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 Wilderness (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 Wilderness. 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 hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the 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.
Wilderness is located in Saint Mary's 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 Saint Mary's County: Calvert & Charles.
Below are the counties that are near Wilderness. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wilderness:
- Saint Mary's County (The home county of Wilderness)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Callaway
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Leonardtown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Breton Beach
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Breton Beach is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breton Beach
- Great Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Valley Lee
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Valley Lee is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Lee
- Compton
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Compton is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Hollywood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hollywood is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- California
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Town Creek Manor
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Town Creek Manor is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Town Creek Manor
- Tall Timbers
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Drayden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Abell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Calvert County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Solomons
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Coster
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Coster is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coster
- Cove View
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cove View is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove View
- Dowell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Drum Point
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Drum Point is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drum Point
- Olivet
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Olivet is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Chesapeake Ranch Estates - Drum Point
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Broomes Island
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Wallville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Wallville is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallville
- Mackall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mackall is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackall
- Hellen
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hellen is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hellen
- Brianwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Brianwood is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brianwood
- Charles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Cobb Island
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Rock Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Rock Point is located in Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Point
- Mount Victoria
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Victoria is located in Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Victoria
- Benedict
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Independence Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Independence Village is located in Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence Village
- Newburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Morgantown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Morgantown is located in Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgantown
- Hughesville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Faulkner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bel Alton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bryantown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Air
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Air is located in Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Air
- Dorchester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Fishing Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Golden Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Golden Hill is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Hill
- Taylors Island
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Crapo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Crapo is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crapo
- Lakesville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lakesville is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakesville
- Andrews
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Andrews is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrews
- Madison
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Madison is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison
- Bishops Head
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bishops Head is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishops Head
- Toddville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Toddville is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toddville
- Wingate
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Thomas
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Thomas is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
- Woolford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Woolford is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolford
- Prince George's County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Eagle Harbor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Eagle Harbor is located in Prince George's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Cedarhaven
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Cedarhaven is located in Prince George's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarhaven
- Aquasco
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Aquasco is located in Prince George's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aquasco
- Orme
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Orme is located in Prince George's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orme
- Horsehead
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Horsehead is located in Prince George's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horsehead
- Westwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Westwood is located in Prince George's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Cedarville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Cedarville is located in Prince George's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Essex County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Layton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Layton is located in Essex County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layton
- Occupacia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Occupacia is located in Essex County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Occupacia
- Loretto
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Loretto is located in Essex County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loretto
- Tappahannock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lloyds
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lloyds is located in Essex County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lloyds
- Dunnsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bowlers Wharf
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Bowlers Wharf is located in Essex County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlers Wharf
- Dunbrooke
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dunbrooke is located in Essex County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbrooke
- King George County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Ninde
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Ninde is located in King George County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ninde
- Alden
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Alden is located in King George County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alden
- Dahlgren
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hooes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hooes is located in King George County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooes
- Shiloh
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Shiloh is located in King George County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Edgehill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Edgehill is located in King George County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgehill
- Hampstead
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hampstead is located in King George County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampstead
- Weedonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Weedonville is located in King George County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weedonville
- Lancaster County (VA)
- Alfonso
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Alfonso is located in Lancaster County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alfonso
- Northumberland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Morrisons Corner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Morrisons Corner is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrisons Corner
- Lodge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Lodge is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodge
- Bundick
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bundick is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bundick
- Coan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Coan is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coan
- Rainswood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Rainswood is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainswood
- Heathsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Lara
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Lara is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lara
- Ophelia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Blackwells
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Blackwells is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwells
- Sunnybank
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sunnybank is located in Northumberland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnybank
- Richmond County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Tallent Town
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Tallent Town is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallent Town
- Rich Neck
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Rich Neck is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Neck
- Newland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Newland is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newland
- Warsaw
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Naylors
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Naylors is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naylors
- Emmerton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Emmerton is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmerton
- Farnham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Farnham is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farnham
- Downings
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Downings is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downings
- Simons Corner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Simons Corner is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simons Corner
- Simonson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Simonson is located in Richmond County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simonson
- Westmoreland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Tucker Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Tucker Hill is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker Hill
- Hinnom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hinnom is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinnom
- Machodoc
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Machodoc is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Machodoc
- Bryant Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bryant Town is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant Town
- Chiltons
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Chiltons is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chiltons
- Griffiths Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Griffiths Corner is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffiths Corner
- Kinsale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Baynesville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Baynesville is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baynesville
- Montross
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nomini Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nomini Grove is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nomini Grove
- Potomac Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Potomac Mills is located in Westmoreland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potomac Mills
- Colonial Beach
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wilderness, see our County-by-County Page for Wilderness.
Cemeteries Near Wilderness ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wilderness.
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 Wilderness - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wilderness covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Our Ladys Chapel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- St. Andrews Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- New St. Aloysius Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Holy Face Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- St. Georges Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Old St. Aloysius Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Charles Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- St. Georges Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (130 more) ...
- Joy Chapel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hollywood Church of the Nazarene Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
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 Wilderness in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wilderness.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wilderness, with the one closest to Wilderness listed first.
- Leonardtown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Valley Lee
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Valley Lee is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Lee
- Great Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Compton
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Compton is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- California
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hollywood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hollywood is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Coles Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Oakley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Oakley is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Piney Point
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Marys City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Solomons
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Loveville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Loveville is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveville
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Sotterley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sotterley is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sotterley
- Drumcliff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Drumcliff is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drumcliff
- Milestown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Milestown is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milestown
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wilderness. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wilderness.
Newspapers Published in Wilderness ...
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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wilderness.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wilderness, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wilderness.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Wilderness:
- Websites specific to Maryland
- Pages specific to Saint Mary's County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calvert County
- Charles County
- Dorchester County
- Prince George's County
- Essex County
- King George County
- Lancaster County
- Northumberland County
- Richmond County
- Westmoreland 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Wilderness) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Wilderness, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |