Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Lester. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Lester to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Lester, please Contact Us.
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 Lester (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 Lester. 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 and 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Lester is historic, it would have been located within present day 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 Lester. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lester:
- Wilkes County (The home county of Lester)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- McGrady
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- McGrady is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGrady
- Springfield ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Springfield is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Dehart
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dehart is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dehart
- Wilbar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wilbar is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbar
- Mulberry
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mulberry is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Abshers
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Abshers is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abshers
- Moxley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Moxley is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moxley
- Millers Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Purlear
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Purlear is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
- Hays
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Zebra ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Zebra is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zebra
- Cricket
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Cricket is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket
- Fairplains
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fairplains is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplains
- Alexander County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Vashti
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Vashti is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashti
- Ellendale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Ellendale is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellendale
- Rocky Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Rocky Springs is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
- Taylorsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Liledoun
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Liledoun is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liledoun
- Midway
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Midway is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Hiddenite
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Little River
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Little River is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River
- Alleghany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Laurel Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Scottville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Topia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Topia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topia
- Sparta
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Roaring Gap
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Amelia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Amelia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
- Piney Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Glade Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hooker
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hooker is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Ennice
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- 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 Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Transou
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Transou is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Transou
- Glendale Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Obids
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Obids is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obids
- Wagoner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wagoner is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wagoner
- Orion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Orion is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
- Yates
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Yates is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates
- Crumpler
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fleetwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- West Jefferson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Weavers Ford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Weavers Ford is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weavers Ford
- Warrensville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Brownwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Brownwood is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownwood
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Cilley ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cilley is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
- Kings Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Kings Creek is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
- Draco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Draco is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draco
- Blowing Rock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- 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
- Patterson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Patterson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Mulberry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mulberry is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Iredell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- New Hope ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- New Hope is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Love Valley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Union Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Surry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Thurmond
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Devotion
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Devotion is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devotion
- State Road
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Elkin Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Elkin Valley is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkin Valley
- Elkin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Mountain Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Mountain Park is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Park
- Mulberry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Mulberry is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Zephyr
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Zephyr is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zephyr
- Low Gap
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rusk ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Rusk is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
- Round Peak
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Round Peak is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Peak
- Dobson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Fairview
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Fairview is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Watauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Stony Fork
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Stony Fork is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Fork
- Deep Gap
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Laxon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Laxon is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laxon
- Rutherwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Rutherwood is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherwood
- Bamboo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bamboo is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamboo
- Moretz
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Moretz is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moretz
- Norris ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Norris is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Sands
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Sands is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sands
- Boone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Zionville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Mabel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Mabel is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Shulls Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Shulls Mill is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shulls Mill
- Vilas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Yadkin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Jonesville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Swan Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Swan Creek is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Creek
- Arlington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Arlington is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
- Rena
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Rena is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rena
- Cycle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cycle is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cycle
- Marler
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Marler is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marler
- Windsors Crossroads
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Windsors Crossroads is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsors Crossroads
- Boonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Johnson County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Dowell ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 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
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Galax City (VA)
- Galax
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Grayson County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Mouth-of-Wilson
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Bridle Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Bridle Creek is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridle Creek
- Independence
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Rugby
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rugby is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rugby
- Baywood
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Baywood is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baywood
- 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
- Flat Ridge
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Flat Ridge is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Ridge
- Elk Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Trout Dale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Whitetop
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Washington County (VA)
- Green Cove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Green Cove is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Cove
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lester, see our County-by-County Page for Lester.
Cemeteries Near Lester ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lester.
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 Lester - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lester covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Burke Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Taylor Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Roberts Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Peak Creek Community Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peak Creek Community Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Peak Creek Community Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the northeast of Glendale Springs.
- The Peak Creek Community Cemetery has also been known as:
- Peak Creek Church of the Brethren Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2202515 <4>
- Stamper Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Truitt Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Double Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cranberry Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranberry Cemetery
- The Cranberry Cemetery has also been known as:
- Cranberry Community Cemetery
- Cranberry Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2207025 <4>
- Mountlawn Memorial Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Matt Carson Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Johnson Family Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- 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 <4>
- Prathers Creek Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (429 more) ...
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Union Tarheel Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- New Hope Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 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.
While we didn't find Lester in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Lester.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lester, with the one closest to Lester listed first.
- Vannoy
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Vannoy is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vannoy
- Halls Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Halls Mills is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls Mills
- Springfield ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Springfield is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Wilbar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wilbar is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbar
- Hay Meadow ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hay Meadow is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hay Meadow
- Dehart
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dehart is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dehart
- Transou
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Transou is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Transou
- Ore Knob
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ore Knob is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ore Knob
- Laurel Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mulberry
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mulberry is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Obids
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Obids is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obids
- Furches
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Furches is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furches
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Parsonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Parsonville is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsonville
- Purlear
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Purlear is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
- Millers Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lester. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lester.
Newspapers Published in Lester ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lester.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lester, 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 Lester.
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 Lester:
- 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
- Johnson County
- Galax City
- Grayson County
- Washington County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for North Carolina
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Lester, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Lester) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |