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 Belspring (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 Belspring. 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 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.
Belspring is located in Pulaski 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 Pulaski County: Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Montgomery & Wythe.
Below are the counties that are near Belspring. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Belspring:
- Pulaski County (The home county of Belspring)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Cowan
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Cowan is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowan
- Parrott
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Parrott is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrott
- Fairlawn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fairlawn is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlawn
- Dublin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Newbern
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wurno
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wurno is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wurno
- Sassin ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Sassin is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassin
- Snowville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Snowville is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snowville
- Hilton Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hilton Village is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
- Pulaski
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mack Creek Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Mack Creek Village is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mack Creek Village
- Draper
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Mechanicsburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Mechanicsburg is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsburg
- Round Bottom
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Round Bottom is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
- Rocky Gap
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Rocky Gap is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
- Bland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Bastian
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Hicksville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Hicksville is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Sylvatus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Sylvatus is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvatus
- Dugspur
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Star
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Star is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star
- Shorts Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Shorts Creek is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorts Creek
- Hillsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Sheep Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sheep Town is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheep Town
- Craig County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Huffman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Huffman is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Captain
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Captain is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Captain
- Simmonsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Simmonsville is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simmonsville
- Abbott
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Abbott is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbott
- Floyd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Sowers
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Sowers is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowers
- Indian Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Duncan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Duncan is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncan
- Terrys Fork
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Terrys Fork is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrys Fork
- Poff
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Poff is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poff
- Floyd
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Simpsons
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Simpsons is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpsons
- Pizarro
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pizarro is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pizarro
- Haycock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Haycock is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haycock
- Franklin County
- Algoma
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Algoma is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Algoma
- Giles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Goodwins Ferry
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Goodwins Ferry is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodwins Ferry
- Eggleston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Poplar Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Poplar Hill is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
- Pembroke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Newport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Newport is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Thessalia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Thessalia is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
- Mountain Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Mountain Lake is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Lake
- Pearisburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bluff City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bluff City is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Narrows
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Shumate
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Shumate is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
- Kire
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Kire is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kire
- Rich Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Prices Fork
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Prices Fork is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prices Fork
- McBryde Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- McBryde Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBryde Village
- Merrimac
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Merrimac is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimac
- Sundance Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Sundance Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sundance Village
- Childress
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Childress is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Childress
- Blacksburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Christiansburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Mount Tabor Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Tabor Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Tabor Village
- Riner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ellett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ellett is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellett
- Houchins
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Houchins is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houchins
- Old Farm Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Old Farm Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Farm Village
- Oak Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Radford City
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Radford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Town
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- New Town is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Sunset Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Sunset Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
- Mill Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Mill Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Village
- Radford Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Radford Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radford Village
- Simpkins Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Simpkins Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpkins Village
- Roanoke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Riverside
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Riverside is located in Roanoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Wabun
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wabun is located in Roanoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabun
- Bent Mountain
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Moomaw ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Moomaw is located in Roanoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moomaw
- Catawba
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wythe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Locust Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Locust Hill is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
- Max Meadows
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Chiswell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Chiswell is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Chiswell
- Siloam
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Siloam is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siloam
- Austinville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kent
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kent is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Logan County (WV)
- Rich Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rich Creek is located in Logan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Creek
- Mercer County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Willowton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Willowton is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowton
- Oakvale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oakvale is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakvale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Elgood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Elgood is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgood
- East River ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- East River is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East River
- Blake ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Blake is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blake
- Athens
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Princeton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- El Centro ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- El Centro is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Centro
- Monroe County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Peterstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Assurance
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Assurance is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assurance
- Ballard
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ballard is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
- Wikel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Wikel is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wikel
- Union
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Union is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 539 people
- Wayside
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Wayside is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Hillsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hillsdale is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Hollywood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hollywood is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Summers County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
- Forest Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Bargers Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bargers Springs is located in Summers County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bargers Springs
- Buck
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Buck is located in Summers County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Belspring, see our County-by-County Page for Belspring.
Cemeteries Near Belspring ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Belspring.
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 Belspring - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Belspring covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Brown Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Hickman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Wake Forest Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Highland Emmanuel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Anderson - Vickers Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Morgan Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New River Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Sunrise Burial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Central Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Burton Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Stanger Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- West View Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (397 more) ...
- Rock Road Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Snider Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Belspring had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Belspring, with the one closest to Belspring listed first.
- Churchwood ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Churchwood is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchwood
- Dry Branch
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dry Branch is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Branch
- New River
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- East Radford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- East Radford is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Radford
- Goodwins Ferry
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Goodwins Ferry is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodwins Ferry
- Trigg
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Trigg is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trigg
- Vicker
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Vicker is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vicker
- Prices Fork
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Prices Fork is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prices Fork
- Eggleston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Staffordsville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Staffordsville is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Staffordsville
- Dublin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bane
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bane is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bane
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Wabash ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wabash is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Poplar Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Poplar Hill is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
- Maybrook
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Maybrook is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maybrook
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Belspring. See our List of 1890's Communities around Belspring.
Newspapers Published in Belspring ...
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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Belspring.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Belspring, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Belspring.
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 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 Belspring:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Pulaski County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bland County
- Carroll County
- Craig County
- Floyd County
- Franklin County
- Giles County
- Montgomery County
- Radford City
- Roanoke County
- Wythe County
- Logan County
- Mercer County
- Monroe County
- Summers County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Virginia
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 Belspring, 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' (or 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- Belspring) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |