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 Benns Church (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 Benns Church. 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 Benns Church ...
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.
While the name of this community is Benns Church, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Benns Church may originally have been Benn's Church.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Benns Church might be written as Benn Church.
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 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 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.
Benns Church is located in Isle of Wight 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 Isle of Wight County: Franklin, Southampton, Suffolk City & Surry.
Below are the counties that are near Benns Church. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Benns Church:
- Isle of Wight County (The home county of Benns Church)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Smithfield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rescue
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Rescue is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rescue
- Magnet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Magnet is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet
- Rushmere
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rushmere is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmere
- Raynor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Raynor is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynor
- Windsor
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Zuni
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Zuni is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zuni
- Walters
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Walters is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walters
- Carrsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Carrsville is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrsville
- Chesapeake City
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Charlton Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Charlton Village is located in Chesapeake City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlton Village
- Chesapeake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Franklin City
- Franklin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gloucester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Gloucester Point
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Crab
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Crab is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crab
- Achilles
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Achilles is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Achilles
- Country Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Country Village is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Village
- Ordinary
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Rowes Haven
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Rowes Haven is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Haven
- Clay Bank
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Clay Bank is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Bank
- White Marsh
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- York View
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- York View is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York View
- Roanes
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Roanes is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roanes
- Hampton City
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Greenwood Farms
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood Farms is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Farms
- Aberdeen Gardens
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Aberdeen Gardens is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberdeen Gardens
- Chapel Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Chapel Village is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Village
- Newgate Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Newgate Village is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newgate Village
- Pine Chapel Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Chapel Village is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Chapel Village
- Hampton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Phoebus
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Phoebus is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoebus
- Buckroe Beach
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Buckroe Beach is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckroe Beach
- James City County
- Jamestown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Newport News City
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Hilton Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hilton Village is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
- Bernard Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bernard Village is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernard Village
- Newport News
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Red Hill Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Red Hill Village is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill Village
- Lee Hall
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Lee Hall is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Hall
- Norfolk City
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Glenwood Park
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Glenwood Park is located in Norfolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood Park
- Alantic City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Alantic City is located in Norfolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alantic City
- Sussex
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Sussex is located in Norfolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sussex
- Monticello Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Monticello Village is located in Norfolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello Village
- Norfolk
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- New Town ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- New Town is located in Norfolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Poquoson City
- Poquoson
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Portsmouth City
- Portsmouth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Southampton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Ivor
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Doles Crossroads
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Doles Crossroads is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doles Crossroads
- Burdette
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Burdette is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdette
- Black Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Black Creek is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
- Berlin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Berlin is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
- Edgehill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Edgehill is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgehill
- Sedley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sedley is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedley
- Hunterdale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hunterdale is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunterdale
- Isaac
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Isaac is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isaac
- Cypress Manor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cypress Manor is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress Manor
- Kingsdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kingsdale is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsdale
- Watkins Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Watkins Corner is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins Corner
- Courtland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Suffolk City
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Chuckatuck
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Chuckatuck is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chuckatuck
- Ames Cove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ames Cove is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames Cove
- Bennett Harbor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bennett Harbor is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett Harbor
- Driver
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Driver is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Driver
- Wilroy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Wilroy is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilroy
- Shoulders Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Shoulders Hill is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoulders Hill
- Kilby
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Kilby is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilby
- Suffolk
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Manning
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Manning is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manning
- Russell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Russell is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Holland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Holland is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Oak Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Whaley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Whaley is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
- Surry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Itata
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Itata is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Itata
- Beachland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beachland is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beachland
- Homewood
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Homewood is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homewood
- Surry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Scotland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Scotland is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotland
- Dendron
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Carsley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Carsley is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carsley
- Spring Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Grove is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
- Claremont
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Claremont is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Sussex County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Wakefield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Waverly
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Virginia Beach City
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Burtons
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Burtons is located in Virginia Beach City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burtons
- Westview Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Westview Village is located in Virginia Beach City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westview Village
- Aragona Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Aragona Village is located in Virginia Beach City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aragona Village
- Kempsville Gardens
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Kempsville Gardens is located in Virginia Beach City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kempsville Gardens
- Pocahontas Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Pocahontas Village is located in Virginia Beach City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas Village
- Thalia Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Thalia Village is located in Virginia Beach City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thalia Village
- Mapleton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Mapleton is located in Virginia Beach City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
- Williamsburg City
- Williamsburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Dare
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dare is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dare
- Yorkville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Yorkville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Rochambeau Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rochambeau Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochambeau Village
- Lackey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Lackey is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lackey
- Yorktown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Charles Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Charles Corner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charles Corner
- Oaktree
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Oaktree is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaktree
- Barlows Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Barlows Corner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlows Corner
- Gates County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Corapeake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Holly Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Holly Grove is located in Gates County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Grove
- Reynoldson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Reynoldson is located in Gates County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldson
- Willeyton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Willeyton is located in Gates County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willeyton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Benns Church, see our County-by-County Page for Benns Church.
Cemeteries Near Benns Church ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Benns Church.
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 Benns Church - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Benns Church covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- St. Lukes Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Battery Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Christian Home Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ames Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bethany Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Little Zion Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Wright Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Triangle Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Greenlawn Memorial Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenlawn Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greenlawn Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<3> to the southeast of Newport News.
- The Greenlawn Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Greenlawn Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #50456 <4>
- Continue List (177 more) ...
- Pleasant Shade Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Shade Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pleasant Shade Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<3> to the southeast of Newport News.
- The Pleasant Shade Cemetery has also been known as:
- Holly Grove Cemetery
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #51692 <4>
- Maney Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Morrison Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<5>
While we didn't find Benns Church in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Benns Church.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Benns Church, with the one closest to Benns Church listed first.
- Carrollton
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Longview
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Longview is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview
- Smithfield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rescue
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Rescue is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rescue
- Chuckatuck
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Chuckatuck is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chuckatuck
- Everets
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Everets is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everets
- Septa
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Septa is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Septa
- Magnet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Magnet is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet
- Driver
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Driver is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Driver
- Deanes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Deanes is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deanes
- Comet
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Comet is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comet
- Shoulders Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Shoulders Hill is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoulders Hill
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Morrison
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Morrison is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison
- Menchville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Menchville is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menchville
- Raynor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Raynor is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynor
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Benns Church. See our List of 1890's Communities around Benns Church.
Newspapers Published in Benns Church ...
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 23 newspapers that have been published in the area around Benns Church.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Benns Church, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Benns Church.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Benns Church:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Isle of Wight County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chesapeake City
- Franklin City
- Gloucester County
- Hampton City
- James City County
- Newport News City
- Norfolk City
- Poquoson City
- Portsmouth City
- Southampton County
- Suffolk City
- Surry County
- Sussex County
- Virginia Beach City
- Williamsburg City
- York County
- Gates County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Virginia
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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- Benns Church) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |
| <5> | 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 Benns Church, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |