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 Oreton (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 Oreton. 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 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.
Oreton is located in Wise 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 Wise County: Harlan (KY), Letcher (KY), Pike (KY), Dickenson, Lee, Russell & Scott.
Below are the counties that are near Oreton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oreton:
- Wise County (The home county of Oreton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Big Stone Gap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- East Stone Gap
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- East Stone Gap is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Stone Gap
- Exeter
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Exeter is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
- Appalachia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Kent Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Kent Junction is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent Junction
- Osaka
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Osaka is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osaka
- Blackwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blackwood is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwood
- Esserville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Esserville is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esserville
- Hamilton town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hamilton town is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton town
- Wise
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Coeburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dwina
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Dwina is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwina
- Pound
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Dickenson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Herald
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Herald is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herald
- Darwin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Darwin is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darwin
- Omaha
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Omaha is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Clintwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Nora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Nora is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Lee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Darnell Town
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Darnell Town is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darnell Town
- Keokee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Keokee is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keokee
- Rawhide
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Rawhide is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawhide
- Dryden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Dryden is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryden
- Stickleyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Stickleyville is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickleyville
- Ely
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Ely is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
- Pennington Gap
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Pennington Gap is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington Gap
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,708 people
- Saint Charles
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Saint Charles is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Charles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Blackwater
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Blackwater is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwater
- Jonesville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fleenortown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fleenortown is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleenortown
- Van
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Van is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van
- Hubbard Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hubbard Springs is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hubbard Springs
- Norton City
- Norton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Russell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Fugates Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Fugates Hill is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fugates Hill
- Bickley Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bickley Mill is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bickley Mill
- Castlewood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Dante
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dante is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dante
- Dickensonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Dickensonville is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickensonville
- Willow Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Willow Springs is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Springs
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Duffield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lano
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Lano is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lano
- Clinchport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Clinchport is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinchport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Fort Blackmore
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Kermit
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Kermit is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kermit
- Gate City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Yuma
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Yuma is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuma
- Dungannon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Dungannon is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dungannon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
- Frisco
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Frisco is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- Weber City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Weber City is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,214 people
- Snowflake
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Snowflake is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snowflake
- Nickelsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Hiltons
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Mendota
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Mendota is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendota
- Leonard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Leonard is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leonard
- Harlan County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Lynch
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Holmes Mill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Holmes Mill is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes Mill
- Benham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cumberland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chad
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Chad is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chad
- Closplint
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Closplint is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Closplint
- Dizney
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dizney is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dizney
- Louellen
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Louellen is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louellen
- Totz
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kenvir
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Kenvir is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenvir
- Cranks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Cranks is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranks
- Redbud
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Redbud is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbud
- Short Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Short Town is located in Harlan County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Town
- Knott County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Redfox
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Redfox is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfox
- Littcarr
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Littcarr is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littcarr
- Leslie County (KY)
- Yeaddiss
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Yeaddiss is located in Leslie County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeaddiss
- Letcher County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Partridge
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Partridge is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partridge
- Eolia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Eolia is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eolia
- Oven Fork
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Oven Fork is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oven Fork
- Kings Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kings Creek is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Creek
- Linefork
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Linefork is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linefork
- Flint
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Flint is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
- Gordon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Gordon is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Ermine
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Ermine is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ermine
- Uz
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Uz is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uz
- West Whitesburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- West Whitesburg is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Whitesburg
- Whitesburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bellcraft
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Bellcraft is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellcraft
- Hot Spot
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Hot Spot is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Spot
- Hot Spot has also been known as:
- Hotspot
- Perry County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Delphia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Delphia is located in Perry County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delphia
- Slemp
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Slemp is located in Perry County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slemp
- Cornettsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cornettsville is located in Perry County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornettsville
- Hancock County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Willis
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Willis is located in Hancock County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willis
- Estimated population in 2014: 387 people
- Kyles Ford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hawkins County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Frisco
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Frisco is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- Waycross
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Waycross is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waycross
- Estimated population in 2014: 4,091 people
- Greenvale
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Greenvale is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenvale
- Block City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Block City is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Block City
- Mount Carmel
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Church Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Green Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Green Village is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Village
- New Canton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- New Canton is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Canton
- Solitude ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Solitude is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solitude
- Rotherwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rotherwood is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rotherwood
- Greenland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Greenland is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
- Blossom
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Blossom is located in Hawkins County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blossom
- Surgoinsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Sullivan County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Beartown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Beartown is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beartown
- Morrison City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Morrison City is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison City
- Cherokee Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cherokee Village is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Village
- Bloomingdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomingdale is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Population from the 2010 Census: 9,888 people
- Horace ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Horace is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horace
- Borden Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Borden Village is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borden Village
- Kingsport
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Beechwood Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Beechwood Village is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood Village
- Blair Gap
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Blair Gap is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair Gap
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,870 people
- Orebank
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Orebank is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orebank
- Rock City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rock City is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Colonial Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Harrtown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Harrtown is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrtown
- Estimated population in 2014: 4,365 people
- Washington County (TN)
- Fall Branch
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oreton, see our County-by-County Page for Oreton.
Cemeteries Near Oreton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oreton.
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 Oreton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oreton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Lawson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Peterson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Rhoton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Carroll Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Collier Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Collier Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Fields Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lane Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Gilley Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Robinette Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wells Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (1301 more) ...
- Wampler Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wade Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wilson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 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 Oreton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oreton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oreton, with the one closest to Oreton listed first.
- Big Stone Gap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Olinger
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Olinger is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olinger
- Duffield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rye Cove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rye Cove is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rye Cove
- Pattonsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pattonsville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pattonsville
- Natural Tunnel
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Natural Tunnel is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natural Tunnel
- Duncan Mill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Duncan Mill is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncan Mill
- Dryden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Dryden is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryden
- Clinchport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Clinchport is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinchport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Stickleyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Stickleyville is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickleyville
- Ely
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Ely is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
- Fort Blackmore
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Wood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Wood is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood
- Fairview
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Flat Rock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Flat Rock is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Rock
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oreton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oreton.
Newspapers Published in Oreton ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oreton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oreton, 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 Oreton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Oreton:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Wise County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dickenson County
- Lee County
- Norton City
- Russell County
- Scott County
- Washington County
- Harlan County
- Knott County
- Leslie County
- Letcher County
- Perry County
- Hancock County
- Hawkins County
- Sullivan County
- Washington 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 Oreton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Oreton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |