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 Oakwood 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 Oakwood 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.
Name Variations for Oakwood Forest ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Oakwood Forest: Oakwood Frst.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Oakwood Forest. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Oakwood Forest.
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 northeast 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 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.
Oakwood Forest is located in Alleghany 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 Alleghany County: Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Rockbridge, Greenbrier (WV) & Monroe (WV).
Below are the counties that are near Oakwood Forest. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oakwood Forest:
- Alleghany County (The home county of Oakwood Forest)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Moss Run
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Moss Run is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Run
- Rich Patch
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rich Patch is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Patch
- Low Moor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Selma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Selma is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Clifton Forge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Iron Gate
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Iron Gate is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron Gate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
- Griffith
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Griffith is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffith
- Bath County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Carloover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Carloover is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carloover
- Greenwood ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Greenwood is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Healing Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Healing Springs is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Healing Springs
- Cowardin ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Cowardin is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowardin
- Mitchelltown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Mitchelltown is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchelltown
- Warm Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Mountain Grove is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Grove
- Bath Alum
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Bath Alum is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath Alum
- Millboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Lewis ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Lewis is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Lewis
- Yost
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Yost is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yost
- Bedford County
- Villamont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Villamont is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villamont
- Botetourt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Strom
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Strom is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strom
- Glen Wilton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Glen Wilton is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Wilton
- Haden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Haden is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haden
- Oriskany
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Gala
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gala is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gala
- Salisbury
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Salisbury is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Salt Petre Cave
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Salt Petre Cave is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salt Petre Cave
- Salt Petre Cave has also been known as:
- Salt Peter Cave
- Saltpetre
- Fincastle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Haymakertown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Haymakertown is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haymakertown
- Springwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Springwood is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springwood
- Botetourt ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Botetourt is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botetourt
- Buchanan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Amsterdam
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Amsterdam is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsterdam
- Covington City
- Covington
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Craig County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- New Castle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Abbott
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Abbott is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbott
- Lexington City
- Lexington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Roanoke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Catawba
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mason Cove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mason Cove is located in Roanoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason Cove
- Moomaw ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Moomaw is located in Roanoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moomaw
- Rockbridge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Longwood ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Longwood is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longwood
- Springfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Springfield is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Red Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Red Mills is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Mills
- Natural Bridge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fancy Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fancy Hill is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancy Hill
- Kerrs Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Kerrs Creek is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerrs Creek
- Zollman ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Zollman is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zollman
- Goshen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Greenlee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenlee is located in Rockbridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenlee
- Greenbrier County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Neola
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Neola is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neola
- Wild Meadow
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Wild Meadow is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wild Meadow
- Tuckahoe
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Tuckahoe is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckahoe
- White Sulphur Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Anthony
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Anthony is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anthony
- Brink ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Brink is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brink
- Caldwell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Spring Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Creek is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- Frankford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Frankford is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankford
- Clendenenville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Clendenenville is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clendenenville
- Falling Spring
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Falling Spring is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Lewisburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Fairlea
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Monroe County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Hollywood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hollywood is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Hillsdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hillsdale is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Pocahontas County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Watoga ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Watoga is located in Pocahontas County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watoga
- Hillsboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Buckeye
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Huntersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Marlinton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oakwood Forest, see our County-by-County Page for Oakwood Forest.
Cemeteries Near Oakwood Forest ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oakwood 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 Oakwood Forest - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oakwood Forest covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Cedar Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Helmintoller Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mallow Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Smith Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Alleghany Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Humphries Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Hooks Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sunrise Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hoke Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Simmons Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (128 more) ...
- Oakland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Deisher Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Haden Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
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 Oakwood Forest in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oakwood Forest.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oakwood Forest, with the one closest to Oakwood Forest listed first.
- Mallow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mallow is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mallow
- Callaghan
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Callaghan is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callaghan
- Moss Run
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Moss Run is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Run
- Rich Patch
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rich Patch is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Patch
- Low Moor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Backbone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Backbone is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Backbone
- Selma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Selma is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Strom
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Strom is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strom
- Haden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Haden is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haden
- Glen Wilton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Glen Wilton is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Wilton
- Clifton Forge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Iron Gate
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Iron Gate is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron Gate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Longdale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Longdale is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longdale
- Alleghany
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Alleghany is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleghany
- Gala
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gala is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gala
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oakwood Forest. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oakwood Forest.
Newspapers Published in Oakwood 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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oakwood Forest.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oakwood Forest, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oakwood Forest.
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 websites either 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 Oakwood Forest:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Alleghany County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bath County
- Bedford County
- Botetourt County
- Covington City
- Craig County
- Lexington City
- Roanoke County
- Rockbridge County
- Greenbrier County
- Monroe County
- Pocahontas 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> | 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 Oakwood Forest, 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 from Point A (ie- Oakwood Forest) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |