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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 Clay City (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 Clay City. 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 doctors and 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.

Clay City 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 Clay City. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Clay City:

  • Pierce County     (The home county of Clay City)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay City, with the one closest to Clay City listed first.
    • Eatonville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Kapowsin
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • La Grande
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • South Creek
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • South Creek is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Creek
    • Alder
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Alder is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alder
    • Graham
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Elk Plain
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Elk Plain is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Plain
    • Elbe
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Orting
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Melmont ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Melmont is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melmont
    • Frederickson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Frederickson is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederickson
    • Carbonado
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • King County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay City, with the one closest to Clay City listed first.
    • Osceola
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Osceola is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • Milton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Enumclaw
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Pacific
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Algona
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Krain
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Krain is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Krain
    • Auburn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Green River
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Green River is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green River
    • Federal Way
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Lea Hill
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Lea Hill is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lea Hill
    • Buenna
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Buenna is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buenna
    • Lake Morton - Berrydale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Lewis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay City, with the one closest to Clay City listed first.
    • Mineral
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Morton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Cinebar
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Glenoma
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Ajlune
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Ajlune is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ajlune
    • Mossyrock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Randle
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Thurston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Clay City, with the one closest to Clay City listed first.
    • North Yelm
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • North Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yelm
    • Yelm
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • 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 <1>
    • Rainier
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Nisqually Indian Community
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Kellys Korner
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Kellys Korner is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Korner
    • McIntosh
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • McIntosh is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh
    • Tanglewilde
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Tanglewilde is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewilde
    • East Olympia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Lacey
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • 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 <1>
    • Tenino
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Puget
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
    • Bucoda
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Clay City ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Clay City.

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 Clay City - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Eatonville Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eatonville Cemetery
    • The Eatonville Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Glacier Park Cemetery
    • Glacier View Cemetery
  • Rainier Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainier Cemetery
    • The Rainier Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Old Indian Cemetery
    • Old Pioneer Cemetery
    • Rainer Free Cemetery
    • Stringtown Cemetery
  • Jensen Pioneer Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Mashel Prairie Indian Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Bethany Lutheran Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Alder Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Soldiers Home Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soldiers Home Cemetery
    • The Soldiers Home Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Old Soldiers Home Cemetery
  • Orting Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orting Cemetery
    • The Orting Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Orting IOOF Cemetery
    • Orting IOOF Cemetery
  • Jeschke Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Cemetery
    • The Smith Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Henry Smith Cemetery
  • Wren Family Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Carbonado Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (52 more) ...
    • Fir Lane Memorial Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Spanaway Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Roy Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)

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.<2>

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

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

  • Eatonville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Leber
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Leber is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leber
  • Kapowsin
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Orting
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Carbonado
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • McMillin
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • McMillin is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McMillin
  • Roy
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Roy is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roy
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 823 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Roy <1>
  • Wilkeson
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Cascade Junction
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cascade Junction is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade Junction
  • South Prairie
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Alderton
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Alderton is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alderton
  • Hillhurst
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hillhurst is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillhurst
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Yelm
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • 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 <1>
    • Parkland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Burnett
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Burnett is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnett

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

Newspapers Published in Clay City ...

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 173 newspapers that have been published in the area around Clay City.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Clay City, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Clay City.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Clay City:

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>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 Clay City, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Clay City) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.