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 The Colony (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 The Colony. 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 and 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.
The Colony is located in James City 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 James City County: Charles City, Gloucester, King and Queen, New Kent, Newport News City, Surry, Williamsburg City & York.
Below are the counties that are near The Colony. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to The Colony:
- James City County (The home county of The Colony)
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Jamestown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Norge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Charles City County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Ruthville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ruthville is located in Charles City County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruthville
- Charles City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Westover
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Westover is located in Charles City County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
- Kimages
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Kimages is located in Charles City County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimages
- Roxbury
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Roxbury is located in Charles City County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxbury
- Chesterfield County
- Bermuda Hundred ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bermuda Hundred is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda Hundred
- Gloucester County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Clay Bank
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clay Bank is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Bank
- York View
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- York View is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York View
- Country Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Country Village is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Village
- Gloucester Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Belroi
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Belroi is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belroi
- Crab
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Crab is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crab
- Ordinary
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- White Marsh
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ark
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ark is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ark
- Money
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Money is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Money
- Roanes
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Roanes is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roanes
- Achilles
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Achilles is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Achilles
- Gloucester Courthouse
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gloucester Courthouse is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gloucester Courthouse
- Hampton City
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Newgate Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Newgate Village is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newgate Village
- Aberdeen Gardens
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Aberdeen Gardens is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberdeen Gardens
- Greenwood Farms
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood Farms is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Farms
- Chapel Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Chapel Village is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Village
- Pine Chapel Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Chapel Village is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Chapel Village
- Hampton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Buckroe Beach
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Buckroe Beach is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckroe Beach
- Phoebus
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Phoebus is located in Hampton City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoebus
- Henrico County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Elko
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elko is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko
- Glendale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Glendale is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Hopewell City
- Hopewell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Isle of Wight County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Rushmere
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rushmere is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmere
- Magnet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Magnet is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet
- Raynor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Raynor is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynor
- Smithfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Rescue
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Rescue is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rescue
- Zuni
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Zuni is located in Isle of Wight County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zuni
- Windsor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- King and Queen County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Plain View
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Plain View is located in King and Queen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plain View
- Mattaponi
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- King and Queen Court House
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- King William County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- West Point
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Romancoke
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Romancoke is located in King William County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romancoke
- Lanesville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lanesville is located in King William County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesville
- Mathews County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Cardinal
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Cardinal is located in Mathews County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardinal
- Susan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Susan is located in Mathews County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Susan
- New Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Beaverlett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Beaverlett is located in Mathews County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverlett
- Ruff
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ruff is located in Mathews County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruff
- Peary
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Peary is located in Mathews County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peary
- Mathews
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Onemo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Onemo is located in Mathews County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onemo
- Diggs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Middlesex County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Saluda
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Grafton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Grafton is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
- Harmony Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Harmony Village is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Village
- Hartfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Locust Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wilton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wilton is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
- Urbanna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Remlik
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Amburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Amburg is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amburg
- New Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Plum Point
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Plum Point is located in New Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Point
- New Kent
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Newport News City
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Lee Hall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Lee Hall is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Hall
- Red Hill Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Red Hill Village is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill Village
- Newport News
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bernard Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Bernard Village is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernard Village
- Hilton Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hilton Village is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
- Poquoson City
- Poquoson
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Prince George County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Burrowsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Burrowsville is located in Prince George County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Garysville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Garysville is located in Prince George County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garysville
- Newville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Newville is located in Prince George County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newville
- Southampton County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Ivor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Doles Crossroads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Doles Crossroads is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doles Crossroads
- Berlin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Berlin is located in Southampton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
- Suffolk City
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Chuckatuck
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Chuckatuck is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chuckatuck
- Ames Cove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ames Cove is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames Cove
- Bennett Harbor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bennett Harbor is located in Suffolk City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett Harbor
- Surry County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Homewood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Homewood is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homewood
- Scotland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Scotland is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotland
- Surry
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Beachland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Beachland is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beachland
- Itata
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Itata is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Itata
- Claremont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Claremont is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Spring Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Spring Grove is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
- Dendron
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Carsley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carsley is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carsley
- Sussex County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Wakefield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Waverly
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Williamsburg City
- Williamsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Charles Corner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Charles Corner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charles Corner
- Oaktree
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Oaktree is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaktree
- Barlows Corner
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Barlows Corner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlows Corner
- Rochambeau Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Rochambeau Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochambeau Village
- Lackey
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Lackey is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lackey
- Yorktown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Dare
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Dare is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dare
- Yorkville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Yorkville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to The Colony, see our County-by-County Page for The Colony.
Cemeteries Near The Colony ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of The Colony.
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 The Colony - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for The Colony covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Travis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Hospital Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jones Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Galt Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bruton Parish Churchyard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Swanns Point Plantation Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Williamsburg Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Poplar Lawn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mt. Gilead Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wier Neck Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (203 more) ...
- Curtis Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Cheesecake Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
While we didn't find The Colony in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of The Colony.
These communities are listed based on their distance from The Colony, with the one closest to The Colony listed first.
- Jamestown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Scotland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Scotland is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotland
- Homewood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Homewood is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homewood
- Alliance
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Alliance is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alliance
- Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Grove is located in James City County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove
- Ewell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Ewell is located in James City County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewell
- Highgate
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Highgate is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highgate
- Oaktree
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Oaktree is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaktree
- Lightfoot
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Toano
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lee Hall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Lee Hall is located in Newport News City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Hall
- Tettington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Tettington is located in Charles City County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tettington
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Moorings
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Moorings is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorings
- Clay Bank
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clay Bank is located in Gloucester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Bank
- Itata
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Itata is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Itata
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around The Colony. See our List of 1890's Communities around The Colony.
Newspapers Published in The Colony ...
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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around The Colony.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of The Colony, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for The Colony.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 The Colony:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to James City County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Charles City County
- Chesterfield County
- Gloucester County
- Hampton City
- Henrico County
- Hopewell City
- Isle of Wight County
- King and Queen County
- King William County
- Mathews County
- Middlesex County
- New Kent County
- Newport News City
- Poquoson City
- Prince George County
- Southampton County
- Suffolk City
- Surry County
- Sussex County
- Williamsburg City
- York 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 The Colony, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- The Colony) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |