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 Hays (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 Hays. 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 hospitals 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.
Hays is located in Wilkes 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 Wilkes County: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell, Iredell, Surry, Watauga & Yadkin.
Below are the counties that are near Hays. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hays:
- Wilkes County (The home county of Hays)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Dehart
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dehart is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dehart
- Mulberry
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mulberry is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Fairplains
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fairplains is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplains
- Zebra ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Zebra is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zebra
- Henderson ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Henderson is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson
- Moxley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Moxley is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moxley
- Fletcher ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Fletcher is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- North Wilkesboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Roaring River
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Roaring River is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roaring River
- Cricket
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cricket is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket
- Lomax
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lomax is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lomax
- Brier Creek ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Brier Creek is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brier Creek
- Millers Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Alexander County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Vashti
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Vashti is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashti
- Rocky Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Rocky Springs is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
- Taylorsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hiddenite
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Midway
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Midway is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Ellendale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Ellendale is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellendale
- Liledoun
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Liledoun is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liledoun
- Fairview Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Fairview Park is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park
- Isenhour Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Isenhour Park is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isenhour Park
- Stony Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Stony Point is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Point
- Millersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Millersville is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
- Little River
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Little River is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River
- Taylorsville Beach
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Taylorsville Beach is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville Beach
- Alleghany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Roaring Gap
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Laurel Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Glade Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Sparta
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hooker
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Hooker is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Scottville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Amelia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Amelia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
- Ennice
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Topia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Topia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topia
- Piney Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Edmonds
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Edmonds is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmonds
- Ashe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Transou
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Transou is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Transou
- Obids
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Obids is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obids
- Glendale Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wagoner
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Wagoner is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wagoner
- Orion
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Orion is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
- Yates
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Yates is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates
- Fleetwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Crumpler
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- West Jefferson
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Brownwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Brownwood is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownwood
- Weavers Ford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Weavers Ford is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weavers Ford
- Warrensville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Kings Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Kings Creek is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
- Cilley ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Cilley is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
- Draco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Draco is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draco
- Emanuel ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Emanuel is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emanuel
- Cedar Rock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- 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
- Downsville ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Downsville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downsville
- Patterson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Patterson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Iredell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- New Hope ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- New Hope is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Love Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Union Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Houstonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Houstonville is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houstonville
- Olin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Olin is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olin
- Brevard ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Brevard is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brevard
- Harmony
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Scotts
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Scotts is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts
- Turnersburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Turnersburg is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnersburg
- Surry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Thurmond
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Elkin Valley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Elkin Valley is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkin Valley
- Elkin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- State Road
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Devotion
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Devotion is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devotion
- Mountain Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Park is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Park
- Mulberry
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Mulberry is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Zephyr
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Zephyr is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zephyr
- Rusk ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Rusk is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
- Fairview
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Fairview is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Low Gap
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Stony Knoll
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Stony Knoll is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Knoll
- Dobson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Watauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Stony Fork
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Stony Fork is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Fork
- Deep Gap
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Laxon
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Laxon is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laxon
- Rutherwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Rutherwood is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherwood
- Bamboo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bamboo is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamboo
- Moretz
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Moretz is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moretz
- Sands
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Sands is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sands
- Norris ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Norris is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Yadkin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Swan Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Swan Creek is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Creek
- Arlington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Arlington is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
- Jonesville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Rena
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Rena is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rena
- Cycle
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cycle is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cycle
- Marler
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Marler is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marler
- Windsors Crossroads
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Windsors Crossroads is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsors Crossroads
- Boonville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Branon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Branon is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branon
- Hamptonville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Nebo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Nebo is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nebo
- Yadkinville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Footville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Footville is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Footville
- Carroll County (VA)
- Lambsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Galax City (VA)
- Galax
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Grayson County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Baywood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Baywood is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baywood
- Independence
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Low Gap
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Low Gap is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Low Gap
- Bridle Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Bridle Creek is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridle Creek
- Mouth-of-Wilson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hays, see our County-by-County Page for Hays.
Cemeteries Near Hays ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hays.
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 Hays - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hays covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Mountlawn Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Long Bottom Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Union Tarheel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Mountain Park Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Park Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mountain Park Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Wilkesboro.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #48172 <2>
- Johnson Family Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson Family Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Johnson Family Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the west of Traphill.
- The Johnson Family Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Johnson Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2188960 <2>
- Truitt Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Taylor Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Double Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Roberts Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Burke Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Sinai Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (252 more) ...
- Old Brier Creek Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Knobs Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hunting Creek Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
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>
While we didn't find Hays in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Hays.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Hays, with the one closest to Hays listed first.
- Hay Meadow ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hay Meadow is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hay Meadow
- Mulberry
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mulberry is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Dehart
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dehart is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dehart
- Fairplains
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fairplains is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplains
- Dockery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dockery is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dockery
- Cricket
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cricket is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket
- Dellaplane
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dellaplane is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dellaplane
- Halls Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Halls Mills is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls Mills
- Millers Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wilkesboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Brier Creek ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Brier Creek is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brier Creek
- Lomax
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lomax is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lomax
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Springfield ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Traphill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Joynes
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Joynes is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joynes
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hays. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hays.
Newspapers Published in Hays ...
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 Hays.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hays, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hays.
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 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 Hays:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Wilkes County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alexander County
- Alleghany County
- Ashe County
- Caldwell County
- Iredell County
- Surry County
- Watauga County
- Yadkin County
- Carroll County
- Galax City
- Grayson 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Hays) 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 Hays, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |