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 Thornton (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 Thornton. 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 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.
Thornton is located in Letcher 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 Letcher County: Harlan, Knott, Perry, Pike & Wise (VA).
Below are the counties that are near Thornton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Thornton:
- Letcher County (The home county of Thornton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Farraday
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Farraday is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farraday
- Millstone
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Millstone is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millstone
- Sergent
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Sergent is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sergent
- Seco
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Seco is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seco
- Mayking
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mayking is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayking
- Neon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Tolliver Town
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Tolliver Town is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolliver Town
- Whitaker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Whitaker is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
- Ermine
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ermine is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ermine
- Bellcraft
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bellcraft is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellcraft
- Cromona
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cromona is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromona
- Fleming - Neon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fleming - Neon is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming - Neon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 610 people
- Deane
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Deane is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deane
- Floyd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Wheelwright
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wheelwright is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheelwright
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Weeksbury
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Weeksbury is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weeksbury
- Wheelwright Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Bypro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Melvin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Melvin is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin
- Hi Hat
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Beaver
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Dema
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Dema is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dema
- Wayland
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wayland is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- McDowell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Teaberry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Teaberry is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teaberry
- Lackey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Lackey is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lackey
- Galveston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Galveston is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galveston
- Harlan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Lynch
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Benham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cumberland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Chad
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chad is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chad
- Closplint
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Closplint is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Closplint
- Holmes Mill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Holmes Mill is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes Mill
- Totz
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Louellen
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Louellen is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louellen
- Big Laurel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Big Laurel is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Laurel
- Dizney
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dizney is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dizney
- Short Town
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Short Town is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Town
- Bailey Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bailey Creek is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Creek
- Darkmont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Darkmont is located in Harlan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darkmont
- Knott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Pine Top
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Top is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Top
- Redfox
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Redfox is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfox
- Kite
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Kite is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kite
- Littcarr
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Littcarr is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littcarr
- Pippa Passes
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pippa Passes is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pippa Passes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 606 people
- Raven
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Raven is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven
- Garner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Garner is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
- Hindman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Leburn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sassafras
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Mousie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Mousie is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousie
- Carrie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Carrie is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrie
- Tina
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Tina is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tina
- Leslie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Yeaddiss
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Yeaddiss is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeaddiss
- Cutshin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Cutshin is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutshin
- Smilax
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Smilax is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smilax
- Wooton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wooton is located in Leslie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooton
- Magoffin County
- Gunlock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Gunlock is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunlock
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Vicco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Vicco is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vicco
- Population from the 2020 Census: 295 people
- Cornettsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Cornettsville is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornettsville
- Scuddy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Happy
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Happy is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Happy
- Acup
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Acup is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acup
- Delphia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Delphia is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delphia
- Jeff
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Slemp
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Slemp is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slemp
- Viper
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Viper is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viper
- Hardburly
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hardburly is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardburly
- Dwarf
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dwarf is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwarf
- Tribbey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tribbey is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tribbey
- Bulan
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Bulan is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bulan
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Myra
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Myra is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myra
- Dorton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jonancy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jonancy is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonancy
- Virgie
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Virgie is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- Hellier
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Hellier is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hellier
- Ashcamp
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Ashcamp is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashcamp
- Lookout
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lookout is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lookout
- Robinson Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Robinson Creek is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Creek
- Rockhouse
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rockhouse is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockhouse
- Yeager
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Yeager is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeager
- Fords Branch
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Fords Branch is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fords Branch
- Mayo Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Mayo Village is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayo Village
- Shelbiana
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Shelbiana is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelbiana
- Dickenson County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Darwin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Darwin is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darwin
- Clintwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Omaha
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Omaha is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Clinchco
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Tarpon
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Tarpon is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarpon
- Nora
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Nora is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Herald
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Herald is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herald
- Haysi
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Haysi is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haysi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 460 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Haysi <1>
- Aily
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Aily is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aily
- Lee County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Darnell Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Darnell Town is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darnell Town
- Keokee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Keokee is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keokee
- Rawhide
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Rawhide is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawhide
- Dryden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Dryden is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryden
- Saint Charles
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Charles is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Charles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Ely
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ely is located in Lee County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
- Norton City (VA)
- Norton
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Russell County (VA)
- Dante
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dante is located in Russell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dante
- Scott County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Lano
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Lano is located in Scott County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lano
- Fort Blackmore
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Dungannon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dungannon is located in Scott County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dungannon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
- Wise County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Almira
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Almira is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almira
- Haddonfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Haddonfield is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddonfield
- Pound
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Osaka
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Osaka is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osaka
- Blackwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Blackwood is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwood
- Kent Junction
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Kent Junction is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent Junction
- Esserville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Esserville is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esserville
- Hamilton town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hamilton town is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton town
- Wise
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Appalachia
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Big Stone Gap
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- East Stone Gap
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- East Stone Gap is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Stone Gap
- Exeter
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- 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 Thornton, see our County-by-County Page for Thornton.
Cemeteries Near Thornton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Thornton.
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 Thornton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Thornton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Melvin Adams Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin Adams Cemetery
- The Melvin Adams Cemetery has also been known as:
- Adams Cemetery
- Holbrook Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sandlick Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hogg Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Arthur Adams Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Collins Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Campbell Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- McRoberts Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Hemphill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Collins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Cook Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ison Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (769 more) ...
- Combs Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Blair Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sam Bentley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
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 Thornton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Thornton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Thornton, with the one closest to Thornton listed first.
- Sergent
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Sergent is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sergent
- Millstone
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Millstone is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millstone
- Craftsville
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Craftsville is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craftsville
- Whitesburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Deane
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Deane is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deane
- Smoot Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Smoot Creek is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smoot Creek
- Oven Fork
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Oven Fork is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oven Fork
- Flat Gap
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Flat Gap is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Gap
- Hall
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Hall is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hall
- Pine Top
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Top is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Top
- Jeremiah
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Beefhide
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Beefhide is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beefhide
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Roxana
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Roxana is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxana
- Pound
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Indian Bottom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Indian Bottom is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Bottom
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Thornton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Thornton.
Newspapers Published in Thornton ...
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 6 newspapers that have been published in the area around Thornton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Thornton, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Thornton.
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 Thornton:
- Websites specific to Kentucky
- Pages specific to Letcher County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Floyd County
- Harlan County
- Knott County
- Leslie County
- Magoffin County
- Perry County
- Pike County
- Dickenson County
- Lee County
- Norton City
- Russell County
- Scott 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Thornton) 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 Thornton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |