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 Forest (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 Forest. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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 Forest is located in Goochland 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 Goochland County: Cumberland, Fluvanna, Hanover, Henrico, Louisa & Powhatan.
Below are the counties that are near The Forest. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to The Forest:
- Goochland County (The home county of The Forest)
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Thorncliff
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Thorncliff is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorncliff
- Oilville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Goochland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Maidens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sandy Hook
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sandy Hook is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Hook
- Enon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Enon is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enon
- Fife
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hadensville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Caledonia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Caledonia is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Tabscott
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tabscott is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabscott
- Amelia County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Masons Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Masons Corner is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masons Corner
- Lodore
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Lodore is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodore
- Amelia Court House
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Paineville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Paineville is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paineville
- Rodophil
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rodophil is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodophil
- Earls
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Earls is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earls
- Ammon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ammon is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ammon
- Buckingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- New Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- New Canton is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Canton
- Arvonia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bridgeport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bridgeport is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Gold Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gold Hill is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Hill
- Caroline County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Burruss Corner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Burruss Corner is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burruss Corner
- Ruther Glen
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Chesterfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Midlothian
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Robious
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Robious is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robious
- Otterdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Otterdale is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otterdale
- Bon Air
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chesterfield Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chesterfield Village is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield Village
- Coalboro ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Coalboro is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalboro
- Winterpock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Winterpock is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterpock
- Fendley ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Fendley is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fendley
- Ampt Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ampt Hill is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ampt Hill
- Bensley Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bensley Village is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bensley Village
- Bensley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bensley is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bensley
- Beulah Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Beulah Village is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah Village
- Chesterfield Court House
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Clinton
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Clinton is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Lakeside Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Lakeside Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
- Trenton Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Trenton Mills is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton Mills
- Cumberland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Trents Mill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- 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 The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Columbia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Kents Store
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Kents Store is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kents Store
- Fork Union
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Weber City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hanover County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Vontay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Vontay is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vontay
- Rockville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hylas
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hylas is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hylas
- Casco
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Casco is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casco
- Goodall
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Goodall is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodall
- Montpelier
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gwathmey
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Gwathmey is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gwathmey
- Ashland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Atlee Station
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Atlee Station is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlee Station
- Beaverdam
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Tylers
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Tylers is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tylers
- Hewlett
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hewlett is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hewlett
- Taylorsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Taylorsville is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville
- Henrico County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Short Pump
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Tuckahoe Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Tuckahoe Village is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckahoe Village
- Wyndham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Wyndham is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyndham
- Lorraine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lorraine is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorraine
- Tuckahoe
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Laurel Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Laurel Village is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Village
- Glen Allen
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Laurel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Laurel is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
- Dumbarton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Dumbarton is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumbarton
- Hunton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Hunton is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunton
- Quail Walk
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Quail Walk is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quail Walk
- Lakeside
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Lakeside is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Longdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Longdale is located in Henrico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longdale
- Louisa County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Shelfar
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Shelfar is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelfar
- Willowbrook
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowbrook
- Gays ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Gays is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays
- Jackson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Jackson is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Cuckoo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Cuckoo is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuckoo
- Bumpass
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Vigor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Vigor is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vigor
- Pendleton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Pendleton is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pendleton
- Mineral
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Harris ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Harris is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Bells Crossroads
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bells Crossroads is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Crossroads
- Louisa
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Powhatan County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Beaumont
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Beaumont is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaumont
- Michaux
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Michaux is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michaux
- Huguenot
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Huguenot is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huguenot
- Dorset
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Dorset is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorset
- Belona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Belona is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belona
- Pilkinton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Pilkinton is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilkinton
- Richmond City
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Richmond
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Montrose Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Montrose Heights is located in Richmond City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose Heights
- Richmond County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Chippenham Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chippenham Village is located in Richmond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chippenham Village
- Cherry Gardens
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cherry Gardens is located in Richmond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Gardens
- Walmsley Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Walmsley Village is located in Richmond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walmsley Village
- Spotsylvania County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Partlow
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lewiston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Lewiston is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Glenora
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Glenora is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenora
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to The Forest, see our County-by-County Page for The Forest.
Cemeteries Near The Forest ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of The Forest.
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 Forest - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for The Forest covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Bethel UMC Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- St. Luke's Episcopal Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Subletts Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Manakin Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rocky Oak Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Oak Church Cemetery
- The Rocky Oak Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rocky Oak Cemetery
- Watkins Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Huguenot Springs Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. James Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Belmead Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Petersville Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (202 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- North Gayton Baptist Church
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Gayton Baptist Church
- To give a relative sense of its location, the North Gayton Baptist Church is located 12 miles [19.3 km]<2> to the northwest of Richmond.
- The North Gayton Baptist Church has also been known as:
- North Gayton Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2178838 <3>
- Shady Grove UMC Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove UMC Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Shady Grove UMC Cemetery is located 13 miles [20.9 km]<2> to the northwest of Richmond.
- The Shady Grove UMC Cemetery has also been known as:
- Shady Grove Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #890855 <3>
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 The Forest in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of The Forest.
These communities are listed based on their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Thorncliff
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Thorncliff is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorncliff
- Lee
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Lee is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee
- Cardwell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cardwell is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardwell
- Fine Creek Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Fine Creek Mills is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fine Creek Mills
- Oilville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Maidens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Subletts
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Subletts is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Subletts
- Boscobel
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Boscobel is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boscobel
- Michaux
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Michaux is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michaux
- Manakin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Manakin is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manakin
- Johnsons Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Johnsons Springs is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Springs
- Cedar Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Point is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Point
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Perkinsville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Perkinsville is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perkinsville
- Huguenot
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Huguenot is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huguenot
- Irwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Irwin is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around The Forest. See our List of 1890's Communities around The Forest.
Newspapers Published in The Forest ...
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 6 newspapers that have been published in the area around The Forest.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of The Forest, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for The Forest.
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 The Forest:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Goochland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Amelia County
- Buckingham County
- Caroline County
- Chesterfield County
- Cumberland County
- Fluvanna County
- Hanover County
- Henrico County
- Louisa County
- Powhatan County
- Richmond City
- Richmond County
- Spotsylvania 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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- The Forest) 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 The Forest, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |