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 Clifton (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 Clifton. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
Clifton is located in Ashe 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 Ashe County: Alleghany, Watauga, Wilkes, Johnson (TN) & Grayson (VA).
Below are the counties that are near Clifton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Clifton:
- Ashe County (The home county of Clifton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Comet
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Comet is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Warrensville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Roten
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Roten is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roten
- Creston
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lansing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ashland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ashland is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Jefferson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Apple Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Apple Grove is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- West Jefferson
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Brandon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brandon is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Helton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Helton is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
- Grayson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Grayson is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
- Alleghany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Scottville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Topia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Topia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topia
- Laurel Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Piney Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Amelia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Amelia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
- Sparta
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Glade Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hooker
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Hooker is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Avery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Mount Gilead
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Gilead is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gilead
- Beech Mountain
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Seven Devils
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Whaley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Whaley is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
- Banner Elk
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sugar Mountain
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sugar Mountain is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Grandfather
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Grandfather is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandfather
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24 people
- Elk Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Blowing Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Cilley ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Cilley is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
- Mulberry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Mulberry is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Patterson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Watauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Moretz
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Moretz is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moretz
- Zionville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Norris ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Norris is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Mabel
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mabel is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Deep Gap
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Laxon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Laxon is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laxon
- Sands
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Sands is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sands
- Rutherwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Rutherwood is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherwood
- Boone
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Stony Fork
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Stony Fork is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Fork
- Bamboo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Bamboo is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamboo
- Sugar Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wilkes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- McGrady
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- McGrady is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGrady
- Wilbar
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wilbar is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbar
- Maple Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Springs is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Springs
- Springfield ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Springfield is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Hendrix ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hendrix is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
- Mount Pleasant
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Purlear
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Purlear is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
- Millers Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Abshers
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Abshers is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abshers
- Dehart
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Dehart is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dehart
- Mulberry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mulberry is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Ferguson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Carter County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Buladeen
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Buladeen is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buladeen
- Former names for Buladeen:
- Colesville
- Magnetic
- Fish Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Fish Springs is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Springs
- Johnson County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Dowell ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Dowell is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowell
- Estimated population in 2014: 364 people
- Trade
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mountain City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Shingletown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Shingletown is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shingletown
- Fuller
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Fuller is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Vaughtsville ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Vaughtsville is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughtsville
- Winchester
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Winchester is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- Estimated population in 2014: 8,547 people
- Norris
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Norris is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,652 people
- High Health ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- High Health is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Health
- Butler
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Sullivan County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Fishdam ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Fishdam is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishdam
- Holston Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Holston Valley is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holston Valley
- Grayson County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Whitetop
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rugby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rugby is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rugby
- Mouth-of-Wilson
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Trout Dale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bridle Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bridle Creek is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridle Creek
- Flat Ridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Flat Ridge is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Ridge
- Independence
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Elk Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Smyth County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Adwolf
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Adwolf is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adwolf
- Sugar Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sugar Grove is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Grove
- Chilhowie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Seven Mile Ford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Seven Mile Ford is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Mile Ford
- Marion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Mount Carmel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Mount Carmel is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Atkins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Washington County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Green Cove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Green Cove is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Cove
- Damascus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Masada
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Masada is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masada
- Drowning Ford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Drowning Ford is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drowning Ford
- Loves Mill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Loves Mill is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loves Mill
- Friendship
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Friendship is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Lodi
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lodi is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Alvarado
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Alvarado is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
- Fleet
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Watauga
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Watauga is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watauga
- Glade Spring
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Green Spring
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Green Spring is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Spring
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Clifton, see our County-by-County Page for Clifton.
Cemeteries Near Clifton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Clifton.
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 Clifton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Clifton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Barr Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Spencer Ashley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer Ashley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Spencer Ashley Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the north of Warrensville.
- The Spencer Ashley Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ashley Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2354164 <3>
- Oliver Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mock Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Brown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Eli Graybeal Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eli Graybeal Family Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Eli Graybeal Family Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the west of Creston.
- The Eli Graybeal Family Cemetery has also been known as:
- Graybeal Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2504800 <3>
- Graybeal Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Milam Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Elliot Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Landreth Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Weaver Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- J.O. Blevens Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (613 more) ...
- Gilley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ham Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Eldreth Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Clifton had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Dresden
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Dresden is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresden
- Fig
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Fig is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fig
- Comet
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Comet is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Creston
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Roten
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Roten is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roten
- Lansing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jefferson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Apple Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Apple Grove is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- Beaver Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver Creek is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Creek
- Sutherland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sutherland is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutherland
- Baldwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Baldwin is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
- Helton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Helton is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Sturgills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sturgills is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturgills
- Grayson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Grayson is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
- Osborn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Osborn is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osborn
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Clifton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Clifton.
Newspapers Published in Clifton ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Clifton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Clifton, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Clifton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Clifton:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Ashe County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alleghany County
- Avery County
- Caldwell County
- Watauga County
- Wilkes County
- Carter County
- Johnson County
- Sullivan County
- Grayson County
- Smyth County
- Washington 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> | 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- Clifton) 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 Clifton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |