Brush Prairie
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Hockinson
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Hockinson is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hockinson
  • La Center
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Etna
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Etna is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
  • Amboy
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Ridgefield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Sara
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Sara is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sara
  • Hayes
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Hayes is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
  • Felida
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Felida is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felida
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Woodland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Proebstel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Proebstel is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proebstel
    • Caples
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Caples is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caples

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

Newspapers Published in Charter Oak ...

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 206 newspapers that have been published in the area around Charter Oak.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Charter Oak, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Charter Oak.

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 Charter Oak:

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 from Point A (ie- Charter Oak) 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 Charter Oak, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.