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 Rock Springs (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 Rock Springs. 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.
Name Variations for Rock Springs ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Rock Springs: Rock Spgs. (or less commonly used: Rock Spngs. or Rock Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Rock Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Rock Springs.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Rock Springs is located in Meigs County.
To see how the shape of Ohio's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Meigs County: Athens, Gallia, Vinton, Jackson (WV), Mason (WV) & Wood (WV).
Below are the counties that are near Rock Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rock Springs:
- Meigs County (The home county of Rock Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Welshtown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Welshtown is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welshtown
- Pomeroy
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Thomas Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Thomas Village is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Village
- Syracuse
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Middleport
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Lima
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Lima is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lima
- Rutland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bashan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bashan is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bashan
- Keno
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Keno is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keno
- Racine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Dorcas
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dorcas is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorcas
- Langsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Langsville is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langsville
- Athens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Pratts Fork
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Pratts Fork is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratts Fork
- Shade
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Vanderhoof
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Vanderhoof is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanderhoof
- Carsey Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Carsey Town is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carsey Town
- Albany
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Guysville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Guysville is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guysville
- Coolville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Stewart
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Stewart is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
- Youba
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Youba is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youba
- Athens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Beebe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Beebe is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beebe
- Armitage
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Armitage is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armitage
- Gallia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Carlton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Carlton is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlton
- Cheshire
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cheshire is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheshire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Kyger
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kyger is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyger
- Kerr
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Kerr is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerr
- Westbrook Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Westbrook Village is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westbrook Village
- Ewington
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Ewington is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewington
- Vinton
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Gallipolis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mills Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mills Village is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills Village
- Alice
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Alice is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alice
- Rodney
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rodney is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
- Edna ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Edna is located in Gallia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edna
- Hocking County
- Orbiston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Orbiston is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orbiston
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Pattonsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Pattonsville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pattonsville
- Rempel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Rempel is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rempel
- Wellston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Altoona
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Altoona is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoona
- Glen Roy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Glen Roy is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Roy
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Joy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Joy is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joy
- Wrightstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Wrightstown is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrightstown
- Chesterhill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Vinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Wilkesville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Wilkesville is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Vales Mills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Vales Mills is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vales Mills
- Arbaugh
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Arbaugh is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbaugh
- Oreton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Oreton is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oreton
- Moonville ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Moonville is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moonville
- Ural ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Ural is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ural
- Hope ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hope is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
- Zaleski
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dundas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Dundas is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundas
- McArthur
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hamden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Fillmore
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fillmore is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Redbush
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Redbush is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbush
- Decaturville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Decaturville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decaturville
- Porterfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Porterfield is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterfield
- Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Corner is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corner
- Napier
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Napier is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napier
- Rockland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rockland is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
- Belpre
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Vincent
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Vincent is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vincent
- Barlow
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Barlow is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
- Jackson County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Neptune
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Neptune is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neptune
- Willow Grove ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Willow Grove is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Grove
- Sherman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Sherman is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Skull Run
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Skull Run is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skull Run
- Millwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Millwood is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
- Mozelle ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Mozelle is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mozelle
- Ravenswood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Willowdale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Willowdale is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowdale
- Flatwoods
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Flatwoods is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatwoods
- Huntsville ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Huntsville is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- Browning ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Browning is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browning
- Angerona
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Angerona is located in Jackson County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angerona
- Mason County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Hartford City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hartford City is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 593 people
- Mason
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Clifton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Clifton is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- New Haven
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- West Columbia
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- West Columbia is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Columbia
- Sassafras
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sassafras is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassafras
- York
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- York is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Letart
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Letart is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart
- Meadowbrook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Meadowbrook is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Flatrock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Flatrock is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatrock
- Point Pleasant
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brighton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Brighton is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Putnam County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Buffalo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Pliny
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Pliny is located in Putnam County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pliny
- Wirt County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Windy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Windy is located in Wirt County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windy
- Peewee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Peewee is located in Wirt County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peewee
- Wood County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Wesley ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wesley is located in Wood County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Eli
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Eli is located in Wood County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eli
- Lubeck
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Lubeck is located in Wood County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lubeck
- Washington
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Blennerhassett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Blennerhassett is located in Wood County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blennerhassett
- Pleasant View
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant View is located in Wood County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View
- Mineral Acres
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Mineral Acres is located in Wood County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Acres
- Mineral Wells
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Parkersburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Slate
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Slate is located in Wood County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slate
- Vienna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rock Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Rock Springs.
Cemeteries Near Rock Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rock Springs.
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 Rock Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rock Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Rock Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Beech Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Austin Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Hiland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Adamsville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Minersville Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Mt. Herman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (827 more) ...
- Smith Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bunker Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Middleport Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Rock Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rock Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Pomeroy
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Minersville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Minersville is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minersville
- Mason
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hartford City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hartford City is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 593 people
- Kingsbury
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Kingsbury is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
- Bradbury
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bradbury is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradbury
- Clifton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Clifton is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Syracuse
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hemlock Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hemlock Grove is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemlock Grove
- Middleport
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- West Columbia
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- West Columbia is located in Mason County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Columbia
- New Haven
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Chester
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Chester is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Rutland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Burlingham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Burlingham is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingham
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rock Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rock Springs.
Newspapers Published in Rock Springs ...
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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rock Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rock Springs, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rock Springs.
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 Rock Springs:
- Websites specific to Ohio
- Pages specific to Meigs County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Athens County
- Gallia County
- Hocking County
- Jackson County
- Morgan County
- Vinton County
- Washington County
- Jackson County
- Mason County
- Putnam County
- Wirt County
- Wood County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Ohio
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> | 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 Rock Springs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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 from Point A (ie- Rock Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |