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 Finley (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 Finley. 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.
Finley is located in Caldwell 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 Caldwell County: Alexander, Burke, Catawba, Watauga & Wilkes.
Below are the counties that are near Finley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Finley:
- Caldwell County (The home county of Finley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Mulberry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mulberry is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Patterson
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Rufus
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rufus is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rufus
- Blowing Rock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cilley ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Cilley is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
- Abingdon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Abingdon is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abingdon
- Lenoir
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Lenoir is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenoir
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17,911 people
- Former name for Lenoir:
- Tucker's Barn
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lenoir <1>
- Cedar Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- 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
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Emanuel is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emanuel
- Collettsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mortimer ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mortimer is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mortimer
- Kings Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kings Creek is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
- Alexander County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Ellendale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ellendale is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellendale
- Little River
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Little River is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River
- Bethlehem
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Bethlehem is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Liledoun
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Liledoun is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liledoun
- Taylorsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Isenhour Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Isenhour Park is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isenhour Park
- Vashti
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Vashti is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashti
- Millersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Millersville is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
- Taylorsville Beach
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Taylorsville Beach is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville Beach
- Rocky Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Rocky Springs is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
- Midway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Midway is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Fairview Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fairview Park is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park
- Alleghany County
- Laurel Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ashe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Brownwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Brownwood is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownwood
- Fleetwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Todd
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Yates
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Yates is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates
- Obids
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Obids is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obids
- West Jefferson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Glendale Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Creston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Jefferson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Orion
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Orion is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
- Ashland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Ashland is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Wagoner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wagoner is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wagoner
- Avery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Seven Devils
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Grandfather
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Grandfather is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandfather
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24 people
- Linville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sugar Mountain
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sugar Mountain is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Banner Elk
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Montezuma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Montezuma is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montezuma
- Pineola
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Newland
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Beech Mountain
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Crossnore
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Vale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Vale is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vale
- Mount Pleasant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Burke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Chesterfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Chesterfield is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
- Jonas Ridge
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Drexel
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Drexel is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drexel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,861 people
- Rutherford College
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Valdese
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Rhodhiss
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Connelly Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Morganton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Calvin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Calvin is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvin
- Icard
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Magnolia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Magnolia is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Linville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Linville is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linville
- Catawba County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- North Hickory
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- North Hickory is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hickory
- Long View
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Long View is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long View
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,951 people
- Viewmont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Viewmont is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viewmont
- Hickory
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hickory is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41,473 people
- Saint Stephens
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Stephens is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephens
- Sweetwater
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sweetwater is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetwater
- Advent Crossroads
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Advent Crossroads is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Advent Crossroads
- Brookford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brookford is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 381 people
- Meadow Brook Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Meadow Brook Village is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Brook Village
- Mountain View
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain View is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain View
- Fairbrook
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fairbrook is located in Catawba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairbrook
- McDowell County
- Ashford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ashford is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashford
- Mitchell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Altapass
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Altapass is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altapass
- Spruce Pine
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Grassy Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grassy Creek is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grassy Creek
- Penland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Watauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Bamboo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Bamboo is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamboo
- Rutherwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Rutherwood is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherwood
- Boone
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Shulls Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Shulls Mill is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shulls Mill
- Laxon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Laxon is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laxon
- Stony Fork
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Stony Fork is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Fork
- Foscoe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Deep Gap
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sands
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sands is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sands
- Moretz
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Moretz is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moretz
- Norris ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Norris is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Valle Crucis
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wilkes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Hendrix ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hendrix is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
- Ferguson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Maple Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Springs is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Springs
- Mount Pleasant
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Boomer
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Boomer is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boomer
- Purlear
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Purlear is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
- Wilbar
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wilbar is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbar
- Adley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Adley is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adley
- Millers Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Moravian Falls
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Stokes ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Stokes is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
- Cricket
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Cricket is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket
- Carter County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Shell Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Shell Creek is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shell Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 21,037 people
- Roan Mountain
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Burbank
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Burbank is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burbank
- Heaton Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Heaton Creek is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heaton Creek
- Fish Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- 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 Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Trade
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Norris
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Norris is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,652 people
- Vaughtsville ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Vaughtsville is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughtsville
- Dowell ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Dowell is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowell
- Estimated population in 2014: 364 people
- High Health ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- High Health is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Health
- Mountain City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Finley, see our County-by-County Page for Finley.
Cemeteries Near Finley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Finley.
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 Finley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Finley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Harrison Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Greene Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bolick Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Greene Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Herman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Edmisten Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bolick Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mulberry Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rufus Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Moore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Craig Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Tolbert Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (424 more) ...
- Estes Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Moore Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Moore Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Finley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Finley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Finley, with the one closest to Finley listed first.
- Buffalo Cove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Buffalo Cove is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Cove
- Penley ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Penley is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penley
- Patterson
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Upton
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Upton is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upton
- Globe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Globe is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Aho
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Aho is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aho
- Yadkin Valley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Yadkin Valley is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yadkin Valley
- Darby
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Darby is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darby
- Blowing Rock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cilley ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Cilley is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
- Kelsey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Kelsey is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
- Bamboo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Bamboo is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamboo
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Mount Zion
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Zion is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
- Triplett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Triplett is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Triplett
- Elkville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Elkville is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Finley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Finley.
Newspapers Published in Finley ...
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 17 newspapers that have been published in the area around Finley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Finley, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Finley.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Finley:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Caldwell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alexander County
- Alleghany County
- Ashe County
- Avery County
- Burke County
- Catawba County
- McDowell County
- Mitchell County
- Watauga County
- Wilkes County
- Carter County
- Johnson 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> | 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 Finley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 from Point A (ie- Finley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |