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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 Ellendale (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 Ellendale. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Ellendale is located in Alexander 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 Alexander County: Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell, Wilkes & Yadkin.

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

  • Alexander County     (The home county of Ellendale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellendale, with the one closest to Ellendale listed first.
    • Little River
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Little River is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River
    • Liledoun
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Liledoun is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liledoun
    • Taylorsville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Isenhour Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Isenhour Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isenhour Park
    • Bethlehem
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Bethlehem is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
    • Millersville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Millersville is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Taylorsville Beach
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Taylorsville Beach is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville Beach
    • Fairview Park
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Fairview Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park
    • Midway
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Midway is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Hiddenite
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Rocky Springs
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Rocky Springs is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
    • Vashti
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Ashe County
  • Burke County
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellendale, with the one closest to Ellendale listed first.
    • Downsville ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Downsville is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downsville
    • Draco
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Kings Creek
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Concord ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Concord is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Cedar Rock
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • 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
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Emanuel is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emanuel
    • Northlakes
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Northlakes is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northlakes
    • Granite Falls
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cilley ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Cilley is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
    • Hudson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Sawmills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Sawmills is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,156 people
    • Lenoir
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Catawba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellendale, with the one closest to Ellendale listed first.
    • North Hickory
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • North Hickory is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hickory
    • Saint Stephens
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Saint Stephens is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephens
    • Viewmont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Viewmont is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viewmont
    • Oxford Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Oxford Park is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Park
    • Hickory
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Sweetwater
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Sweetwater is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetwater
    • Conover
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Catfish
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Brookford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Brookford is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 381 people
    • Fairbrook
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Fairbrook is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairbrook
    • Fairgrove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Fairgrove is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairgrove
    • Long View
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Long View is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long View
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,951 people
  • Cleveland County
    • Toluca
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Toluca is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toluca
  • Iredell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellendale, with the one closest to Ellendale listed first.
    • Brevard ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Brevard is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brevard
    • Love Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Scotts
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Scotts is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts
    • New Hope ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Eufola
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Olin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Olin is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olin
    • Union Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Statesville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Barium Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Turnersburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Turnersburg is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnersburg
    • Belmont
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Belmont is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Troutman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Lincoln County
  • Watauga County
  • Wilkes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellendale, with the one closest to Ellendale listed first.
    • Boomer
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Boomer is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boomer
    • Moravian Falls
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Ferguson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Adley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Mount Pleasant
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Stokes ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Stokes is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
    • Wilkesboro
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Hendrix ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Hendrix is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
    • Cricket
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Cricket is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket
    • Purlear
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Purlear is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
    • Fletcher ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Fletcher is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
    • Henderson ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Henderson is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson
  • Yadkin County

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

Cemeteries Near Ellendale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ellendale.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ellendale, with the one closest to Ellendale 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.<4>

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

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

  • Little River
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Little River is located in Alexander County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River
  • Downsville ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Downsville is located in Caldwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downsville
  • Taylorsville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Draco
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Petra Mills
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Petra Mills is located in Caldwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petra Mills
  • Cedar Valley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Valley is located in Caldwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Valley
  • Kings Creek
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Boomer
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Boomer is located in Wilkes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boomer
  • Hiddenite
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Vashti
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Emanuel ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Emanuel is located in Caldwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emanuel
  • Granite Falls
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Moravian Falls
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Elkville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Elkville is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkville
    • Hibriten ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Hibriten is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hibriten

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

Newspapers Published in Ellendale ...

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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ellendale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ellendale, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ellendale.

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 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 Ellendale:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ellendale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Ellendale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.