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 Topnot (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 Topnot. 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 and 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.
Topnot is located in Caswell 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 Caswell County: Alamance, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Danville City (VA), Halifax (VA) & Pittsylvania (VA).
Below are the counties that are near Topnot. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Topnot:
- Caswell County (The home county of Topnot)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Yanceyville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Leasburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Ridgeville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeville is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
- West Yanceyville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- West Yanceyville is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Yanceyville
- Estelle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Estelle is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
- Anderson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Anderson is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Jericho
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jericho is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Blanch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Prospect Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Prospect Hill is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Hill
- Semora
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Locust Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Locust Hill is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
- Milton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Providence
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Providence is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Alamance County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Just Crossroads
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Just Crossroads is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Just Crossroads
- Pleasant Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Grove is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
- Union Ridge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Union Ridge is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Ridge
- McCray
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- McCray is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCray
- Clover Garden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clover Garden is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Garden
- Lakeview
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lakeview is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
- Green Level
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Green Level is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Level
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,341 people
- Lakeview Estates
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Lakeview Estates is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Estates
- Altamahaw
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Altamahaw is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamahaw
- Carolina
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Carolina is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolina
- Glencoe
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Glencoe is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glencoe
- Green Acres
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Green Acres is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Acres
- Hopedale
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Hopedale is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopedale
- Durham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Rougemont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bahama
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hampton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hampton is located in Durham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- The American Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- The American Village is located in Durham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The American Village
- Granville County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Berea
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Berea is located in Granville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berea
- Wilbourns
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Wilbourns is located in Granville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbourns
- Guilford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Gibsonville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Whitsett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Browns Summit
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- McLeansville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sedalia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sedalia is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 689 people
- Rudd
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rudd is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudd
- Orange County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Carr
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Carr is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carr
- Laws
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Laws is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws
- McDade
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- McDade is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDade
- Kindful Acres
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Kindful Acres is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kindful Acres
- Cedar Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Cedar Grove is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Deer Run
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Deer Run is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Run
- Green Pines
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Green Pines is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Pines
- Larry Hall
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Larry Hall is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larry Hall
- Walkers Landing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Walkers Landing is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkers Landing
- Arrowhead
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Arrowhead is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arrowhead
- Berryland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Berryland is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryland
- Just-A-Mere Landing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Just-A-Mere Landing is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Just-A-Mere Landing
- Springcrest Meadows
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Springcrest Meadows is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springcrest Meadows
- Person County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Concord
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Concord is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Roseville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Roseville is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Allens Level
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Allens Level is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Level
- Hicks Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hicks Village is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicks Village
- Whitt Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Whitt Town is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitt Town
- Ceffo
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ceffo is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceffo
- Hurdle Mills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Roxboro
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Cates
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Cates is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cates
- Timberlake
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Allensville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Allensville is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allensville
- Mount Tirzah
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Mount Tirzah is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Tirzah
- Moriah
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Moriah is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moriah
- Rockingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Lawsonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lawsonville is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonville
- Ruffin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Belmont
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Belmont is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Reidsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Draper ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Draper is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draper
- Norwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Norwood is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- College Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- College Village is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Village
- Meadow Summit
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Meadow Summit is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Summit
- Wentworth
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Wentworth is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wentworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,734 people
- Eden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Eden is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,867 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eden <1>
- Spray ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Spray is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spray
- Danville City (VA)
- Danville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Halifax County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Delila
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Delila is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delila
- Sutherlin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Sutherlin is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutherlin
- Alton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Harmony
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Harmony is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Elmo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Elmo is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmo
- Cluster Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cluster Springs is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cluster Springs
- Mayo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mayo is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayo
- Jones
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jones is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones
- Virgilina
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Boston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Westside Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Westside Village is located in Halifax County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westside Village
- Henry County (VA)
- Sandy Level
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sandy Level is located in Henry County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Level
- Madison County (VA)
- Beaver Park
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Beaver Park is located in Madison County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Park
- Pittsylvania County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Kentuck
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Kentuck is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Laurel Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Laurel Grove is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Grove
- Mount Cross
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Cross is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Cross
- Ridgecrest
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ridgecrest is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgecrest
- Cascade
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cascade is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade
- Henrys Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Henrys Mill is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrys Mill
- Spring Garden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Spring Garden is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Garden
- Tightsqueeze
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Tightsqueeze is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tightsqueeze
- Lucks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lucks is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucks
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Topnot, see our County-by-County Page for Topnot.
Cemeteries Near Topnot ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Topnot.
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 Topnot - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Topnot covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Griers Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Griers Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Church of Jesus Christ of LDS Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cooper Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Hope UMC Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Salem Methodist Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gilead Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Enoch Family Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Wheelers Church Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Clement Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mill Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Continue List (175 more) ...
- Rock Fence Church Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Fence Church Cemetery
- The Rock Fence Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Stoney Creek AME Church Cemetery
- Jeffries Cross Memorial Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Lamberth Memorial Baptist Church Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
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 Topnot in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Topnot.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Topnot, with the one closest to Topnot listed first.
- Hightowers
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hightowers is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightowers
- Yanceyville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hamer
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hamer is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamer
- Ridgeville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeville is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
- Leasburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Osmond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Osmond is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osmond
- Corbett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Corbett is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbett
- Estelle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Estelle is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
- Purley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Purley is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purley
- Blanch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Prospect Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Prospect Hill is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Hill
- Gordonton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gordonton is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordonton
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bushy Fork
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bushy Fork is located in Person County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushy Fork
- Semora
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Locust Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Locust Hill is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Topnot. See our List of 1890's Communities around Topnot.
Newspapers Published in Topnot ...
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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Topnot.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Topnot, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Topnot.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Topnot:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Caswell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alamance County
- Durham County
- Granville County
- Guilford County
- Orange County
- Person County
- Rockingham County
- Danville City
- Halifax County
- Henry County
- Madison County
- Pittsylvania 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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Topnot) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Topnot, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |