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 Bel-Air (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 Bel-Air. 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.
Bel-Air is located in Nash 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 Nash County: Edgecombe, Franklin, Halifax, Johnston, Vance, Wake, Warren & Wilson.
Below are the counties that are near Bel-Air. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bel-Air:
- Nash County (The home county of Bel-Air)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Ashburk
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Ashburk is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashburk
- Easonburg
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Easonburg is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easonburg
- Joyners Crossing
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Joyners Crossing is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joyners Crossing
- Halifax Crossing
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Halifax Crossing is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halifax Crossing
- Langley Crossroads
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Langley Crossroads is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langley Crossroads
- Westry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Westry is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westry
- North Green
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- North Green is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Green
- Snells Crossroads
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Snells Crossroads is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snells Crossroads
- Dortches
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dortches is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dortches
- Population from the 2020 Census: 964 people
- Regency Estates
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Regency Estates is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regency Estates
- Sandy Cross
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sandy Cross is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Cross
- Winstead Crossroads
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Winstead Crossroads is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winstead Crossroads
- Cliftonville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cliftonville is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliftonville
- Edgecombe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Rocky Mount
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sharpsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Lancaster
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lancaster is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster
- Mercer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mercer is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Hartsboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hartsboro is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsboro
- Battleboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsease
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hartsease is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsease
- Henrietta
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Henrietta is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrietta
- Macclesfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pinetops
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Leggett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Leggett is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leggett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Summerfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Summerfield is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
- Gethsemane
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gethsemane is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gethsemane
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- White Level
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- White Level is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Level
- Bunn
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Sutton
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Sutton is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutton
- Centerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Centerville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Estimated population in 2017: 102 people
- Mapleville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Mapleville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleville
- Louisburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Alert
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Alert is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alert
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Fieldsboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Fieldsboro is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fieldsboro
- Walstonburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Walstonburg is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walstonburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Speights Bridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Speights Bridge is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speights Bridge
- Contentnea
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Contentnea is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Contentnea
- Halifax County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- White Oak
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- White Oak is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
- Ringwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Ringwood is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ringwood
- Enfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Roseneath
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Roseneath is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseneath
- Hollister
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Brinkleyville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Brinkleyville is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brinkleyville
- Heathsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Heathsville is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathsville
- Hobgood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Hobgood is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hobgood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Scotland Neck
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Braswells Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Braswells Crossroads is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braswells Crossroads
- Palmyra
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Palmyra is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Airlie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Airlie is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airlie
- Allen Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Allen Grove is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Grove
- Johnston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Stancils Chapel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Stancils Chapel is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stancils Chapel
- Kenly
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Beulahtown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Beulahtown is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulahtown
- Martin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Parmele
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Parmele is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parmele
- Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
- Oak City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Pitt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Fountain
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Falkland
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Falkland is located in Pitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Farmville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Farmville is located in Pitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,747 people
- Bethel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Whitehurst
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Whitehurst is located in Pitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehurst
- Wake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Zebulon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Wendell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Arcola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Arcola is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Lickskillet
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lickskillet is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickskillet
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Eureka
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Eureka is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Fremont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Pikeville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Nahunta
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Nahunta is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nahunta
- Wilson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Elm City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Spring Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Lake is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
- Wilson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Eastwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Eastwood is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Sims
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saratoga
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Saratoga is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
- Population from the 2020 Census: 408 people
- Scotts
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Scotts is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts
- Black Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Black Creek is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 767 people
- Lucama
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stantonsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bel-Air, see our County-by-County Page for Bel-Air.
Cemeteries Near Bel-Air ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bel-Air.
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 Bel-Air - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bel-Air covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Pineview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pineview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Unity Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Northeastern Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Battle Park Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Coley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Brown Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rocky Mount Memorial Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Brake Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Bulluck Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Powell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (200 more) ...
- Oakland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Whitfield Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- May Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
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>
While we didn't find Bel-Air in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bel-Air.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bel-Air, with the one closest to Bel-Air listed first.
- Sharpsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Rocky Mount
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Elm City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Nashville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Red Oak
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Red Oak is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,492 people
- Penelo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Penelo is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penelo
- Hartsboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hartsboro is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsboro
- Battleboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bridgersville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bridgersville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgersville
- Saint Lewis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Lewis is located in Edgecombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Lewis
- Gold Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Oakland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Stanhope
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Stanhope is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Wilson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dukes
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Dukes is located in Nash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dukes
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bel-Air. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bel-Air.
Newspapers Published in Bel-Air ...
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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bel-Air.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bel-Air, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bel-Air.
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 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 Bel-Air:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Nash County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Edgecombe County
- Franklin County
- Greene County
- Halifax County
- Johnston County
- Martin County
- Pitt County
- Wake County
- Warren County
- Wayne County
- Wilson County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for North Carolina
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 Bel-Air, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bel-Air) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |