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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 Van Lear (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 Van Lear. 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.

Van Lear is located in Johnson County.

To see how the shape of Kentucky's counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Johnson County: Floyd, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin & Morgan.

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

  • Johnson County     (The home county of Van Lear)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • West Van Lear
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Nero
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Butcher Hollow
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Meally
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Meally have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meally
      • Meally is located in Johnson County
    • Hagerhill
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • East Point
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Thelma
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Thelma have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thelma
      • Thelma is located in Johnson County
    • Williamsport
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Williamsport have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsport
      • Williamsport is located in Johnson County
    • Collista
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Paintsville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Tutor Key
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Tutor Key have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tutor Key
      • Tutor Key is located in Johnson County
    • Denver
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Nippa
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Breathitt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Rousseau
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rousseau have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rousseau
      • Rousseau is located in Breathitt County
    • Bays
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bays have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bays
      • Bays is located in Breathitt County
    • Rock Lick
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Elliott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Isonville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Isonville have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isonville
      • Isonville is located in Elliott County
    • Bell City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bell City have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell City
      • Bell City is located in Elliott County
    • Sandy Hook
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Floyd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Auxier
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Prestonsburg
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Prestonsburg have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prestonsburg
      • Prestonsburg is located in Floyd County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,460 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Prestonsburg <3>
    • Watergap
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Dwale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dwale have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwale
      • Dwale is located in Floyd County
    • Allen
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Allen have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
      • Allen is located in Floyd County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
      • Allen has also been known as:
      • Beaver Creek Junction
      • Beaver Creek
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Allen <3>
    • Blue River
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Blue River. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue River
      • Blue River is located in Floyd County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Blue River
      • From Van Lear to Blue River
    • Banner
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Banner have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banner
      • Banner is located in Floyd County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Banner <3>
    • Goodloe
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Goodloe. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodloe
      • Goodloe is located in Floyd County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Goodloe
      • From Van Lear to Goodloe
    • Ivel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ivel have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivel
      • Ivel is located in Floyd County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ivel <3>
    • Martin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Martin have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin
      • Martin is located in Floyd County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 541 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Martin <3>
    • David
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for David have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for David
      • David is located in Floyd County
    • Tram
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Tram have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tram
      • Tram is located in Floyd County
    • Dana
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dana have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
      • Dana is located in Floyd County
  • Knott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Mousie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Raven
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Raven have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven
      • Raven is located in Knott County
    • Garner
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Garner have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
      • Garner is located in Knott County
    • Vest
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Vest have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vest
      • Vest is located in Knott County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vest <3>
    • Pippa Passes
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Pippa Passes have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pippa Passes
      • Pippa Passes is located in Knott County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 606 people
  • Lawrence County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Ulysses ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Ulysses. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ulysses
      • Ulysses is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Ulysses
      • From Van Lear to Ulysses
    • Patrick
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Patrick. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patrick
      • Patrick is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Patrick
      • From Van Lear to Patrick
    • Richardson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Charley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Georges Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Wilbur ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Wilbur. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbur
      • Wilbur is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Wilbur
      • From Van Lear to Wilbur
    • Peach Orchard
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Noris ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Noris. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noris
      • Noris is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Noris
      • From Van Lear to Noris
    • Ben Bow
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cando ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Cando. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cando
      • Cando is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Cando
      • From Van Lear to Cando
    • Cordell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Cordell. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordell
      • Cordell is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Cordell
      • From Van Lear to Cordell
    • Mattie ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Mattie. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattie
      • Mattie is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Mattie
      • From Van Lear to Mattie
    • Ledocio
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
  • Magoffin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Painters Lick
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Ivyton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Gypsy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Falcon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Falcon have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falcon
      • Falcon is located in Magoffin County
    • Gapville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gapville have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gapville
      • Gapville is located in Magoffin County
    • Marshallville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Wheelersburg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Royalton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Royalton have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royalton
      • Royalton is located in Magoffin County
    • Flat Fork
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Sublett
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lacey
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Salyersville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Gunlock
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gunlock have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunlock
      • Gunlock is located in Magoffin County
  • Martin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Debord
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Debord have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Debord
      • Debord is located in Martin County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Debord <3>
    • Tomahawk
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Inez
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Inez. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inez
      • Inez is located in Martin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 614 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Inez <3>
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Inez
      • From Van Lear to Inez
    • Beauty
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Pilgrim
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Pilgrim have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilgrim
      • Pilgrim is located in Martin County
    • Warfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Warfield have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warfield
      • Warfield is located in Martin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 227 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Warfield <3>
    • Lovely
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lovely have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovely
      • Lovely is located in Martin County
    • Hode
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Ophir
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ophir have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophir
      • Ophir is located in Morgan County
    • Dingus
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Dingus. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dingus
      • Dingus is located in Morgan County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Dingus
      • From Van Lear to Dingus
    • Jeptha
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Crockett
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Crockett have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crockett
      • Crockett is located in Morgan County
    • Elkfork
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Elkfork have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkfork
      • Elkfork is located in Morgan County
    • Cannel City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cannel City have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannel City
      • Cannel City is located in Morgan County
    • Malone
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Malone have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone
      • Malone is located in Morgan County
    • West Liberty
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West Liberty have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Liberty
      • West Liberty is located in Morgan County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,407 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West Liberty <3>
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Van Lear, with the one closest to Van Lear listed first.
    • Gulnare
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Gulnare. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulnare
      • Gulnare is located in Pike County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Gulnare
      • From Van Lear to Gulnare
    • Blair Town
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Coal Run Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Coal Run Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Run Village
      • Coal Run Village is located in Pike County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,494 people
    • Owsley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Varney
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Varney have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varney
      • Varney is located in Pike County
    • Pikeville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Sidney
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sidney have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sidney
      • Sidney is located in Pike County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sidney <3>
    • Mayo Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mayo Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayo Village
      • Mayo Village is located in Pike County
    • Forest Hills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Forest Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
      • Forest Hills is located in Pike County
    • South Williamson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Williamson have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Williamson
      • South Williamson is located in Pike County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for South Williamson <3>
    • Canada
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Canada have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada
      • Canada is located in Pike County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Canada <3>
    • Fords Branch
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fords Branch have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fords Branch
      • Fords Branch is located in Pike County
    • Raccoon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Raccoon have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raccoon
      • Raccoon is located in Pike County
  • Wolfe County
  • Mingo County (WV)
  • Wayne County (WV)

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

Cemeteries Near Van Lear ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Van Lear.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

  • Goble Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Goble Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Goble Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Music Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Music Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Music Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Wheeler Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Wheeler Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Wheeler Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Music Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Music Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Music Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2197295 <4>
  • Governors Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Davis Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Davis Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Davis Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Hampton Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Hampton Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Hampton Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Johnson Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Johnson Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Johnson Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Welch Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Franklin Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Franklin Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Franklin Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Preston Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Preston Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Preston Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Williams Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Williams Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Williams Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Continue List   (692 more) ...
    • Gambill Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Gambill Cemetery
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Gambill Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Old Preston Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Old Preston Cemetery
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Old Preston Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Conley Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Conley Cemetery
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Conley Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.

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.<6>

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

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

  • East Point
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Prestonsburg
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Prestonsburg have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prestonsburg
    • Prestonsburg is located in Floyd County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,460 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Prestonsburg <3>
  • Denver
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Bonanza
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bonanza have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
    • Bonanza is located in Floyd County
  • Barnetts Creek
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Riceville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Riceville have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riceville
    • Riceville is located in Johnson County
  • Dotson
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dotson have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dotson
    • Dotson is located in Floyd County
  • Dwale
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dwale have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwale
    • Dwale is located in Floyd County
  • Lowmansville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Oil Springs
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Oil Springs have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil Springs
    • Oil Springs is located in Johnson County
  • Sip
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sip have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sip
    • Sip is located in Johnson County
  • Thomas
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Thomas have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
    • Thomas is located in Floyd County
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Ivyton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Goodloe
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Goodloe. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodloe
      • Goodloe is located in Floyd County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Goodloe
      • From Van Lear to Goodloe
    • Ulysses ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Ulysses. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ulysses
      • Ulysses is located in Lawrence County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Ulysses
      • From Van Lear to Ulysses

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

Newspapers Published in Van Lear ...

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 19 newspapers that have been published in the area around Van Lear.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Van Lear, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Van Lear.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Van Lear:

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Van Lear. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for State of Kentucky: https://kentucky.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>An 'estimated' location is one where we have been given GPS coordinates, but are unable to verify the accuracy of those coordinates. That said, we have some confidence that we have placed the marker near the actual location. A typical reason for being unable to verify a location is that it might be on private property or maybe historic and gone without an obvious trace.
<2>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>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.
<5>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Van Lear) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Van Lear. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 37.7709, Longitude: -82.7584    
<6>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 Van Lear, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 28 Apr 2025