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 Parker (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 Parker. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Parker is located in Ashe 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 Ashe County: Alleghany, Watauga, Wilkes, Johnson (TN) & Grayson (VA).
Below are the counties that are near Parker. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Parker:
- Ashe County (The home county of Parker)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Ashland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ashland is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Roten
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Roten is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roten
- Creston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Grayson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Grayson is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
- Comet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Comet is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Apple Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Apple Grove is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- Warrensville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Lansing
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- West Jefferson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Brandon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brandon is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Todd
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Sturgills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sturgills is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturgills
- Alleghany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Scottville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Topia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Topia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topia
- Laurel Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Piney Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Amelia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Amelia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
- Avery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Mount Gilead
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Gilead is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gilead
- Beech Mountain
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Whaley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Whaley is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
- Seven Devils
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Banner Elk
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sugar Mountain
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sugar Mountain is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Grandfather
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Grandfather is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandfather
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24 people
- Elk Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Linville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Newland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Vale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Vale is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vale
- Minneapolis
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Minneapolis is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minneapolis
- Montezuma
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Montezuma is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montezuma
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Blowing Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Mulberry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mulberry is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Watauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Zionville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mabel
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mabel is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Moretz
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Moretz is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moretz
- Norris ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Norris is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Sands
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Sands is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sands
- Sugar Grove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Vilas
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Boone
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Rutherwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Rutherwood is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherwood
- Valle Crucis
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Deep Gap
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Laxon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Laxon is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laxon
- Rominger
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rominger is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rominger
- Wilkes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Maple Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Springs is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Springs
- Wilbar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wilbar is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbar
- McGrady
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- McGrady is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGrady
- Hendrix ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hendrix is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
- Springfield ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Springfield is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Mount Pleasant
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Purlear
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Purlear is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
- Carter County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Buladeen
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Buladeen is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buladeen
- Former names for Buladeen:
- Colesville
- Magnetic
- Fish Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fish Springs is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Springs
- Hunter
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hunter is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter
- Siam
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Siam is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siam
- Roan Mountain
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Shell Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Shell Creek is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shell Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 21,037 people
- Hampton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Heaton Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Heaton Creek is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heaton Creek
- Biltmore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Biltmore is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biltmore
- Elizabethton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Johnson County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Dowell ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dowell is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowell
- Estimated population in 2014: 364 people
- Mountain City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Fuller
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fuller is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Shingletown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Shingletown is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shingletown
- Trade
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Vaughtsville ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Vaughtsville is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughtsville
- Winchester
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Winchester is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- Estimated population in 2014: 8,547 people
- Norris
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Norris is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,652 people
- High Health ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- High Health is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Health
- Butler
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Sullivan County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Fishdam ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fishdam is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishdam
- Holston Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Holston Valley is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holston Valley
- Ruthton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Ruthton is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruthton
- Forest Hills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Forest Hills is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Hunter Hills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hunter Hills is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Hills
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,854 people
- Cedar Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Cedar Grove is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Bristol
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bristol City (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Virginia Heights
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Virginia Heights is located in Bristol City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virginia Heights
- Bristol
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Grayson County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Whitetop
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Rugby
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rugby is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rugby
- Mouth-of-Wilson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Trout Dale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Flat Ridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Flat Ridge is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Ridge
- Bridle Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bridle Creek is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridle Creek
- Smyth County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Adwolf
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Adwolf is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adwolf
- Chilhowie
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Seven Mile Ford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Seven Mile Ford is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Mile Ford
- Sugar Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sugar Grove is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Grove
- Marion
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Saltville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Mount Carmel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Carmel is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Allison Gap
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Allison Gap is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allison Gap
- Washington County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Green Cove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Green Cove is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Cove
- Damascus
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Drowning Ford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Drowning Ford is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drowning Ford
- Masada
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Masada is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masada
- Alvarado
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Alvarado is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
- Lodi
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Lodi is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Friendship
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Friendship is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Loves Mill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Loves Mill is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loves Mill
- Watauga
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Watauga is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watauga
- Green Spring
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Green Spring is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Spring
- Fleet
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Glade Spring
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Abingdon
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Abingdon is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abingdon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,856 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Parker, see our County-by-County Page for Parker.
Cemeteries Near Parker ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Parker.
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 Parker - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Parker covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Osborne Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Osborne Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Eastridge Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Lewis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Brown Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Hampton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jones Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Roark Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Lewis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Farmer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Humphrey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Woodard Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Continue List (795 more) ...
- Owens Family Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Payne Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Forrester Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
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 Parker in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Parker.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Parker, with the one closest to Parker listed first.
- Osborn
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Osborn is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osborn
- Sutherland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Sutherland is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutherland
- Creston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Fig
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fig is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fig
- Roten
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Roten is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roten
- Grayson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Grayson is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
- Clifton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Clifton is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Mountain City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Dresden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Dresden is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresden
- Comet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Comet is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Apple Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Apple Grove is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- Silver Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Silver Lake is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Vaughtsville ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Vaughtsville is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughtsville
- Trade
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Zionville
(8 miles [12.9 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 Parker. See our List of 1890's Communities around Parker.
Newspapers Published in Parker ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Parker.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Parker, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Parker.
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 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 Parker:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Ashe County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alleghany County
- Avery County
- Caldwell County
- Watauga County
- Wilkes County
- Carter County
- Johnson County
- Sullivan County
- Bristol City
- Grayson County
- Smyth County
- Washington 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 Parker, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Parker) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |