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Home >> State of Virginia >> Hanover County >> Avondale >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Avondale (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 Avondale. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

Avondale is located in Hanover County.

To see how the shape of Virginia's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Hanover County: Caroline, Goochland, Henrico, King William, Louisa, New Kent & Spotsylvania.

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

  • Hanover County     (The home county of Avondale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Atlee Station
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Atlee Station is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlee Station
    • Mechanicsville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Hanover
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Gwathmey
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Gwathmey is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gwathmey
    • Ashland
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Westwood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Westwood is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
    • Taylorsville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Taylorsville is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville
    • Doswell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Hylas
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Hylas is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hylas
    • Verdon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Verdon is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdon
    • Goodall
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Goodall is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodall
    • Casco
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Casco is located in Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casco
    • Rockville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Caroline County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Burruss Corner
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Burruss Corner is located in Caroline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burruss Corner
    • Ruther Glen
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Penola
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Penola is located in Caroline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penola
    • DeJarnette
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • DeJarnette is located in Caroline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeJarnette
    • Sparta
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Sparta is located in Caroline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
    • Central Point
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Central Point is located in Caroline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Point
    • Bowling Green
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Charles City County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Roxbury
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Roxbury is located in Charles City County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxbury
    • Kimages
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Kimages is located in Charles City County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimages
    • Charles City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ruthville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ruthville is located in Charles City County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruthville
    • Westover
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Westover is located in Charles City County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
  • Chesterfield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Ampt Hill
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Ampt Hill is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ampt Hill
    • Bon Air
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Chesterfield Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Chesterfield Village is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield Village
    • Bensley Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Bensley Village is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bensley Village
    • Bensley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Bensley is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bensley
    • Bellwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Bellwood is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
    • Drewrys Bluff
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Drewrys Bluff is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drewrys Bluff
    • Robious
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Robious is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robious
    • Beulah Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Beulah Village is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah Village
    • Centralia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Centralia is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centralia
    • Meadowville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Meadowville is located in Chesterfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowville
    • Midlothian
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Chesterfield Court House
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
  • Colonial Heights City
    • Colonial Heights
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Essex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Minor
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Minor is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minor
    • Millers Tavern
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Millers Tavern is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Tavern
    • Beazley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Beazley is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beazley
    • Dunbrooke
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Dunbrooke is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbrooke
    • Lloyds
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lloyds is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lloyds
  • Goochland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Oilville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Thorncliff
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Thorncliff is located in Goochland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorncliff
    • Goochland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Maidens
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Sandy Hook
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Sandy Hook is located in Goochland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Hook
  • Henrico County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Chamberlayne
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Chamberlayne is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlayne
    • East Highland Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • East Highland Park is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Highland Park
    • Longdale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Longdale is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longdale
    • Oak Hill
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Oak Hill is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
    • Highland Springs
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Lakeside
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakeside is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
    • Glen Allen
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Hunton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Hunton is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunton
    • Quail Walk
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Quail Walk is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quail Walk
    • Heckler Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Heckler Village is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heckler Village
    • Dumbarton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Dumbarton is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumbarton
    • Laurel Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Laurel Village is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Village
    • Laurel
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Laurel is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
  • Hopewell City
    • Hopewell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
  • King and Queen County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Walkerton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Walkerton is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkerton
    • Bruington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Bruington is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruington
    • Cauthornville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Cauthornville is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cauthornville
    • Crouch
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Crouch is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crouch
    • Cumnor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Cumnor is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumnor
    • King and Queen Court House
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Contra
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Contra is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Contra
  • King William County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Enfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Enfield is located in King William County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enfield
    • Manquin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Tuck Fork
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Tuck Fork is located in King William County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuck Fork
    • Rumford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Rumford is located in King William County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumford
    • Beulahville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Beulahville is located in King William County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulahville
    • Lanesville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Lanesville is located in King William County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesville
    • Romancoke
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Romancoke is located in King William County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romancoke
  • Louisa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Willowbrook
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Willowbrook is located in Louisa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowbrook
    • Jackson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Jackson is located in Louisa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
    • Bumpass
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bumpass is located in Louisa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bumpass
      • Bumpass has also been known as:
      • Bumpas
      • Bumpass Junction
      • Bumpass Station
      • Bumpass Turnout
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bumpass <1>
    • Shelfar
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Shelfar is located in Louisa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelfar
    • Gays ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Gays is located in Louisa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays
  • New Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Tunstall
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Tunstall is located in New Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunstall
    • New Kent
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Petersburg City
    • Petersburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Powhatan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Huguenot
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Huguenot is located in Powhatan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huguenot
    • Dorset
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Dorset is located in Powhatan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorset
    • Beaumont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Beaumont is located in Powhatan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaumont
    • Michaux
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Michaux is located in Powhatan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michaux
    • Pilkinton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Pilkinton is located in Powhatan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilkinton
  • Prince George County
    • Garysville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Garysville is located in Prince George County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garysville
  • Richmond City
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Richmond
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Montrose Heights
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Montrose Heights is located in Richmond City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose Heights
  • Richmond County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avondale, with the one closest to Avondale listed first.
    • Chippenham Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Chippenham Village is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chippenham Village
    • Cherry Gardens
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Cherry Gardens is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Gardens
    • Walmsley Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Walmsley Village is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walmsley Village
  • Spotsylvania County
    • Partlow
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Avondale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Avondale.

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

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

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

  • Abraham Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Cool Spring Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Enon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Walnut Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Gethsemane Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Second Union Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Chestnut Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • New Bethesda Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Signal Hill Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Emmanuel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Emmanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (221 more) ...
    • Forest Lawn Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lawn Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Lawn Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the north of Richmond.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #154652 <3>
    • Beth El Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beth El Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Beth El Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the north of Richmond.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1848688 <3>
    • Cold Harbor National Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

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

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

  • Pole Green
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Pole Green is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pole Green
  • Atlee Station
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Atlee Station is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlee Station
  • Ellerson
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Ellerson is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellerson
  • Ashcake
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Ashcake is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashcake
  • Peaks
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Peaks is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peaks
  • Studley
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Cady
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Cady is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cady
  • Brook Hill
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Brook Hill is located in Henrico County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brook Hill
  • French Hay
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • French Hay is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for French Hay
  • Highland Springs
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Old Church
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Old Church is located in Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Church
  • Glen Allen
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Dumbarton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Dumbarton is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumbarton
    • Laurel
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Laurel is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
    • Fair Oaks
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Fair Oaks is located in Henrico County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair Oaks

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

Newspapers Published in Avondale ...

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 461 newspapers that have been published in the area around Avondale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Avondale, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Avondale.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Avondale:

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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Avondale) 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 Avondale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.