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 Vale Summit (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 Vale Summit. 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 doctors and 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.
Vale Summit is located in Allegany County.
To see how the shape of Maryland's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Allegany County: Garrett, Washington, Bedford (PA), Fulton (PA), Somerset (PA), Hampshire (WV), Mineral (WV) & Morgan (WV).
Below are the counties that are near Vale Summit. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Vale Summit:
- Allegany County (The home county of Vale Summit)
- The following are listed by their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Loarville
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Loarville is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loarville
- Clarysville
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Clarysville is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
- Borden Shaft
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Borden Shaft is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borden Shaft
- Eckhart Mines
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Eckhart Mines is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eckhart Mines
- Frostburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Midlothian
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Midlothian is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midlothian
- Ocean
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ocean is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocean
- Woodland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Woodland is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Zihlman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Zihlman is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zihlman
- Gilmore
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilmore is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Midland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Midland is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Klondike
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Klondike is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klondike
- Garrett County
- The following are listed by their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Avilton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Avilton is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avilton
- Bloomington
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomington is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomington
- Grantsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bittinger
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Swanton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kitzmiller
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Accident
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Altamont
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Altamont is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
- McHenry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Deer Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Schell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Schell is located in Garrett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schell
- Friendsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Washington County
- Pearre
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Pearre is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearre
- Bedford County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Cooks Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cooks Mills is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
- Stringtown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Stringtown is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Hyndman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Beans Cove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Beans Cove is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Cove
- Kegg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Kegg is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kegg
- Rainsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rainsburg is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Manns Choice
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Purcell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Purcell is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purcell
- Fayette County (PA)
- Markleysburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Somerset County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Wellersburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Wellersburg is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellersburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
- Wittenberg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wittenberg is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittenberg
- Callimont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Callimont is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callimont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 38 people
- Boynton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Boynton is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Salisbury
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- West Salisbury
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- West Salisbury is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Salisbury
- Glade City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Glade City is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glade City
- Coal Run
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Coal Run is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Run
- Meyersdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Summit Mills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Summit Mills is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit Mills
- West Meyersdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- West Meyersdale is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Meyersdale
- Fairhope
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Hampshire County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Donaldson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Donaldson is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Ritters
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ritters is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritters
- Springfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wapocomo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wapocomo is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wapocomo
- Vance
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Vance is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vance
- Points
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Points is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Points
- Romney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Romney is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romney
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,680 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Romney <1>
- Three Churches
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Three Churches is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Churches
- Okonoko
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Okonoko is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okonoko
- Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Junction is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction
- Higginsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Higginsville is located in Hampshire County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginsville
- Augusta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mineral County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Carpendale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Carpendale is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpendale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 900 people
- Ridgeley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Wiley Ford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Short Gap
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Short Gap is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Gap
- Fort Ashby
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Piedmont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Keyser
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Headsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Headsville is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Headsville
- Windom ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Windom is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
- New Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Shaw
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Shaw is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw
- Burlington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Morgan County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Paw Paw
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Magnolia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Magnolia is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Hansrote
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Hansrote is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hansrote
- Doe Gully
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Doe Gully is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doe Gully
- Orleans Cross Roads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Orleans Cross Roads is located in Morgan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans Cross Roads
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Vale Summit, see our County-by-County Page for Vale Summit.
Cemeteries Near Vale Summit ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Vale Summit.
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 Vale Summit - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Vale Summit covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Warner Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Neff Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Loar Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Frostburg Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Lease Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Percy Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cecil Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rose Meadow Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Old Coney Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Marys Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Marys Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Lonaconing.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #81551 <2>
- Continue List (239 more) ...
- Hutson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Emmanuel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Beeman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Vale Summit had a population of 194 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Vale Summit, with the one closest to Vale Summit listed first.
- Clarysville
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Clarysville is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
- Borden Shaft
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Borden Shaft is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borden Shaft
- Ocean
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ocean is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocean
- Frostburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Eckhart Mines
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Eckhart Mines is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eckhart Mines
- Carlos
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Carlos is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlos
- Midland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Midland is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Pinto
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pinto is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinto
- Cresaptown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brady
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Brady is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brady
- Morantown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Morantown is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morantown
- Lonaconing
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Rawlings
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bier
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bier is located in Allegany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bier
- Seymour
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Seymour is located in Mineral County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymour
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Vale Summit. See our List of 1890's Communities around Vale Summit.
Newspapers Published in Vale Summit ...
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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Vale Summit.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Vale Summit, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Vale Summit.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Vale Summit:
- Websites specific to Maryland
- Pages specific to Allegany County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Garrett County
- Washington County
- Bedford County
- Fayette County
- Somerset County
- Hampshire County
- Mineral County
- Morgan County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Maryland
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> | The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MIHP (for the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties). More information about the MHT and MIHP can be found on their website: mht.maryland.gov. |
| <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 Vale Summit, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Vale Summit) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |