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 Foster (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 Foster. 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 hospitals 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.
Foster is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: Haywood, Macon, Swain, Transylvania & Oconee (SC).
Below are the counties that are near Foster. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Foster:
- Jackson County (The home county of Foster)
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Addie
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Addie is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addie
- Sylva
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ruby City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Ruby City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruby City
- Webster
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Webster is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
- Dillsboro
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Balsam
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Cullowhee
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- East Laport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- East Laport is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Laport
- Forest Hills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Forest Hills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 376 people
- Forest Hills has also been known as:
- Forest Hills village
- Village of Forest Hills
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Forest Hills <1>
- Greens Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Greens Creek is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Creek
- Paint Town
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Paint Town is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paint Town
- Wilmot
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wilmot is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
- Gay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gay is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gay
- Buncombe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Glady
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Glady is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glady
- Sandymush
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sandymush is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandymush
- Sandymush has also been known as:
- Sandy Mush
- Candler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Newfound
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Newfound is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newfound
- Graham County
- Stecoah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Stecoah is located in Graham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stecoah
- Haywood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Maggie Valley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hazelwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hazelwood is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
- Waynesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lavinia ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lavinia is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavinia
- Lake Junaluska
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bethel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bethel is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Sonoma ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Sonoma is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- Clyde
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cruso
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Cruso is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruso
- Teague ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Teague is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teague
- West Canton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Canton is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Canton
- Canton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Morning Star
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Morning Star is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morning Star
- Macon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Leatherman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Leatherman is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leatherman
- Ellijay
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Ellijay is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellijay
- Franklin
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Tellico
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Tellico is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tellico
- Riverside
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Riverside is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Lickskillet
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lickskillet is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickskillet
- Otto
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Fairview is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Scaly Mountain
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Orlando
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Orlando is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orlando
- Madison County
- Trust
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Trust is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trust
- Swain County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Cherokee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oconaluftee Indian Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Unahala
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Unahala is located in Swain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unahala
- Bryson City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Almond
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Forney ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Forney is located in Swain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forney
- Judson ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Judson is located in Swain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
- Bushnell ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bushnell is located in Swain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Wesser
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Wesser is located in Swain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesser
- Nantahala
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Nantahala is located in Swain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nantahala
- Transylvania County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Balsam Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sapphire
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Toxaway
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Toxaway Falls ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Toxaway Falls is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toxaway Falls
- Rosman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Brevard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pisgah Forest
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- East Fork
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- East Fork is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fork
- Seven Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Seven Springs is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Springs
- Rabun County (GA)
- Sky Valley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Cocke County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Cosby
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hartford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Naillon ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Naillon is located in Cocke County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naillon
- Sevier County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Pittman Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Pittman Center is located in Sevier County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittman Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 545 people
- Elkmont ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Elkmont is located in Sevier County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkmont
- Gatlinburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chalet Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chalet Village is located in Sevier County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalet Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Foster, see our County-by-County Page for Foster.
Cemeteries Near Foster ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Foster.
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 Foster - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Foster covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Dills Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Norman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Clayton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Addie Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Dills Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Keener Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hoyle Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Norman - Blanton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Sutton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Henry Cogdill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Henry Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Parris Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (339 more) ...
- Loves Chapel UMC Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Love Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Lovedale Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
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 Foster in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Foster.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Beta
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Beta is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beta
- Addie
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Addie is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addie
- Sylva
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Webster
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Webster is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
- Dillsboro
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cullowhee
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Balsam
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- East Laport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- East Laport is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Laport
- Cowarts
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cowarts is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowarts
- Wilmot
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wilmot is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
- Fallcliff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Fallcliff is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallcliff
- Tuckasegee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Rich Mountain
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rich Mountain is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Mountain
- Oconaluftee Indian Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cherokee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Foster. See our List of 1890's Communities around Foster.
Newspapers Published in Foster ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Foster.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Foster, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Foster.
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 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 Foster:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Buncombe County
- Graham County
- Haywood County
- Macon County
- Madison County
- Swain County
- Transylvania County
- Rabun County
- Cocke County
- Sevier 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 Foster, 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- Foster) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |