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 Clifton (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 Clifton. 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 northeast 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 north.
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 north 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.
Clifton is located in Orange 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 Orange County: Albemarle, Culpeper, Greene, Louisa, Madison & Spotsylvania.
Below are the counties that are near Clifton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Clifton:
- Orange County (The home county of Clifton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Grassland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Grassland is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grassland
- Rhoadesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Orange
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- True Blue
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- True Blue is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True Blue
- Vulcan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Vulcan is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vulcan
- Madison Run
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Madison Run is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Run
- Danton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Danton is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danton
- Montpelier Station
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Burr Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Burr Hill is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burr Hill
- Locust Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Indian Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Town is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Town
- Gordonsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Barboursville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Albemarle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Burnley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Burnley is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnley
- Cobham
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cobham is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobham
- Rosena
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rosena is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosena
- Gilbert
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilbert is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbert
- Advance Mills Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Advance Mills Village is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Advance Mills Village
- Jefferson Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Jefferson Village is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Village
- Advance Mills
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Advance Mills is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Advance Mills
- Advance Mills has also been known as:
- Fray's Mills
- Eastham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Eastham is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastham
- Hollymead
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hollymead is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollymead
- Keswick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Monacan Town ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Monacan Town is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monacan Town
- Earlysville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Rio
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rio is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rio
- Charlottesville City
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Locust Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Locust Grove is located in Charlottesville City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Grove
- Belmont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Belmont is located in Charlottesville City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Charlottesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Culpeper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Waylands Mill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Waylands Mill is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waylands Mill
- Culpeper
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Lignum
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lignum is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lignum
- Norman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Norman is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norman
- Griffinsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Griffinsburg is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffinsburg
- Salem
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Salem is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
- Elkwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Kellys Ford
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Kellys Ford is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Ford
- Eggbornsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Eggbornsville is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eggbornsville
- Rixeyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Rixeyville is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rixeyville
- Homeland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Homeland is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homeland
- Jeffersonton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Jeffersonton is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffersonton
- Fauquier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Remington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bealeton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Blackwell Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Blackwell Town is located in Fauquier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwell Town
- Opal
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Opal is located in Fauquier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opal
- Midland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbull
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Turnbull is located in Fauquier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
- Waterloo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Waterloo is located in Fauquier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo
- Fluvanna County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Kents Store
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Kents Store is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kents Store
- Lake Monticello
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Monticello is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Monticello
- Fredericksburg City
- Fredericksburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Goochland County
- Tabscott
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Tabscott is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabscott
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Dawsonville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dawsonville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawsonville
- Quinque
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Quinque is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinque
- Kinderhook
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Kinderhook is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinderhook
- Stanardsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Amicus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Amicus is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amicus
- Cedarmere ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cedarmere is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarmere
- Hanover County
- Tylers
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Tylers is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tylers
- Louisa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Meltons
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Meltons is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meltons
- Green Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Green Springs is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Springs
- Trevilians
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Trevilians is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trevilians
- Louisa
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Medlock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Medlock is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medlock
- Mineral
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Pendleton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Pendleton is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pendleton
- Bells Crossroads
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Bells Crossroads is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Crossroads
- Harris ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Harris is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Cuckoo
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Cuckoo is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuckoo
- Vigor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Vigor is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vigor
- Bumpass
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- 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>
- Gays ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Gays is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Madison Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Madison Mills is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Mills
- Burnt Tree
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Burnt Tree is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Tree
- Radiant
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Radiant is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radiant
- Aroda
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Aroda is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aroda
- Madison
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Tryme
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Tryme is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tryme
- Ruth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ruth is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruth
- Wolftown
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Peola Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Peola Mills is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peola Mills
- Syria
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rappahannock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Slate Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Slate Mills is located in Rappahannock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slate Mills
- Scrabble
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Scrabble is located in Rappahannock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scrabble
- Woodville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Woodville is located in Rappahannock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Amissville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Sperryville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rediviva
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Rediviva is located in Rappahannock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rediviva
- Washington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rockingham County
- Swift Run
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Swift Run is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift Run
- Spotsylvania County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Paytes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Paytes is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paytes
- Belmont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Belmont is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Parker
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Parker is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker
- Childs Cove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Childs Cove is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Childs Cove
- Holladay
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Holladay is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holladay
- Logan
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Logan is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan
- Brockroad
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Brockroad is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockroad
- Glenora
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Glenora is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenora
- Margo
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Margo is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Margo
- McHenry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- McHenry is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McHenry
- Todds Tavern
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Todds Tavern is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Todds Tavern
- Dunavant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Dunavant is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Lewiston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lewiston is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Stafford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Storck
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Storck is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Storck
- Hartwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cropp
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cropp is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cropp
- Stafford Lakes Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Hartwood Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hartwood Village is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwood Village
- Berea
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Berea is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berea
- Falmouth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Clifton, see our County-by-County Page for Clifton.
Cemeteries Near Clifton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Clifton.
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 Clifton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Clifton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Emmanuel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lewis Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Unionville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Holy Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rhoadesville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Westview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westview Cemetery
- The Westview Cemetery has also been known as:
- West View Cemetery
- Graham Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- North Pamunkey Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (235 more) ...
- Antioch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mt. Sinai Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<3>
While we didn't find Clifton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Clifton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Clifton, with the one closest to Clifton listed first.
- Nasons
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Nasons is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nasons
- Grassland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Grassland is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grassland
- Rapidan
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Unionville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Orange
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rhoadesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lahore
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lahore is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lahore
- Verdiersville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Verdiersville is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdiersville
- Locust Dale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Madison Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Madison Mills is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Mills
- Daniel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Daniel is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel
- Vulcan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Vulcan is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vulcan
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- True Blue
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- True Blue is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True Blue
- Raccoon Ford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Raccoon Ford is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raccoon Ford
- Madison Run
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Madison Run is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Run
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Clifton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Clifton.
Newspapers Published in Clifton ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Clifton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Clifton, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Clifton.
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 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 Clifton:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Orange County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Albemarle County
- Charlottesville City
- Culpeper County
- Fauquier County
- Fluvanna County
- Fredericksburg City
- Goochland County
- Greene County
- Hanover County
- Louisa County
- Madison County
- Rappahannock County
- Rockingham County
- Spotsylvania County
- Stafford 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 Clifton, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Clifton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |