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 Smethport (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 Smethport. 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.
Smethport 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 Smethport. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smethport:
- Ashe County (The home county of Smethport)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Jefferson
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Warrensville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- West Jefferson
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Comet
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Comet is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Orion
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Orion is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
- Lansing
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Wagoner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wagoner is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wagoner
- Creston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Brandon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Brandon is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Roten
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Roten is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roten
- Apple Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Apple Grove is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- Ashland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Ashland is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Alleghany County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Scottville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Topia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Topia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topia
- Laurel Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Piney Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Amelia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Amelia is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
- Sparta
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Glade Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hooker
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Hooker is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Roaring Gap
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Ennice
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Avery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Mount Gilead
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Gilead is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gilead
- Seven Devils
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Beech Mountain
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Banner Elk
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Whaley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Whaley is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
- Sugar Mountain
(28 miles [45.1 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
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grandfather is located in Avery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandfather
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24 people
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Blowing Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cilley ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Cilley is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cilley
- Mulberry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Mulberry is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Patterson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Kings Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Kings Creek is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
- Rufus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Rufus is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rufus
- Watauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Deep Gap
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Laxon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Laxon is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laxon
- Moretz
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Moretz is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moretz
- Norris ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Norris is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Rutherwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Rutherwood is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherwood
- Stony Fork
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Stony Fork is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Fork
- Sands
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sands is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sands
- Zionville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mabel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mabel is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Bamboo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Bamboo is located in Watauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamboo
- Boone
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sugar Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Wilkes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- McGrady
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- McGrady is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGrady
- Wilbar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wilbar is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbar
- Springfield ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Springfield is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Maple Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Maple Springs is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Springs
- Hendrix ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Hendrix is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
- Purlear
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Purlear is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purlear
- Mount Pleasant
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Abshers
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Abshers is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abshers
- Dehart
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dehart is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dehart
- Millers Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mulberry
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mulberry is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Moxley
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Moxley is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moxley
- Carter County (TN)
- Buladeen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Buladeen is located in Carter County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buladeen
- Former names for Buladeen:
- Colesville
- Magnetic
- Johnson County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Dowell ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 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
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Mountain City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Shingletown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Shingletown is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shingletown
- Fuller
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Fuller is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Vaughtsville ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Vaughtsville is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughtsville
- Winchester
(25 miles [40.2 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
(26 miles [41.8 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
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- High Health is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Health
- Butler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Sullivan County (TN)
- Fishdam ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Fishdam is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishdam
- Grayson County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Rugby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Rugby is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rugby
- Whitetop
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mouth-of-Wilson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Trout Dale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bridle Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bridle Creek is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridle Creek
- Flat Ridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Flat Ridge is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Ridge
- Independence
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Elk Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Baywood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Baywood is located in Grayson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baywood
- Smyth County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Sugar Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sugar Grove is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Grove
- Adwolf
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Adwolf is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adwolf
- Chilhowie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Seven Mile Ford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Seven Mile Ford is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Mile Ford
- Marion
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Mount Carmel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Mount Carmel is located in Smyth County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Atkins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Washington County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Green Cove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Green Cove is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Cove
- Damascus
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Masada
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Masada is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masada
- Drowning Ford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Drowning Ford is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drowning Ford
- Friendship
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Friendship is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Loves Mill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Loves Mill is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loves Mill
- Lodi
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lodi is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Alvarado
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Alvarado is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
- Fleet
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Glade Spring
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Watauga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Watauga is located in Washington County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watauga
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smethport, see our County-by-County Page for Smethport.
Cemeteries Near Smethport ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smethport.
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 Smethport - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smethport covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Wallace Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Spencer Ashley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer Ashley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Spencer Ashley Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the north of Warrensville.
- The Spencer Ashley Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ashley Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2354164 <2>
- Weaver Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Walters - Jacobs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Ashelawn Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Peace Haven Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peace Haven Church Cemetery
- The Peace Haven Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Peace Haven Community Cemetery
- Gilley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Howell Hill Community Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- J.O. Blevens Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Milam Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sabbath Home Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Weaver Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (571 more) ...
- Apple Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove Cemetery
- The Apple Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Grove Cemetery
- Miller Family Cemetery
- William R. Miller Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2505508 <2>
- Ham Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Eldreth Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
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 Smethport in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Smethport.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smethport, with the one closest to Smethport listed first.
- Jefferson
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Beaver Creek
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Beaver Creek is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Creek
- Dresden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dresden is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresden
- Comet
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Comet is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Clifton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Clifton is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Baldwin
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Baldwin is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
- Lansing
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Fig
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Fig is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fig
- Wagoner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wagoner is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wagoner
- Nathans Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Nathans Creek is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nathans Creek
- Creston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Roten
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Roten is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roten
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Crumpler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Apple Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Apple Grove is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- Helton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Helton is located in Ashe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smethport. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smethport.
Newspapers Published in Smethport ...
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 19 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smethport.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smethport, 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 Smethport.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Smethport:
- 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
- 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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Smethport) 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 Smethport, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |