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 Merchant (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 Merchant. 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 and hospitals 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.
Merchant is located in Brunswick 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 Brunswick County: Warren (NC), Dinwiddie, Greensville, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg & Nottoway.
Below are the counties that are near Merchant. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Merchant:
- Brunswick County (The home county of Merchant)
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Gholsonville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Gholsonville is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gholsonville
- Netta ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Netta is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Netta
- Brodnax
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ezell
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Ezell is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezell
- Ankum
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ankum is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ankum
- Lawrenceville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Powellton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Powellton is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
- Gasburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Edgerton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Edgerton is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
- Ante
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Ante is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ante
- Alberta
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Alberta is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 265 people
- Dolphin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dolphin is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dolphin
- Dinwiddie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Oldenplace ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Oldenplace is located in Dinwiddie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oldenplace
- McKenney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Darvills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Darvills is located in Dinwiddie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darvills
- Borthwick ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Borthwick is located in Dinwiddie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borthwick
- Laird ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Laird is located in Dinwiddie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laird
- Emporia City
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Emporia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- White City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- White City is located in Emporia City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Greensville County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Radium
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Radium is located in Greensville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radium
- Skippers
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Claresville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Claresville is located in Greensville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claresville
- Jarratt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Lunenburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Lochleven
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Lochleven is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochleven
- Dundas
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Dundas is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundas
- Bagleys Mills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bagleys Mills is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagleys Mills
- Kenbridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oral Oaks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oral Oaks is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oral Oaks
- Wattsboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wattsboro is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattsboro
- Lunenburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lunenburg is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lunenburg
- Victoria
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mecklenburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- La Crosse
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Hagood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hagood is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagood
- Marengo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Marengo is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marengo
- South Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Bracey
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Opie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Opie is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opie
- Union Level
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Union Level is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Level
- Ogburn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ogburn is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogburn
- Palmer Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Palmer Springs is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer Springs
- Dunns Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dunns Corner is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunns Corner
- Wightman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Wightman is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Cusco Willa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Cusco Willa is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cusco Willa
- Nottoway County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Forkland ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Forkland is located in Nottoway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Blackstone
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Winnie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Winnie is located in Nottoway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnie
- Spotsylvania County
- Brokenburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Brokenburg is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brokenburg
- Sussex County
- Grizzard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Grizzard is located in Sussex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grizzard
- Granville County (NC)
- Townsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Halifax County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Littleton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Belmont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Belmont is located in Halifax County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- South Rosemary
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Rosemary is located in Halifax County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Rosemary
- Roanoke Rapids
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Airlie
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Airlie is located in Halifax County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airlie
- Weldon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Weldon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Weldon is located in Halifax County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Weldon
- Brinkleyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Brinkleyville is located in Halifax County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brinkleyville
- Hollister
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Heathsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Heathsville is located in Halifax County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathsville
- Allen Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Allen Grove is located in Halifax County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Grove
- Northampton County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Henrico
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gaston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Gaston is located in Northampton County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,022 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gaston <1>
- Pleasant Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Garysburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Vance County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Drewry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Drewry is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drewry
- Middleburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Flat Rock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Flat Rock is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Rock
- Warren County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Church Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Church Hill is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Church Hill
- Vaughan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Wise
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wise is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
- Macon
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Warren Plains
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Warren Plains is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren Plains
- Norlina
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Snow Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Snow Hill is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Warrenton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Manson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Soul City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Soul City is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soul City
- Arcola
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Arcola is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Merchant, see our County-by-County Page for Merchant.
Cemeteries Near Merchant ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Merchant.
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 Merchant - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Merchant covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- Carroll Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Wray Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Taylor Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bishop Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- John Jackson Wesson Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Davis Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Flournoy Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Powell Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Edwards Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wright Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Sculthorp Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Rawlings Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (195 more) ...
- Walden Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bennett Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Canaan Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Merchant in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Merchant.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Merchant, with the one closest to Merchant listed first.
- White Plains
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- White Plains is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Diamond Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Diamond Grove is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Grove
- Gholsonville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Gholsonville is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gholsonville
- Brokenburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Brokenburg is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brokenburg
- Brodnax
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ezell
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Ezell is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezell
- Ebony
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lawrenceville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Forksville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Forksville is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksville
- Meredithville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Meredithville is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredithville
- Gasburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Powellton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Powellton is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- La Crosse
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Marengo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Marengo is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marengo
- Elams
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Elams is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elams
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Merchant. See our List of 1890's Communities around Merchant.
Newspapers Published in Merchant ...
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 Merchant.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Merchant, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Merchant.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Merchant:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Brunswick County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dinwiddie County
- Emporia City
- Greensville County
- Lunenburg County
- Mecklenburg County
- Nottoway County
- Spotsylvania County
- Sussex County
- Granville County
- Halifax County
- Northampton County
- Vance County
- Warren 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> | 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 Merchant, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Merchant) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |