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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 Grinels (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 Grinels. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Neighboring Counties ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived:  their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the east contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Grinels is located in Middlesex 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 Middlesex County: Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, Lancaster & Mathews.

Below are the counties that are near Grinels. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Grinels:

  • Middlesex County     (The home county of Grinels)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Amburg
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Amburg is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amburg
    • Stingray Point
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Stingray Point is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stingray Point
    • Sandy Bottom ‑ Historic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Sandy Bottom is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Bottom
    • Wilton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilton is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Hartfield
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Grafton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Grafton is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
    • Harmony Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Harmony Village is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Village
    • Locust Hill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Urbanna
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Saluda
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Remlik
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Nesting
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Nesting is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nesting
  • Accomack County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Tangier
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Belle Haven
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Crockett Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Crockett Town is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crockett Town
    • Savage Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Savage Town is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savage Town
  • Essex County
    • Bowlers Wharf
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bowlers Wharf is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlers Wharf
  • Gloucester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • North
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Freeport
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Freeport is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeport
    • Glenns
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Glenns is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenns
    • Gloucester Courthouse
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Gloucester Courthouse is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gloucester Courthouse
    • Money
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Money is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Money
    • Ark
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Ark is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ark
    • Adner
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Adner is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adner
    • Roanes
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Roanes is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roanes
    • Belroi
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Belroi is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belroi
    • White Marsh
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Rowes Haven
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Rowes Haven is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Haven
    • Ordinary
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Achilles
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Achilles is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Achilles
  • James City County
    • Norge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • King and Queen County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Plain View
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Plain View is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plain View
    • Mattaponi
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Contra
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Contra is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Contra
    • King and Queen Court House
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Cumnor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Cumnor is located in King and Queen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumnor
  • King William County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • West Point
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Romancoke
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Romancoke is located in King William County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romancoke
  • Lancaster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Westland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Westland is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westland
    • White Stone
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Ocran
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Ocran is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocran
    • Irvington
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Weems
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Weems is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
    • Millenbeck
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Millenbeck is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millenbeck
    • Kilmarnock
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Ottoman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Ottoman is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottoman
    • Merry Point
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Merry Point is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merry Point
    • Richtown
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Richtown is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richtown
    • Lankford Corner
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Lankford Corner is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lankford Corner
    • Griffins Landing
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Griffins Landing is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffins Landing
    • Monaskon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Monaskon is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monaskon
  • Mathews County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Mathews
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Cardinal
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Cardinal is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardinal
    • Diggs
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Beaverlett
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Beaverlett is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverlett
    • Ruff
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Ruff is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruff
    • Onemo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Onemo is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onemo
    • Peary
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Peary is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peary
    • Susan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Susan is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Susan
    • New Point
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
  • New Kent County
    • Plum Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Plum Point is located in New Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Point
  • Newport News City
    • Lee Hall
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lee Hall is located in Newport News City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Hall
  • Northampton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Jamesville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Jamesville is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamesville
    • Pleasant Cove Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Pleasant Cove Village is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Cove Village
    • Bridgetown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Bridgetown is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgetown
    • Wardtown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Wardtown is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wardtown
    • Cherrystone
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Cherrystone is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherrystone
    • Birdsnest
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Eastville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Machipongo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Marionville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Marionville is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marionville
    • Nassawadox
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Sheps End
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Sheps End is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheps End
    • Cape Charles
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Cheriton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Northumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Lynhams
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Lynhams is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynhams
    • Remo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Remo is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Remo
    • Fleeton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Fleeton is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleeton
    • Blackwells
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Blackwells is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwells
    • Reedville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Lara
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Lara is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lara
    • Sunnybank
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Sunnybank is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnybank
    • Ophelia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Heathsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Rainswood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Rainswood is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainswood
    • Bundick
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Bundick is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bundick
    • Coan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Coan is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coan
    • Lodge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Lodge is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodge
  • Poquoson City
    • Poquoson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Richmond County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Simonson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Simonson is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simonson
    • Downings
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Downings is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downings
    • Farnham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Farnham is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farnham
    • Simons Corner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Simons Corner is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simons Corner
    • Emmerton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Emmerton is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmerton
  • Williamsburg City
    • Williamsburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • York County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.
    • Yorktown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Barlows Corner
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Barlows Corner is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlows Corner
    • Lackey
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Lackey is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lackey
    • Oaktree
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Oaktree is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaktree
    • Charles Corner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Charles Corner is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charles Corner
    • Rochambeau Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Rochambeau Village is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochambeau Village
    • Dare
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Dare is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dare
    • Yorkville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Yorkville is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Grinels, see our County-by-County Page for Grinels.

Cemeteries Near Grinels ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grinels.

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 Grinels - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Grinels covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.

  • Ebenezer Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Mathews Chapel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Lower UMC Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • White Stone Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Gwynns Island Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Vernon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Spring Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • White Stone Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Smither Memorial Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Hudgins Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Powell Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Marchant Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (148 more) ...
    • Gosehn Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Locust Grove Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Trinity Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)

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.<5>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Grinels had a population of 53 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Grinels, with the one closest to Grinels listed first.

  • Sandy Bottom ‑ Historic
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Sandy Bottom is located in Middlesex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Bottom
  • Bushy
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Bushy is located in Middlesex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushy
  • Wilton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Wilton is located in Middlesex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
  • Cobbs Creek
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Blakes
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Blakes is located in Mathews County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
  • Westland
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Westland is located in Lancaster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westland
  • White Stone
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Cricket Hill
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Cricket Hill is located in Mathews County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cricket Hill
  • Hudgins
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Hudgins is located in Mathews County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudgins
  • Irvington
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Weems
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Weems is located in Lancaster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
  • Harmony Village
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Harmony Village is located in Middlesex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Village
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Freeport
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Freeport is located in Gloucester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeport
    • Fitchetts
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Fitchetts is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitchetts
    • Locust Hill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Grinels. See our List of 1890's Communities around Grinels.

Newspapers Published in Grinels ...

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 Grinels.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grinels, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grinels.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Grinels:

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>To help visualize the location of the cemetery, we've drawn a straight line between the communities of Grafton and Hartfield. The cemetery can be found near that line and roughly halfway between the two communities. Remember that this is just an approximate location.
<3>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 from Point A (ie- Grinels) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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.
<5>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 Grinels, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.