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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 Westport (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 Westport. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Westport is located in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County: Burke, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell & Mecklenburg.

Below are the counties that are near Westport. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Westport:

  • Lincoln County     (The home county of Westport)
  • Alexander County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.
    • Stony Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Taylorsville Beach
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Taylorsville Beach is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville Beach
    • Fairview Park
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Fairview Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park
    • Isenhour Park
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Isenhour Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isenhour Park
    • Millersville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Millersville is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Hiddenite
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Midway
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Midway is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Bethlehem
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bethlehem is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
    • Liledoun
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Liledoun is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liledoun
  • Burke County
    • Hildebran
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Cabarrus County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.
    • Tulin ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Tulin is located in Cabarrus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulin
    • Cannon Crossroads
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Fisher Town
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Fisher Town is located in Cabarrus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher Town
    • Poplar Tent
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Poplar Tent is located in Cabarrus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Tent
    • Harrisburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Concord
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Rimer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.
    • Concord ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Concord is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Northlakes
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Northlakes is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northlakes
  • Catawba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.
    • Lake Norman of Catawba
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Terrell
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Killian Crossroads
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Killian Crossroads is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killian Crossroads
    • Sherrills Ford
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Drums Crossroads
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Drums Crossroads is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drums Crossroads
    • Olivers Crossroads
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Olivers Crossroads is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivers Crossroads
    • Monbo
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Monbo is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monbo
    • Bandy
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Long Island
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Long Island is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Island
    • Murrays Hill
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Murrays Hill is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murrays Hill
    • Providence Mill
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Providence Mill is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence Mill
    • Maiden
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Cleveland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.
    • Kings Mountain
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Waco
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Stony Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Stony Point is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Point
    • Wilson ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Wilson is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
    • Stubbs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • White Plains
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • White Plains is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
    • Fallston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Toluca
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Toluca is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toluca
    • Beam Mill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Belwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Belwood is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 963 people
  • Gaston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.
    • Lucia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Alexis
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Stanley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mount Holly
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Woodland ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Woodland is located in Gaston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
    • High Shoals
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • High Shoals is located in Gaston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 757 people
    • Spencer Mountain
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Spencer Mountain is located in Gaston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer Mountain
      • Estimated population in 2016: 36 people
    • Dallas
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Ranlo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Brown Town
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Brown Town is located in Gaston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Town
    • McAdenville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Lowell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Iredell County
  • Mecklenburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.
    • River View ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • River View is located in Mecklenburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River View
    • Cornelius
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Davidson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Huntersville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Croft
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Spring Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Spring Lake is located in Mecklenburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
    • Chateau Woods
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Paw Creek
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Paw Creek is located in Mecklenburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paw Creek
    • Greenville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Greenville is located in Mecklenburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenville
    • Biddleville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Biddleville is located in Mecklenburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biddleville
    • Belmont
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Belmont is located in Mecklenburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Charlotte
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Rowan County
  • York County (SC)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Westport, see our County-by-County Page for Westport.

Cemeteries Near Westport ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westport.

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 Westport - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Westport covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.

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 Westport in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Westport.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Westport, with the one closest to Westport listed first.

  • River View ‑ Historic
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • River View is located in Mecklenburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River View
  • Triangle ‑ Historic
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Triangle is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Triangle
  • Denver
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Cowans Ford
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Cowans Ford is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowans Ford
  • Mayhew
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Machpelah
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Lowesville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Lowesville is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowesville
  • Mount Mourne
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Lucia
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Huntersville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Caldwell
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Caldwell is located in Mecklenburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell
  • Davidson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Westport. See our List of 1890's Communities around Westport.

Newspapers Published in Westport ...

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 43 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westport.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westport, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Westport.

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 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 Westport:

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 Westport, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Westport) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.