Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Cranks. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Cranks to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Cranks, please Contact Us.
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 Cranks (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 Cranks. 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 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Cranks is historic, it would have been located within present day Louisa 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 Louisa County: Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover, Orange & Spotsylvania.
Below are the counties that are near Cranks. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cranks:
- Louisa County (The home county of Cranks)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Bells Crossroads
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bells Crossroads is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Crossroads
- Medlock
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Medlock is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medlock
- Trevilians
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Trevilians is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trevilians
- Vigor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Vigor is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vigor
- Green Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Green Springs is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Springs
- Louisa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Meltons
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Meltons is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meltons
- Cuckoo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cuckoo is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuckoo
- Mineral
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Pendleton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Pendleton is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pendleton
- Gays ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gays is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays
- Jackson
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Jackson is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Albemarle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Cobham
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cobham is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobham
- Keswick
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Shadwell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Shadwell is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shadwell
- Rosena
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rosena is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosena
- Rose Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Rose Hill is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Eastham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Eastham is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastham
- Simeon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Simeon is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simeon
- Burnley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Burnley is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnley
- Gilbert
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gilbert is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbert
- Woodridge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Woodridge is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodridge
- Monacan Town ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Monacan Town is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monacan Town
- Hollymead
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hollymead is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollymead
- Buckingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Bridgeport
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bridgeport is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- New Canton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Canton is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Canton
- Arvonia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Gold Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gold Hill is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Hill
- Centenary
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Centenary is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centenary
- Gravel Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gravel Hill is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravel Hill
- Charlottesville City
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Belmont
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Belmont is located in Charlottesville City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Locust Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Locust Grove is located in Charlottesville City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Grove
- Charlottesville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Culpeper County
- Waylands Mill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Waylands Mill is located in Culpeper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waylands Mill
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Lakeside Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Lakeside Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
- Trenton Mills
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Trenton Mills is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton Mills
- Clinton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clinton is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Trents Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Trents Mill is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trents Mill
- Fluvanna County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Kents Store
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Kents Store is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kents Store
- Lake Monticello
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Lake Monticello is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Monticello
- Columbia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Fork Union
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Weber City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Antioch
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Antioch is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Nicholas
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Nicholas is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholas
- Goochland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Tabscott
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tabscott is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabscott
- Caledonia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Caledonia is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Hadensville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fife
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Enon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Enon is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enon
- Sandy Hook
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sandy Hook is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Hook
- Goochland
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Maidens
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Oilville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Thorncliff
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Thorncliff is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorncliff
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Dawsonville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dawsonville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawsonville
- Quinque
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Quinque is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinque
- Amicus
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Amicus is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amicus
- Stanardsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hanover County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Tylers
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Tylers is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tylers
- Vontay
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Vontay is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vontay
- Beaverdam
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Montpelier
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Goodall
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Goodall is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodall
- Rockville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hewlett
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Hewlett is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hewlett
- Casco
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Casco is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casco
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Madison Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Madison Mills is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Mills
- Burnt Tree
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Burnt Tree is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Tree
- Radiant
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Radiant is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radiant
- Aroda
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Aroda is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aroda
- Madison
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wolftown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Orange County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Gordonsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Madison Run
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Madison Run is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Run
- Barboursville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Montpelier Station
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Orange
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Danton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Danton is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danton
- Vulcan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Vulcan is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vulcan
- Grassland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Grassland is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grassland
- Rhoadesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- True Blue
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- True Blue is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True Blue
- Locust Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Burr Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Burr Hill is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burr Hill
- Powhatan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Beaumont
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Beaumont is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaumont
- Michaux
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Michaux is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michaux
- Spotsylvania County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Holladay
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Holladay is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holladay
- Belmont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Belmont is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Childs Cove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Childs Cove is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Childs Cove
- Glenora
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Glenora is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenora
- Lewiston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Lewiston is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Paytes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Paytes is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paytes
- Logan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Logan is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan
- Margo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Margo is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Margo
- Partlow
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- McHenry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- McHenry is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McHenry
- Parker
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Parker is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker
- Post Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Post Oak is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cranks, see our County-by-County Page for Cranks.
Cemeteries Near Cranks ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cranks.
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 Cranks - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cranks covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Jones Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Martin Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Watson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Henson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Grubbs Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bowles Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cooke Family Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Payne Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bruce Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (214 more) ...
- St. Johns Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Zion Hill Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Woodbury Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
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.
Cranks itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Cranks, with the one closest to Cranks listed first.
- Mallory ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Mallory is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mallory
- Bells Crossroads
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bells Crossroads is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Crossroads
- Medlock
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Medlock is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medlock
- Bybee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bybee is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
- Zion
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Zion is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion
- Kents Store
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Kents Store is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kents Store
- Trevilians
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Trevilians is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trevilians
- Shannon Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shannon Hill is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon Hill
- Wilmington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Wilmington is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Tabscott
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tabscott is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabscott
- Vigor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Vigor is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vigor
- Waldrop
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Waldrop is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldrop
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Louisa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Green Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Green Springs is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Springs
- Union Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Union Mills is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Mills
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cranks. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cranks.
Newspapers Published in Cranks ...
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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cranks.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cranks, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cranks.
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 Cranks:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Louisa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Albemarle County
- Buckingham County
- Charlottesville City
- Culpeper County
- Cumberland County
- Fluvanna County
- Goochland County
- Greene County
- Hanover County
- Madison County
- Orange County
- Powhatan County
- Spotsylvania County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Virginia
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Cranks, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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> | 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- Cranks) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |