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 Topsy (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 Topsy. 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 northeast 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 north.
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 north 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.
Topsy is located in Gates 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 Gates County: Camden, Chowan, Hertford, Pasquotank, Perquimans & Southampton (VA).
Below are the counties that are near Topsy. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Topsy:
- Gates County (The home county of Topsy)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Reynoldson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Reynoldson is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldson
- Roduco
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Roduco is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roduco
- Gates
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Eure
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- White Oak
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- White Oak is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
- Willeyton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Willeyton is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willeyton
- Gatesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Savage
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Savage is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savage
- Sunbury
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Corapeake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Holly Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Holly Grove is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Grove
- Mitchells Fork
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mitchells Fork is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchells Fork
- Muddy Cross
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Muddy Cross is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muddy Cross
- Bertie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Powellsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Powellsville is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- Colerain
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Colerain is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colerain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Hexlena
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Hexlena is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hexlena
- Aulander
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Aulander is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aulander
- Population from the 2020 Census: 763 people
- Askewville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Askewville is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Askewville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 216 people
- Ashland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Ashland is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Kelford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kelford is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Roxobel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Roxobel is located in Bertie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxobel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Camden County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Horseshoe
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Horseshoe is located in Camden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horseshoe
- South Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Chowan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Gliden
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Gliden is located in Chowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gliden
- Ryland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ryland is located in Chowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ryland
- Center Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Center Hill is located in Chowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Hill
- Mavaton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mavaton is located in Chowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mavaton
- Hertford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Como
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Tunis
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Tunis is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunis
- Tuscarora Beach
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Tuscarora Beach is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuscarora Beach
- Tuscarora Beach has also been known as:
- Barfield
- Barfields
- Winton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- South Tunis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- South Tunis is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Tunis
- Cofield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Cofield is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cofield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Barretts Crossroads
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Barretts Crossroads is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barretts Crossroads
- Murfreesboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Harrellsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Harrellsville is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrellsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
- Ahoskie
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Poor Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Poor Town is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poor Town
- Menola
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Menola is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menola
- Earleys
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Earleys is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earleys
- Northampton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Severn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Severn is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Severn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 238 people
- Pendleton
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Pendleton is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pendleton
- Conway
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Potecasi
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Potecasi is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potecasi
- Woodland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Eagletown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Eagletown is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagletown
- Lasker
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lasker is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lasker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- Margarettsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Margarettsville is located in Northampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Margarettsville
- Rich Square
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Perquimans County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Snow Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Snow Hill is located in Perquimans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Belvidere
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Nicanor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Nicanor is located in Perquimans County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicanor
- Winfall
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Franklin City (VA)
- Franklin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Isle of Wight County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Carrsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Carrsville is located in Isle of Wight County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrsville
- Walters
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Walters is located in Isle of Wight County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walters
- Windsor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Windsor is located in Isle of Wight County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,800 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Windsor <1>
- Zuni
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Zuni is located in Isle of Wight County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zuni
- Southampton County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Riverdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Riverdale is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverdale
- Kingsdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Kingsdale is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsdale
- Sunbeam
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sunbeam is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbeam
- Statesville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Statesville is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statesville
- Delaware
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Delaware is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaware
- Watkins Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Watkins Corner is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins Corner
- Handsom
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Handsom is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Handsom
- Hunterdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hunterdale is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunterdale
- Isaac
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Isaac is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isaac
- Edgehill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Edgehill is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgehill
- Cypress Manor
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cypress Manor is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress Manor
- Newsoms
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Newsoms is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newsoms
- Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
- Black Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Black Creek is located in Southampton County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
- Suffolk City (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Pittmantown
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Pittmantown is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittmantown
- Oak Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Oak Grove is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Whaley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Whaley is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
- Whaleyville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Whaleyville is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaleyville
- Holland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Holland is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Manning
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Manning is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manning
- Kilby
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kilby is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilby
- Russell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Russell is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Suffolk
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wilroy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wilroy is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilroy
- Chuckatuck
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chuckatuck is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chuckatuck
- Driver
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Driver is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Driver
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Topsy, see our County-by-County Page for Topsy.
Cemeteries Near Topsy ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Topsy.
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 Topsy - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Topsy covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Askew Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Blackjack Oak Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackjack Oak Cemetery
- The Blackjack Oak Cemetery has also been known as:
- Black Jack Oak Cemetery
- Southampton Memorial Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Holland Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Silas Edwards Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Brett Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Franklin Municipal Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Britt - Benthall Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Poplar Spring Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Spring Cemetery
- The Poplar Spring Cemetery has also been known as:
- Poplar Springs Cemetery
- Poplar Spring Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Memorial Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- White Oak Spring Baptist Church Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (105 more) ...
- Brinkley Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Brantley Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Weaver Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
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 Topsy in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Topsy.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Topsy, with the one closest to Topsy listed first.
- Dort
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Dort is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dort
- Sarem
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Sarem is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarem
- Reynoldson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Reynoldson is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldson
- Riddicksville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Riddicksville is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riddicksville
- Eure
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Gates
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Cleopus
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Cleopus is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleopus
- Willeyton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Willeyton is located in Gates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willeyton
- Somerton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Somerton is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerton
- Como
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Winton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tunis
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Tunis is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunis
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- South Quay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- South Quay is located in Suffolk City (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Quay
- South Tunis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- South Tunis is located in Hertford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Tunis
- Gatesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Topsy. See our List of 1890's Communities around Topsy.
Newspapers Published in Topsy ...
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 22 newspapers that have been published in the area around Topsy.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Topsy, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Topsy.
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 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 Topsy:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Gates County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bertie County
- Camden County
- Chowan County
- Hertford County
- Northampton County
- Perquimans County
- Franklin City
- Isle of Wight County
- Southampton County
- Suffolk City
- 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 '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- Topsy) 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 Topsy, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |