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 California (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 California. 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 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.
California is located in Rockbridge 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 Rockbridge County: Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt & Nelson.
Below are the counties that are near California. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to California:
- Rockbridge County (The home county of California)
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Kerrs Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kerrs Creek is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerrs Creek
- Goshen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- East Lexington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- East Lexington is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lexington
- Zollman ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Zollman is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zollman
- Brownsburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Longwood ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Longwood is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longwood
- Riverside
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Fairfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Fairfield is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
- Fancy Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Fancy Hill is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancy Hill
- Davis
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Davis is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis
- Buffalo Forge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Buffalo Forge is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Forge
- Marlbrook
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Marlbrook is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlbrook
- Red Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Red Mills is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Mills
- Alleghany County
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Griffith
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Griffith is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffith
- Iron Gate
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Iron Gate is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron Gate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
- Clifton Forge
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Selma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Selma is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Low Moor
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rich Patch
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rich Patch is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Patch
- Moss Run
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Moss Run is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Run
- Amherst County
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Alto
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Alto is located in Amherst County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alto
- Forks of Buffalo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Forks of Buffalo is located in Amherst County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forks of Buffalo
- Allwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Allwood is located in Amherst County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allwood
- Pleasant View
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant View is located in Amherst County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View
- Sandidges
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sandidges is located in Amherst County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandidges
- Pedlar Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pedlar Mills is located in Amherst County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pedlar Mills
- Augusta County
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Craigsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Newport
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Newport is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Marble Valley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Marble Valley is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marble Valley
- Pond Gap ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pond Gap is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pond Gap
- Spottswood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Spottswood is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spottswood
- Steeles Tavern
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Deerfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Deerfield is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
- Middlebrook
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Chapin
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Chapin is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapin
- Greenville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Arbor Hill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Arbor Hill is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
- West Augusta
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- West Augusta is located in Augusta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Augusta
- Bath County
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Millboro
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Yost
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Yost is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yost
- Bath Alum
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bath Alum is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath Alum
- Fort Lewis ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Fort Lewis is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Lewis
- Mitchelltown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mitchelltown is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchelltown
- Warm Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Healing Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Healing Springs is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Healing Springs
- Carloover
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Carloover is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carloover
- Cowardin ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cowardin is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowardin
- Burnsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Burnsville is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnsville
- Greenwood ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Greenwood is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Bolar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bolar is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolar
- Mountain Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mountain Grove is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Grove
- Bedford County
- Waugh
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Waugh is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waugh
- Botetourt County
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Glen Wilton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Glen Wilton is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Wilton
- Haden
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Haden is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haden
- Gala
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Gala is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gala
- Rocky Point
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Rocky Point is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Point
- Salt Petre Cave
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Salt Petre Cave is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salt Petre Cave
- Salt Petre Cave has also been known as:
- Salt Peter Cave
- Saltpetre
- Strom
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Strom is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strom
- Salisbury
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Salisbury is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Buchanan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Springwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Springwood is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springwood
- Oriskany
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Botetourt ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Botetourt is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botetourt
- Buena Vista City
- Buena Vista
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Covington City
- Covington
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Highland County
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Clover Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Clover Creek is located in Highland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Creek
- Buckeye ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Buckeye is located in Highland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
- McDowell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Lexington City
- Lexington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Greenbrier County (WV)
- Neola
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Neola is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neola
- Pocahontas County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Frost
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Frost is located in Pocahontas County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
- Huntersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to California, see our County-by-County Page for California.
Cemeteries Near California ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of California.
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 California - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for California covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- The Pines Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hartbarger Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kerrs Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chestnut Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bratton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Union View Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Mt. Moreland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Moreland Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Moreland Cemetery is located
- The Mt. Moreland Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Moreland Methodist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1983694 <2>
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- New Monmouth Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Goodbar Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Collierstown Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Little River Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (121 more) ...
- Old Monmouth Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bethany Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Central Church Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, California had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from California, with the one closest to California listed first.
- Denmark
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Denmark is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Millboro
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Crane
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Crane is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crane
- Copeland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Copeland is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copeland
- Millboro Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Millboro Springs is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millboro Springs
- Goshen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Griffith
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Griffith is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffith
- Collierstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Collierstown is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collierstown
- Yost
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Yost is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yost
- Longdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Longdale is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longdale
- Oakdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Oakdale is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
- Murat
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Murat is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murat
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- East Lexington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- East Lexington is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lexington
- Bells Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bells Valley is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Valley
- Green Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Green Valley is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Valley
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around California. See our List of 1890's Communities around California.
Newspapers Published in California ...
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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around California.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of California, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for California.
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 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 California:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Rockbridge County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alleghany County
- Amherst County
- Augusta County
- Bath County
- Bedford County
- Botetourt County
- Buena Vista City
- Covington City
- Highland County
- Lexington City
- Greenbrier County
- Pocahontas 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 California, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- California) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |