RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of North Carolina >> Wilkes County >> Adley >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Adley (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 Adley. 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 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.

Adley is located in Wilkes County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Wilkes County: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell, Iredell, Surry, Watauga & Yadkin.

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

  • Wilkes County     (The home county of Adley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Adley, with the one closest to Adley listed first.
    • Stokes ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Stokes is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
    • Wilkesboro
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Cricket
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Cricket is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket
    • Moravian Falls
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Fletcher ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Fletcher is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
    • Millers Creek
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Henderson ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Henderson is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson
    • North Wilkesboro
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairplains
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Fairplains is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplains
    • Purlear
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Purlear is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
    • Boomer
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Boomer is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boomer
    • Mount Pleasant
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
  • Alexander County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Adley, with the one closest to Adley listed first.
    • Vashti
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Ellendale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Taylorsville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Rocky Springs
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Rocky Springs is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
    • Liledoun
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Liledoun is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liledoun
    • Midway
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Midway is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Little River
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Little River is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River
    • Hiddenite
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairview Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Fairview Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park
    • Isenhour Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Isenhour Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isenhour Park
    • Millersville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Millersville is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Stony Point
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Alleghany County
  • Ashe County
  • Burke County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Adley, with the one closest to Adley listed first.
    • Rhodhiss
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Hildebran
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Adley, with the one closest to Adley listed first.
    • Kings Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Cilley ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Cilley is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
    • Draco
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cedar Rock
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Cedar Rock is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Rock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
      • Cedar Rock has also been known as:
      • Cedar Rock village
    • Emanuel ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Emanuel is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emanuel
    • Downsville ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Downsville is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downsville
    • Patterson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Lenoir
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Concord ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Concord is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Hudson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Blowing Rock
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Mulberry
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Catawba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Adley, with the one closest to Adley listed first.
    • North Hickory
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • North Hickory is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hickory
    • Oxford Park
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Oxford Park is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Park
    • Saint Stephens
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Saint Stephens is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephens
    • Catfish
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Sunrise Beach
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Sunrise Beach is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunrise Beach
    • Viewmont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Viewmont is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viewmont
    • Conover
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Hickory
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Sweetwater
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Sweetwater is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetwater
    • Claremont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Fairgrove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Fairgrove is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairgrove
    • Brookford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Brookford is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 381 people
  • Iredell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Adley, with the one closest to Adley listed first.
    • Love Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • New Hope ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Union Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Brevard ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Brevard is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brevard
    • Scotts
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Scotts is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts
    • Olin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Olin is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olin
    • Houstonville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Harmony
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Turnersburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Turnersburg is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnersburg
    • Statesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Surry County
  • Watauga County
  • Yadkin County

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

Cemeteries Near Adley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Adley.

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 Adley - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Adley had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Wilkesboro
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Cricket
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Cricket is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket
  • Moravian Falls
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Millers Creek
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Boomer
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Boomer is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boomer
  • Fairplains
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairplains is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplains
  • Purlear
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Purlear is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
  • Hunting Creek ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Hunting Creek is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunting Creek
  • Mulberry
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Ready Branch
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Ready Branch is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ready Branch
  • Gilreath
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Gilreath is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilreath
  • Wilbar
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Hay Meadow ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Hay Meadow is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hay Meadow
    • Maple Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Maple Springs is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Springs
    • Dellaplane
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Dellaplane is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dellaplane

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

Newspapers Published in Adley ...

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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Adley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Adley, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Adley.

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 Adley:

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>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 Adley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Adley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.