RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Virginia >> Northampton County >> Highland Heights >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Highland Heights (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 Highland Heights. 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.

Name Variations for Highland Heights ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Highland Heights: Highland Hts. (in Canada, 'Hgts.' is the more common abbreviation.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Highland Heights. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Highland Heights.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 doctors and 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.

Highland Heights is located in Northampton County.

To see how the shape of Virginia's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

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

  • Northampton County     (The home county of Highland Heights)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highland Heights, with the one closest to Highland Heights listed first.
    • Exmore
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Exmore is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exmore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,362 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Exmore <1>
    • Wardtown
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Wardtown is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wardtown
    • Nassawadox
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Jamesville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Jamesville is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamesville
    • Pleasant Cove Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Pleasant Cove Village is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Cove Village
    • Marionville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Marionville is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marionville
    • Birdsnest
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Sheps End
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Sheps End is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheps End
    • Bridgetown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Bridgetown is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgetown
    • Machipongo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Eastville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Pat Town
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Pat Town is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pat Town
  • Accomack County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highland Heights, with the one closest to Highland Heights listed first.
    • Belle Haven
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Savage Town
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Savage Town is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savage Town
    • Cats Bridge
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Cats Bridge is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cats Bridge
    • Painter
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Keller
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Locust Mount
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Locust Mount is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Mount
    • Melfa
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Wachapreague
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Crockett Town
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Crockett Town is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crockett Town
    • Locustville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Onley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Onancock
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Lancaster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highland Heights, with the one closest to Highland Heights listed first.
    • Westland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Westland is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westland
    • Ocran
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Ocran is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocran
  • Mathews County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highland Heights, with the one closest to Highland Heights listed first.
    • Diggs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Onemo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Onemo is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onemo
    • Peary
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Peary is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peary
    • Beaverlett
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Beaverlett is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverlett
    • Mathews
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Ruff
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Ruff is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruff
    • New Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Susan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Susan is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Susan
    • Cardinal
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Cardinal is located in Mathews County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardinal
  • Middlesex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highland Heights, with the one closest to Highland Heights listed first.
    • Stingray Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Stingray Point is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stingray Point
    • Sandy Bottom ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Sandy Bottom is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Bottom
    • Amburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Amburg is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amburg
  • Northumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highland Heights, with the one closest to Highland Heights listed first.
    • Fleeton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Fleeton is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleeton
    • Lynhams
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Lynhams is located in Northumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynhams
  • Somerset County (MD)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highland Heights, with the one closest to Highland Heights listed first.
    • Crisfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Lawsonia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Lawsonia is located in Somerset County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonia
    • Daugherty Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Daugherty Town is located in Somerset County (MD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daugherty Town
    • Tylerton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Highland Heights ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Highland Heights.

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 Highland Heights - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Belle Haven Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Phillips Place Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • McLane Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Pungoteague Community Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Major Doughty Gravesite
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Martin/Hatton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin/Hatton
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Martin/Hatton is located outside and to the west of Melfa.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2258639 <2>
  • Joynes Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fairlawn Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fairview Lawn Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Lawn Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Fairview Lawn Cemetery is located outside and to the southeast of Onancock.
  • Mt. Holly Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Onancock Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Allen Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (68 more) ...
    • Holland Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Edge Hill Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Whitehead Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 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.<3>

While we didn't find Highland Heights in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Highland Heights.

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

  • Belle Haven
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Exmore
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Exmore is located in Northampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exmore
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,362 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Exmore <1>
  • Wardtown
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Wardtown is located in Northampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wardtown
  • Hadlock
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Hadlock is located in Northampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadlock
  • Craddockville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Craddockville is located in Accomack County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craddockville
  • Davis Wharf
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Davis Wharf is located in Accomack County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Wharf
  • Painter
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Mappsburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Mappsburg is located in Accomack County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mappsburg
  • Jamesville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jamesville is located in Northampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamesville
  • Franktown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Nassawadox
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Pungoteague
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Nandua
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Nandua is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nandua
    • Marionville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Marionville is located in Northampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marionville
    • Trower
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Trower is located in Accomack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trower

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

Newspapers Published in Highland Heights ...

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 17 newspapers that have been published in the area around Highland Heights.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Highland Heights, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Highland Heights.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Highland Heights:

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 Highland Heights, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Highland Heights) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.