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 Blanche (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 Blanche. 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.
Blanche is located in Bell County.
To see how the shape of Kentucky's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Bell County: Clay, Harlan, Knox, Leslie, Whitley, Claiborne (TN) & Lee (VA).
Below are the counties that are near Blanche. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blanche:
- Bell County (The home county of Blanche)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Arjay
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Arjay is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arjay
- Rella
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Rella is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rella
- Sims Fork
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Sims Fork is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sims Fork
- Straight Creek
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Straight Creek is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Straight Creek
- Jenson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jenson is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenson
- Kettle Island
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kettle Island is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kettle Island
- Dorton Branch
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dorton Branch is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorton Branch
- Pineville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wasioto
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Wasioto is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasioto
- Callaway
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Callaway is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callaway
- Miracle
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Miracle is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miracle
- Fourmile
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Fourmile is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fourmile
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Ashers Fork
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Ashers Fork is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashers Fork
- Brightshade
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Brightshade is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brightshade
- Goose Rock
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Goose Rock is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goose Rock
- Garrard
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Garrard is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrard
- Hima
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hima is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hima
- Manchester
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Big Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Big Creek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
- Eriline
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Eriline is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eriline
- Urban
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Urban is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urban
- Sidell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Sidell is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sidell
- Barcreek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Barcreek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barcreek
- Fall Rock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Fall Rock is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall Rock
- Harlan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Tacky Town
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Tacky Town is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tacky Town
- Coldiron
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Pathfork
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Pathfork is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pathfork
- South Wallins
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- South Wallins is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wallins
- Wallins Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Wallins Creek is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallins Creek
- Estimated population in 2016: 146 people
- Twila
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Twila is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twila
- Loyall
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Loyall is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 585 people
- Bledsoe
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bledsoe is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bledsoe
- Baxter
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Harlan
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Mary Alice
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Mary Alice is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mary Alice
- Rosspoint
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Rosspoint is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosspoint
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Walker
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Walker is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Dewitt
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dewitt is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewitt
- Flat Lick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Flat Lick is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Lick
- Scalf
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Scalf is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scalf
- Trosper
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Trosper is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trosper
- Artemus
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Artemus is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artemus
- Bimble
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hinkle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hinkle is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinkle
- Warren
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Warren is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
- Wheeler
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wheeler is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Cannon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cannon is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon
- Barbourville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Laurel County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Bush
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bush is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bush
- Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lake is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
- Marydell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Marydell is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydell
- Dorthae
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dorthae is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorthae
- Hopewell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hopewell is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Lily
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lily is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lily
- Keavy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Keavy is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keavy
- Maplesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Maplesville is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maplesville
- Sublimity City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sublimity City is located in Laurel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sublimity City
- Leslie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Warbranch
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Warbranch is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warbranch
- Roark
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Roark is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roark
- Helton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Helton is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
- Mozelle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mozelle is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mozelle
- Asher
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Asher is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asher
- Essie
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Essie is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essie
- Chappell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Chappell is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chappell
- Hoskinston
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hoskinston is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoskinston
- Stinnett
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Stinnett is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinnett
- Bear Branch
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bear Branch is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Branch
- Wendover
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hyden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Whitley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Siler
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Siler is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siler
- Louden
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Louden is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louden
- Nevisdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Nevisdale is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nevisdale
- Verne
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Verne is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verne
- Packard
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Packard is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packard
- Woodbine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Woodbine is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbine
- Corbin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Rockholds
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Rockholds is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockholds
- Pleasant View
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Pleasant View is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View
- Lot
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lot is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lot
- Saxton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Saxton is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxton
- Emlyn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Emlyn is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emlyn
- Campbell County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Morley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Morley is located in Campbell County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morley
- White Oak
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- White Oak is located in Campbell County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
- Jellico
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Claiborne County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Cumberland Gap
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Harrogate
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Shawanee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Shawanee is located in Claiborne County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawanee
- Minton Mill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Minton Mill is located in Claiborne County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minton Mill
- Estimated population in 2014: 527 people
- Pruden
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pruden is located in Claiborne County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pruden
- Hamlin Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Hamlin Town is located in Claiborne County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin Town
- Clairfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Clairfield is located in Claiborne County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clairfield
- Tazewell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- New Tazewell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Goin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Goin is located in Claiborne County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goin
- Head of Barren
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Head of Barren is located in Claiborne County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Head of Barren
- Speedwell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hancock County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Alanthus Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Alanthus Hill is located in Hancock County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alanthus Hill
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,498 people
- Xenophon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Xenophon is located in Hancock County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenophon
- Union County (TN)
- Braden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Braden is located in Union County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braden
- Estimated population in 2014: 277 people
- Lee County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Wheeler
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Wheeler is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Ewing
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rose Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Hubbard Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Hubbard Springs is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hubbard Springs
- Fleenortown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fleenortown is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleenortown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Blanche, see our County-by-County Page for Blanche.
Cemeteries Near Blanche ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blanche.
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 Blanche - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Blanche covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Red Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Sims Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Kettle Island Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Gross Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Henderson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hendrickson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Wallsend Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Taylors Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylors Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Taylors Cemetery is located outside and to the west of Callaway.
- Goodin Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Laurel Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Gray Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (705 more) ...
- Sandy Branch Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Renfro Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mills Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<3>
While we didn't find Blanche in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blanche.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Blanche, with the one closest to Blanche listed first.
- Pineville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wasioto
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Wasioto is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasioto
- Callaway
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Callaway is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callaway
- Walker
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Walker is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Flat Lick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Flat Lick is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Lick
- Ingram
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ingram is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingram
- Cubage
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cubage is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cubage
- Artemus
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Artemus is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artemus
- Brightshade
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Brightshade is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brightshade
- Wallins Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Wallins Creek is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallins Creek
- Estimated population in 2016: 146 people
- Girdler
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Girdler is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girdler
- Barbourville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Wheeler
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Wheeler is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Creech
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Creech is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creech
- Bryants Store
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Bryants Store is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryants Store
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Blanche. See our List of 1890's Communities around Blanche.
Newspapers Published in Blanche ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blanche.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blanche, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blanche.
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 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 Blanche:
- Websites specific to Kentucky
- Pages specific to Bell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clay County
- Harlan County
- Knox County
- Laurel County
- Leslie County
- Whitley County
- Campbell County
- Claiborne County
- Hancock County
- Union County
- Lee County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Kentucky
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> | 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. |
| <3> | 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 Blanche, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Blanche) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |