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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 Cowley (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 Cowley. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Cowley is located in King 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 King County: Chelan, Kittitas, Pierce & Snohomish.

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

  • King County     (The home county of Cowley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cowley, with the one closest to Cowley listed first.
    • Vashon Heights
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Vashon Heights is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashon Heights
    • Vashon
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Burien
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Seahurst
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Seahurst is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seahurst
    • White Center
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • White Center is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Center
    • Alki
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Alki is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alki
    • Riverton-Boulevard Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Riverton Heights
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Riverton Heights is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverton Heights
    • Van Asselt
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Van Asselt is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Asselt
    • Normandy Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Magnolia Beach
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Magnolia Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Beach
    • North Hill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • North Hill is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hill
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cowley, with the one closest to Cowley listed first.
    • Brinnon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Quilcene
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Kitsap County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cowley, with the one closest to Cowley listed first.
    • Southworth
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Southworth is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southworth
    • South Colby
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • South Colby is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Colby
    • Colby
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Colby is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colby
    • Colchester
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Colchester is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colchester
    • Manchester
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • South Park Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Olalla
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fort Ward
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Fort Ward is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Ward
    • Port Blakely ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Port Blakely is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Blakely
    • Bethel
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • East Port Orchard
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • East Port Orchard is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Port Orchard
    • Parkwood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Parkwood is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cowley, with the one closest to Cowley listed first.
    • Belfair
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Allyn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Grapeview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Tahuya
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Lilliwaup
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Pierce County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cowley, with the one closest to Cowley listed first.
    • Wauna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Wauna is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauna
    • Dash Point
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Dash Point is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dash Point
    • Ruston
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Ruston is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
    • Gig Harbor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Rosedale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Rosedale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
    • Northeast Tacoma
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Northeast Tacoma is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northeast Tacoma
    • Artondale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Artondale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
    • Tacoma
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Cromwell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Cromwell is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
    • Vaughn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Vaughn is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughn
    • Fife
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • 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 <1>
    • Edgewood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Snohomish County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cowley, with the one closest to Cowley listed first.
    • Esperance
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Esperance is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esperance
    • Woodway
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Woodway is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,391 people
    • Edmonds
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Mountlake Terrace
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Brier
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Brier is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,955 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Brier <1>
    • Alderwood Manor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Alderwood Manor is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alderwood Manor
    • Lynnwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Canyon Park
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Canyon Park is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon Park
    • North Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • North Creek is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Creek
    • Picnic Point - North Lynnwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Maltby
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Maltby is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maltby
    • Martha Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Martha Lake is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martha Lake
  • Thurston County
    • Puget
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget

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

Cemeteries Near Cowley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cowley.

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

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

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

  • Episcopal Church Of The Holy Spirit Memory Garden
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Sedgwick Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Fraola Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Forest Lawn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Ft. Blakely Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Highview Recreational Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Veterans Home Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Penbrock Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Washington Memorial Park
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Riverton Crest Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Comet Lodge Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet Lodge Cemetery
    • The Comet Lodge Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Georgetown Cemetery
    • Graham Street Burying Ground
  • Sunset Lane Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (98 more) ...
    • K P Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Ivy Green Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery
      • The St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
      • St. Patricks Cemetery
      • White River Cemetery

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

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

  • Vashon
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Colby
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Colby is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colby
  • Olalla
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Chautauqua
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Chautauqua is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
  • Sunnydale
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Sunnydale is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnydale
  • West Seattle
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • West Seattle is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Seattle
  • Port Blakely ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Port Blakely is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Blakely
  • Latona ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Latona is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latona
  • Van Asselt
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Van Asselt is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Asselt
  • Maury
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Maury is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maury
  • Duwamish
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Duwamish is located in King County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duwamish
  • Crystal Springs
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Crystal Springs is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Springs
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Des Moines
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Seattle
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Purdy
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Purdy is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purdy

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

Newspapers Published in Cowley ...

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 613 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cowley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cowley, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cowley.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Cowley:

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' (or 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- Cowley) 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 Cowley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.