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 Oak 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 Oak 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 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.
Oak Forest is located in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County: Amelia, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Goochland, Powhatan & Prince Edward.
Below are the counties that are near Oak Forest. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oak Forest:
- Cumberland County (The home county of Oak Forest)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Clinton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Clinton is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Cumberland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Trents Mill
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Trents Mill is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trents Mill
- Trenton Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Trenton Mills is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton Mills
- Lakeside Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Lakeside Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
- Guinea Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Guinea Mills is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guinea Mills
- Cotton Town
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cotton Town is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Town
- Albemarle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Scottsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Stony Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Stony Point is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Point
- Warren
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Warren is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
- Woodridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Woodridge is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodridge
- Porters
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Porters is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porters
- Esmont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Esmont is located in Albemarle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esmont
- Keene
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Amelia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Paineville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Paineville is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paineville
- Rodophil
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rodophil is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodophil
- Lodore
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lodore is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodore
- Amelia Court House
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Masons Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Masons Corner is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masons Corner
- Earls
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Earls is located in Amelia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earls
- Appomattox County
- Hurtsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hurtsville is located in Appomattox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurtsville
- Buckingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Gravel Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Gravel Hill is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravel Hill
- Gold Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gold Hill is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Hill
- Arvonia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- New Canton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- New Canton is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Canton
- Bridgeport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bridgeport is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Dillwyn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Curdsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Curdsville is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curdsville
- Sheppards
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Sheppards is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheppards
- Enonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Enonville is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enonville
- Buckingham
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Centenary
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Centenary is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centenary
- Alcoma
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Alcoma is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alcoma
- Andersonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Chesterfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Otterdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Otterdale is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otterdale
- Coalboro ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Coalboro is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalboro
- Midlothian
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Winterpock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Winterpock is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterpock
- Fluvanna County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Columbia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Weber City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Fork Union
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Nicholas
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Nicholas is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholas
- Kents Store
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Kents Store is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kents Store
- Antioch
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Antioch is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Lake Monticello
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lake Monticello is located in Fluvanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Monticello
- Goochland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Fife
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Enon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Enon is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enon
- Goochland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Maidens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Thorncliff
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Thorncliff is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorncliff
- Caledonia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Caledonia is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Sandy Hook
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sandy Hook is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Hook
- Hadensville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tabscott
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Tabscott is located in Goochland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabscott
- Oilville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hanover County
- Vontay
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Vontay is located in Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vontay
- Louisa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Shelfar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Shelfar is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelfar
- Willowbrook
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Willowbrook is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowbrook
- Vigor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Vigor is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vigor
- Gays ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gays is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays
- Bells Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bells Crossroads is located in Louisa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Crossroads
- Nelson County
- Warminster
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Warminster is located in Nelson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warminster
- Nottoway County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Burkeville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Crewe
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Spainville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Spainville is located in Nottoway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spainville
- Powhatan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Belona
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Belona is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belona
- Beaumont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Beaumont is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaumont
- Michaux
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Michaux is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michaux
- Pilkinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Pilkinton is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilkinton
- Dorset
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Dorset is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorset
- Huguenot
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Huguenot is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huguenot
- Prince Edward County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Farmville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tuggle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tuggle is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuggle
- Blake Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Blake Village is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blake Village
- Hampden - Sydney
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hampden - Sydney is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampden - Sydney
- Green Bay
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Five Forks
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Five Forks is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Forks
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oak Forest, see our County-by-County Page for Oak Forest.
Cemeteries Near Oak Forest ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oak 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 Oak Forest - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oak Forest covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Meador Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jenkins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hendricks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Taylor Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Thomas Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Cochran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Centenary Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (172 more) ...
- Cartersville Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cornerstone Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Guinea Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Oak Forest had a population of 14 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oak Forest, with the one closest to Oak Forest listed first.
- Clinton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Clinton is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Ashby
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ashby is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Tally ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tally is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tally
- Sunny Side
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sunny Side is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunny Side
- Trenton Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Trenton Mills is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton Mills
- Tobaccoville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tobaccoville is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tobaccoville
- McRae
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- McRae is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McRae
- Ballsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Ballsville is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballsville
- Bush Park ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bush Park is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bush Park
- Lawford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lawford is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawford
- Trenholm
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Trenholm is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenholm
- Angola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Angola is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angola
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Gilliamsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Gilliamsville is located in Buckingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilliamsville
- Guinea Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Guinea Mills is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guinea Mills
- Belona
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Belona is located in Powhatan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belona
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oak Forest. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oak Forest.
Newspapers Published in Oak 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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oak Forest.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oak Forest, 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 Oak Forest.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Oak Forest:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Cumberland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Albemarle County
- Amelia County
- Appomattox County
- Buckingham County
- Chesterfield County
- Fluvanna County
- Goochland County
- Hanover County
- Louisa County
- Nelson County
- Nottoway County
- Powhatan County
- Prince Edward 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 Oak Forest, 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' (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- Oak Forest) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |