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Home >> State of Kentucky >> Harlan County >> Hiram >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Hiram (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 Hiram. 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.

Hiram is located in Harlan 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 Harlan County: Bell, Leslie, Letcher, Perry, Lee (VA) & Wise (VA).

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

  • Harlan County     (The home county of Hiram)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Chad
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Chad is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chad
    • Cumberland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Closplint
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Closplint is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Closplint
    • Louellen
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Louellen is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louellen
    • Totz
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Benham
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Lynch
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Holmes Mill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Holmes Mill is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes Mill
    • Dizney
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Dizney is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dizney
    • Short Town
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Short Town is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Town
    • Bailey Creek
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Bailey Creek is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Creek
    • Big Laurel
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Big Laurel is located in Harlan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Laurel
  • Bell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Beverly
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Beverly is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
    • Stoney Fork
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Stoney Fork is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Fork
  • Clay County
    • Ashers Fork
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Ashers Fork is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashers Fork
  • Knott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Sassafras
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Redfox
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Redfox is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfox
    • Littcarr
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Littcarr is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littcarr
    • Pine Top
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Pine Top is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Top
    • Carrie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Carrie is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrie
    • Emmalena
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Emmalena is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmalena
    • Fisty
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Fisty is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisty
    • Hindman
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Leburn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Garner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Garner is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
    • Pippa Passes
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Pippa Passes is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pippa Passes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 606 people
    • Kite
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Kite is located in Knott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kite
  • Leslie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Yeaddiss
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Yeaddiss is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeaddiss
    • Cutshin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Cutshin is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutshin
    • Chappell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Chappell is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chappell
    • Smilax
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Smilax is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smilax
    • Helton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Helton is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
    • Mozelle
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Mozelle is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mozelle
    • Wendover
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Wooton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Wooton is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooton
    • Asher
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Asher is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asher
    • Hoskinston
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Hoskinston is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoskinston
    • Stinnett
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Stinnett is located in Leslie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinnett
    • Hyden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Letcher County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Gordon
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Gordon is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
    • Linefork
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Linefork is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linefork
    • Partridge
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Partridge is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partridge
    • Flint
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Flint is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
    • Hallie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Kings Creek
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Kings Creek is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
    • Roxana
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Roxana is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxana
    • Blackey
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Blackey is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
    • Letcher
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Letcher is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letcher
    • Hot Spot
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Hot Spot is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Spot
      • Hot Spot has also been known as:
      • Hotspot
    • Uz
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Uz is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uz
    • Oven Fork
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Oven Fork is located in Letcher County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oven Fork
  • Perry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Delphia
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Delphia is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delphia
    • Slemp
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Slemp is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slemp
    • Cornettsville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Cornettsville is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornettsville
    • Viper
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Viper is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viper
    • Happy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Happy is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Happy
    • Scuddy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Acup
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Acup is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acup
    • Jeff
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Vicco
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Vicco is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vicco
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 295 people
    • Avawam
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Avawam is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avawam
    • Hazard
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Combs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Combs is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combs
  • Hancock County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Willis
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Willis is located in Hancock County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willis
      • Estimated population in 2014: 387 people
    • Kyles Ford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Lee County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Darnell Town
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Darnell Town is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darnell Town
    • Keokee
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Keokee is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keokee
    • Rawhide
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Rawhide is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawhide
    • Saint Charles
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Saint Charles is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Charles
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Ely
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Ely is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
    • Pennington Gap
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Pennington Gap is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington Gap
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,708 people
    • Dryden
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Dryden is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryden
    • Fleenortown
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Fleenortown is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleenortown
    • Jonesville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Stickleyville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Stickleyville is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickleyville
    • Hubbard Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Hubbard Springs is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hubbard Springs
    • Blackwater
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Blackwater is located in Lee County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwater
  • Norton City (VA)
    • Norton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Norton is located in Norton City (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,985 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Norton <1>
  • Scott County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Duffield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Clinchport
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Clinchport is located in Scott County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinchport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
    • Lano
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Lano is located in Scott County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lano
    • Fort Blackmore
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Kermit
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Kermit is located in Scott County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kermit
  • Wise County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hiram, with the one closest to Hiram listed first.
    • Exeter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Exeter is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
    • Osaka
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Osaka is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osaka
    • Appalachia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Big Stone Gap
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Kent Junction
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Kent Junction is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent Junction
    • East Stone Gap
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • East Stone Gap is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Stone Gap
    • Blackwood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Blackwood is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwood
    • Esserville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Esserville is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esserville
    • Hamilton town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Hamilton town is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton town
    • Wise
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Wise is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,885 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wise <1>
    • Almira
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Almira is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almira
    • Pound
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Pound is located in Wise County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pound
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 917 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pound <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Hiram ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hiram.

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

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

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

  • Cornett Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Lewis Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Hall Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Riddle Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Lewis Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Robbins Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Creech Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Israel Blair Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Kelly Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Kelly Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Cornetts Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (755 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.<3>

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

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

  • Linefork
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Linefork is located in Letcher County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linefork
  • Partridge
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Partridge is located in Letcher County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partridge
  • Kings Creek
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Kings Creek is located in Letcher County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
  • Evarts
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Roxana
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Roxana is located in Letcher County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxana
  • Indian Bottom
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Indian Bottom is located in Letcher County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Bottom
  • Ely
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Ely is located in Lee County (VA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
  • Dryden
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Dryden is located in Lee County (VA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryden
  • Olinger
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Olinger is located in Lee County (VA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olinger
  • Oven Fork
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Oven Fork is located in Letcher County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oven Fork
  • Cutshin
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cutshin is located in Leslie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutshin
  • Viper
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Viper is located in Perry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viper
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Jeremiah
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Big Stone Gap
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Whitesburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Hiram ...

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 2 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hiram.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hiram, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hiram.

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 Hiram:

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 Hiram, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Hiram) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.