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 Smilax (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 Smilax. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Smilax is located in Leslie 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 Leslie County: Bell, Clay, Harlan & Perry.
Below are the counties that are near Smilax. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smilax:
- Leslie County (The home county of Smilax)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Wooton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Wooton is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooton
- Cutshin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cutshin is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutshin
- Wendover
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Yeaddiss
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Yeaddiss is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeaddiss
- Hyden
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Stinnett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Stinnett is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinnett
- Hoskinston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hoskinston is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoskinston
- Thousandsticks
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Thousandsticks is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thousandsticks
- Asher
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Asher is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asher
- Chappell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chappell is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chappell
- Confluence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Confluence is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confluence
- Essie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Essie is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essie
- Bell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Beverly
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Beverly is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
- Stoney Fork
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stoney Fork is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Fork
- Callaway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Callaway is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callaway
- Rella
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rella is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rella
- Sims Fork
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sims Fork is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sims Fork
- Kettle Island
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kettle Island is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kettle Island
- Arjay
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Arjay is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arjay
- Miracle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Miracle is located in Bell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miracle
- Breathitt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Whick
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Whick is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whick
- Clayhole
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Clayhole is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayhole
- Hardshell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Hardshell is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardshell
- Lost Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lost Creek is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Creek
- Flintville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Flintville is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flintville
- Kragon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Kragon is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kragon
- Quicksand
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Quicksand is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quicksand
- Jackson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Copebranch
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Copebranch is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copebranch
- Jetts Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jetts Creek is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jetts Creek
- Chenowee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Chenowee is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chenowee
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Big Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Big Creek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
- Eriline
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Eriline is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eriline
- Ashers Fork
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ashers Fork is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashers Fork
- Barcreek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Barcreek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barcreek
- Oneida
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oneida is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida
- Brightshade
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Brightshade is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brightshade
- Goose Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Goose Rock is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goose Rock
- Teges
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Teges is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teges
- Garrard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Garrard is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrard
- Laurel Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Laurel Creek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Creek
- Manchester
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hima
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Hima is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hima
- Harlan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Big Laurel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Big Laurel is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Laurel
- Bledsoe
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Bledsoe is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bledsoe
- Totz
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Putney
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Rosspoint
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Rosspoint is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosspoint
- Bailey Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Bailey Creek is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Creek
- Chad
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Chad is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chad
- Louellen
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Louellen is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louellen
- Ages
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Ages is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ages
- Baxter
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Coxton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Coxton is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coxton
- Closplint
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Closplint is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Closplint
- Knott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Sassafras
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fisty
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fisty is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisty
- Emmalena
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Emmalena is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmalena
- Littcarr
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Littcarr is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littcarr
- Redfox
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Redfox is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfox
- Carrie
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Carrie is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrie
- Hindman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Tina
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Tina is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tina
- Leburn
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Top
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Top is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Top
- Vest
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Garner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Garner is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Scalf
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Scalf is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scalf
- Walker
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Walker is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Dewitt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dewitt is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewitt
- Woollum
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Woollum is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woollum
- Letcher County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Hallie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Blackey
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Blackey is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
- Letcher
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Letcher is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letcher
- Gordon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gordon is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Roxana
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Roxana is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxana
- Flint
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Flint is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
- Jeremiah
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Linefork
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Linefork is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linefork
- Hot Spot
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Hot Spot is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Spot
- Hot Spot has also been known as:
- Hotspot
- Isom
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Isom is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isom
- Kings Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Kings Creek is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
- Uz
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Uz is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uz
- Owsley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Mistletoe
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mistletoe is located in Owsley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mistletoe
- Sebastian
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sebastian is located in Owsley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebastian
- Ricetown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ricetown is located in Owsley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ricetown
- Southfork
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Southfork is located in Owsley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southfork
- Lerose
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lerose is located in Owsley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lerose
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Avawam
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Avawam is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avawam
- Viper
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Viper is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viper
- Busy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Busy is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busy
- Combs
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Combs is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combs
- Yerkes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Yerkes is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkes
- Hazard
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jeff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Slemp
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Slemp is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slemp
- Bonnyman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Bonnyman is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnyman
- Butterfly
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Butterfly is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfly
- Cornettsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Cornettsville is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornettsville
- Acup
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Acup is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acup
- Lee County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Saint Charles
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Charles is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Charles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Hubbard Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hubbard Springs is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hubbard Springs
- Darnell Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Darnell Town is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darnell Town
- Keokee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Keokee is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keokee
- Rawhide
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rawhide is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawhide
- Pennington Gap
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pennington Gap is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington Gap
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,708 people
- Fleenortown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Fleenortown is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleenortown
- Ely
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ely is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
- Wise County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Osaka
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Osaka is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osaka
- Exeter
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Exeter is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smilax, see our County-by-County Page for Smilax.
Cemeteries Near Smilax ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smilax.
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 Smilax - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smilax covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Raccoon Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Days Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Dixon Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Creech Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Skeens Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hurricane Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hendrix Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Hardy Bottom Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Caudill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Whitaker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Witaker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lewis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (403 more) ...
- Lewis / Joseph Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Begley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Begley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Begley Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the southwest of Hyden.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2279093 <2>
- Woods Keen Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
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 Smilax in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Smilax.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smilax, with the one closest to Smilax listed first.
- Cutshin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cutshin is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutshin
- Hyden
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hoskinston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hoskinston is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoskinston
- Viper
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Viper is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viper
- Hazard
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Confluence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Confluence is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confluence
- Helton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Helton is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
- Sassafras
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Spring Creek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- Chavies
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Chavies is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chavies
- Gays Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Gays Creek is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays Creek
- Big Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Big Creek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Dwarf
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dwarf is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwarf
- Indian Bottom
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Indian Bottom is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Bottom
- Roxana
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Roxana is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxana
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smilax. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smilax.
Newspapers Published in Smilax ...
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 22 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smilax.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smilax, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smilax.
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 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 Smilax:
- Websites specific to Kentucky
- Pages specific to Leslie County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bell County
- Breathitt County
- Clay County
- Harlan County
- Knott County
- Knox County
- Letcher County
- Owsley County
- Perry County
- Lee County
- Wise 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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Smilax) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Smilax, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |