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 Ovil (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 Ovil. 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 hospitals and 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.
Ovil is located in Christian 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 Christian County: Caldwell, Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg, Montgomery (TN) & Stewart (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Ovil. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ovil:
- Christian County (The home county of Ovil)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Bluff Spring
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bluff Spring is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Spring
- Fearsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fearsville is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fearsville
- Fairview
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Crofton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pembroke
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Hopkinsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Empire
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Empire is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Church Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Church Hill is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Church Hill
- Bainbridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Bainbridge is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bainbridge
- Herndon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Herndon is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herndon
- Howel
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Howel is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howel
- Gracey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Gracey is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gracey
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Harreldsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Harreldsville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harreldsville
- Quality
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Quality is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quality
- Huntsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Huntsville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- Rochester
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rochester is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Silver City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Silver City is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Cobb
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Cobb is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb
- Claxton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Claxton is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claxton
- Hopson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hopson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopson
- Hopkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- White Plains
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Nortonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Hill is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
- Mortons Gap
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Charles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Earlington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dawson Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Charleston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Charleston is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
- Madisonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Richland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Richland is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Fiddle Bow
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fiddle Bow is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiddle Bow
- Logan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Justice
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Justice is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Justice
- Deer Lick
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Deer Lick is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Lick
- Agnes
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Agnes is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes
- Gordonsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gordonsville is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordonsville
- Lewisburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Wolf Lick
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wolf Lick is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lick
- Ferguson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ferguson is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferguson
- Olmstead
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Olmstead is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmstead
- Lost City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Lost City is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost City
- Cave Spring
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cave Spring is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cave Spring
- Russellville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Keysburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Keysburg is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keysburg
- Muhlenberg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Rosewood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rosewood is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosewood
- Bancroft
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bancroft is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Depoy
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Depoy is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Depoy
- Greenville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Dunmor
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Luzerne
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Luzerne is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luzerne
- Beech Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Beech Creek is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Creek
- Belton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Belton is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belton
- Former name for Belton:
- Yost
- Graham
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Graham is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Nebo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Nebo is located in Muhlenberg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nebo
- Powderly
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Beechmont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Todd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Allegre
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Allegre is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allegre
- Kirkmansville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Kirkmansville is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkmansville
- Clifty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Clifty is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifty
- Sharon Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Sharon Grove is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon Grove
- Elkton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Trenton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Anderson
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Anderson is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Allensville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Allensville is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allensville
- Population from the 2010 Census: 157 people
- Hadensville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hadensville is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadensville
- Guthrie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Trigg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Cerulean
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Caledonia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Caledonia is located in Trigg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Wallonia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Wallonia is located in Trigg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallonia
- Cadiz
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Montgomery County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Stryker Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Stryker Village is located in Montgomery County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stryker Village
- Saint Bethlehem
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Louise Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Louise Heights is located in Montgomery County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louise Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 5,715 people
- Swan Lake Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Swan Lake Village is located in Montgomery County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Lake Village
- Clarksville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Port Royal
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Port Royal is located in Montgomery County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Royal
- Wingate West
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Wingate West is located in Montgomery County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wingate West
- Estimated population in 2014: 954 people
- Sango
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Sango is located in Montgomery County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sango
- Woodlawn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Robertson County (TN)
- Adams
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Adams is located in Robertson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Population from the 2020 Census: 678 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Adams <1>
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ovil, see our County-by-County Page for Ovil.
Cemeteries Near Ovil ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ovil.
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 Ovil - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ovil covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- O'Daniel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Kirkman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Weathers Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Martin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hale Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Steel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hayes Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Francis Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Pepper Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Henderson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Shaw Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Shanklins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (309 more) ...
- Kirkman Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Edwards Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Johnson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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 Ovil in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ovil.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ovil, with the one closest to Ovil listed first.
- Allegre
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Allegre is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allegre
- Kirkmansville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Kirkmansville is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkmansville
- Fruit Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Fruit Hill is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruit Hill
- Haleys Mill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Haleys Mill is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haleys Mill
- Clifty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Clifty is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifty
- Claymour
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Claymour is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claymour
- Sharon Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Sharon Grove is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon Grove
- Kelly
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Kelly is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelly
- Casky
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Casky is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casky
- Elkton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hopkinsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pembroke
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Crofton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bradshaw
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bradshaw is located in Todd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradshaw
- Justice
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Justice is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Justice
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ovil. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ovil.
Newspapers Published in Ovil ...
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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ovil.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ovil, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ovil.
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 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 Ovil:
- Websites specific to Kentucky
- Pages specific to Christian County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Caldwell County
- Hopkins County
- Logan County
- Muhlenberg County
- Todd County
- Trigg County
- Montgomery County
- Robertson 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 Ovil, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ovil) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |