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 Birch (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 Birch. 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.
Birch is located in Halifax 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 Halifax County: Caswell (NC), Granville (NC), Person (NC), Campbell, Charlotte, Mecklenburg & Pittsylvania.
Below are the counties that are near Birch. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Birch:
- Halifax County (The home county of Birch)
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Elmo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elmo is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmo
- Sutherlin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Sutherlin is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutherlin
- Jones
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jones is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones
- Sign Rock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sign Rock is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sign Rock
- Rodden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rodden is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodden
- Delila
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Delila is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delila
- Westside Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Westside Village is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westside Village
- Halifax
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Leda
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Leda is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leda
- Alton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Banister Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Banister Town is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banister Town
- South Boston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Campbell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Melrose
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Melrose is located in Campbell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Brookneal
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Altavista
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lynch Station
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lynch Station is located in Campbell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynch Station
- Leesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Leesville is located in Campbell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
- Charlotte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Aspenwall
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Aspenwall is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspenwall
- Abell ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Abell is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abell
- Danville City
- Danville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fluvanna County
- Scottsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Franklin County
- Laprades Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Laprades Mill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laprades Mill
- Henry County
- Axton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Madison County
- Beaver Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Beaver Park is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Park
- Mecklenburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Nelson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Nelson is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
- Averett
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Averett is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averett
- Pittsylvania County
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Laurel Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Laurel Grove is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Grove
- Henrys Mill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Henrys Mill is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrys Mill
- Lucks
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lucks is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucks
- Spring Garden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Garden is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Garden
- Kentuck
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Kentuck is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Java
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Java is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Java
- Markham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Markham is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Markham
- Riceville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Riceville is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riceville
- Transco Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Transco Village is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Transco Village
- Sheva
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Sheva is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheva
- Ridgecrest
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Ridgecrest is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgecrest
- Tightsqueeze
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Tightsqueeze is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tightsqueeze
- Caswell County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Milton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Semora
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Estelle
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Estelle is located in Caswell County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
- Blanch
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gatewood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Gatewood is located in Caswell County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gatewood
- Providence
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Providence is located in Caswell County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Whitetown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Whitetown is located in Caswell County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitetown
- Leasburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Pelham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pelham is located in Caswell County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Bethel
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Bethel is located in Caswell County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Yanceyville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- West Yanceyville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- West Yanceyville is located in Caswell County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Yanceyville
- Granville County (NC)
- Wilbourns
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wilbourns is located in Granville County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbourns
- Person County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Ceffo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Ceffo is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceffo
- Concord
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Concord is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Hicks Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hicks Village is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicks Village
- Roxboro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Roseville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Roseville is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Whitt Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Whitt Town is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitt Town
- Allensville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Allensville is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allensville
- Allens Level
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Allens Level is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Level
- Cates
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Cates is located in Person County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cates
- Rockingham County (NC)
- Ruffin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Birch, see our County-by-County Page for Birch.
Cemeteries Near Birch ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Birch.
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 Birch - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Birch covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Ingram Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- William H. Shelton Graveyard
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Arbor Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Level Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Mercy Seat Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Cross Road Baptist Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Asbury Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- County Line Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Atkinson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (196 more) ...
- Union Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Union UMC Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- New Bethel Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
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 Birch in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Birch.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Birch, with the one closest to Birch listed first.
- Brooklyn
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Brooklyn is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Ingram
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Ingram is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingram
- Laurel Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Laurel Grove is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Grove
- Elmo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elmo is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmo
- Pickaway
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pickaway is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pickaway
- Sutherlin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Sutherlin is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutherlin
- Barksdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Barksdale is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barksdale
- Paces
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Paces is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paces
- Keeling
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Keeling is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeling
- Peytonsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Peytonsburg is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peytonsburg
- Kentuck
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Kentuck is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Shockoe
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Shockoe is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shockoe
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Spring Garden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Garden is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Garden
- Delila
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Delila is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delila
- Turbeville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Turbeville is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turbeville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Birch. See our List of 1890's Communities around Birch.
Newspapers Published in Birch ...
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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Birch.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Birch, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Birch.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Birch:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Halifax County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Campbell County
- Charlotte County
- Danville City
- Fluvanna County
- Franklin County
- Henry County
- Madison County
- Mecklenburg County
- Pittsylvania County
- Caswell County
- Granville County
- Person County
- Rockingham 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Birch) 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 Birch, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |